Custom 404 error page not working with Struts 2

Question

I am converting a JSP/Servlet dynamic web project to Struts 2 and the custom error pages (that previously worked with the JSP/Servlet version) have stopped working.

When I induce a 404 error by accessing a non-existent page like abc.jsp, it throws below exception:

SEVERE: Servlet.service() for servlet jsp threw exception
The Struts dispatcher cannot be found.  This is usually caused by using Struts tags without the associated filter. Struts tags are only usable when the request has passed through its servlet filter, which initializes the Struts dispatcher needed for this tag. - [unknown location]
    at org.apache.struts2.views.jsp.TagUtils.getStack(TagUtils.java:60)
    at org.apache.struts2.views.jsp.StrutsBodyTagSupport.getStack(StrutsBodyTagSupport.java:44)
    at org.apache.struts2.views.jsp.ComponentTagSupport.doStartTag(ComponentTagSupport.java:48)
    at org.apache.jsp._404_jsp._jspx_meth_s_005finclude_005f0(_404_jsp.java:111)
    at org.apache.jsp._404_jsp._jspService(_404_jsp.java:71)
    at org.apache.jasper.runtime.HttpJspBase.service(HttpJspBase.java:70)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.service(JspServletWrapper.java:432)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.serviceJspFile(JspServlet.java:390)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.service(JspServlet.java:334)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:303)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.invoke(ApplicationDispatcher.java:748)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.processRequest(ApplicationDispatcher.java:488)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.doForward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:411)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.forward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:338)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.custom(StandardHostValve.java:467)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.status(StandardHostValve.java:338)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:203)
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:103)
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:116)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1070)
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:611)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:314)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

Nov 18, 2014 11:14:56 PM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve custom
SEVERE: Exception Processing ErrorPage[errorCode=404, location=/404.jsp]
org.apache.jasper.JasperException: An exception occurred processing JSP page /404.jsp at line 6

3: <html>
4: <head>
5: <title>My Site - WHOOPS!</title>
6: <s:include value="css/style2.css" />
7: </head>
8: 
9: <body class="errorpage">


Stacktrace:
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.handleJspException(JspServletWrapper.java:568)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.service(JspServletWrapper.java:470)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.serviceJspFile(JspServlet.java:390)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.service(JspServlet.java:334)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:303)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.invoke(ApplicationDispatcher.java:748)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.processRequest(ApplicationDispatcher.java:488)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.doForward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:411)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.forward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:338)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.custom(StandardHostValve.java:467)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.status(StandardHostValve.java:338)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:203)
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:103)
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:116)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1070)
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:611)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:314)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: The Struts dispatcher cannot be found.  This is usually caused by using Struts tags without the associated filter. Struts tags are only usable when the request has passed through its servlet filter, which initializes the Struts dispatcher needed for this tag. - [unknown location]
    at org.apache.struts2.views.jsp.TagUtils.getStack(TagUtils.java:60)
    at org.apache.struts2.views.jsp.StrutsBodyTagSupport.getStack(StrutsBodyTagSupport.java:44)
    at org.apache.struts2.views.jsp.ComponentTagSupport.doStartTag(ComponentTagSupport.java:48)
    at org.apache.jsp._404_jsp._jspx_meth_s_005finclude_005f0(_404_jsp.java:111)
    at org.apache.jsp._404_jsp._jspService(_404_jsp.java:71)
    at org.apache.jasper.runtime.HttpJspBase.service(HttpJspBase.java:70)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727)
    at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.service(JspServletWrapper.java:432)
    ... 23 more

Below is my project structure:

customerror

web.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<web-app xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_3_0.xsd"
    id="WebApp_ID" version="3.0">
    <display-name>My Site</display-name>

    <welcome-file-list>
        <welcome-file>index.jsp</welcome-file>
        <welcome-file>default.jsp</welcome-file>
    </welcome-file-list>

    <error-page>
        <error-code>404</error-code>
        <location>/404.jsp</location>
    </error-page>

    <error-page>
        <error-code>500</error-code>
        <location>/500.jsp</location>
    </error-page>

    ...

    <filter>
        <filter-name>struts2</filter-name>
        <filter-class>org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.ng.filter.StrutsPrepareAndExecuteFilter</filter-class>
    </filter>

    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>struts2</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>
</web-app>

How do I make the custom error pages work with Struts 2?

The `` tag is for including a servlet's output (result of servlet or a JSP page). So don't use it for static resources. — Aleksandr M, Nov 18 '14 at 18:23

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 18 '14 at 16:12

2

You are calling a JSP directly, and trying to use a Struts tag inside it:

6: <s:include value="css/style2.css" />

Turn this to plain html and it will work.

Otherwise, you need to call an action.

answered Nov 18 '14 at 16:12

Andrea Ligios

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Hi, might you kindly give more details? I'm rather lost with what you mean. What does the css have to do with the custom error page? – k_rollo Nov 18 '14 at 18:11
You can use struts tags (s:stuff) in a JSP only if you pass through an action, not if you call that JSP directly – Andrea Ligios Nov 18 '14 at 18:23
You can use BTW – Andrea Ligios Nov 18 '14 at 18:24
Hi, changing it to `<%@ include %>` worked. Thanks, I was previously unaware of the "static" include and the "dynamic" include. [This](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7879906/what-is-the-difference-between-jspinclude-page-and-include-file) thread was also helpful. Thanks again for the tip. – k_rollo Nov 19 '14 at 15:30

Roman C · Answer 2 · 2014-12-22T15:42:02.247

Instead of custom error page create a custom error action that returns a result to a custom error page.

struts.xml:

<action name "error" class="ErrorAction">
  <result name="404">/404.jsp</result>
  <result name="500">/500.jsp</result>
</action>

ErrorAction:

public class ErrorAction extends ActionSupport {

  private Integer statusCode;
  //getter and setter

  @Override
  public String execute() {
    if (stausCode != null)
    switch (statusCode){
      case 404:
        return "404";
      case 500:
        return "500";
    }
  }
}

web.xml:

<error-page>
    <error-code>404</error-code>
    <location>/error_code.jsp</location>
</error-page>

<error-page>
    <error-code>500</error-code>
    <location>/error_code.jsp</location>
</error-page>

error_code.jsp:

<% 
 Integer statusCode = (Integer) request
                       .getAttribute("javax.servlet.error.status_code");

 response.sendRedirect(pageContext.getServletContext().getContextPath()
                       +"/error?statusCode="+statusCode ); 
%>

Thank you for this approach as well. – k_rollo Nov 19 '14 at 15:32 — k_rollo, Nov 19 '14 at 15:32

Custom 404 error page not working with Struts 2

2 Answers2

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