Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.jsf/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/jsf/template/JSF2CompositeAttributeTemplate.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.jsf/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/jsf/template/JSF2CompositeAttributeTemplate.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.jsf/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/jsf/template/JSF2CompositeAttributeTemplate.java	(working copy)
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@
 			nsIDOMDocument visualDocument) {
 		Element sourceElement = (Element) sourceNode;
 		String name = sourceElement.getAttribute(JSF.ATTR_NAME);
-		String defaultValue = sourceElement.getAttribute(JSF.ATTR_DEFAULT);
 		//we should register attributes only if we process this as custom component, but not when we open component definition page
 		if(!pageContext.getVisualBuilder().isCurrentMainDocument()){
 			String compositionCustomElementAttributeKey = Jsf2CustomComponentTemplate.JSF2_CUSTOM_COMPONENT_PARAMETR_KEY +name;
 			if(pageContext.getCustomElementsAttributes().containsKey(compositionCustomElementAttributeKey)){				
 				pageContext.addAttributeInCustomElementsMap(JSF.CUSTOM_COMPONENT_ATTR_PREFIX+name,
 						pageContext.getCustomElementsAttributes().get(compositionCustomElementAttributeKey));
-			}else if(defaultValue!=null) {
+			}else if(sourceElement.hasAttribute(JSF.ATTR_DEFAULT)) {
+				String defaultValue = sourceElement.getAttribute(JSF.ATTR_DEFAULT);
 				pageContext.addAttributeInCustomElementsMap(JSF.CUSTOM_COMPONENT_ATTR_PREFIX+name, defaultValue);
 			}
 		}
Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/ComponentUtil.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/ComponentUtil.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/ComponentUtil.java	(working copy)
@@ -493,11 +493,7 @@
      * @return the attribute
      */
     public static String getAttribute(Element sourceElement, String attributeName, String defaultValue) {
-        String attribute = sourceElement.getAttribute(attributeName);
-        if (attribute == null) {
-            attribute = defaultValue;
-        }
-        return attribute;
+        return sourceElement.hasAttribute(attributeName) ? sourceElement.getAttribute(attributeName) : defaultValue;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -651,7 +647,7 @@
     public static void correctAttribute(Element sourceNode, nsIDOMElement targetNode,
     		String sourceAttrName, String targetAttrName,
             String prefValue, String defValue) {
-        String attrValue = ((Element) sourceNode).getAttribute(sourceAttrName);
+        String attrValue = sourceNode.hasAttribute(sourceAttrName) ? sourceNode.getAttribute(sourceAttrName) : null;
         if (prefValue != null && prefValue.trim().length() > 0 && attrValue != null) {
             attrValue = prefValue.trim() + Constants.WHITE_SPACE + attrValue;
         }
Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesCalendarTemplate.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesCalendarTemplate.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesCalendarTemplate.java	(working copy)
@@ -618,9 +618,9 @@
 		inputStyle = DEFAULT_INPUT_STYLE + Constants.SEMICOLON
 				+ sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_INPUT_STYLE);
 
+		String inputClassAttrVal = sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_INPUT_CLASS) ? sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_INPUT_CLASS) : null;
 		// inputClass
-		inputClass = CSS_R_C_INPUT + Constants.WHITE_SPACE
-				+ sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_INPUT_CLASS);
+		inputClass = CSS_R_C_INPUT + Constants.WHITE_SPACE + inputClassAttrVal;
 
 		// inputSize
 		inputSize = sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_INPUT_SIZE) ? sourceElement
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@
 		buttonIcon = buttonIcon.replace('\\', '/');
 
 		// buttonClass
-		buttonClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_BUTTON_CLASS);
+		buttonClass = sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_BUTTON_CLASS) ? sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_BUTTON_CLASS) : null;
 
