Eclipse (STS) Welcome dash board error - I am unable to locate welcome dash board

Question

org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException: Plug-in org.springsource.ide.eclipse.commons.gettingstarted was unable to load class org.springsource.ide.eclipse.commons.gettingstarted.dashboard.WelcomeDashboard. at org.eclipse.core.internal.registry.osgi.RegistryStrategyOSGI.throwException(RegistryStrategyOSGI.java:194) at org.eclipse.core.internal.registry.osgi.RegistryStrategyOSGI.createExecutableExtension(RegistryStrategyOSGI.java:176) at org.eclipse.core.internal.registry.ExtensionRegistry.createExecutableExtension(ExtensionRegistry.java:905) at org.eclipse.core.internal.registry.ConfigurationElement.createExecutableExtension(ConfigurationElement.java:243) at org.eclipse.core.internal.registry.ConfigurationElementHandle.createExecutableExtension(ConfigurationElementHandle.java:55) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPlugin.lambda$0(WorkbenchPlugin.java:288) at org.eclipse.swt.custom.BusyIndicator.showWhile(BusyIndicator.java:70) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPlugin.createExtension(WorkbenchPlugin.java:285) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.registry.EditorDescriptor.createEditor(EditorDescriptor.java:232) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.EditorReference.createPart(EditorReference.java:329) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityPart.createPart(CompatibilityPart.java:293) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityEditor.createPart(CompatibilityEditor.java:63) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityPart.create(CompatibilityPart.java:331) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.MethodRequestor.execute(MethodRequestor.java:55) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.processAnnotated(InjectorImpl.java:990) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.processAnnotated(InjectorImpl.java:955) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.inject(InjectorImpl.java:124) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.internalMake(InjectorImpl.java:399) at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.make(InjectorImpl.java:318) at org.eclipse.e4.core.contexts.ContextInjectionFactory.make(ContextInjectionFactory.java:162) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.createFromBundle(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:105) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.doCreate(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:74) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.create(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:56) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.ContributedPartRenderer.createWidget(ContributedPartRenderer.java:129) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createWidget(PartRenderingEngine.java:997) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:666) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.StackRenderer.showTab(StackRenderer.java:1289) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.LazyStackRenderer.postProcess(LazyStackRenderer.java:97) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:684) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$1.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:551) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:535) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.ElementReferenceRenderer.createWidget(ElementReferenceRenderer.java:70) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createWidget(PartRenderingEngine.java:997) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:666) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SashRenderer.processContents(SashRenderer.java:137) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SashRenderer.processContents(SashRenderer.java:137) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SashRenderer.processContents(SashRenderer.java:137) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.PerspectiveRenderer.processContents(PerspectiveRenderer.java:49) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.PerspectiveStackRenderer.showTab(PerspectiveStackRenderer.java:79) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.LazyStackRenderer.postProcess(LazyStackRenderer.java:97) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.PerspectiveStackRenderer.postProcess(PerspectiveStackRenderer.java:61) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:684) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SashRenderer.processContents(SashRenderer.java:137) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:69) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.WBWRenderer.processContents(WBWRenderer.java:704) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:680) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:772) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:743) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:737) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:721) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$5.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1081) at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:336) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1044) at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.E4Workbench.createAndRunUI(E4Workbench.java:153) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.lambda$3(Workbench.java:680) at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:336) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.createAndRunWorkbench(Workbench.java:594) at org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(PlatformUI.java:148) at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.application.IDEApplication.start(IDEApplication.java:151) at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.app.EclipseAppHandle.run(EclipseAppHandle.java:196) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:134) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:104) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:388) at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:243) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:653) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:590) at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1499) Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.springsource.ide.eclipse.commons.gettingstarted.dashboard.WelcomeDashboard cannot be found by org.springsource.ide.eclipse.commons.gettingstarted_3.9.0.201707061630-RELEASE at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.loader.BundleLoader.findClassInternal(BundleLoader.java:484) at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.loader.BundleLoader.findClass(BundleLoader.java:395) at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.loader.BundleLoader.findClass(BundleLoader.java:387) at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.loader.ModuleClassLoader.loadClass(ModuleClassLoader.java:150) at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source) at org.eclipse.osgi.internal.framework.EquinoxBundle.loadClass(EquinoxBundle.java:564) at org.eclipse.core.internal.registry.osgi.RegistryStrategyOSGI.createExecutableExtension(RegistryStrategyOSGI.java:174) ... 132 more

Answer 1

Running on JDK8 sounds good. Hard to say what exactly is going wrong here. Looks like you are running the latest STS version on a JDK8, so that all sounds fine.

You can switch back to the old dashboard in the Preferences -> Spring -> Dashboard as a workaround, but I nevertheless wonder why this exception is coming up.

As an additional note, STS 3.9.1 will change the internals of the Welcome Dashboard, so that might solve this issue as a side effect. Would you be interested in checking an early version of it to verify? If so, please download a nightly build of STS 3.9.1 from: http://dist.springsource.com/snapshot/STS/nightly-distributions.html and give it a try - and report back if that works out of the box.