Common Struts Errors and Causes

This page contains errors and exceptions commonly encountered during web application development
using Struts. Along with the exception or error messages themselves, potential causes of these errors
are often listed along with links to additional resources.
To find the error you're looking for, use your browser's Find or Search capability and input a few words
that you are seeing in your error message.
"
Cannot retrieve mapping for action
Exception javax.servlet.jsp.JspException: Cannot retrieve mapping for action"/Login
Probable No action defined in"struts-config.xml"to match that specified in the
Cause JSP's"<html:form action="Login.do".
Related
"
Links
"
Cannot retrieve definition for form bean null
Exception org.apache.jasper.JasperException: Cannot retrieve definition for form bean null
This exception typically occurs because Struts cannot find the form bean it
expects for a specific action according to the mapping in thestruts-
config.xml"file. Most often, this is probably because the name given to the
form in the"name"attribute of the"form-bean"element does not match
the"name"attribute of the associated action's"action"element. In other words,
the action and form should each have a"nameattribute that matches exactly,
Probable
including case. It has been reported that this error has been seen when
Cause
no"name"attribute is associated with the action. If there is no"name"attribute in
an"action"element, no form is associated with the action. Others have reported
this error as merely a symptom of something completely unrelated (all too
common), but the mismatch of"name"attributes in the"form-
bean"andaction"elements in the"struts-config.xml"file is the usual
culprit.
"
Must specify type attribute if name is specified
Exception Must specify type attribute if name is specified
Probable This error is seen in conjunction with the Struts' HTML FORM tag. As the error
Cause message points out, the "name" attribute was used in the Struts HTML FORM tag
(<html:form>), but the "type" attribute was not specified for this HTML
FORM custom tag.

There are two easy ways to get around this:

1. Remove"name"attribute altogether and specify only

an"action"attribute, allowing Struts to figure out the form class from
 thestruts-config.xml"file.
2. If you really want to use the"name"attribute, then specify
the"type"attribute. This attribute should be set to the fully qualified (full
package) class name of the class that is to be used as the ActionForm
associated with the action. For example, the class attribute might be
specified in the Struts HTML FORM tag as follows:

<html:form action="someAction.do"
name="MyFormBean"
class="org.someOrg.someApp.someClass">

Relevant
Struts FAQ / View / HTML
Links
"
No action instance for path /xxxx"could be created
Exception No action instance for path /xxxx"could be created
Special Note: Because so many different things can cause this error, it is
recommended that you turn your error logging/debugging levels on your web
server to a high level of verbosity to see the underlying problems in trying to
instantiate the action class you have written and associated with the specified
action"xxxx"through an action mapping in the"struts-config.xml"file.
Your Action class specified in the"struts-config.xml"file under
the"class"attribute of the action mapping for action"xxxx"cannot be found for
a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to):

• Failure to place compiled".class"file for the action in the classpath

(needs to be under"WEB-INF/classes"with the appropriate directory
structure underneath this that matches the package your Action class
belongs to).
• Package spelling or hierarchy specified in your action class itself (using
Probable
the"package"keyword) does not match the spelling or complete
Causes
package hierachy specified for your action class in the"class"attribute
of the action in"struts-config.xml.

Action class specified in the"/xxxx"action mapping in the"struts-

config.xml"file (class"attribute) does not extend (directly or indirectly)
from the"Action"class. In other words, your custom Action class does not
extend off the Struts-provided"Action"class or off of another class that
eventually extends the"Action"class (such as"DispatchAction.
Problem in your classpath, such as web server not being able to
find"ApplicationResources.properties"files in the"WEB-
INF/classes/"directory or specified subdirectory.
Problem in"struts-config.xml"file with action mapping.
Problem with"data-sources.xml"file.
 • Application's Action classes does not extend Struts-
provided"Action"class
• Package hierarchy/directory structure specified in"struts-
config.xml"file differs from that hierarchy specified in the actual
action class's file using the"package"keyword.
http://www.mail-archive.com/struts-
Relevant
user@jakarta.apache.org/msg65874.html
Links
• Action Mapping mistake in"struts-config.xml:
http://www.manning.com/ao/readforum.html?
forum=siaao&readthread=177
• data-sources.xml"file?:
http://www.caucho.com/quercus/faq/section.xtp?section_id=30

"
Cannot find bean under name ...
Exception Cannot find bean under name ...
This is usually seen in association with a problematic Struts HTML SELECT
custom tag. The Struts"html:select"tag behaves differently depending
whether one or both of the"name"and"property"attributes is specified for its
encompassed"<html:options>"tags. If the"name"attribute is specified,
whether or not if the"property"attribute is specified, then a bean matching the
specified"name"will be expected in some scope (such
Probable as"page,"request,"session, or"application). If the matching bean is
Cause not found in any available scope, the error above will be seen.

