Deploying Grails Application to Tomcat Server Using WAR File

I have a Grails application (2.3.6) that needs to be deployed to a Tomcat server for remote user access.

We now have local servers running Grails and it all works great. Now the goal to deploy it to Tomcat is to do this with a WAR file. To prevent the source files from reaching the remote server.

So, as a first step, I created a WAR file for my application using the following command:

grails prod war

      

        
        
        
      

    

This created a WAR file in the root of the project.

The Tomcat version I am using is:

apache-tomcat-7.0.57

      

        
        
        
      

    

I went to the apache-tomcat-7.0.57 \ conf folder and edited the server.xml file.

 <Connector port="8181" protocol="HTTP/1.1"
           connectionTimeout="20000"
           redirectPort="8443" />
<!-- A "Connector" using the shared thread pool-->
<!--
<Connector executor="tomcatThreadPool"
           port="8181" protocol="HTTP/1.1"
           connectionTimeout="20000"
           redirectPort="8443" />
-->

      

        
        
        
      

    

The only change I made here is to install a new port.

And in the apache-tomcat-7.0.57 \ webapps folder, I placed the WAR file.

TDProxyServer-1.2.5.war

      

        
        
        
      

    

And I ran the startup.bat file in apache-tomcat-7.0.57 \ bin

Now this has created a TDProxyServer-1.2.5 folder in webapps.

Now go to your browser and enter the url:

http://localhost:8181/TDProxyServer-1.2.5/

      

        
        
        
      

    

Basically it outputs a blank page. I browse the apache-tomcat-7.0.57 \ webapps \ TDProxyServer-1.2.5 folder and see the following folders.

css
extensions
images
js
META-INF
plugins
WEB-INF

      

        
        
        
      

    

This is the first time I deploy Tomcat and have no idea what I'm doing wrong here.

Can anyone guide me through the process of deploying a Grails WAR file on a Tomcat server?

I appreciate your earliest reply to this.

Updated:

I've tried using Jeff and it doesn't work.

I opened Tomcat manager and saw that the deployment was not working with the message:

Message:    FAIL - Application at context path /TDProxyServer-1.2.5 could not be started

      

        
        
        
      

    

I don't see any error message when starting the Tomcat server.

Update

In cfrick's suggestion , I looked at the log files in the apache-tomcat-7.0.57 \ logs directory.

There are 5 log files in this directory.

catalina.2014-12-19
host-manager.2014-12-19
localhost.2014-12-19
localhost_access_log.2014-12-19
manager.2014-12-19

      

        
        
        
      

    

When I start the first Tomcat server, the .2014-12-19.log contains all the information about starting the process, at which point the error messages printed in the startup.bat console window appear.

INFO: Deploying web application archive C:\Users\me\Downloads\apache-tomcat-7.
0.57-windows-x64\apache-tomcat-7.0.57\webapps\TDProxyServer-1.2.5.war
Dec 19, 2014 11:36:51 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal
SEVERE: Error listenerStart
Dec 19, 2014 11:36:51 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal
SEVERE: Context [/TDProxyServer-1.2.5] startup failed due to previous errors
Dec 19, 2014 11:36:51 AM org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig deployWAR
INFO: Deployment of web application archive C:\Users\me\Downloads\apache-tomca
t-7.0.57-windows-x64\apache-tomcat-7.0.57\webapps\TDProxyServer-1.2.5.war has finishe
d in 39,295 ms

      

        
        
        
      

    

Now I go to Tomcat Manager and see that TDProxyServer-1.2.5 is still not running and the start button is active .

I click the start button and it adds log messages to the localhost.2014-12-19.log file with some Java exceptions.

