web app web.xml error

Question

I am getting an error in my GWT application being developed in Eclipse. It's in the web.xml file. Here's the error:

The content of element type "web-app" must match "(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*)".

I have seen numerous posts about this and the problem is the order of the elements of the file, but that fix doesn't work for me (I have also tried putting all the <servlet-mapping> tags right after the corresponding <servlet>, it did not work either)

My web.xml file :

<?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>

  <servlet>
    <servlet-name>dispatch</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.yachtcloser.server.DispatchServlet</servlet-class>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
  </servlet>

  <servlet>
    <servlet-name>upload</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.yachtcloser.server.UploadServlet</servlet-class>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
  </servlet> 

  <servlet>
    <servlet-name>download</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.yachtcloser.server.DownloadServlet</servlet-class>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
  </servlet>

  <servlet>
    <servlet-name>login</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.yachtcloser.server.LoginServlet</servlet-class>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
  </servlet>

  <servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>dispatch</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/dispatch.do</url-pattern>
  </servlet-mapping>

  <servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>upload</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/upload.do</url-pattern>
  </servlet-mapping>

  <servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>download</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/download.do</url-pattern>
  </servlet-mapping>

  <servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>login</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/login.do</url-pattern>
  </servlet-mapping>

  <!-- Default page to serve -->
  <welcome-file-list>
    <welcome-file>Yc.html</welcome-file>
  </welcome-file-list>

</web-app>

Are there any other ways of tracking this error; other files that are linked to this?

Removed GWT from title and tags, since it's not relevant to the problem. — skaffman, Jul 06 '11 at 22:44
Have you tried removing all whitespace or checking the file in a hex editor for hidden characters? — Terrell Plotzki, Jul 07 '11 at 02:07
I tried that to no avail, but ended up finding the answer mentioned below. — HeelToeHero, Jul 07 '11 at 15:19

score 15 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 04 '13 at 09:33

15

well, as per new format of DTD web-app tag might contains following tags. <!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*)>

above mentioned icon, display-name, description, distributable....etc are in the same order as they have mentioned in the DTD file.

e.g. if you put description tag before display-name it gives error.

answered Jun 04 '13 at 09:33

Jay Gohel

151
1
5

2

I had this problem, and thanks to you I solved, the problem was in a bad order of elements... – Marcx Jun 26 '13 at 09:33
Cut copy paste is not a permanent solution, i gone for the above one. it worked, just re arranged the order of servlet mapping and listeners. It solved. – srinivas Jul 30 '15 at 03:35

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 07 '11 at 15:23

7

I deleted the file and pasted the text from the old one into a new file with the same name and now there's no errors.

answered Jul 07 '11 at 15:23

HeelToeHero

113
1
1
6

Strange but solved issue for me. – umair May 17 '16 at 15:09
Same. Strange, but worked for me as well. – Chintu Karthi Oct 13 '21 at 17:08
worked for me. In the process.. Above line got added. – Shakti Pravesh Jun 25 '22 at 13:08

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 27 '13 at 14:51

2

Just for a reference: A SelectAll->Cut->Save->Paste->Save also fixes the problem. Probably there is a line ending character issue.

answered Oct 27 '13 at 14:51

Aram Paronikyan

1,598
17
22

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 12 '14 at 15:39

1

I followed the suggestion for "copy all" - "cut" - "paste" - "save" and this seemed to clear up the message. I found that in the "pasted" version all tabs had been converted to spaces.

So it seems that the web.xml validator in Eclipse does not like tabs.

answered Mar 12 '14 at 15:39

Bill H

51
1

1

In Eclipse, you can also re-format the code using CTRL+SHIFT+F (or by going to source > format). That should also clear out any formatting issues. – vdwijngaert Mar 12 '14 at 15:59

score -1 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 25 '15 at 18:20

-1

The error itself gives you the clue. The order of the elements in your web.xml should follow the order specified in the error.

<displayname>
</displayname>
<description>
</description>

....... like this the elements should be in order as it says in the error.

answered Jan 25 '15 at 18:20

Cnu

11
2

This answer seems irrelevant, the quesion was asked 3 years ago and the issue seems to be related to line endings or something similar. Not the order of the elements. – Scriptable Jan 25 '15 at 18:48
it's relevant, rather typing the whole web.xml. I have just given a view. I had the same issue, while declaring content-param, I wrote them after servlet-mapping, so I got this error. When changed the order, error went away. So It could be a possible reason. – Cnu Jan 25 '15 at 20:09
FYI, see the very first answer of this post. – Cnu Jan 25 '15 at 20:23
So that answer has alreay been given, so its not needed again :) – Scriptable Jan 25 '15 at 20:26
I posted my experience, I though it would be use full for some one. But you are saying it's not relevant... – Cnu Jan 25 '15 at 20:30
I was merely saying my opinion that it doesnt seem useful, if you think it is useful then leave it there mate, just a suggestion as part of the review process. – Scriptable Jan 25 '15 at 20:32

web app web.xml error

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