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java.io.NotSerializableException is thrown by WebSphere Application Server Community Edition, when the applications are stopped

Troubleshooting


Problem

Web applications use javax.servlet.http.HttpSession to store objects pertaining to a client's session. The Web components (Servlets/JSPs) use HttpSession.setAttribute() method to store objects specific to a client's session. If the objects being inserted are not serializable, (that is, the corresponding classes do not implement java.io.Serializable interface) WebSphere Application Server Community Edition might throw a java.io.NotSerializableException exception when the applications are stopped in the administrative console.

Cause

When Web applications using javax.servlet.http.HttpSession are stopped, the server might throw the following exception:

12:02:58,671 WARN  [[/<web context>]] Cannot serialize session attribute          
<class name> for session <session id>         
java.io.NotSerializableException:
at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject0(ObjectOutputStream.java:1081)
at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.defaultWriteFields(ObjectOutputStream.java:1375)
at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeSerialData(ObjectOutputStream.java:1347)
at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeOrdinaryObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:1290)
at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject0(ObjectOutputStream.java:1079)
at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:302)
at org.apache.catalina.session.StandardSession.writeObject(StandardSession.java:1515)
at org.apache.catalina.session.StandardSession.writeObjectData(StandardSession.java:959)      

The cause of the exception is due to presence of non-serializable objects in the HttpSession objects.

Resolving The Problem

The preceding exception does not cause any harm to the application or any server components. However, the exception can be avoided by the following work-around.

  1. Create a META-INF/context.xml file in the Web application archive.

  2. Place the following content in the context.xml file:

    3. <Context reloadable="false">      
               <Manager pathname="" />        
    </Context>

  3. Redeploy the application.

The preceding configuration will eliminate the exception from being thrown by the server.

[{"Product":{"code":"SS6JMN","label":"WebSphere Application Server Community Edition"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU053","label":"Cloud & Data Platform"},"Component":"Tomcat","Platform":[{"code":"PF002","label":"AIX"},{"code":"PF016","label":"Linux"},{"code":"PF027","label":"Solaris"},{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"2.1.1.2;2.1.1.1;2.1.0.1;2.1;2.0.0.4;2.0.0.3;2.0.0.2;2.0.0.1;2.0","Edition":"Entry;Enhanced;Elite","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
15 June 2018

UID

swg21304219

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