Package 'tomcat7' has no installation candidate on ubuntu 12.04

Question

I'm trying to install tomcat 7 on Ubuntu Server 12.04 with:

sudo apt-get install tomcat7

I tried to do this according this install tutorial, but immediately I receive this answer:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Package tomcat7 is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'tomcat7' has no installation candidate

Update:

I tried to download & install tomcat7 step by step as this tutorial. But when I try to run program

`$ ./catalina.sh run` 

I catch few warnings + SEVERE: Cannot start server. Server instance is not configured:

nazar_art@nazar-desctop:/usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42/bin$ ./catalina.sh run
Using CATALINA_BASE: /usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42
Using CATALINA_HOME: /usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42
Using CATALINA_TMPDIR: /usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42/temp
Using JRE_HOME: /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle
Using CLASSPATH: /usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42/bin/bootstrap.jar:/usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42/bin/tomcat-juli.jar
Jul 25, 2013 8:49:54 PM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina load
WARNING: Unable to load server configuration from [/usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42/conf/server.xml]
Jul 25, 2013 8:49:54 PM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina load
WARNING: Permissions incorrect, read permission is not allowed on the file.
Jul 25, 2013 8:49:54 PM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina load
WARNING: Unable to load server configuration from [/usr/local/tomcat/apache-tomcat-7.0.42/conf/server.xml]
Jul 25, 2013 8:49:54 PM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina load
WARNING: Permissions incorrect, read permission is not allowed on the file.
Jul 25, 2013 8:49:54 PM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina start
SEVERE: Cannot start server. Server instance is not configured.

• How to solve this trouble and install tomcat7?

Solution

tomcat7 package is only available on security repositories, universe section for precise, saucy to wily is available in the main repository, and newer in the universe repository. So, make sure you have in your /etc/apt/sources.list the following line:

 deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security main universe

The line don't have to be exact, it could include multiverse and restricted, but it should include all the elements above. If the line was not present in the source.list file, add it and run apt-get update. Now you should have tomcat7 available.

Tomcat7 download page

If you don't find the source.list file

1. Execute:

   sudo nano /etc/apt/source.list

2. then paste into the file:

   deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security main universe

3. Hit: Ctrl+O to save the file, then Ctrl+X to exit.

4. Update the package list with sudo apt-get update.

I have installed tomcat6

Then you must delete tomcat6 of your system, before trying to install tomcat7

sudo apt-get remove tomcat*
sudo apt-get install tomcat7

This will remove all tomcat related packages the install tomcat7 without problems.

Comments

[mx7]

whats the result of sudo apt-get update ?

[catch23]

I find at /etc/apt/ sources.list.save => added this precise-security string => apt-get update => apt-get install tomcat7 => the same result E: Package 'tomcat7' has no installation candidate ?

[Thomas Ward]

@nazar_art the file you need to include as part of your question is /etc/apt/sources.list and it does exist on your system otherwise apt would be breaking. Follow Braiam's answer, but note that /etc/apt/sources.list does exist in any 12.04 environment.

[catch23]

@Braiam I did all points from this list(sources.list was created successfully). After this when I try sudo apt-get install tomcat7 I have the same result E: Package 'tomcat7' has no installation candidate. I can't install tomcat7_7.0.26-1ubuntu1.2_all.deb. Ubuntu Software Center shows Dependency isn't satisfiable: tomcat7-common (>= 7.0.26-1ubuntu1.2)

[catch23]

@Braiam I had the next result E: Unable to locate package tomcat7

[catch23]

@Braiam I don't know why but I can't write message at this chat room (` You must have 20 reputation on The Stack Exchange Network to talk here. See the faq. `)

[catch23]

let us continue this discussion in chat

[catch23]

@Braiam I can't write any message. sudo apt-get update - is ok Reading package lists... Done. And I see all your messages.

[catch23]

@Braiam this doesn't help. stupid system! Keep working at this way. apt-get is ok. But I can't install tomcat7?

[Braiam]

@nazar_art I pressume it's fixed now?