There are two ways to address this. The first approach is to put a bean in one of
the scopes so that the"html:options"might be associated with it. The second
approach is to not specify the"name"attribute and instead use only
the"property"attribute.

"
No getter method for property"XXXX"of bean org.apache.struts.taglib.html.BEAN
javax.servlet.jsp.JspException: No getter method for property"username"of bean
Exception
org.apache.struts.taglib.html.BEAN
No getXXXX()"method defined for form field with name"XXXX
This can happen if the JSP/Struts developer forgets that the name of
the"get"method will have the same spelling as the value supplied in the Struts
Probable tag's"property"attribute, but that case will be different and is based on
Causes JavaBean specification rules. For example, my form class should have
a"getUsername"method if my Struts form-related tag has"username"as the
value for its"property"attribute. Note the difference in case marked
with"emphasis"on the letter "U."
Related • Case can trip up the matching between get method's name and name
Links specified in Struts tag
http://saloon.javaranch.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?
 ubb=get_topic&f=58&t=000163

"
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/struts/action/ActionForm
Error java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/struts/action/ActionForm
This error occurs typically when the specified Java".class"file cannot be
located in the classpath. If this occurs at runtime of a web application (error
shows on browser rather than a rendered page), this typically means that
specified class is not in the web server's classpath (made up primarily
of"/WEB-INF/classes"and"/WEB-INF/lib"contents). Note that
the"NoClassDefFoundError"in general typically indicates lack of the
specified class in the relevant classpath. In this particular case the missing class
would beActionForm.class
This error is sometimes seen when one or
more"ActionForm.class"instances are actually in the classpath. This most
Probable often occurs when"ActionForm.class"is made available correctly by
Causes placing"struts.jar"in the"/WEB-INF/lib"directory. When this library
has been correctly placed and it is verified
that"ActionForm.class"actually is present in the"struts.jar"file, the
problem is either that more than one copy of"ActionForm.class"is in the
classpath or (more likely) that duplicate versions of class files other
thanActionForm"are in the same classpath, causing confusion. This is
especially true if a class that extends"ActionForm"is made available twice,
such as in an".ear"file that encompasses a".war"file as well as in
the".war"file's own classpath (/WEB-INF/classes). This problem can be
resolved by guaranteeing that there are no redundant classes, especially those
related to Struts (directly from Struts or extensions of Struts), in the web
application's view.
• EJB and Web Shared Links:
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?
forum=26&thread=413060&tstart=0&trange=15
• Keep"Action"and"ActionForm"(and their children) as non-
Related overlapping unit(s) of an application
Links http://www.mail-archive.com/struts-
user@jakarta.apache.org/msg47466.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/struts-
user@jakarta.apache.org/msg47467.html

"
Exception creating bean of class org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm: {1}
javax.servlet.jsp.JspException: Exception creating bean of class
Exception
org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm: {1}
Probable Instantiating Struts-provided"ActionForm"class directly instead of
 instantiating a class derived off"ActionForm. This might occur implicitly if
you specify that a form-bean is this Struts"ActionForm"class rather than
Causes specifying a child of this class for the form-bean.
Not associating an"ActionForm-descended class with an"action"can also
lead to this error.
Related
"
Links
"
Cannot find ActionMappings or ActionFormBeans collection
javax.servlet.jsp.JspException: Cannot find ActionMappings or
Exception
ActionFormBeans collection
Either the <servlet> tags for the Struts action servlet or the <servlet-mapping>
tags for the".do"extension mapping or both not present in the"web.xml"file. I
saw a case where the web.xml file had no elements other than the root element
and so this error was occurring.
Typos or spelling errors in the"struts-config.xml"can lead to this error
message. For example, missing a slash ("/") on a closing tag can have this
Probable effect.
Causes
Another element that must be present in the"web.xml"file is the"load-on-
startup"element. This can be either an empty tag or can have an integer
specified that indicates the priority of executing the associated servlet. The
higher the number in the"load-on-startup"tags, the lower its priority.
Another possibility, related to need to use"load-on-startup"tag, is that
precompiling JSPs using Struts can lead to this message as well.
• Explicitly Define"<load-on-startup>
http://saloon.javaranch.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?
Related
ubb=get_topic&f=50&t=001055
Links
http://threebit.net/tutorials/ejb/general/

