PI92105: ALLOW EMPTY MAIN-CLASS ATTRIBUTE IN MANIFEST.MF FOR APPLICATION CLIENT MODULE

Fixes are available

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

In 8.5.5.12, an application having both of the following
characteristics will fail to deploy.
1) A JAR is listed as an application client module in the
application.xml.
2) The MANIFEST.MF in the JAR file contains an empty
"Main-Class:" attribute.

The configuration just described is invalid, because an
application client module must specify a main class.

The deployment failure results in messages similar to the
following:
...
ExtendedMessage: An error occurred while opening a nested
archive: IWAE0006E Archive is not a valid Application Client
JAR File because the deployment descriptor can not be found
(case sensitive): META-INF/application-client.xml
...

Prior to WAS fix packs 8.0.0.14, 8.5.5.12 and 9.0.0.4 an
application such as this would have deployed successfully.  In
these fix packs, APAR PI76439 fixes a problem in which a
utility JAR is misidentified as an application client module
when the MANIFEST.MF contains an empty "Main-Class:" attribute.
However, if the application.xml also identifies such a JAR as
an application client module, the deployment fails because
verification was added to ensure an application module has a
main class.

The best solution is to update the application.xml by removing
the misidentification of the JAR as an application client
module, since a JAR cannot function as an application client
without a main class. However, to facilitate a quick solution,
a JVM custom property will be provided to turn off the main
class verification that was added in PI76439.

Local fix

Update the application.xml by removing the misidentification of
the JAR as an application client module

Problem summary

****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
*                  Server having an application with an        *
*                  application.xml that indicates a JAR is an  *
*                  application client module, but the          *
*                  MANIFEST.MF of the JAR contains an empty    *
*                  "Main-class" attribute.                     *
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Application containing a JAR with       *
*                      an empty "Main-class" attribute in      *
*                      MANIFEST.MF fails to deploy.            *
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION:  The problem can be avoided by updating the  *
*                  application.xml.  Remove the module         *
*                  element that identifies the JAR as an       *
*                  application client module.  For example:    *
*                  <module id="Module_1397758295569">          *
*                  <java>NotAnAppClient.jar</java>             *
*                  </module>                                   *
****************************************************************
In WAS 8.0.0.14, 8.5.5.12 and 9.0.0.4, an application having
both of the following characteristics will fail to deploy.
1) A JAR is listed as an application client module in the
application.xml.
2) The MANIFEST.MF in the JAR file contains an empty
"Main-Class:" attribute.
The configuration just described is invalid, because an
application client module must specify a main class.
The deployment failure results in messages similar to the
following:
...
ExtendedMessage: An error occurred while opening a nested
archive: IWAE0006E Archive is not a valid Application Client
JAR File because the deployment descriptor can not be found
(case sensitive): META-INF/application-client.xml
...
Prior to WAS fix packs 8.0.0.14, 8.5.5.12 and 9.0.0.4 an
application such as this would have deployed successfully.  In
these fix packs, APAR PI76439 fixes a problem in which a
utility JAR is misidentified as an application client module
when the MANIFEST.MF contains an empty "Main-Class:" attribute.
However, if the application.xml also identifies such a JAR as
an application client module, the deployment fails because
verification was added to ensure an application module has a
main class.
The best solution is to update the application.xml by removing
the misidentification of the JAR as an application client
module, since a JAR cannot function as an application client
without a main class. However, to facilitate a quick solution,
a JVM custom property will be provided to turn off the main
class verification that was added in PI76439.

Problem conclusion

The best solution is to correct the application.xml of the
application by removing the "module" element that identifies
the JAR as an application client module.  For example,
<module id="Module_1397758295569">
        <java>NotAnAppClient.jar</java>
</module>

However, a custom property is provided to allow the
application to deploy without modification.

org.eclipse.jst.j2ee.commonarchivecore.internal.helpers.allowApp
ClientWithoutMainClass=true

Setting the property to true causes the invalid configuration
to be ignored during application deployment.

The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in
fix packs 8.0.0.15, 8.5.5.14, 9.0.0.7  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 number
PI92105
Reported component name
WEBSPHERE FOR Z
Reported component ID
5655I3500
Reported release
850
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
NoHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt / Xsystem
Submitted date
2018-01-05
Closed date
2018-01-17
Last modified date
2018-02-21

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
WEBSPHERE FOR Z
Fixed component ID
5655I3500

Applicable component levels

R850 PSY
UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SS7K4U","label":"WebSphere Application Server for z\/OS"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"850","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
04 May 2022

Tips

PI92105: ALLOW EMPTY MAIN-CLASS ATTRIBUTE IN MANIFEST.MF FOR APPLICATION CLIENT MODULE

Fixes are available

Subscribe

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

Local fix

Problem summary

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number

Reported component name

Reported component ID

Reported release

Status

PE

HIPER

Special Attention

Submitted date

Closed date

Last modified date

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

Fixed component ID

Applicable component levels

R850 PSY

Document Information

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