Cobertura Maven Plugin fails with "The command line is too long" on Windows

Question

When I run cobertura-maven-plugin on Windows 8.1 with lengthy configuration (used to prohibit any coverage drop in the project) cobertura:check goal fails with error The command line is too long.

The problem is probably connected to Command prompt (Cmd. exe) command-line string limitation, as it disappears when I limit amount of configuration provided to Cobertura. Moreover, it works fine on Linux.

How can I overcome this problem?

Logs on debug level:

[DEBUG] Executing command line:
[DEBUG] cmd.exe /X /C ""C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_25\jre\bin\java" net.sourceforge.cobertura.check.CheckCoverageMain --datafile C:\IdeaProjects\checkstyle\target\cobertura\cobertura.ser --branch 100 --line 100 --totalbranch 82 --totalline 90 --regex .*.checks.UncommentedMainCheck:88:83 --regex .*.checks.indentation.MethodCallLineWrapHandler:0:0 --regex .*.checks.indentation.ImportHandler:87:50 --regex .*.checks.imports.Guard:100:86 --regex .*.checks.sizes.AnonInnerLengthCheck:92:100 --regex .*.checks.DeclarationCollector:100:94 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.ParenPadCheck:95:86 --regex .*.TreeWalker:91:92 --regex .*.checks.naming.AbstractTypeParameterNameCheck:83:75 --regex .*.checks.naming.LocalVariableNameCheck:100:94 --regex .*.api.SeverityLevelCounter:76:50 --regex .*.checks.indentation.ForHandler:95:75 --regex .*.checks.regexp.RegexpMultilineCheck:76:100 --regex com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.Utils:93:85 --regex .*.checks.coding.VariableDeclarationUsageDistanceCheck:97:90 --regex .*.checks.imports.ImportControlLoader:88:72 --regex .*.api.LocalizedMessage:81:66 --regex .*.api.FileContents:94:96 --regex .*.api.AbstractViolationReporter:90:100 --regex .*.checks.imports.CustomImportOrderCheck:91:93 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.AbstractJavadocCheck:93:90 --regex .*.checks.naming.ConstantNameCheck:92:88 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.HtmlTag:90:75 --regex .*.api.ScopeUtils:0:0 --regex .*.checks.modifier.RedundantModifierCheck:96:97 --regex .*.DefaultLogger:76:75 --regex .*.checks.metrics.BooleanExpressionComplexityCheck:80:74 --regex .*.checks.design.OneTopLevelClassCheck:95:77 --regex .*.checks.coding.DefaultComesLastCheck:90:87 --regex .*.checks.sizes.ExecutableStatementCountCheck:95:81 --regex .*.checks.UpperEllCheck:83:100 --regex .*.checks.regexp.CommentSuppressor:100:75 --regex .*.checks.naming.AbstractClassNameCheck:90:100 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.WriteTagCheck:91:100 --regex .*.checks.CheckUtils:97:91 --regex .*.checks.DescendantTokenCheck:96:91 --regex .*.checks.coding.UnnecessaryParenthesesCheck:96:91 --regex .*.checks.blocks.RightCurlyCheck:95:88 --regex .*.checks.coding.IllegalTypeCheck:93:93 --regex .*.checks.TodoCommentCheck:92:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.MultipleVariableDeclarationsCheck:96:96 --regex .*.checks.ClassResolver:93:86 --regex .*.checks.coding.DeclarationOrderCheck:90:82 --regex .*.checks.blocks.LeftCurlyCheck:94:87 --regex .*.checks.coding.AbstractIllegalMethodCheck:92:100 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.EmptyForInitializerPadCheck:93:91 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.WhitespaceAroundCheck:98:96 --regex .*.checks.coding.ParameterAssignmentCheck:91:80 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.NoWhitespaceBeforeCheck:100:90 --regex .*.PropertiesExpander:83:50 --regex .*.checks.indentation.BlockParentHandler:98:86 --regex .*.checks.metrics.AbstractClassCouplingCheck\$.*:100:78 --regex .*.checks.coding.IllegalInstantiationCheck:94:77 --regex .*.checks.coding.SimplifyBooleanExpressionCheck:77:100 --regex .*.checks.RegexpCheck:100:97 --regex .*.checks.coding.ReturnCountCheck:74:55 --regex .*.api.JavadocTagInfo:77:25 --regex .*.checks.coding.AvoidInlineConditionalsCheck:66:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.FinalLocalVariableCheck:100:79 --regex .*.api.AutomaticBean:82:90 --regex .*.checks.coding.InnerAssignmentCheck:97:88 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.EmptyForIteratorPadCheck:92:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.RequireThisCheck:89:100 --regex .*.checks.imports.AvoidStaticImportCheck:95:85 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.TypecastParenPadCheck:88:87 --regex .