"Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml" build error

[Glen Mazza]

Hello, I'm repeatedly getting a "Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml" error while trying to build a sample HelloWorldPortlet following the online docs here[1], using the pom.xml supplied and following the folder structure on that page (i.e. having the web.xml in "HelloWorldPortlet\src\main\java\webapp\WEB-INF" directory.)  Partial stacktrace is below.

Eclipse is showing that the web.xml is at least well-formed:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE web-app PUBLIC "-//Sun Microsystems, Inc.//DTD Web Application 2.3//EN"
   "http://java.sun.com/dtd/web-app_2_3.dtd">

<web-app id="HelloWorldID">

   <display-name>HelloWorldPortlet</display-name>

   <welcome-file-list>
      <welcome-file>index.html</welcome-file>
   </welcome-file-list>

    <servlet>
        <servlet-name>HelloWorldPortlet</servlet-name>
        <servlet-class>org.apache.pluto.container.driver.PortletServlet</servlet-class>
        <init-param>
            <param-name>portlet-name</param-name>
            <param-value>HelloWorldPortlet</param-value>
        </init-param>
        <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
    </servlet>

    <servlet-mapping>
        <servlet-name>HelloWorldPortlet</servlet-name>
        <url-pattern>/PlutoInvoker/HelloWorldPortlet</url-pattern>
    </servlet-mapping>
</web-app>

But even if I delete this web.xml or use another web.xml that I know works (one from Pluto's portal or testsuite WAR file) I still get this same error--so I can't tell if there's a problem with the web.xml or simply that it can't find the web.xml.  Any hints?  Also, is this a Maven war plugin or Pluto plugin issue--if the latter, I'll enter a JIRA for the error message to distinguish between "bad web.xml" and "can't find the web.xml" so users with the latter problem don't need to spend time trying to fix their web.xml when that's not the problem.

Thanks,
Glen

[1] http://portals.apache.org/pluto/v20/deploying.html

C:\eclipse\workspace\HelloWorldPortlet>mvn clean install -e
+ Error stacktraces are turned on.
[INFO] Scanning for projects...
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Building HelloWorldPortlet
[INFO]    task-segment: [clean, install]
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] [clean:clean]
[INFO] [pluto2:assemble {execution: default}]
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ERROR] BUILD ERROR
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Trace
org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Web application descript
or must be a valid web.xml
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoals(Defa
ultLifecycleExecutor.java:703)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoalWithLi
fecycle(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:540)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoal(Defau
ltLifecycleExecutor.java:519)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoalAndHan
dleFailures(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:371)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeTaskSegmen
ts(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:332)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.execute(DefaultLi
fecycleExecutor.java:181)
        at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:356)

[Woonsan Ko]

Hi Glen,

I see the element definition in the dtd specified in your web.xml as follows:

<!ELEMENT web-app (icon?, display-name?, description?, distributable?,
context-param*, filter*, filter-mapping*, listener*, servlet*,
servlet-mapping*, session-config?, mime-mapping*, welcome-file-list?,
error-page*, taglib*, resource-env-ref*, resource-ref*, security-constraint*,
login-config?, security-role*, env-entry*, ejb-ref*,  ejb-local-ref*)>

So, I think you should move down welcome-file-list after servlet-mapping.

Regards,

Woonsan


--- On Tue, 6/30/09, Glen Mazza <glen.mazza@...> wrote:

> From: Glen Mazza <glen.mazza@...>
> Subject: "Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml" build error
> To: pluto-user@...
> Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 4:55 PM
>
> Hello, I'm repeatedly getting a "Web application descriptor
> must be a valid
> web.xml" error while trying to build a sample
> HelloWorldPortlet following
> the online docs here[1], using the pom.xml supplied and
> following the folder
> structure on that page (i.e. having the web.xml in
> "HelloWorldPortlet\src\main\java\webapp\WEB-INF"
> directory.)  Partial
> stacktrace is below.
>
> Eclipse is showing that the web.xml is at least
> well-formed:
>
> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
> <!DOCTYPE web-app PUBLIC "-//Sun Microsystems, Inc.//DTD
> Web Application
> 2.3//EN"
>    "http://java.sun.com/dtd/web-app_2_3.dtd">
>
> <web-app id="HelloWorldID">
>
>    <display-name>HelloWorldPortlet</display-name>
>
>    <welcome-file-list>
>      
> <welcome-file>index.html</welcome-file>
>    </welcome-file-list>
>
>     <servlet>
>        
> <servlet-name>HelloWorldPortlet</servlet-name>
>        
> <servlet-class>org.apache.pluto.container.driver.PortletServlet</servlet-class>
>         <init-param>
>            
> <param-name>portlet-name</param-name>
>            
> <param-value>HelloWorldPortlet</param-value>
>         </init-param>
>        
> <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
>     </servlet>
>
>     <servlet-mapping>
>        
> <servlet-name>HelloWorldPortlet</servlet-name>
>        
> <url-pattern>/PlutoInvoker/HelloWorldPortlet</url-pattern>
>     </servlet-mapping>
> </web-app>
>
> But even if I delete this web.xml or use another web.xml
> that I know works
> (one from Pluto's portal or testsuite WAR file) I still get
> this same
> error--so I can't tell if there's a problem with the
> web.xml or simply that
> it can't find the web.xml.  Any hints?  Also, is
> this a Maven war plugin or
> Pluto plugin issue--if the latter, I'll enter a JIRA for
> the error message
> to distinguish between "bad web.xml" and "can't find the
> web.xml" so users
> with the latter problem don't need to spend time trying to
> fix their web.xml
> when that's not the problem.
>
> Thanks,
> Glen
>
> [1] http://portals.apache.org/pluto/v20/deploying.html
>
> C:\eclipse\workspace\HelloWorldPortlet>mvn clean install
> -e
> + Error stacktraces are turned on.
> [INFO] Scanning for projects...
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] Building HelloWorldPortlet
> [INFO]    task-segment: [clean, install]
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] [clean:clean]
> [INFO] [pluto2:assemble {execution: default}]
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [ERROR] BUILD ERROR
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] Trace
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Web
> application
> descript
> or must be a valid web.xml
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoals(Defa
> ultLifecycleExecutor.java:703)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoalWithLi
> fecycle(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:540)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoal(Defau
> ltLifecycleExecutor.java:519)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoalAndHan
> dleFailures(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:371)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeTaskSegmen
> ts(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:332)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.execute(DefaultLi
> fecycleExecutor.java:181)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:356)
> --
> View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/%22Web-application-descriptor-must-be-a-valid-web.xml%22-build-error-tp24273382p24273382.html
> Sent from the Pluto - User mailing list archive at
> Nabble.com.
>
>

