Javax.naming.NoInitialContextException when invoking an EJB

Question

Hi,
I've deployed a stateless session EJB in oc4j and invoking it thru a Java client. I'm using Eclipse. I've a jndi.properties in config folder of my application which is in the classpath of the client code.
The jndi.properties has :
java.naming.factory.initial=com.evermind.server.rmi.RMIInitialContextFactory
java.naming.provider.url=ormi://<localhost>:12401/OC4JEJB
java.naming.security.principal=oc4jadmin
java.naming.security.credentials=oc4jadmin
where OC4JEJB is the application name deployed in oc4j.
This jndi.properties file is in the classpath.
My client code is :
Server server = null; //interface
ServerHome testSessionBean; //implementation of methods in Server interface
try {
Context ctx = new InitialContext();
Object objref = ctx.lookup("EJBServer"); //JNDI name
Object obj = PortableRemoteObject.narrow(objref, ServerHome.class);
testSessionBean = (ServerHome) PortableRemoteObject.narrow(objref,
                         ServerHome.class);
server = testSessionBean.create();
} catch (...) {  }
When i set the properties and do a look up
Properties env = new Properties();
env.put(Context.INITIAL_CONTEXT_FACTORY,
          "com.evermind.server.rmi.RMIInitialContextFactory");
env.put(Context.SECURITY_PRINCIPAL, "oc4jadmin");//oc4jadmin
env.put(Context.SECURITY_CREDENTIALS, "oc4jadmin");
env.put(Context.PROVIDER_URL,
     "ormi://<localhost>:12401/OC4JEJB");           
InitialContext ctx = new InitialContext(env);
it works perfectly fine.
But when i use the jndi.properties it gives the following exception.
javax.naming.NoInitialContextException: Need to specify class name in environment or system property, or as an applet parameter, or in an application resource file: java.naming.factory.initial
     at javax.naming.spi.NamingManager.getInitialContext(Unknown Source)
     at javax.naming.InitialContext.getDefaultInitCtx(Unknown Source)
     at javax.naming.InitialContext.getURLOrDefaultInitCtx(Unknown Source)
     at javax.naming.InitialContext.lookup(Unknown Source)
     at client.ORION_EJB_Util.getServer(ORION_EJB_Util.java:203)
     at client.ORION_EJB_Util.<init>(ORION_EJB_Util.java:90)
     at client.TestClient.main(TestClient.java:26)
client.exception.EJBUtilException
     at client.ORION_EJB_Util.getServer(ORION_EJB_Util.java:248)
     at client.ORION_EJB_Util.<init>(ORION_EJB_Util.java:90)
     at client.TestClient.main(TestClient.java:26)
Invoking the server
Inside getServer method
Obtained Initial Context javax.naming.InitialContext@422ede
Exception null
I've tried placing the jndi.properties in j2ee/home/applib too. Where shud i place this jndi.properties and invoke the EJB?
Could anyone help resolve this issue?
Thanks in advance,
Sprightee

Answer 1

Try add your jndi.properties to your CLASSPATH.
See this doc for more details of RMI.
http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/cd/B31017_01/web.1013/b28958/rmi.htm#i1084792