Tomcat Startup Problem

I had a strange issue. I used Apache Tomcat with Eclipse, and all of a sudden, Tomcat wouldn't start. It threw the exception:

java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.apache.catalina.loader.DevLoader

This was strange.

There are two fixes. DevLoader is not provided with Tomcat, so you can put the DevLoader jar in your classpath.

Or:

You can navigate to ~tomcat_home/conf/Catalina/localhost/. In that directory, you will find a file with the name of your project and the .xml extension. It is a context.xml file. Open the file with a file editor.

You will find this line:

Remove the line and Tomcat will start again.

Read More

JdbcOdbcDriver.finalize() line: not available

I was using Eclipse, with a Tomcat Java project, and every time I tried to start the server, I immediately jumped into debug mode, and the issue was:

JdbcOdbcDriver.finalize() line: not available

Google was no help.

I previously thought that this was the answer. I was wrong.

Finally I figured it out. I had some managed beans that were backed by a database. These managed beans were annotated @eager

When the server started the app from eclipse, they were instantiated and the tool went to the database to get the data. I had an exception thrown in the method from the database bean (a null pointer exception), and as a result, the connection to the database was being left open.

Somehow, the .metadata folder was buggered up and corrupted. I exited Eclipse. Then I went to the Eclipse workspace and copied the .metadata folder to my desktop to have a safe copy, then I deleted it in the workspace.

I re-started Eclipse. There were no projects. I imported them back in using Import > File System.

I had to fix the Build Path under the project properties and under the Window > Preferences, I had to reset the Tomcat Home. Voila, got rid of this super annoying problem.

That was the cause of the problem. Hope this helps someone.

Read More

Desperate Microsoft -- Internet Explorer 8

How pathetic. I just signed out of Hotmail, and instead of a re-direct to MSN.com, instead I get a re-direct to a page called beautyOfTheWeb. The above is a screenshot. You will notice that the request parameters for the URL in the navigation bar say XP and Google Chrome browser, what I use on my laptop.

Then Microsoft has the temerity to tell me that my browser scores a 2.5 out of 4, and that I should download Internet Explorer 8 along with the Bing search tool and MSN.

I got off Internet Explorer because it is a piece of crap software that is virus prone, and using it, I got a virus that destroyed my desktop computer. Since using Firefox and Chrome, along with Avira, I haven't had a virus ever again.

And they want me to trust them? Ha!! I read that finally the IE browser by Microsoft is no longer dominant in the marketplace, and I say "It's about time". Now they have to resort to scare tactics which are patently untrue, and they have to hijack me when I sign out of Hotmail.

Truly, Microsoft is on the way of the dodo bird.

Read More

Javascript: Getting Rid of Unwanted Characters in Number Field

I had a field on a web page where a person would fill in their tax rate as a percentage. Of course, people would put in the percent sign ( % ) along with the number and it would choke the web page. So I needed a quick javascript function to strip out unwanted characters, and leave just numbers and the period if it were a decimal number.

Here is the snippet required. I take the form input. The form name is refForm and taxRate is an input value. The ^ is a negation sign in javascript so I am taking everything out except numbers and decimal.

var si = document.refForm.taxRate.value.replace(/[^\d.]/g, "");

document.refForm.taxRate.value = si;

I assign the original value to a variable and then pass the value back to taxRate after the characters are gone.

Easy way to replace all characters and just leave the numbers using javascript.

Read More

A NEw PAraDigm in IT ConsULTing

I have been an IT consultant for over 20 years, and the face of it is changing. I've noticed that in this current economy, it is harder to get consulting gigs, they aren't as long term as they used to be and there is downward pressure on per diems.

In a lot of ways, consultants who became full time employees are starting to look a lot smarter than they did ten years ago. They have benefits, generous stock options, paid holidays and access to company pension plans.

The differential gap between consulting per diems and IT salaries is closing rapidly. Is there a different way that consultants can still enjoy the freedom and diversity of experience in consulting and still be rewarded? I believe that I have found a way.

I would like to fictionalize a recent experience to illustrate perhaps a new paradigm in consulting.

A middling player in a major market decided that they needed a technology boost to compete with the big boys and increase their market share. They decided to increase their presence by using a mobile app that would make the delivery of their products and services less expensive.

Going to a major IT development shop, they were quoted $300,000 to develop their custom app. Approaching a private consultant who was experienced and capable, this consultant offered to develop the app for 10% of the quote ($30,000) and 25% of the net profits that the app generated.

This worked out well. A gig of several months is now providing recurring income two years after the development cycle, and our consultant is on his second project where he is sharing the development costs, the risks and also the profits.

This just might be a new paradigm for IT consultants where they can reclaim the edge that they had over full time IT employees.

Read More

Javascript: Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected token ILLEGAL

Notes to self: If you get this error on your javascript console:

"Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected token ILLEGAL"

The first thing to try, is that if you are passing a string as a parameter, put it single quotes.

This drained me for an hour.

Read More

The Meta Refresh Tag with JSF, JSP, XHTML and Icefaces Apparently Doesn't Work

I have an application that not only has the Icefaces Ajax push, but certain elements require a client side refresh. I had a heck of a time trying to make the meta refresh tag work.

Tried a whole pile of stuff, then I realized that the tag should be in template and not on the xhtml page. Worked like a charm.

I thought that I would put this up for others who struggle with this and Google is of little help. So if your meta refresh tag doesn't work, put it in the template.

Read More