*.checks.naming.AbstractAccessControlNameCheck:80:95 --regex .*.checks.ArrayTypeStyleCheck:94:100 --regex .*.checks.TranslationCheck:83:81 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocTypeCheck:91:95 --regex .*.checks.AbstractOptionCheck:80:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.EqualsHashCodeCheck:96:75 --regex .*.checks.naming.MemberNameCheck:85:91 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocTagContinuationIndentationCheck:86:81 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.EmptyLineSeparatorCheck:98:95 --regex .*.checks.metrics.NPathComplexityCheck:96:100 --regex .*.checks.header.RegexpHeaderCheck:93:87 --regex .*.checks.AvoidEscapedUnicodeCharactersCheck:98:97 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocMethodCheck:96:90 --regex .*.checks.coding.ModifiedControlVariableCheck:93:83 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.MethodParamPadCheck:95:100 --regex .*.checks.annotation.MissingDeprecatedCheck:96:92 --regex .*.checks.indentation.NewHandler:77:83 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocUtils:91:83 --regex .*.checks.naming.MethodNameCheck:93:100 --regex .*.checks.indentation.ElseHandler:100:75 --regex .*.checks.naming.AbstractNameCheck:87:100 --regex .*.checks.naming.ParameterNameCheck:80:75 --regex .*.checks.coding.HiddenFieldCheck:97:96 --regex .*.checks.imports.RedundantImportCheck:94:81 --regex .*.api.LocalizedMessage\$.*:66:41 --regex .*.filters.SuppressionCommentFilter:87:83 --regex .*.checks.indentation.IndexHandler:75:100 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.AtclauseOrderCheck:88:88 --regex .*.checks.imports.PkgControl:100:80 --regex .*.PropertyCacheFile:19:22 --regex .*.checks.indentation.MethodCallHandler:87:63 --regex .*.checks.coding.StringLiteralEqualityCheck:87:100 --regex .*.checks.metrics.JavaNCSSCheck:96:81 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.SummaryJavadocCheck:100:93 --regex .*.checks.coding.AbstractIllegalCheck:100:64 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.GenericWhitespaceCheck:96:86 --regex .*.checks.coding.HiddenFieldCheck\$.*:100:94 --regex .*.api.TokenTypes:80:62 --regex .*.PackageObjectFactory:75:75 --regex .*.checks.naming.PackageNameCheck:88:100 --regex .*.checkstyle.AnnotationUtility:60:60 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.OperatorWrapCheck:81:68 --regex .*.api.AuditEvent:93:100 --regex .*.checks.indentation.LineSet:90:100 --regex .*.checks.AbstractTypeAwareCheck\$.*:80:50 --regex .*.api.Check:86:100 --regex .*.checks.naming.StaticVariableNameCheck:87:81 --regex .*.checks.indentation.ExpressionHandler:97:91 --regex .*.checks.regexp.MultilineDetector:87:58 --regex .*.checks.regexp.DetectorOptions:96:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.FallThroughCheck:95:90 --regex .*.checks.OuterTypeFilenameCheck:92:71 --regex .*.checks.AbstractTypeAwareCheck:84:87 --regex .*.api.AbstractFileSetCheck:87:75 --regex .*.checks.indentation.SlistHandler:94:100 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.AbstractParenPadCheck:100:88 --regex .*.checks.sizes.MethodCountCheck:23:31 --regex .*.api.JavadocTagInfo\$.*:8:0 --regex .*.checks.TrailingCommentCheck:93:90 --regex .*.checks.coding.MissingSwitchDefaultCheck:87:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.IllegalTokenCheck:100:75 --regex .*.checks.indentation.PrimordialHandler:60:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.MissingCtorCheck:92:75 --regex .*.checks.indentation.HandlerFactory:81:77 --regex .*.checks.annotation.MissingOverrideCheck:96:100 --regex .*.checks.indentation.PackageDefHandler:85:50 --regex .*.checks.UniquePropertiesCheck\$.*:90:75 --regex .*.api.FullIdent:96:83 --regex .*.checks.annotation.PackageAnnotationCheck:77:50 --regex .*.checks.blocks.EmptyBlockCheck:100:88 --regex .*.checks.metrics.AbstractClassCouplingCheck:97:87 --regex .*.checks.coding.SimplifyBooleanReturnCheck:96:83 --regex .*.checks.metrics.ClassFanOutComplexityCheck:80:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.NestedTryDepthCheck:81:50 --regex .*.checks.coding.IllegalCatchCheck:92:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.PackageDeclarationCheck:63:50 --regex .*.checks.SuppressWarningsHolder:90:70 --regex .*.checks.indentation.IndentationCheck:93:100 --regex .*.filters.SuppressionFilter:0:0 --regex .