java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet

Problem: Deploying a newly created JSF 2.1 Application on Tomcat 7 and while starting the server, gets the following error, which made me to scratch my head. While working with JSF 1.2, on other IDE’s like MyEclipse, i do not remember coming across this issue.

java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet

Solution:

I give credit to the author at

http://blog.v-s-f.co.uk/2010/09/jsf-2-1-project-using-eclipse-and-maven-2/

and also i added my own findings in this post.

We need to change the below few files so that the jar files are deployed with the application.

So now open the file org.eclipse.wst.common.component which is in the .settings folder. Delete the lines:

<wb-resource deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/classes” source-path=”/src/test/java” />
<wb-resource deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/classes” source-path=”/src/test/resources” />

Replace them with:

<dependent-module deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/lib”>
<dependency-type>uses</dependency-type>
</dependent-module>

Open .classpath and replace the line: <classpathentry exported=”true” kind=”con” path=”org.maven.ide.eclipse.MAVEN2_CLASSPATH_CONTAINER”/> with:

<classpathentry exported=”true” kind=”con” path=”org.maven.ide.eclipse.MAVEN2_CLASSPATH_CONTAINER”>
<attributes>
<attribute name=”org.eclipse.jst.component.dependency” value=”/WEB-INF/lib”/>
</attributes>
</classpathentry>

Apart from doing the above steps, without doing this step, still throwed the exception for me. So, do this as well, right click on project -> properties -> java build path and look for the tab Libraries. Make sure that JavaSE 1.6 is available. If not, remove the old one (default is 1.4 in eclipse)  if any, click Add Library on right and add the JavaSE 1.6.

Navigate to Order and Export and select JavaSE 1.6 along with Maven Dependencies.

After selecting Maven Dependencies, navigate to Project Facets, if you do not happen to see the Project Facets list, close the properties dialog box refresh your project and then revisit the Project Facets.

 

In Eclipse, .project should look like

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<projectDescription>
<name>projname</name>
<comment></comment>
<projects>
</projects>
<buildSpec>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.eclipse.wst.jsdt.core.javascriptValidator</name>
<arguments>
</arguments>
</buildCommand>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.builder</name>
<arguments>
</arguments>
</buildCommand>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.eclipse.jdt.core.javabuilder</name>
<arguments>
</arguments>
</buildCommand>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.eclipse.wst.validation.validationbuilder</name>
<arguments>
</arguments>
</buildCommand>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.maven.ide.eclipse.maven2Builder</name>
<arguments>
</arguments>
</buildCommand>
</buildSpec>
<natures>
<nature>org.eclipse.jem.workbench.JavaEMFNature</nature>
<nature>org.eclipse.wst.common.modulecore.ModuleCoreNature</nature>
<nature>org.eclipse.jdt.core.javanature</nature>
<nature>org.maven.ide.eclipse.maven2Nature</nature>
<nature>org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.nature</nature>
<nature>org.eclipse.wst.jsdt.core.jsNature</nature>
</natures>
</projectDescription>

.classpath should look like

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<classpath>
<classpathentry kind=”src” output=”target/classes” path=”src/main/java”/>
<classpathentry excluding=”**” kind=”src” output=”target/classes” path=”src/main/resources”/>
<classpathentry kind=”src” output=”target/test-classes” path=”src/test/java”/>
<classpathentry excluding=”**” kind=”src” output=”target/test-classes” path=”src/test/resources”/>
<classpathentry kind=”src” path=”src/main/webapp”/>
<classpathentry exported=”true” kind=”con” path=”org.maven.ide.eclipse.MAVEN2_CLASSPATH_CONTAINER”>
<attributes>
<attribute name=”org.eclipse.jst.component.dependency” value=”/WEB-INF/lib”/>
</attributes>
</classpathentry>
<classpathentry exported=”true” kind=”con” path=”org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER/org.eclipse.jdt.internal.debug.ui.launcher.StandardVMType/JavaSE-1.6″/>
<classpathentry kind=”con” path=”org.eclipse.jst.j2ee.internal.web.container”/>
<classpathentry kind=”con” path=”org.eclipse.jst.j2ee.internal.module.container”/>
<classpathentry kind=”output” path=”target/classes”/>
</classpath>

org.eclipse.wst.common.component as

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<project-modules id=”moduleCoreId” project-version=”1.5.0″>
<wb-module deploy-name=”projname”>
<wb-resource deploy-path=”/” source-path=”/WebContent”/>
<wb-resource deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/classes” source-path=”/src/main/java”/>
<wb-resource deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/classes” source-path=”/src/main/resources”/>
<dependent-module deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/lib”>
<dependency-type>uses</dependency-type>
</dependent-module>
<wb-resource deploy-path=”/WEB-INF/classes” source-path=”/src/main/webapp”/>
<property name=”context-root” value=”projname”/>
<property name=”java-output-path” value=”/projname/target/classes”/>
</wb-module>
</project-modules>

pom.xml for JS2.1 App

<project xmlns=”http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0&#8243; xmlns:xsi=”http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance&#8221; xsi:schemaLocation=”http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd”&gt;
<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
<groupId>com.proj</groupId>
<artifactId>projname</artifactId>
<version>1.0</version>
<packaging>war</packaging>
<name>clm prowise</name>
<description>    </description>
<repositories>
<repository>
<id>maven2-repository.dev.java.net</id>
<name>Java.net Repository for Maven</name>
<url>http://download.java.net/maven/2</url&gt;
<snapshots>
<enabled>false</enabled>
</snapshots>
</repository>
</repositories>

<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>com.sun.faces</groupId>
<artifactId>jsf-api</artifactId>
<version>2.1.0-b03</version>
<scope>compile</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>com.sun.faces</groupId>
<artifactId>jsf-impl</artifactId>
<version>2.1.0-b03</version>
<scope>compile</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
<artifactId>jstl</artifactId>
<version>1.2</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
<artifactId>servlet-api</artifactId>
<version>2.5</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>

<build>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
<configuration>
<source>1.5</source>
<target>1.5</target>
</configuration>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>

</project>