"
NullPointerException at ... RequestUtils.forwardURL
java.lang.NullPointerException at
Exception
org.apache.struts.util.RequestUtils.forwardURL(RequestUtils.java:1223)
Probable Missing"path"attribute in the"forward"subelement of
Causes the"action"element in"struts-config.xml
Related
"
Links
"
Cannot find bean org.apache.struts.taglib.html.BEAN in any scope
javax.servlet.jsp.JspException: Cannot find bean
Exception
org.apache.struts.taglib.html.BEAN in any scope
Probable Trying to use Struts"form"subelement tags outside of the Struts'"form"tag.
Causes Note that this might be because you are using the Struts"htmltags after the
 closing"</html:form>"tag.

Note that if you accidentaly make your opening"html:form"tag a no-body tag

(you put a closing / at the end so that it looks something
like"<html:form ... />), this may be treated by your web server's parser
as a no-body tag and everything after that tag you meant to be an opening tag
will be outside of the"form"tag by default.

Note your prefix may be different than"html, but most people seem to use that
as their prefix for the Struts HTML tags library.

"

• Using"form"subelements outside of a"form"tag"

Related http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?
Links thread=337537&forum=4&message=1384153

"
Missing message for key"xx.xx.xx
Exception javax.servlet.jsp.JspException: Missing message for key"xx.xx.xx
The key-value pair with specified key is not
Probable in"ApplicationResources.properties"file
Causes ApplicationResources.properties"file not in classpath (not
in"WEB-INF/classes"directory in specified location)
Related
"
Links
"
Cannot find message resources under key org.apache.struts.action.MESSAGE
Exception Cannot find message resources under key org.apache.struts.action.MESSAGE
Explicitly trying to use message resources that are not available (such
as"ApplicationResources.properties"not available
Implicitly trying to use message resources that are not available (such as using
Probable
empty"html:options"tag instead of specifying the options in its body -- this
Causes
assumes options are specified
in"ApplicationResources.properties"file)
XML parser issues -- too many, too few, incorrect/incompatible versions
• Provide Struts with Resource Bundle
http://threebit.net/tutorials/ejb/general/
Related • XML Parser Issues
Links http://www.mail-archive.com/struts-
user@jakarta.apache.org/msg15779.html

"
No input attribute for mapping path /loginAction
Error No input attribute for mapping path /xxxxAction
No"input"attribute in action mapping in"struts-config.xml"file for the
action with the name specified in the error message. An"inputattribute is not
required if form validation is not performed (either because
Probable
the"validate"attribute is set to"false"or because the validation method in
Cause
the relevant form class is not implemented. The"input"attribute specifies the
page leading to this action because that page is used to display error messages
from the form validation.
Related
"
Links
"
Strange Output Characters
Strange and seemingly random characters in HTML and on screen, but not in
Error
original JSP or servlet.
Regular HTML"form"tags intermixed incorrectly with
Probable Struts"html:form"tags.
Causes
Encoding style used does not support characters used in page.
Related Links "
"
"Document contained no data" or no data rendered on page
"Document contained no data" in Netscape
Error
No data rendered (completely empty) page in Microsoft Internet Explorer
Employing a descendent of the"Action"class that does not implement
the"perform()"method while using the Struts 1.0 libraries. Struts
1.1Action"child classes started using"execute()"rather than"perform(),
Probable but is backwards compatible and supports the"perform()"method. However,
Cause if you write an"Action-descended class for Struts 1.1 with
an"execute()"method and try to run it in Struts 1.0, you will get this
"Document contained no data" error message in Netscape or a completely empty
(no HTML whatsoever) page rendered in Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Related
"
Links

Related Resources
• JSP Best Practices
• More JSP Best Practices

Other Useful Struts Resources

• Getting the Most Out of the Struts Tag Libraries
• Struts Custom Tag Libraries