DO NOT REPLY [Bug 18790] New: - ROOT Context Name is "Magic"

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http://nagoya.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=18790

ROOT Context Name is "Magic"

           Summary: ROOT Context Name is "Magic"
           Product: Tomcat 4
           Version: 4.1.24
          Platform: All
               URL: http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-4.1-
                    doc/config/context.html
        OS/Version: All
            Status: NEW
          Severity: Normal
          Priority: Other
         Component: Webapps:Documentation
        AssignedTo: tomcat-dev@jakarta.apache.org
        ReportedBy: tony@absolutejava.com


Hello,

I've submitted this issue to both the Tomcat Users List and Tomcat Developer's 
List. As far as I can tell this seems to be a documentation bug (but I'm not 
100% sure). My comments are based on a "fresh install" of TC v4.1.24 on Win 2k.

Please go to "http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-4.1-
doc/config/context.html"

Here's a quote from that page:

"...you MUST define a Context with a context path equal to a zero-length 
string. This Context becomes the default web application for this virtual host, 
and is used to process all requests that do not match any other Context's 
context path."

Okay, that makes sense, but then when I look at conf/server.xml I see this:

<!-- Tomcat Root Context -->
<!--
    <Context path="" docBase="ROOT" debug="0"/>
-->


Why is this commented out? According to the documentation cited above there
MUST be a "context path equal to a zero-length string". The quote I cited
seems to contradict what I'm seeing in server.xml.

Even though the <Context> element is commented out TC seems to run fine, in 
spite of what the documentation says. It seems teh "ROOT" directory is being 
processed as teh default context.

Based on what people on the Tomcat User and Developer's List have said, the 
name "ROOT" is special. In other words, if I have a context named "ROOT" in 
webapps then I do *not* need a "context path equal to a zero-length string", in 
spite of what the documentation says.

The fact that "ROOT" seems to be a "special" name is not mentioned in the 
documentation. So, either this is a documentation omission or, possibly Tomcat 
is picking up ROOT as the default context when in fact it shouldn't be.

Can someone let me know the status of this?

Thanks.

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