Sounds similar to issue 228939

When opening form there is no server selected:
----------------------------------------------
org.netbeans.modules.j2ee.deployment.config.ConfigSupportImpl.getWebContextRoot(ConfigSupportImpl.java:251)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.web.WebModuleImpl.getContextPath(WebModuleImpl.java:358)
org.netbeans.modules.web.api.webmodule.WebModule.getContextPath(WebModule.java:197)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.<init>(CustomizerRunWeb.java:104)

ConfigSupportImpl.getWebContextRoot() returns null and WebModuleImpl.getContextPath() uses Maven artifact ID to build context root.

Later CustomizerRunWeb.updateContextPathEnablement() is doing first initialization of teXt field:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.updateContextPathEnablement(CustomizerRunWeb.java:395)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.initValues(CustomizerRunWeb.java:201)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.<init>(CustomizerRunWeb.java:107)

Here oldContextPath is initialized to previous value stored in contextPathTField - which is context root previously build from artifact ID.

After changing server to GlassFish:
-----------------------------------
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.updateContextPathEnablement(CustomizerRunWeb.java:391)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.serverCBoxActionPerformed(CustomizerRunWeb.java:387)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb.access$100(CustomizerRunWeb.java:78)
org.netbeans.modules.maven.j2ee.ui.customizer.impl.CustomizerRunWeb$2.actionPerformed(CustomizerRunWeb.java:286)

oldContextPath contains ontext root previously build from artifact ID so it is being used without an attempt to retrieve new value stored in glasfish-web.xml.

GHlassFish plugin is not being called to provide <context-root>/chess</context-root> value.

This seems to be problem in customizer form. Assigning to Martin who wrote it.

Fixed by web-main #79a7ebc0e3bd

Works fine with my testing project, but would be good if you could test it as well? Thanks

Integrated into 'main-silver', will be available in build *201309110001* on http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/nightly/ (upload may still be in progress)

Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main-silver/rev/79a7ebc0e3bd
User: Martin Janicek <mjanicek@netbeans.org>
Log: #235603 - Context root not detected correctly from glassfish-web.xml

I am afraid it still does not work for me in build web-main#11577.

I'm not able to reproduce it using following steps: (after #79a7ebc0e3bd)

1/ Create Maven Web application - GF4, Java EE 7
2/ Change context path to /abc
3/ Close IDE
4/ Clean userdir
5/ Start IDE
6/ Register GF
7/ Open project
8/ Go to project properties --> I can see /abc in context path which is correct

Do we have any other steps (except your project) how to reproduce it? I'm little bit confused about the Chess app to be honest :)

Created attachment 139984 [details]
Test case

I am attaching a test case which reproduces this as follows:
1. Start IDE with empty userdir (with ergonomics)
2. Enable Java EE features (e.g. New -> Web Project -> Cancel)
3. Register GlassFish
4. Open the attached project
5. Go to Project properties | Run

You should also be able to reproduce if you add this step to your steps:
3a. Delete nb-configuration.xml

Thanks a lot. I'm somehow able to reproduce with a small differences. For example when I opened the project properties for the first time I see "No Server Selected" (that's IMHO correct because the server isn't configured in project files) so I need to change to newly registered GF4 (it will create nb-configuration which is fine as well). But after confirmation and opening project properties again I can see context path with "/Test235603" value --> that's wrong.

7.4 candidate ?

Possibly, we'll see for sure when Martin finds the root cause and fix.

This one is also impacting the Mojarra automated test development.  We rely heavily on glassfish-web.xml being the source of truth for the context root so that the HtmlUnit tests can find the app they are trying to test.

The problem is imo maven j2ee customizer. When it loads it hiddenly ask for context root. In the situation there is no server it will receive the default. Now when the server is selected the context path field is enabled and this value is placed there (the default one). Now you click ok and the server and the context path is stored. Thus the default value is stored overwriting the one from deployment descriptor.

Unfortunately my attempt to fix this has failed. Current project/server infrastructure allow to query the context path for the current server assigned to the project. While we are in the dialog no server changes are done yet and thus we can't really query and fill in the proper context path.

I don't think it would be safe to fix this issue for 7.4.

Thanks for investigation and evaluation Petr. 

> While we are in the dialog no server changes are done yet

Well, this is the other weird thing. As we discussed, if you change the server in properties, cancel the dialog and reopen it, the selected server sticks. Why is this, and where is it stored? The IDE does not create nb-configuration.xml, and with a clean userdir, it is reset. So it looks like this is stored in userdir - where?

I am thinking if it would be possible to partially fix as follows: when the user changes the server in the customizer, change the text in Context Path to something like "Confirm the dialog and reopen it in order to modify this field", and on confirming, the IDE would not overwrite any value in glassfish-web.xml. Is this doable?

Though one more weird thing is - just changing the server, canceling the dialog and reopening it is not a sufficient workaround - after that the context path is still incorrect. Only restarting the IDE helps and fixes the context path.

(In reply to Petr Jiricka from comment #15)
> Thanks for investigation and evaluation Petr. 
> 
> > While we are in the dialog no server changes are done yet
> 
> Well, this is the other weird thing. As we discussed, if you change the
> server in properties, cancel the dialog and reopen it, the selected server
> sticks. Why is this, and where is it stored? The IDE does not create
> nb-configuration.xml, and with a clean userdir, it is reset. So it looks
> like this is stored in userdir - where?
I filed issue #236028.

> 
> I am thinking if it would be possible to partially fix as follows: when the
> user changes the server in the customizer, change the text in Context Path
> to something like "Confirm the dialog and reopen it in order to modify this
> field", and on confirming, the IDE would not overwrite any value in
> glassfish-web.xml. Is this doable?
I'll try that. I have been slowed down by issue #236028 and issue #236031.

> 
> Though one more weird thing is - just changing the server, canceling the
> dialog and reopening it is not a sufficient workaround - after that the
> context path is still incorrect. Only restarting the IDE helps and fixes the
> context path.
I think it is because the server is stored (to the disk) though no proper events fired as it is done when clicking "Ok". So far just my speculation.

Created attachment 140164 [details]
patch

The patch attached. If the server is not selected when opening properties dialog the user has to select a server and confirm the dialog in order to change context path. If there is a server selected on dialog open the behavior is unchanged (can change the context path as long as there is a server selected in the server combo).

Should I proceed with integration of this patch to web-main and consequently to releases?

The fix looks reasonable, so I would put it in 7.4 after QA verification. Cc'ing Stepan.

Fixed in web-main 8bc44076b1e5.

(In reply to Petr Hejl from comment #19)
> Fixed in web-main 8bc44076b1e5.

The fix looks safe.

Integrated into 'main-silver', will be available in build *201309180002* on http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/nightly/ (upload may still be in progress)

Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main-silver/rev/8bc44076b1e5
User: Petr Hejl <phejl@netbeans.org>
Log: #235603 - Context root not detected correctly from glassfish-web.xml

Stepane may I integrate it to releases?

verified in trunk, please integrate

Fixed in releases 1864107f46d5.

I'm happy to report this works for me in RC1.  

Great job!