File upload doesn't work with AJAX in PrimeFaces 4.0/JSF 2.2.x - javax.servlet.ServletException: The request content-type is not a multipart/form-data

jsf primefaces jsf-2.2 glassfish-4
Tiny picture Tiny · Oct 9, 2013 · Viewed 54.1k times · Source

Important : The issue which is discussed in this thread has been fixed as of PrimeFaces 5.1 final (community release) released on Monday, October 6, 2014 (just a few minutes ago from now). I attempted on JSF 2.2.8-02 (or api, impl).

As such, if you happened to use that version (or higher, no need to mention), you would not even need to read this question anymore.

I have a web application running on

  • GlassFish 4.0
  • Mojarra 2.2.4
  • PrimeFaces 4.0 final

Everything except file upload with AJAX works well. The following xhtml file sends multipart contents via an AJAX request triggered by a PrimeFaces command button.

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
      xmlns:p="http://primefaces.org/ui"
      xmlns:h="http://java.sun.com/jsf/html"
      xmlns:f="http://java.sun.com/jsf/core">
    <h:head>
        <title>Test</title>
    </h:head>
    <h:body>
        <h:form prependId="true" enctype="multipart/form-data">
            <p:fileUpload id="txtCatImage"
                          value="#{testManagedBean.uploadedFile}"
                          mode="advanced"
                          dragDropSupport="true"
                          fileLimit="1"
                          sizeLimit="100000"
                          multiple="false"
                          allowTypes="/(\.|\/)(gif|jpe?g|png)$/"
                          fileUploadListener="#{testManagedBean.fileUploadListener}"/>

            <p:message for="txtCatImage" showSummary="false"/>
            <p:commandButton id="btnSubmit" 
                             actionListener="#{testManagedBean.insert}" 
                             ajax="true" icon="ui-icon-check" value="Save"/>                
        </h:form>
    </h:body>
</html>

The test managed bean:

@ManagedBean
@ViewScoped
public final class TestManagedBean implements Serializable {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    private UploadedFile uploadedFile;

    public TestManagedBean(){}

    public UploadedFile getUploadedFile() {
        return uploadedFile;
    }

    public void setUploadedFile(UploadedFile uploadedFile) {
        this.uploadedFile = uploadedFile;
    }

    public void fileUploadListener(FileUploadEvent event){
        uploadedFile=event.getFile();
    }

    public void insert(){
        if(uploadedFile!=null){
            System.out.println(uploadedFile.getFileName());
        }
        else{
            System.out.println("The file object is null.");
        }
    }
}

When a file is uploaded from a file browser, it shows the file name in its listener - fileUploadListener().

After uploading a file, when the given command button is pressed (ajax="true"), it causes the following exception to be thrown.

