Empty string in Bean not overwriting previous value in h:inputText - jsf-2

Question

JSF 2 problem. I have a hidden edit area on my form. When the user clicks the Edit button, I set a bean property to true to display the area (this is a bit of a simplification) and set another bean property to the value being edited. This variable is referred to like:
<h:inputText value="#{bean.stringValue}" />
When the user cancels out of editing, I hide the edit area.
Let's say the user then wants to edit another item, but this one's value is the empty string (""). Using the same code, stringValue is set to the emptyString and the area displays.
However, the value from the previous edit is displayed, not an empty text box.
Without resorting to JavaScript, is there a way to make this work?
Edit: Following is as close as I can come to a SSCCE. As you see, I am activating in-place editing inside a table. I'm also using ICEfaces, but nothing special in this case.
<table>
<tbody>
<ui:repeat var="cfi"
value="#{evDetailBean.completeEvent.listCompleteCashFlowItems}">
<ice:panelGroup rendered="#{!cfi.editThisOne}">
<tr>
<td>#{cfi.cfiName}</td>
<td>#{cfi.absOfAmount}</td>
<td>#{cfi.frequencyDescr}</td>
<td>#{cfi.cfiToFrom}</td>
<td>#{cfi.assetPoolName}</td>
<td style="text-align: center"><h:commandLink
actionListener="#{cfi.editCfiListener}" value="Edit" />    <h:commandLink
value="Delete" actionListener="#{cfi.deleteCfiListener}" />
</td>
</tr>
</ice:panelGroup>
<ice:panelGroup rendered="#{cfi.editThisOne}">
<tr>
<td><ice:inputText value="#{evDetailBean.newCFIName}"
style="width:118px;" partialSubmit="true" immediate="true" validator="#{evDetailBean.valNewCFIName}" /></td>
<td>xxx</td>
<td>xxx</td>
<td>xxx</td>
<td>xxx</td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><ice:commandButton
value="Save" immediate="true"
actionListener="#{evDetailBean.saveEditCfiListener}"
styleClass="plumvo-button"
style="float:left; vertical-align: middle;" />   
<ice:commandLink value="Cancel" style="vertical-align: middle;"
actionListener="#{cfi.cancelEditCfiListener}" /></td>
</tr>
</ice:panelGroup>
</ui:repeat>
</tbody>
And this is the actionListener (in part):
public void editCfiListener(ActionEvent e) {
EvDetailBean evDetailBean = completeEvent.getEvDetailBean();
evDetailBean.setNewCFIName(this.getCfiName());
// initialize more fields
editThisOne = true; // This causes the row being edited to open up with modifiable fields.
}
Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

Just check in your bean after submit if stringValue is "" and if so, set it to null and visible property to false.

Answer 2

the action , the bean function you are calling on click of edit button. inside that clear the stringValue variable.