 		// showWeekDaysBar
 		showWeekDaysBar = (!sourceElement
Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesColumnTemplate.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesColumnTemplate.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesColumnTemplate.java	(working copy)
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@
 		} else {
 			columnClass = "dr-table-cell rich-table-cell"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		}
-		
-		String styleClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE_CLASS);
-		if (styleClass != null) {
+				
+		if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE_CLASS)) {
+			String styleClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE_CLASS);
 			columnClass += " " + styleClass; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		}
 		return columnClass;
@@ -172,11 +172,10 @@
 	 * @return <code>IMG</code> tag if it is necessary, <code>null</code> otherwise */
 	public static nsIDOMElement getHeaderIcon(VpePageContext pageContext, Element column, nsIDOMDocument visualDocument) {
 	    String sortable = ComponentUtil.getAttribute(column, RichFaces.ATTR_SORTABLE);
-	    String sortBy = column.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_SORT_BY);
-	    if (RichFaces.VALUE_TRUE.equals(sortable) || sortBy != null) {
-			nsIDOMElement img = visualDocument.createElement(HTML.TAG_IMG);
-			String sortIcon = column.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_SORT_ICON);
-			if (sortIcon != null) {
+	    if (RichFaces.VALUE_TRUE.equals(sortable) || column.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_SORT_BY)) {
+			nsIDOMElement img = visualDocument.createElement(HTML.TAG_IMG);			
+			if (column.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_SORT_ICON)) {
+				String sortIcon = column.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_SORT_ICON);
 				sortIcon = VpeStyleUtil.addFullPathToImgSrc(sortIcon, pageContext, true);
 				sortIcon = sortIcon.replace('\\', '/');
 	    		img.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_SRC, sortIcon);            
Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesListShuttleTemplate.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesListShuttleTemplate.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesListShuttleTemplate.java	(working copy)
@@ -361,8 +361,8 @@
 		// ComponentUtil.copyAttributes(sourceNode, basicTable);
 
 		basicTable.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_CLASS, styleClasses.get("style")); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		basicTable.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_STYLE, sourceElement
-				.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE));
+		String styleAttr = sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE) ? sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE) : null;
+		basicTable.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_STYLE, styleAttr);
 
 		VpeCreationData creationData = new VpeCreationData(basicTable);
 		creationData.addChildrenInfo(new VpeChildrenInfo(null));
@@ -699,11 +699,10 @@
 				.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_SHOW_BUTTON_LABELS));
 
 		for (String key : labelsKeys) {
-
-			String label = sourceElement.getAttribute(key + "Label"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-
-			if (label != null)
+			if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(key + "Label")) {
+				String label = sourceElement.getAttribute(key + "Label"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				labels.put(key, label);
+			}
 			else
 				labels.put(key, defaultLabels.get(key));
 		}
@@ -711,11 +710,11 @@
 		// prepare style classes
 		Set<String> styleClassesKeys = defaultStyleClasses.keySet();
 		for (String key : styleClassesKeys) {
-
-			String styleClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(key + "Class"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-			if (styleClass != null)
+			if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(key + "Class")) {
+				String styleClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(key + "Class"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				styleClasses.put(key, defaultStyleClasses.get(key) + " " //$NON-NLS-1$
 						+ styleClass);
+			}
 			else
 				styleClasses.put(key, defaultStyleClasses.get(key));
 		}
@@ -737,20 +736,18 @@
 			}
 
 		}
-
-		// get rowClass
-		String rowClasses = sourceElement
-				.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_ROW_CLASSES);
-
-		// if this attribue exist then
-		if (rowClasses != null) {
+		
+		// if attribue exist then
+		if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_ROW_CLASSES)) {
+			// get rowClass
+			String rowClasses = sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_ROW_CLASSES);
 			rowClass = rowClasses.split("[,;]")[0]; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		}
-
-		String columnClassesAtribute = sourceElement
-				.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_COLUMN_CLASSES);
-		if (columnClassesAtribute != null)
+		
+		if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_COLUMN_CLASSES)) {
+			String columnClassesAtribute = sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_COLUMN_CLASSES);
 			columnClasses = Arrays.asList(columnClassesAtribute.split("[,;]")); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		}
 		else
 			columnClasses = new ArrayList<String>();
 
