Specify a custom web.xml to an embedded tomcat

Question

Is there a way to specify a different web.xml from the standard WEB-INF/web.xml when using an embedded tomcat instance?

I would like to put

Answer 1

I was stuck with a similar problem and the solution for using an alternative web.xml is simpler than one would dare to think:

2 lines:

Context webContext = tomcat.addWebapp("/yourContextPath", "/web/app/docroot/");
webContext.getServletContext().setAttribute(Globals.ALT_DD_ATTR, "/path/to/custom/web.xml");

Voila! The magic happens in org.apache.catalina.startup.ContextConfig#getWebXmlSource

Disclaimer: Tested on Tomcat 7.0.42