PROBLEM

When running mvn archetype:create-from-project with Maven Ear Plugin defined under <pluginManagement>….

<project ...>
    ...
    <build>
        <pluginManagement>
                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-archetype-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>2.3</version>
                </plugin>

                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-ear-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>2.10.1</version>
                </plugin>
            </plugins>
        </pluginManagement>
    </build>
</project>

… the following exception occurs…

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-archetype-plugin:2.3:create-from-project (default-cli) on project myproject-webapp: null: MojoFailureException -> [Help 1]
org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-archetype-plugin:2.3:create-from-project (default-cli) on project myproject-webapp: null
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:212)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:153)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:145)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:116)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:80)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.builder.singlethreaded.SingleThreadedBuilder.build(SingleThreadedBuilder.java:51)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute(LifecycleStarter.java:120)
        at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:355)
        at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute(DefaultMaven.java:155)
        at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute(MavenCli.java:584)
        at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain(MavenCli.java:216)
        at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main(MavenCli.java:160)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced(Launcher.java:289)
        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch(Launcher.java:229)
        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode(Launcher.java:415)
        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:356)
Caused by: org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoFailureException
        at org.apache.maven.archetype.mojos.CreateArchetypeFromProjectMojo.execute(CreateArchetypeFromProjectMojo.java:258)
        at org.apache.maven.plugin.DefaultBuildPluginManager.executeMojo(DefaultBuildPluginManager.java:132)
        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:208)
        ... 19 more

SOLUTION

It appears this problem happens when using Maven Archetype Plugin 2.3, but works fine when using 2.2.

To fix this, define an empty <modules> under <configuration> to prevent NullPointerException.

<project ...>
    ...
    <build>
        <pluginManagement>
                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-archetype-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>2.3</version>
                </plugin>

                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-ear-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>2.10.1</version>
                    <configuration>
                        <modules/>
                    </configuration>
                </plugin>
            </plugins>
        </pluginManagement>
    </build>
</project>