*.api.JavadocTokenTypes:0:100 --regex .*.checks.NewlineAtEndOfFileCheck:88:83 --regex .*.checks.imports.AvoidStarImportCheck:88:90 --regex .*.checks.indentation.ObjectBlockHandler:100:75 --regex .*.filters.SuppressionsLoader:77:68 --regex .*.checks.annotation.AnnotationUseStyleCheck:96:93 --regex .*.checks.design.InterfaceIsTypeCheck:85:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.IllegalThrowsCheck:84:93 --regex .*.checks.regexp.SinglelineDetector:96:93 --regex .*.checks.indentation.SynchronizedHandler:100:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.AbstractNestedDepthCheck:86:100 --regex .*.XMLLogger:97:86 --regex .*.checks.design.VisibilityModifierCheck:95:95 --regex .*.api.AbstractLoader:88:75 --regex .*.api.Comment:95:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.OverloadMethodsDeclarationOrderCheck:96:93 --regex .*.checks.sizes.ParameterNumberCheck:93:100 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocStyleCheck:97:89 --regex .*.Main:78:65 --regex .*.checks.coding.MultipleStringLiteralsCheck:94:90 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.TagParser:98:92 --regex .*.ConfigurationLoader\$.*:84:65 --regex .*.checks.blocks.EmptyCatchBlockCheck:98:96 --regex .*.checks.coding.EqualsAvoidNullCheck:96:78 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocPackageCheck:95:80 --regex .*.checks.coding.IllegalTokenTextCheck:88:60 --regex .*.checks.naming.LocalFinalVariableNameCheck:85:87 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.WhitespaceAfterCheck:90:90 --regex .*.DefaultConfiguration:92:100 --regex .*.checks.imports.UnusedImportsCheck:97:90 --regex .*.filters.SuppressionCommentFilter\$.*:69:41 --regex .*.checks.imports.ImportOrderCheck:99:91 --regex .*.api.FileText:59:50 --regex .*.checks.blocks.NeedBracesCheck:97:80 --regex .*.checks.annotation.SuppressWarningsCheck:96:79 --regex .*.checks.imports.ImportControlCheck:70:85 --regex .*.checks.regexp.RegexpSinglelineCheck:76:100 --regex .*.checks.modifier.ModifierOrderCheck:91:92 --regex .*.checks.metrics.AbstractComplexityCheck:92:83 --regex .*.filters.SuppressElement:88:82 --regex .*.filters.SuppressWithNearbyCommentFilter:89:76 --regex .*.checks.indentation.LineWrappingHandler:91:87 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.AbstractJavadocCheck\$.*:68:50 --regex .*.checks.coding.AbstractSuperCheck:88:78 --regex .*.api.AutomaticBean\$.*:90:75 --regex .*.checks.blocks.AvoidNestedBlocksCheck:90:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.NestedIfDepthCheck:83:75 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocNodeImpl:84:50 --regex .*.Checker:84:79 --regex .*.checks.coding.CovariantEqualsCheck:90:95 --regex .*.ConfigurationLoader:79:86 --regex .*.checks.metrics.CyclomaticComplexityCheck:80:85 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocParagraphCheck:100:92 --regex .*.checks.sizes.MethodLengthCheck:95:100 --regex .*.checks.sizes.OuterTypeNumberCheck:94:75 --regex .*.checks.coding.OneStatementPerLineCheck:96:93 --regex .*.filters.SuppressWithNearbyCommentFilter\$Tag:78:88 --regex .*.Definitions:0:100 --regex .*.api.AnnotationUtility:0:0 --regex .*.checks.indentation.ArrayInitHandler:97:83 --regex .*.checks.imports.IllegalImportCheck:94:100 --regex .*.checkstyle.ScopeUtils:94:90 --regex .*.checks.coding.ArrayTrailingCommaCheck:90:100 --regex .*.checks.coding.EmptyStatementCheck:80:100 --regex .*.checks.sizes.LineLengthCheck:89:100 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocTag:85:92 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.NoWhitespaceAfterCheck:98:94 --regex .*.PackageNamesLoader:72:78 --regex .*.checks.naming.AbbreviationAsWordInNameCheck:100:93 --regex .*.checks.indentation.MethodDefHandler:100:87 --regex .*.checks.coding.NestedForDepthCheck:90:50 --regex .*.checks.javadoc.JavadocVariableCheck:90:93 --regex .*.filters.IntMatchFilter:90:100 --regex .*.api.DetailAST:98:95 --regex .*.checks.annotation.AnnotationLocationCheck:78:75 --regex .*.checks.coding.ExplicitInitializationCheck:90:90 --regex .*.checks.header.HeaderCheck:45:18 --regex .*.checks.whitespace.SeparatorWrapCheck:93:100 --regex .*.checks.header.AbstractHeaderCheck:85:85 --regex .*.checks.design.InnerTypeLastCheck:93:100"
[DEBUG] exit code: 1
[DEBUG] --------------------
[DEBUG]  Standard error from the Cobertura task:
[DEBUG] --------------------
[ERROR] The command line is too long.

