Hi, I'd like to point out the dangerousness of workDir setting on Context.

If workDir is an empty string, i.e. workDir=AA, then workDir will be set as
CATALINA_HOME.
Therefore if application will be reloaded, then the files in CATALINA_HOME will
be deleted.

I know this problem is caused by wrong configuration, but it is too dangerous,
anyway.

I propose a patch.

Index: /trunk/java/org/apache/catalina/core/StandardContext.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/java/org/apache/catalina/core/StandardContext.java	(revision 565643)
+++ /trunk/java/org/apache/catalina/core/StandardContext.java	(working copy)
@@ -5006,7 +5006,7 @@
 
         // Acquire (or calculate) the work directory path
         String workDir = getWorkDir();
-        if (workDir == null) {
+        if (workDir == null || workDir.length() == 0) {
 
             // Retrieve our parent (normally a host) name
             String hostName = null;