WARNING:   javax.servlet.ServletException: The request content-type is not a multipart/form-data
javax.faces.FacesException: javax.servlet.ServletException: The request content-type is not a multipart/form-data
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.NativeFileUploadDecoder.decode(NativeFileUploadDecoder.java:44)
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.FileUploadRenderer.decode(FileUploadRenderer.java:44)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.decode(UIComponentBase.java:831)
    at javax.faces.component.UIInput.decode(UIInput.java:771)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.processDecodes(UIComponentBase.java:1225)
    at javax.faces.component.UIInput.processDecodes(UIInput.java:676)
    at javax.faces.component.UIForm.processDecodes(UIForm.java:225)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.processDecodes(UIComponentBase.java:1220)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.processDecodes(UIComponentBase.java:1220)
    at javax.faces.component.UIViewRoot.processDecodes(UIViewRoot.java:929)
    at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.ApplyRequestValuesPhase.execute(ApplyRequestValuesPhase.java:78)
    at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.Phase.doPhase(Phase.java:101)
    at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.LifecycleImpl.execute(LifecycleImpl.java:198)
    at javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet.service(FacesServlet.java:646)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapper.service(StandardWrapper.java:1682)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:344)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:214)
    at org.primefaces.webapp.filter.FileUploadFilter.doFilter(FileUploadFilter.java:70)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:256)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:214)
    at filter.NoCacheFilter.doFilter(NoCacheFilter.java:28)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:256)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:214)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:316)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:160)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:734)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.invoke(StandardPipeline.java:673)
    at com.sun.enterprise.web.WebPipeline.invoke(WebPipeline.java:99)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:174)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.doService(CoyoteAdapter.java:357)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:260)
    at com.sun.enterprise.v3.services.impl.ContainerMapper.service(ContainerMapper.java:188)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.http.server.HttpHandler.runService(HttpHandler.java:191)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.http.server.HttpHandler.doHandle(HttpHandler.java:168)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.http.server.HttpServerFilter.handleRead(HttpServerFilter.java:189)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.ExecutorResolver$9.execute(ExecutorResolver.java:119)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.executeFilter(DefaultFilterChain.java:288)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.executeChainPart(DefaultFilterChain.java:206)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.execute(DefaultFilterChain.java:136)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.process(DefaultFilterChain.java:114)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.ProcessorExecutor.execute(ProcessorExecutor.java:77)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.nio.transport.TCPNIOTransport.fireIOEvent(TCPNIOTransport.java:838)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.AbstractIOStrategy.fireIOEvent(AbstractIOStrategy.java:113)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.WorkerThreadIOStrategy.run0(WorkerThreadIOStrategy.java:115)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.WorkerThreadIOStrategy.access$100(WorkerThreadIOStrategy.java:55)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.WorkerThreadIOStrategy$WorkerThreadRunnable.run(WorkerThreadIOStrategy.java:135)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.threadpool.AbstractThreadPool$Worker.doWork(AbstractThreadPool.java:564)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.threadpool.AbstractThreadPool$Worker.run(AbstractThreadPool.java:544)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
Caused by: javax.servlet.ServletException: The request content-type is not a multipart/form-data
    at org.apache.catalina.fileupload.Multipart.getPart(Multipart.java:187)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.Request.getPart(Request.java:4535)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.RequestFacade.getPart(RequestFacade.java:1095)
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.NativeFileUploadDecoder.decodeAdvanced(NativeFileUploadDecoder.java:60)
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.NativeFileUploadDecoder.decode(NativeFileUploadDecoder.java:37)
    ... 48 more

SEVERE:   javax.servlet.ServletException: The request content-type is not a multipart/form-data
    at org.apache.catalina.fileupload.Multipart.getPart(Multipart.java:187)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.Request.getPart(Request.java:4535)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.RequestFacade.getPart(RequestFacade.java:1095)
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.NativeFileUploadDecoder.decodeAdvanced(NativeFileUploadDecoder.java:60)
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.NativeFileUploadDecoder.decode(NativeFileUploadDecoder.java:37)
    at org.primefaces.component.fileupload.FileUploadRenderer.decode(FileUploadRenderer.java:44)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.decode(UIComponentBase.java:831)
    at javax.faces.component.UIInput.decode(UIInput.java:771)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.processDecodes(UIComponentBase.java:1225)
    at javax.faces.component.UIInput.processDecodes(UIInput.java:676)
    at javax.faces.component.UIForm.processDecodes(UIForm.java:225)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.processDecodes(UIComponentBase.java:1220)
    at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.processDecodes(UIComponentBase.java:1220)
    at javax.faces.component.UIViewRoot.processDecodes(UIViewRoot.java:929)
    at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.ApplyRequestValuesPhase.execute(ApplyRequestValuesPhase.java:78)
    at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.Phase.doPhase(Phase.java:101)
    at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.LifecycleImpl.execute(LifecycleImpl.java:198)
    at javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet.service(FacesServlet.java:646)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapper.service(StandardWrapper.java:1682)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:344)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:214)
    at org.primefaces.webapp.filter.FileUploadFilter.doFilter(FileUploadFilter.java:70)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:256)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:214)
    at filter.NoCacheFilter.doFilter(NoCacheFilter.java:28)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:256)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:214)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:316)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:160)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:734)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.invoke(StandardPipeline.java:673)
    at com.sun.enterprise.web.WebPipeline.invoke(WebPipeline.java:99)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:174)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.doService(CoyoteAdapter.java:357)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:260)
    at com.sun.enterprise.v3.services.impl.ContainerMapper.service(ContainerMapper.java:188)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.http.server.HttpHandler.runService(HttpHandler.java:191)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.http.server.HttpHandler.doHandle(HttpHandler.java:168)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.http.server.HttpServerFilter.handleRead(HttpServerFilter.java:189)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.ExecutorResolver$9.execute(ExecutorResolver.java:119)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.executeFilter(DefaultFilterChain.java:288)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.executeChainPart(DefaultFilterChain.java:206)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.execute(DefaultFilterChain.java:136)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.filterchain.DefaultFilterChain.process(DefaultFilterChain.java:114)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.ProcessorExecutor.execute(ProcessorExecutor.java:77)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.nio.transport.TCPNIOTransport.fireIOEvent(TCPNIOTransport.java:838)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.AbstractIOStrategy.fireIOEvent(AbstractIOStrategy.java:113)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.WorkerThreadIOStrategy.run0(WorkerThreadIOStrategy.java:115)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.WorkerThreadIOStrategy.access$100(WorkerThreadIOStrategy.java:55)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.strategies.WorkerThreadIOStrategy$WorkerThreadRunnable.run(WorkerThreadIOStrategy.java:135)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.threadpool.AbstractThreadPool$Worker.doWork(AbstractThreadPool.java:564)
    at org.glassfish.grizzly.threadpool.AbstractThreadPool$Worker.run(AbstractThreadPool.java:544)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)

