Debug BlazeDS Tomcat Server in Eclipse!!!

Warning: this post is dripping with awesome. Once you're able to get this working, you might go dancing in the street (I know I did!). Consider yourself warned.

Problem

You need to debug java code running on Tomcat as part of BlazeDS. You want to do this in Eclipse.

Symptoms

• You're tired of using logs, system outs, or other tom-foolery to debug the server-side code for your Flex application!
• You tried to set this up but received the following error:
java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: org.eclipse.wst.common.componentcore.internal.resources.VirtualComponent.clearCache()V
• You'd like to set a breakpoint and have server execution stop and jump to your breakpoint, even while executing RemoteObject code from Flex
• Once you hit such a breakpoint, you want to be able to inspect variables and expressions and enjoy similar debugging pleasures

Solution

Note: In this process, I encountered the very common error:

java.lang.NoSuchMethodError:

org.eclipse.wst.common.componentcore.internal.resources
.VirtualComponent.clearCache()V

Fixing it simply required updating eclipse.

I'll summarize the steps to getting debugging tomcat in eclipse to work as follows:

1. Open the Server View, right click and create a New Server
2. Point it to your /blazeds/tomcat folder (do not add any projects yet)
3. Right Click the new server and choose "Open"
4. Make sure your settings match this screenshot


NOTE: if the "Sever Location" section is disabled, that means you added a project in step 2. Delete this sever and start over without adding any projects.

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Better yet, just follow this excellent and detailed blog titled Setting up your BlazeDS (tomcat) server on Eclipse ( local ). It worked flawlessly.

I credit the FlashBandit blog with opening my eyes to the fact that Setting Up a Basic BlazeDS Server with Debugging was even possible.