See the contents of this log file below. It seems to be complaining about java.lang.ClassNotFoundException

 Dec 19, 2014 10:49:58 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart
SEVERE: Error configuring application listener of class org.codehaus.groovy.grails.plugins.log4j.web.util.Log4jConfigListener
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.codehaus.groovy.grails.plugins.log4j.web.util.Log4jConfigListener
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1720)
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1571)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClass(DefaultInstanceManager.java:506)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClassMaybePrivileged(DefaultInstanceManager.java:488)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.newInstance(DefaultInstanceManager.java:115)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4909)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5492)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:901)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:877)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:649)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployWAR(HostConfig.java:1081)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig$DeployWar.run(HostConfig.java:1877)
    at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:471)
    at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:262)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)

Dec 19, 2014 10:49:58 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart
SEVERE: Error configuring application listener of class org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.context.GrailsContextLoaderListener
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.context.GrailsContextLoaderListener
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1720)
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1571)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClass(DefaultInstanceManager.java:506)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClassMaybePrivileged(DefaultInstanceManager.java:488)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.newInstance(DefaultInstanceManager.java:115)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4909)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5492)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:901)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:877)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:649)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployWAR(HostConfig.java:1081)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig$DeployWar.run(HostConfig.java:1877)
    at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:471)
    at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:262)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)

Dec 19, 2014 10:49:58 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart
SEVERE: Skipped installing application listeners due to previous error(s)
Dec 19, 2014 10:49:59 AM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
INFO: ContextListener: contextInitialized()
Dec 19, 2014 10:49:59 AM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
INFO: SessionListener: contextInitialized()
Dec 19, 2014 10:49:59 AM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
INFO: ContextListener: attributeAdded('org.apache.jasper.compiler.TldLocationsCache', 'org.apache.jasper.compiler.TldLocationsCache@61eed513')
Dec 19, 2014 10:51:06 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart
SEVERE: Error configuring application listener of class org.codehaus.groovy.grails.plugins.log4j.web.util.Log4jConfigListener
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.codehaus.groovy.grails.plugins.log4j.web.util.Log4jConfigListener
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1720)
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1571)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClass(DefaultInstanceManager.java:506)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClassMaybePrivileged(DefaultInstanceManager.java:488)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.newInstance(DefaultInstanceManager.java:115)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4909)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5492)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
    at org.apache.catalina.manager.ManagerServlet.start(ManagerServlet.java:1286)
    at org.apache.catalina.manager.HTMLManagerServlet.start(HTMLManagerServlet.java:694)
    at org.apache.catalina.manager.HTMLManagerServlet.doPost(HTMLManagerServlet.java:217)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:646)
    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.filters.CsrfPreventionFilter.doFilter(CsrfPreventionFilter.java:213)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.filters.SetCharacterEncodingFilter.doFilter(SetCharacterEncodingFilter.java:108)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:220)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:122)
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:612)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:170)
    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:421)
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1070)
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:611)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(AprEndpoint.java:2466)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(AprEndpoint.java:2455)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)

Dec 19, 2014 10:51:06 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart
SEVERE: Error configuring application listener of class org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.context.GrailsContextLoaderListener
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.context.GrailsContextLoaderListener
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1720)
    at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1571)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClass(DefaultInstanceManager.java:506)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.loadClassMaybePrivileged(DefaultInstanceManager.java:488)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.DefaultInstanceManager.newInstance(DefaultInstanceManager.java:115)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4909)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5492)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
    at org.apache.catalina.manager.ManagerServlet.start(ManagerServlet.java:1286)
    at org.apache.catalina.manager.HTMLManagerServlet.start(HTMLManagerServlet.java:694)
    at org.apache.catalina.manager.HTMLManagerServlet.doPost(HTMLManagerServlet.java:217)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:646)
    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.filters.CsrfPreventionFilter.doFilter(CsrfPreventionFilter.java:213)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.filters.SetCharacterEncodingFilter.doFilter(SetCharacterEncodingFilter.java:108)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:220)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:122)
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:612)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:170)
    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:421)
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1070)
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:611)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(AprEndpoint.java:2466)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(AprEndpoint.java:2455)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)

Dec 19, 2014 10:51:06 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStart
SEVERE: Skipped installing application listeners due to previous error(s)