@@ -780,36 +777,36 @@
 
 		// prepare buttons attributes
 		sourceButtonsAlign = sourceElement
-				.getAttribute(ATTR_MOVE_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) != null ? sourceElement
+				.hasAttribute(ATTR_MOVE_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) ? sourceElement
 				.getAttribute(ATTR_MOVE_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN)
 				: DEFAULT_BUTTON_ALIGN;
 
 		targetButtonsAlign = sourceElement
-				.getAttribute(ATTR_ORDER_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) != null ? sourceElement
+				.hasAttribute(ATTR_ORDER_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) ? sourceElement
 				.getAttribute(ATTR_ORDER_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN)
 				: DEFAULT_BUTTON_ALIGN;
 
 		// prepare lists attributes
 
-		listsHeight = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_LISTS_HEIGHT);
-		if (listsHeight == null) {
-			listsHeight = DEFAULT_LIST_HEIGHT;
+		if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(ATTR_LISTS_HEIGHT)) {
+			String listsHeightVal = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_LISTS_HEIGHT);
+			listsHeight = VpeStyleUtil.addPxIfNecessary(listsHeightVal);			
 		} else {
-			listsHeight = VpeStyleUtil.addPxIfNecessary(listsHeight);
+			listsHeight = DEFAULT_LIST_HEIGHT;
 		}
 
-		sourceListsWidth = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_SOURCE_LIST_WIDTH);
-		if (sourceListsWidth == null) {
-			sourceListsWidth = DEFAULT_LIST_WIDTH;
+		if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(ATTR_SOURCE_LIST_WIDTH)) {
+			String listWidthVal = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_SOURCE_LIST_WIDTH);
+			sourceListsWidth = VpeStyleUtil.addPxIfNecessary(listWidthVal);			
 		} else {
-			sourceListsWidth = VpeStyleUtil.addPxIfNecessary(sourceListsWidth);
+			sourceListsWidth = DEFAULT_LIST_WIDTH;			
 		}
-		
-		targetListsWidth = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_TARGET_LIST_WIDTH);		
-		if (targetListsWidth == null) {
-			targetListsWidth = DEFAULT_LIST_WIDTH;
+						
+		if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(ATTR_TARGET_LIST_WIDTH)) {
+			String listWidthVal = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_TARGET_LIST_WIDTH);
+			targetListsWidth = VpeStyleUtil.addPxIfNecessary(listWidthVal);
 		} else {
-			targetListsWidth = VpeStyleUtil.addPxIfNecessary(targetListsWidth);
+			targetListsWidth = DEFAULT_LIST_WIDTH;			
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -904,7 +901,7 @@
 				String headerClass = styleClasses.get("headerCell"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 
 				if ((child instanceof Element)
-						&& (((Element) child).getAttribute("headerClass")) != null) { //$NON-NLS-1$
+						&& ((Element) child).hasAttribute("headerClass")) { //$NON-NLS-1$
 					headerClass += " " //$NON-NLS-1$
 							+ ((Element) child).getAttribute("headerClass"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				}
Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesPickListTemplate.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesPickListTemplate.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesPickListTemplate.java	(working copy)
@@ -299,7 +299,8 @@
         creationData.addChildrenInfo(new VpeChildrenInfo(null));
         
         rootTable.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_CLASS, styleClasses.get(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE));
-        rootTable.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_STYLE, sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE));
+        String attrStyleVal = sourceElement.hasAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE) ? sourceElement.getAttribute(RichFaces.ATTR_STYLE) : null;
+        rootTable.setAttribute(HTML.ATTR_STYLE, attrStyleVal);
 
