Difficulty importing the Vaadin SimpleCRM example app for local development - maven

Question

I'm having some trouble importing the SimpleCRM example app (vaadin-jpa-app) found at the bottom of the Vaadin Blog post titled "A recipe for a data centric rich internet application" on January 20 ( Link: https://vaadin.com/blog/-/blogs/a-recipe-for-a-data-centric-rich-internet-application )
After git cloning the repository from https://hub.jazz.net/git/vaadin/vaadin-jpa-app as described in the README.md, I have tried to import the project as a Maven project into Eclipse Luna but unfortunately receive the following errors related to the pom.xml file:
vaadin-maven-plugin:7.3.7:resources
vaadin-maven-plugin:7.3.7:update-theme
vaadin-maven-plugin:7.3.7:update-widgetset
I have tried to deploy the application to my WebSphere Liberty Profile Server anyway but get a "Context Root Not Found" error.
I have also noticed that in my server.xml file under WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile, I see warnings mentioning that the elements "jdbcDriver" and "dataSource" are "not enabled by the available features" after copying the relevant code outlined in the "Local development" section of the README.md ( from https://hub.jazz.net/project/vaadin/vaadin-jpa-app/overview )
Can someone more familiar with this process walk me through what I should be doing? It would be much appreciated. Thanks!
(Begin procedure)
Preparation:
1) In Eclipse, I installed the WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile via Eclipse Marketplace ( http://marketplace.eclipse.org/content/ibm-websphere-application-server-liberty-profile-developer-tools-luna-0 )
2) Under the Enterprise Explorer in Eclipse, in WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile | servers | defaultServer | server.xml, I have added the JDBC Driver configuration snippet as outlined in the Readme. I also modified the code according to the snippet you posted.
3) I added a derby.jar file into the appropriate directory as mentioned in the Readme
4) I installed the m2e-wtp connector (http://marketplace.eclipse.org/content/maven-java-ee-integration-eclipse-wtp-luna)
5) Using Git Shell, I git clone https://hub.jazz.net/git/vaadin/vaadin-jpa-app
Deploying the application:
6) Afterwards, in Eclipse, I import the vaadin-jpa-app directory I just cloned as an "Existing Maven Project". This creates a vaadin-jpa-app project as well as a vaadin-jpa-applicationEAR project in the Eclipse Enterprise Explorer.
7) At this point, the three "errors" I described earlier are rectified by choosing "Do Not Execute (add to pom)" as the action for each of the "errors". (Description: Places metadata which tells m2e to ignore the execution in the pom(s) that adds the Maven plugin to the build.)
8) I right-click the "vaadin-jpa-application [vaadin-jpa-app master]" project and select Run As | Maven Install.
9) I right-click the "vaadin-jpa-application [vaadin-jpa-app master]" project and select Run As | Run On Server.
10) I select the WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile under localhost and ensure that only the vaadin-jpa-application (and not the vaadin-jpa-applicationEAR) is under the "Configured:" column. This produces a 404 error.
(Begin console output)
Launching defaultServer (WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5.4/wlp-1.0.7.cl50420141211-1039) on Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM, version 1.8.0_25-b18 (en_US)
[AUDIT ] CWWKE0001I: The server defaultServer has been launched.
[AUDIT ] CWWKZ0058I: Monitoring dropins for applications.
[ERROR ] SRVE9990E: The class org.vaadin.presentation.Servlet has a #WebServlet annotation but does not implement the javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet interface.
[ERROR ] SRVE9991E: The class org.vaadin.presentation.CompressionFilter has a #WebFilter annotation but does not implement the javax.servlet.Filter interface.
[WARNING ] CWWJP9991W: openjpa.Enhance: Warn: An exception was thrown while attempting to perform class file transformation on "org.vaadin.backend.domain.Customer":
Exception : java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[WARNING ] CWWJP9991W: openjpa.Enhance: Warn: An exception was thrown while attempting to perform class file transformation on "org.vaadin.backend.domain.Customer":
Exception : java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[WARNING ] CWNEN0049W: Resource annotations on the methods of the org.vaadin.backend.CustomerService class will be ignored. The annotations could not be obtained because of the exception : <openjpa-2.2.3-SNAPSHOT-r422266:1595313 nonfatal general error> org.apache.openjpa.util.GeneralException: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[WARNING ] CWWJP9991W: openjpa.Enhance: Warn: An exception was thrown while attempting to perform class file transformation on "org.vaadin.backend.domain.Customer":
Exception : java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[ERROR ] CNTR4006E: The CustomerService enterprise bean in the vaadin-jpa-application.war module of the vaadin-jpa-application application failed to start. Exception: <openjpa-2.2.3-SNAPSHOT-r422266:1595313 nonfatal general error> org.apache.openjpa.util.GeneralException: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
