jsf - Xerces error: org.apache.xerces.impl.dv.dtd.DTDDVFactoryImpl

Question

I'm developing a web application using JSF 2.0, NetBeans 6.9.1, GlassFish Server 3.1, mojarra 2.0.3, and JasperReports 3.7.6. Included in my project library is the jar file "xerces-2.8.0.jar". This file was imported as part of the JasperReports jar file library. Whenever I try to deploy, run, or debug my project through NetBeans, I receive this error:

java.lang.Exception: java.lang.IllegalStateException: ContainerBase.addChild: start: org.apache.catalina.LifecycleException: com.sun.faces.config.ConfigurationException: CONFIGURATION FAILED! DTD factory class org.apache.xerces.impl.dv.dtd.DTDDVFactoryImpl does not extend from DTDDVFactory.

After any change in my project my build fails, and I receive the above error, when I try to deploy, run, or debug it. I have to restart the server and run/debug a second time. I've searched the internet and cannot find a solution to this problem. I've looked at the jar file in question, and and DTDDVFactoryImpl does indeed extend from DTDDVFactory - I don't know why I'm receiving this error. While I can eventually get my project running, it would be much nicer if I wasn't receiving this error.

Can anyone please tell me how I can fix this? Do I need to remove this file from my project library? Do I need to update this file with a newer version/older version?

Answer 1

If you provide your own xerces.jar, you have to do that through the Endorsed Standards Override Mechanism (java -Djava.endorsed.dirs=/path/to/xerces.jar), you are not allowed to just add it on the classpath (and will sooner or later run into trouble if you do). Let me explain.

JAXP is the Java API for XML Processing. The creation of JAXP objects (like parsers, XSLT transfomers, DOM Documents) is done through the factory/factory-method pattern so you can plugin a new JAXP implementation (it has to be newer than the one provided in your JRE). Xerces provides (part of) a JAXP implementation and contains endorsed standards (an endorsed standard is a Java API defined through a standards process other than the Java Community Process, see the Endorsed Standards Override Mechanism). You'll run in all kinds of troubles if you don't use the ESOM.