         // create source box
         final nsIDOMElement sourceBoxTd = visualDocument.createElement(HTML.TAG_TD);
@@ -588,10 +589,8 @@
         // prepare labels
 
         for (LabelKey key : LabelKey.values()) {
-
-            String label = sourceElement.getAttribute(key.getValue() + LABEL_SUFFIX); 
-
-            if (label != null) {
+            if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(key.getValue() + LABEL_SUFFIX)) {
+            	String label = sourceElement.getAttribute(key.getValue() + LABEL_SUFFIX);
                 labels.put(key.getValue(), label);
             } else {
                 labels.put(key.getValue(), defaultLabels.get(key));
@@ -609,7 +608,7 @@
         isShowButtonLabels = !Boolean.FALSE.toString().equalsIgnoreCase(sourceElement 
                 .getAttribute(ATTR_SHOW_BUTTON_LABELS));
         // prepare buttons attributes
-        moveControlsAlign = sourceElement.getAttribute(ATTR_MOVE_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) != null ? sourceElement
+        moveControlsAlign = sourceElement.hasAttribute(ATTR_MOVE_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) ? sourceElement
                 .getAttribute(ATTR_MOVE_CONTROLS_VERTICAL_ALIGN) : DEFAULT_BUTTON_ALIGN;
 
         // prepare lists attributes
@@ -644,10 +643,9 @@
     private void prepareStyleClasses(Element sourceElement) {
         // prepare style classes
         Set<String> styleClassesKeys = defaultStyleClasses.keySet();
-        for (String key : styleClassesKeys) {
-
-            String styleClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(key + CLASS_SUFFIX); 
-            if (styleClass != null) {
+        for (String key : styleClassesKeys) {             
+            if (sourceElement.hasAttribute(key + CLASS_SUFFIX)) {
+            	String styleClass = sourceElement.getAttribute(key + CLASS_SUFFIX);
                 styleClasses.put(key, defaultStyleClasses.get(key) + " " //$NON-NLS-1$
                         + styleClass);
             } else {
Index: jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesTogglePanelTemplate.java
===================================================================
--- jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesTogglePanelTemplate.java	(revision 23081)
+++ jsf/plugins/org.jboss.tools.jsf.vpe.richfaces/src/org/jboss/tools/jsf/vpe/richfaces/template/RichFacesTogglePanelTemplate.java	(working copy)
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@
 			Node child = children.item(i);
 			
 			if (child instanceof Element && child.getNodeName().endsWith(":facet")) { //$NON-NLS-1$
-				Element facet = (Element)child;
-				String name = ((Element)facet).getAttribute("name"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-				if (name != null) {
+				Element facet = (Element)child;				
+				if (facet.hasAttribute("name")) {
+					String name = facet.getAttribute("name"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 					states.put(name, facet);
 				}
 			}
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@
 	}
 	
 	private String getInitialState(Element sourceElement) {
-		String initialState = sourceElement.getAttribute("initialState"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		
-		String stateOrder = sourceElement.getAttribute("stateOrder"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		if(stateOrder!=null) {
+		String initialState = sourceElement.hasAttribute("initialState") ? sourceElement.getAttribute("initialState") : null; //$NON-NLS-1$
+				
+		if(sourceElement.hasAttribute("stateOrder")) {
+			String stateOrder = sourceElement.getAttribute("stateOrder"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 			StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(stateOrder.trim(), ",", false); //$NON-NLS-1$
 			String firstState = null;
 			while(st.hasMoreElements()) {
@@ -119,8 +119,7 @@
 	
 	private String getActiveState(Element sourceElement) {
 		String activeStateStr;
-		String stateOrder = sourceElement.getAttribute("stateOrder"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		if(null == stateOrder)  return null;
+		if(!sourceElement.hasAttribute("stateOrder"))  return null;
 
 		activeStateStr = (String)toggleMap.get(sourceElement);
 
@@ -131,9 +130,9 @@
 		return activeStateStr;
 	}
 
-	private String getNextState(Element sourceElement, String toggleId) {
+	private String getNextState(Element sourceElement, String toggleId) {		
+		if(!sourceElement.hasAttribute("stateOrder"))  return null;
 		String stateOrder = sourceElement.getAttribute("stateOrder"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		if(null == stateOrder)  return null;
 		String activeState = getActiveState(sourceElement);
 		
 		StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(stateOrder.trim(), ",", false); //$NON-NLS-1$