Handle Multiple <apex:form> elements in one Visualforce page

Question

I have a visualforce page with an apex:component in it. (This component is for headers, used in various other places).

<apex:page title="" ... >
<apex:form>
      <c: HeaderV2 />
</apex:form>
</apex:page>

Here's my component.

<apex:component controller="TemplateController" allowDML="true">
     <apex:commandLink action="{!UpdateABC}" />
</apex:component>

The commandLink doesn't work, because there is no Apex:form in the component. So, I add the apex:form to the component.

    <apex:component controller="TemplateController" allowDML="true">
         <apex:form>
               <apex:commandLink action="{!UpdateABC}" />
         </apex:form>
    </apex:component> 

Now, my whole page gives error because there are 2 apex:forms! (one from the page and the other from the component) How to resolve this?

Answer 1

Try using a tag that doesn't need to live inside a form (like an outputLink), and adding actionSupport to call the UpdateABC method. Something like:

<apex:outputLink>
    [link text here]
    <apex:actionSupport event="onclick" action="{!UpdateABC}"/> 
</apex:outputLink>