Struts & Eclipse - Example Webapps

(Free Web Tutorial)

by Michael Thomas

In this tutorial you will setup Eclipse IDE projects so that you can edit and compile the Struts Example webapps that you optionally installed with Struts.
Note: On the "Struts Home Page", you can download the whole site (all content, tutorials & examples) !!!

This tutorial covers: Struts 2.0.11.1 running on Apache Tomcat 6.0.16 (as of 05/25/08)

Prerequisites

Web App container that supports Struts 2.0.11.1:
Servlet API 2.4 - (ie: Tomcat 5.x or higher)
JSP API 2.0 - (ie: Tomcat 5.x or higher)
Java 5
Note: On the home page of "Free Web Tutorials on Java & Web Technologies" we have a tutorial to install Java JDK & Tomcat.
Know how to Stop & Start the "Apache Tomcat" service.
This tutorials has been tested in the following environment:
Date: 05/25/08
OS: Win XPro
JDK: jdk1.6.0_03

Objectives

Setup an Eclipse project for the Struts Example webapps that come with Struts so that you can edit & compile them.

Table of Contents (Struts Webapps)

I would setup an Eclipse project for each of these webapps so you can edit & compile changes to files. The option is yours.

struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1 - see examples in isolation (not a best practices guide).
struts2-blank-2.0.11.1 - good webapp to copy from if you are creating a new Struts Webapp. Example of using English & Spanish language.
struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1 - a best practices Struts webapp example.
struts2-portlet-2.0.11.1 - (under construction) I need to look at this webapp.

struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1 - Apache Strut's example web app.

Verify you have Tomcat's example webapp.
- Using Win Explorer find the Tomcat Webapp directory.
  Possible directory:
  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps
- struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1 - this webapp exits (the directory) then you can continue this tutorial.
- http://localhost:8080/struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1 - make sure Tomcat is running then verify this works!
Create the Webapp
- Stop Tomcat
- Let's copy the existing web app so you can make changes without changing the original web app.
- Go to the Tomcat webapps directory:
  Ex: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps\
- Make a copy of the directory "struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1" and name it:
  myeclipse-struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1
Verify the new webapp works
- Start Tomcat
- http://localhost:8080/myeclipse-struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1 - this should work just like the other webapp.
Eclipse - Create a Java Project -
- Launch Eclipse
- File, New, Project, Java Project, Next
- Project Name: myeclipse-struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1
- Contents: "Create project from existing source".
- Click "Next"
- Click "Browse" and locate the directory in the Tomcat WebApp directory. Click to select.
  Ex Directory:
  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps\myeclipse-struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1
- Folder: myeclipse-struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1
  Click "OK"
- Click "Next"
- Remove a Source Folder - "WEB-INF/classes"
  - FYI - In the "Sources" window the following source folder exists: "WEB-INF/classes". The .java files are also located in the "WEB-INF/src/java directory. Not sure why yet.
  - Select: "WEB-INF/classes"
  - Now in the Details window below, click the link "Remove source folder 'classes' from build path:"
- On the "Java Settings" screen change the "Default output folder": myeclipse-struts2-showcase-2.0.11.1/WEB-INF/classes
  Click "Finish"
- WARNING READ THIS: If you see the prompt "The output folder has changed ...." click "No".
  If you click yes you will delete a needed directory.
- Compile errors - if we have some, let's see if the compiles will be resolved with the "Build Path" steps.
Eclipse - Build Path - add the Struts/Tomcat lib jars files.
- Right click on the project.
- Click "Build Path", "Configure Build Path", then click the tab "Libraries"
- Check to make sure that the "JRE System Library" is listed.
  If not, click "Add Library", "JRE System Library", "Next", "Finish".
  Notes:
  Under the tab "Order and Export" this lib file should be directly under the WEB-INF/src directory.
  You can't compile .java files without this library!!!
- Click "Add External JARs"
- Browse to the Tomcat common library directory.
  Ex: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 5.5\common\lib
- Select all of the JAR files and click "Open".
- Click "OK" to leave the "Java Build Path" screen.
You're finished.

struts2-blank-2.0.11.1 - Apache Strut's example web app.

