NoClassDefFound Error while accessing Session EJB from JSP page

[Zahid Iqbal]

I'm having this error as explained below.   I have written a Stateless Session EJB. The package name is "com.dyt.cw" and appears in each of the following EJB classes. 1. AutoOwner.java (Remote interface) 2. AutoOwnerHome.java (Home interface) 3. AutoOwnerEJB.java (Bean implementation class) 4. AutoOwnerInfo.java (a value object and the only external class)   I have created ejb jar file AutoOwner.jar that does include the AutoOwnerInfo external class (knowing that if external classes are included in the jar file, then it doesn't require to specify these explicitly in the WL CLASSPATH) and I'm able to successfully deploy it in WebLogic 5.1. I'm also able to access it using a Java client application (of course in that case AutoOwner.jar is explicitly specified in the client JVM CLASSPATH). But when I tried to access it through JSP page (that's also deployed on the WebLogic AS), NoClassDefFound exception is raised for AutoOwnerInfo class. However if I explicitly specify the classpath through  weblogic.class.path property (using startWebLogic.cmd file), then the problem is solved. Please not that I have got the "import com.dyt.cw.*" statement in the relevant JSP page (and it's compiled successfully).   Now I have got the following questions.   1. If I use an external class for an Entity EJB, then no exception is raised in that case. I have been using Entity EJBs with values object classes and these are accessed successfully through JSP pages (without requiring any explicit classpath settings). But in case of Stateless Session EJB "NoClassDefFound" exception is raised for the external class i.e. AutoOwnerInfo class. Does Session EJB have a different mechanism? (I don't think it should have.)   2. If the external class is not included in the ejb jar file (and not deployed with the EJB), then there has been a genuine reason for NoClassDefFound exception. But once I have included it in jar file, it should be accessible to WL classloader (both to EJB container as well as JSP container) without an explicit classpath setting. Is there anything wrong with this approach?   Please let me know if some one has got a reason for it.   Thanks   Zahid.