at org.apache.openjpa.enhance.PCClassFileTransformer.transform0(PCClassFileTransformer.java:164)
at org.apache.openjpa.enhance.PCClassFileTransformer.transform(PCClassFileTransformer.java:126)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.PersistenceProviderImpl$ClassTransformerImpl.transform(PersistenceProviderImpl.java:290)
at com.ibm.ws.jpa.management.JPAPUnitInfo.transformClass(JPAPUnitInfo.java:1380)
at [internal classes]
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredFields0(Native Method)
at java.lang.Class.privateGetDeclaredFields(Class.java:2575)
at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredFields(Class.java:1908)
at org.apache.openjpa.lib.util.J2DoPrivHelper$7.run(J2DoPrivHelper.java:297)
at org.apache.openjpa.lib.util.J2DoPrivHelper$7.run(J2DoPrivHelper.java:295)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.PersistenceMetaDataDefaults.determineImplicitAccessType(PersistenceMetaDataDefaults.java:366)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.PersistenceMetaDataDefaults.determineAccessType(PersistenceMetaDataDefaults.java:334)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.PersistenceMetaDataDefaults.populate(PersistenceMetaDataDefaults.java:276)
at org.apache.openjpa.meta.MetaDataRepository.addMetaData(MetaDataRepository.java:920)
at org.apache.openjpa.meta.MetaDataRepository.addMetaData(MetaDataRepository.java:905)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.AnnotationPersistenceMetaDataParser.getMetaData(AnnotationPersistenceMetaDataParser.java:752)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.AnnotationPersistenceMetaDataParser.parseClassAnnotations(AnnotationPersistenceMetaDataParser.java:545)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.AnnotationPersistenceMetaDataParser.parse(AnnotationPersistenceMetaDataParser.java:415)
at org.apache.openjpa.persistence.PersistenceMetaDataFactory.load(PersistenceMetaDataFactory.java:260)
at org.apache.openjpa.meta.MetaDataRepository.getMetaDataInternal(MetaDataRepository.java:586)
at org.apache.openjpa.meta.MetaDataRepository.getMetaDataInternal(MetaDataRepository.java:396)
at org.apache.openjpa.meta.MetaDataRepository.getMetaData(MetaDataRepository.java:388)
at org.apache.openjpa.enhance.PCEnhancer.<init>(PCEnhancer.java:286)
at org.apache.openjpa.enhance.PCEnhancer.<init>(PCEnhancer.java:257)
at org.apache.openjpa.enhance.PCClassFileTransformer.transform0(PCClassFileTransformer.java:146)
... 4 more
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Could not find class 'com.vividsolutions.jts.geom.Point' as resource 'com/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point.class'
... 29 more
[AUDIT ] CWWKT0016I: Web application available (default_host): http://localhost:9080/vaadin-jpa-application/
[AUDIT ] CWWKZ0001I: Application vaadin-jpa-application started in 4.171 seconds.
[AUDIT ] CWWKF0011I: The server defaultServer is ready to run a smarter planet.
[WARNING ] CWWJP9991W: openjpa.Enhance: Warn: An exception was thrown while attempting to perform class file transformation on "org.vaadin.backend.domain.Customer":
Exception : java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[WARNING ] CWWJP9991W: openjpa.Enhance: Warn: An exception was thrown while attempting to perform class file transformation on "org.vaadin.backend.domain.Customer":
Exception : java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[WARNING ] CWNEN0049W: Resource annotations on the methods of the org.vaadin.backend.CustomerService class will be ignored. The annotations could not be obtained because of the exception : <openjpa-2.2.3-SNAPSHOT-r422266:1595313 nonfatal general error> org.apache.openjpa.util.GeneralException: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;
[WARNING ] CWWJP9991W: openjpa.Enhance: Warn: An exception was thrown while attempting to perform class file transformation on "org.vaadin.backend.domain.Customer":
Exception : java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lcom/vividsolutions/jts/geom/Point;

Answer 1

When you start, make sure you have an eclipse installation that has no extra plugins and latest versions of liberty profile plugin (or its beta release) installed. Other eclipse plugins may disturb the deployment.
Also make sure that you have the latest version of the example project (git pull). Both Liberty and Vaadin CDI have developed fast during the last couple of months and there might have been some small incompatibilities.
The "errors" eclipse says are just that eclipse don't know how it should handle those build settings internally. You can just mark them so that eclipse ignores them and do full build once (mvn install) to get client side resources compiled.
If Eclipse creates an "ear project" when it imports the war file, just delete that and deploy the war file only.
In server.xml you must enable required features. The app needs servlet, JPA, EBJ lite and CDI, but it is probably easier and almost as lightweight to just enable whole java ee 6 web profile stuff, this is what I use in my liberty server pretty much always:
<!-- Enable features -->
<featureManager>
<feature>localConnector-1.0</feature>
<feature>webProfile-6.0</feature>
</featureManager>
If you have derby jar added as in instructions and the data source define, things should then work just fine. Let me know if there is still some issue.