Verify you have Tomcat's example webapp.
- Using Win Explorer find the Tomcat Webapp directory.
  Possible directory:
  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps
- struts2-blank-2.0.11.1 - this webapp exits (the directory) then you can continue this tutorial.
- http://localhost:8080/struts2-blank-2.0.11.1 - make sure Tomcat is running then verify this works!
Create the Webapp
- Stop Tomcat
- Let's copy the existing web app so you can make changes without changing the original web app.
- Go to the Tomcat webapps directory:
  Ex: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps\
- Make a copy of the directory "struts2-blank-2.0.11.1" and name it:
  myeclipse-struts2-blank-2.0.11.1
Verify the new webapp works
- Start Tomcat
- http://localhost:8080/myeclipse-struts2-blank-2.0.11.1 - this should work just like the other webapp.
Eclipse - Create a Java Project -
- Launch Eclipse
- File, New, Project, Java Project, Next
- Project Name: myeclipse-struts2-blank-2.0.11.1
- Contents: "Create project from existing source".
- Click "Next"
- Click "Browse" and locate the directory in the Tomcat WebApp directory. Click to select.
  Ex Directory:
  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps\myeclipse-struts2-blank-2.0.11.1
- Folder: myeclipse-struts2-blank-2.0.11.1
  Click "OK"
- Click "Next"
- On the "Java Settings" screen change the "Default output folder": myeclipse-struts2-blank-2.0.11.1/WEB-INF/classes
  Click "Finish"
- WARNING READ THIS: If you see the prompt "The output folder has changed ...." click "No".
  If you click yes you will delete a needed directory.
- Compile errors - if we have some, let's see if the compiles will be resolved with the "Build Path" steps.
Eclipse - Build Path - add the Struts/Tomcat lib jars files.
- Right click on the project.
- Click "Build Path", "Configure Build Path", then click the tab "Libraries"
- Check to make sure that the "JRE System Library" is listed.
  If not, click "Add Library", "JRE System Library", "Next", "Finish".
  Notes:
  Under the tab "Order and Export" this lib file should be directly under the WEB-INF/src directory.
  You can't compile .java files without this library!!!
- Click "Add External JARs"
- Browse to the Tomcat common library directory.
  Ex: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 5.5\common\lib
- Select all of the JAR files and click "Open".
- Click "OK" to leave the "Java Build Path" screen.
You're finished.

struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1 - Apache Strut's example web app.

Verify you have Tomcat's example webapp.
- Using Win Explorer find the Tomcat Webapp directory.
  Possible directory:
  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps
- struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1 - this webapp exits (the directory) then you can continue this tutorial.
- http://localhost:8080/struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1 - make sure Tomcat is running then verify this works!
Create the Webapp
- Stop Tomcat
- Let's copy the existing web app so you can make changes without changing the original web app.
- Go to the Tomcat webapps directory:
  Ex: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps\
- Make a copy of the directory "struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1" and name it:
  myeclipse-struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1
Verify the new webapp works
- Start Tomcat
- http://localhost:8080/myeclipse-struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1 - this should work just like the other webapp.
Eclipse - Create a Java Project -
- Launch Eclipse
- File, New, Project, Java Project, Next
- Project Name: myeclipse-struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1
- Contents: "Create project from existing source".
- Click "Next"
- Click "Browse" and locate the directory in the Tomcat WebApp directory. Click to select.
  Ex Directory:
  C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\webapps\myeclipse-struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1
- Folder: myeclipse-struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1
  Click "OK"
- Click "Next"
- On the "Java Settings" screen change the "Default output folder": myeclipse-struts2-mailreader-2.0.11.1/WEB-INF/classes
  Click "Finish"
- WARNING READ THIS: If you see the prompt "The output folder has changed ...." click "No".
  If you click yes you will delete a needed directory.
- Compile errors - if we have some, let's see if the compiles will be resolved with the "Build Path" steps.
Eclipse - Build Path - add the Struts/Tomcat lib jars files.
- Right click on the project.
- Click "Build Path", "Configure Build Path", then click the tab "Libraries"
- Check to make sure that the "JRE System Library" is listed.
  If not, click "Add Library", "JRE System Library", "Next", "Finish".
  Notes:
  Under the tab "Order and Export" this lib file should be directly under the WEB-INF/src directory.
  You can't compile .java files without this library!!!
- Click "Add External JARs"
- Browse to the Tomcat common library directory.
  Ex: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 5.5\common\lib
- Select all of the JAR files and click "Open".
- Click "OK" to leave the "Java Build Path" screen.
You're finished.