It can only work, when the ajax attribute of the command button is set to false - ajax="false".

I have downgraded the Mojarra version to 2.1.9 in Tomcat 7.0.35. It worked with this Mojarra version along with PrimeFaces 4.0 final (and PrimeFaces 4.0 RC1 too) - files uploaded with an AJAX request.

I have alternatively tried on the following Mojarra versions

  • 2.2.0
  • 2.2.1
  • 2.2.2
  • 2.2.3
  • 2.2.4

in GlassFish 4.0 but none of them succeeded to upload files with an AJAX request which is highly required because editing of rows using <p:rowEditor/> (along with images in each row, for example) in PrimeFaces DataTable is always AJAX based.

I want to keep GlassFish 4.0 anyhow. I have also tried to downgrade Mojarra 2.1.9 in GlassFish 4.0 but it failed to create bundles ending with an exception. GlassFish 4.0 doesn't seem to work with Mojarra lower than 2.2.x.

So, what is responsible for causing this exception - PrimeFaces or JSF? Just confused. Is there any workaround to upload files with AJAX requests in this given environment?

EDIT:

Filter mapping in web.xml:

<filter>
    <filter-name>PrimeFaces FileUpload Filter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>org.primefaces.webapp.filter.FileUploadFilter</filter-class>
</filter>
<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>PrimeFaces FileUpload Filter</filter-name>
    <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>
</filter-mapping>

<servlet>
    <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet</servlet-class>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>*.jsf</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

The problem remains stationary along with the Mojarra version 2.2.5 (or api, impl) released on January 08, 2014.

Once again tried on the Mojarra version 2.2.6 (or api, impl) released on March 04, 2014. The problem remains intact.

Still does not work on PrimeFaces 5.0 final released on May 05, 2014.

Answer

BalusC picture BalusC · Nov 3, 2013

As Kai rightfully pointed out in his answer on the current question, the problem is caused by the NativeFileUploadDecoder as used by FileUploadRenderer not checking whether the request is a multipart/form-data request or not. This will cause trouble when the component is present in a form on which a "regular" ajax request is being submitted. The CommonsFileUploadDecoder checks that correctly and that's why it works correctly in JSF 2.1 which didn't have a native file upload parser yet.

His solution of workarounding this with a custom renderer is in the right direction, however the approach is quite clumsy. There's in this particular case absolutely no need of copypasting the whole class consisting more than 200 lines just to add a few more lines. Instead, just extend exactly that class and override exactly the method with an if check before delegating to the super as follows:

package com.example;

import javax.faces.component.UIComponent;
import javax.faces.context.FacesContext;

import org.primefaces.component.fileupload.FileUploadRenderer;

public class MyFileUploadRenderer extends FileUploadRenderer {

    @Override
    public void decode(FacesContext context, UIComponent component) {
        if (context.getExternalContext().getRequestContentType().toLowerCase().startsWith("multipart/")) {
            super.decode(context, component);
        }
    }

}

That's it (keep that <renderer-kit> entry in faces-config.xml though). There's no point of continuing the decode if the request isn't a multipart request. The file parts wouldn't be available anyway (and there's also no point of casting back to javax.servlet.* API when the same functionality is readily available via ExternalContext).

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