Answer 1

One solution I can suggest is to install cygwin and run command there. You can find how to run through cygwin any internet. Try This Tutorial

Also instead calling CheckCoverageMain directly using java you can write an ant script, which will call CheckCoverageMain and pass the arguments from their like below,

<java classname="net.sourceforge.cobertura.check.CheckCoverageMain" fork="true">

  <jvmarg value="--regex"/>

And then call the ant script from command line. Ant script basic tutorial

Answer 2

This problem occurs if your classpath becomes too long. There are too options:

1. Move your repository to some shorter path like D: , currently it may be at some longer path like C:\Document and Settings\XYZ.m2... etc.
   2. Set useWildcardClassPath to true in configuration.

I would recommend to try second approach first.

Let me know if it works for you...

Answer 3

This is a very simple workaround, so I'd post it as an answer.

You could just run your maven build in a Linux VM on your Windows 8.1 PC. Set up a lightweight command-line-only VM just for that purpose, and share your Windows directories with it so you don't have to copy anything. Using it won't be much different from opening a command-line window and running mvn there. VMWare Player or VirtualBox are free as well as tons of Linux VM images.

Then open a feature request for cobertura to allow passing a configuration file as an argument. Looking at the source code of net.sourceforge.cobertura.check.CheckCoverageMain, adding such a feature should be easy.