Glassfish unable to deploy at root because default-web-module is declared

Question

While trying to deploy to Glassfish Server Open Source Edition 3.1.2.2 (build 5) from both Netbeans and Admin Console the following message is thro

Answer 1

The problem is due to the fact that glassfish assigns any newly deployed web module to all the available virtual servers except the _asadmin one. If any one of the servers already has a default web module assigned to it you will get this error. The solution is to login into your glassfish web admin navigate to configurations > server-config > Virtual Servers click on each of your virtual servers and remove the assigned default web modules. Deploy your application and then reassign each web module to its respective virtual server.

Answer 2

Since I ran into the problem it's probable that others will too. For this reason I will answer my own question instead of deleting it.

Following the steps I've mentioned in the question, I noticed the config in domain.xml still had reference to an application with context-root="/". Upon removing this application from the file and saving it, I could once again deploy an application to /!

Answer 3

You can also set other default web module with

asadmin set server.http-service.virtual-server.server.default-web-module=<name of the module>

Answer 4

There 2 ways:

1. From Glassfish admin.

   Configurations -> server-config -> Virtual Servers -> server. Then select empty row for Default Web Module attribute and save.

2. Open file glassfish/domains/{your_domain_name}/config/domain.xml, find line similar to

<virtual-server id="server" default-web-module="web-module-name.war" network-listeners="http-listener-1,http-listener-2"></virtual-server>

and delete default-web-module attribute.