[Glen Mazza]

No--same error even if I do that, even if I delete the file.  Maybe it's requiring a 2.4 web.xml (I'm relying on a tutorial sample--I can upgrade it.)  I'll look into entering a (Maven, apparently) JIRA for a better error message--I need to know whether it can't find the web.xml, or it can but there's something wrong with the file.  The troubleshooting you do in each case is very different.

Thanks,
Glen

Woonsan Ko wrote:

Hi Glen,

I see the element definition in the dtd specified in your web.xml as follows:

<!ELEMENT web-app (icon?, display-name?, description?, distributable?,
context-param*, filter*, filter-mapping*, listener*, servlet*,
servlet-mapping*, session-config?, mime-mapping*, welcome-file-list?,
error-page*, taglib*, resource-env-ref*, resource-ref*, security-constraint*,
login-config?, security-role*, env-entry*, ejb-ref*,  ejb-local-ref*)>

So, I think you should move down welcome-file-list after servlet-mapping.

Regards,

Woonsan


--- On Tue, 6/30/09, Glen Mazza <[e-mail]> wrote:

> From: Glen Mazza <[e-mail]>
> Subject: "Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml" build error
> To: [e-mail]
> Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 4:55 PM
>
> Hello, I'm repeatedly getting a "Web application descriptor
> must be a valid
> web.xml" error while trying to build a sample
> HelloWorldPortlet following
> the online docs here[1], using the pom.xml supplied and
> following the folder
> structure on that page (i.e. having the web.xml in
> "HelloWorldPortlet\src\main\java\webapp\WEB-INF"
> directory.)  Partial
> stacktrace is below.
>
> Eclipse is showing that the web.xml is at least
> well-formed:
>
> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
> <!DOCTYPE web-app PUBLIC "-//Sun Microsystems, Inc.//DTD
> Web Application
> 2.3//EN"
>    "http://java.sun.com/dtd/web-app_2_3.dtd">
>
> <web-app id="HelloWorldID">
>
>    <display-name>HelloWorldPortlet</display-name>
>
>    <welcome-file-list>
>      
> <welcome-file>index.html</welcome-file>
>    </welcome-file-list>
>
>     <servlet>
>        
> <servlet-name>HelloWorldPortlet</servlet-name>
>        
> <servlet-class>org.apache.pluto.container.driver.PortletServlet</servlet-class>
>         <init-param>
>            
> <param-name>portlet-name</param-name>
>            
> <param-value>HelloWorldPortlet</param-value>
>         </init-param>
>        
> <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
>     </servlet>
>
>     <servlet-mapping>
>        
> <servlet-name>HelloWorldPortlet</servlet-name>
>        
> <url-pattern>/PlutoInvoker/HelloWorldPortlet</url-pattern>
>     </servlet-mapping>
> </web-app>
>
> But even if I delete this web.xml or use another web.xml
> that I know works
> (one from Pluto's portal or testsuite WAR file) I still get
> this same
> error--so I can't tell if there's a problem with the
> web.xml or simply that
> it can't find the web.xml.  Any hints?  Also, is
> this a Maven war plugin or
> Pluto plugin issue--if the latter, I'll enter a JIRA for
> the error message
> to distinguish between "bad web.xml" and "can't find the
> web.xml" so users
> with the latter problem don't need to spend time trying to
> fix their web.xml
> when that's not the problem.
>
> Thanks,
> Glen
>
> [1] http://portals.apache.org/pluto/v20/deploying.html
>
> C:\eclipse\workspace\HelloWorldPortlet>mvn clean install
> -e
> + Error stacktraces are turned on.
> [INFO] Scanning for projects...
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] Building HelloWorldPortlet
> [INFO]    task-segment: [clean, install]
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] [clean:clean]
> [INFO] [pluto2:assemble {execution: default}]
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [ERROR] BUILD ERROR
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] Web application descriptor must be a valid web.xml
> [INFO]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [INFO] Trace
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Web
> application
> descript
> or must be a valid web.xml
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoals(Defa
> ultLifecycleExecutor.java:703)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoalWithLi
> fecycle(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:540)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoal(Defau
> ltLifecycleExecutor.java:519)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeGoalAndHan
> dleFailures(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:371)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.executeTaskSegmen
> ts(DefaultLifecycleExecutor.java:332)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.lifecycle.DefaultLifecycleExecutor.execute(DefaultLi
> fecycleExecutor.java:181)
>         at
> org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:356)
> --
> View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/%22Web-application-descriptor-must-be-a-valid-web.xml%22-build-error-tp24273382p24273382.html
> Sent from the Pluto - User mailing list archive at
> Nabble.com.
>
>