PI29275: A NULLPOINTEREXCEPTION OCCURS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADD A SERVLET CONTEXT LISTENER THAT DOES NOT EXIST.

8.5.5.5: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 5
8.5.5.6: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 6
8.5.5.7: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 7
8.5.5.8: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 8
8.5.5.9: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 9
8.5.5.10: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 10
8.5.5.11: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 11
8.5.5.12: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 12
8.5.5.13: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 13
8.5.5.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 14
8.5.5.15: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 15
8.5.5.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 14
8.5.5.17: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 17
8.5.5.20: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.20
8.5.5.18: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 18
8.5.5.19: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 19
8.5.5.16: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 16
8.5.5.21: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.21

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When attempting to add a servlet context listener that does
  not exist, a NullPointerException occurs because of a method
  invocation on a null object. This null object is the result
  of not being able to find the listener class that was
  specified as it does not exist.
  
  To reproduce this problem, simply invoke the addListener()
  method on a ServletContext object with a listener class name
  that does not exist. This will result in the following stack
  trace:
  
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp E
  notifyServletContextCreated SRVE0283E: Exception caught
  while initializing context: java.lang.NullPointerException
  	at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.commonAddListener(WebA
  pp.java:5660)
  	at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.addListener(WebApp.jav
  a:5917)
  	at
  com.ibm.wsspi.webcontainer.facade.ServletContextFacade.addLi
  stener(ServletContextFacade.java:652)
  	at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.test.listener.ServletContextListener
  AddListener.contextInitialized(ServletContextListenerAddList
  ener.java:23)
  	at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.notifyServletContextCr
  eated(WebApp.java:2223)
  	at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.initialize(WebApp.java
  :960)
  	...
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  IBM WebSphere Application Server Full       *
  *                  Profile version 8.5.5 and Liberty Profile   *
  *                  version 8.5.5                               *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: A java.lang.NullPointerException occurs *
  *                      when attempting to add a listener       *
  *                      programatically that does not exist.    *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  When attempting to add a listener that does not exist, a
  NullPointerException occurs in the logs.
  
  An example of a stack
  trace that will be observed is shown
  below:
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp E
  notifyServletContextCreated SRVE0283E: Exception caught while
  initializing context: java.lang.NullPointerException
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.commonAddListener(WebApp.j
  ava:5660)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.addListener(WebApp.java:59
  17)
      at
  com.ibm.wsspi.webcontainer.facade.ServletContextFacade.addListen
  er(ServletContextFacade.java:652)
      ...
  

Problem conclusion

• The WebContainer code was modified to fix the
  NullPointerException. A message similar to the following will be
  logged: SRVE8015E: An exception occurred while trying to add a
  listener of type ThisListenerDoesNotExist
  
  The fix for this APAR
  is currently targeted for inclusion in fixpack 8.5.5.5. Please
  refer to the recommended updates page for delivery information:
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  WAS LIBERTY COR

• Fixed component ID

  5725L2900

Applicable component levels

• R855 PSY

     UP