[JENKINS-53322] Remove patched dom4j from Stapler

[jenkins-infra-bot]

stapler-jelly currently depends on a patched version¹ of dom4j, the original of which was released thirteen years ago. Current releases support Java 8, etc.

A simple

diff --git a/jelly/pom.xml b/jelly/pom.xml
index 8aa4ec8d7..725f2ba56 100644
--- a/jelly/pom.xml
+++ b/jelly/pom.xml
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@
       commons-collections
     
     
-      org.jenkins-ci.dom4j
+      org.dom4j
       dom4j
-      1.6.1-jenkins-4
+      2.1.1
     
     
       org.jvnet.maven-jellydoc-plugin

does not work because of an API added to HtmlWriter used by Stapler's HTMLWriterOutput.

To be done:

• Write a unit test for HTMLWriterOutput demonstrating whatever it is supposed to do.
• Replace the missing setEnabled call. Perhaps just use Proxy to make a ContentHandler that dynamically switches between XMLWriter and HTMLWriter. That obviates the need for this patch. Close this PR accordingly.
• File an upstream PR for the static keyword addition from that patch.
• Update to 2.1.1 or newer. PR should link to this.
• File an upstream PR for this minor-looking improvement.
• Determine if this patch is even useful. If so, it can be done via the official getOmitElementCloseSet + setOmitElementCloseSet API.
• Forget about this patch since JENKINS-13709 is just one of many evil consequences of using maven-plugin.
• Recheck JENKINS-46616 which I think is not an issue in current library releases.

danielbeck is there some epic or label for issues proposing to switch from forked to official versions of libraries in Jenkins?

¹Using a different GA, no less. Noticed here: causes mayhem for plugins depending on the database plugin.

---

Originally reported by jglick, imported from: Remove patched dom4j from Stapler

• assignee: jthompson
• status: Closed
• priority: Major
• component(s): core
• label(s): dom4j, stapler
• resolution: Fixed
• resolved: 2019-09-24T14:39:48+00:00
• votes: 0
• watchers: 2
• imported: 2025-11-24

Raw content of original issue

stapler-jelly currently depends on a patched version¹ of dom4j, the original of which was released thirteen years ago. Current releases support Java 8, etc.

A simple


diff --git a/jelly/pom.xml b/jelly/pom.xml
index 8aa4ec8d7..725f2ba56 100644
--- a/jelly/pom.xml
+++ b/jelly/pom.xml
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@
       <artifactId>commons-collections</artifactId>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.dom4j</groupId>
+      <groupId>org.dom4j</groupId>
       <artifactId>dom4j</artifactId>
-      <version>1.6.1-jenkins-4</version>
+      <version>2.1.1</version>
     </dependency>
     <dependency><!-- only needed for annotations, hence optional -->
       <groupId>org.jvnet.maven-jellydoc-plugin</groupId>


does not work because of an API added to HtmlWriter used by Stapler's HTMLWriterOutput.
To be done:

	
Write a unit test for HTMLWriterOutput demonstrating whatever it is supposed to do.
	
Replace the missing setEnabled call. Perhaps just use Proxy to make a ContentHandler that dynamically switches between XMLWriter and HTMLWriter. That obviates the need for this patch. Close this PR accordingly.
	
File an upstream PR for the static keyword addition from that patch.
	
Update to 2.1.1 or newer. PR should link to this.
	
File an upstream PR for this minor-looking improvement.
	
Determine if this patch is even useful. If so, it can be done via the official getOmitElementCloseSet + setOmitElementCloseSet API.
	
Forget about this patch since JENKINS-13709 is just one of many evil consequences of using maven-plugin.
	
Recheck JENKINS-46616 which I think is not an issue in current library releases.

danielbeck is there some epic or label for issues proposing to switch from forked to official versions of libraries in Jenkins?
¹Using a different GA, no less. Noticed here: causes mayhem for plugins depending on the database plugin.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

danielbeck:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  is there some epic or label for issues proposing to switch from forked to official versions of libraries in Jenkins?
  No such previous effort I'm aware of.
  

is there some epic or label for issues proposing to switch from forked to official versions of libraries in Jenkins?

No such previous effort I'm aware of.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

jthompson:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  I've been working on this one for a while, compiling different libraries and plugins and running tests and checks. The specific tasks or conclusions I've found are a little different from those originally reported, but the overview remains the same. The forked dom4j version we use is ancient and really isn't necessary. We can get rid of it with a relatively few, independent tweaks. That will get us on a better footing.
  
  I'll start pushing a few PRs to various components to prepare them. Once we actually make the switch there are a few other places we can clean up.
  

I've been working on this one for a while, compiling different libraries and plugins and running tests and checks. The specific tasks or conclusions I've found are a little different from those originally reported, but the overview remains the same. The forked dom4j version we use is ancient and really isn't necessary. We can get rid of it with a relatively few, independent tweaks. That will get us on a better footing.

I'll start pushing a few PRs to various components to prepare them. Once we actually make the switch there are a few other places we can clean up.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

jthompson:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  PR in Stapler to change to standard dom4j: [JENKINS-53322] Use standard dom4j distribution. stapler#164
  
  Enablement PR in Jenkins to old or new to work fine: [JENKINS-53322] Pre-work for removing dom4j fork. #4089
  
  ec2-plugin PR to enable old or new to work fine: [JENKINS-53322] Cross-version dom4j compatibility tweaks. ec2-plugin#372 (Already merged)
  
  Additional PRs to come later to include the new versions.
  

PR in Stapler to change to standard dom4j: jenkinsci/stapler#164

Enablement PR in Jenkins to old or new to work fine: #4089

ec2-plugin PR to enable old or new to work fine: jenkinsci/ec2-plugin#372 (Already merged)

Additional PRs to come later to include the new versions.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

jthompson:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Stapler version 1.258 was released on 19 August 2019 containing changes to move to the standard dom4j library.
  
  Jenkins PR [JENKINS-53322] Remove patched dom4j fork #4130 depends upon that version and removes dependency on the forked library. This PR is up for review.
  

Stapler version 1.258 was released on 19 August 2019 containing changes to move to the standard dom4j library.

Jenkins PR #4130 depends upon that version and removes dependency on the forked library. This PR is up for review.