[KAFKA-3743] kafka-server-start.sh: Unhelpful error message

• Type: Bug
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Duplicate
• Affects Version/s: 0.10.0.0
• Component/s: tools
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Magnus Edenhill
• Created: 22/May/16 18:21
• Updated: 01/Jun/18 10:34
• Resolved: 01/Jun/18 10:34

Description

When trying to start Kafka from an uncompiled source tarball rather than the binary the kafka-server-start.sh command gives a mystical error message:

```
$ bin/kafka-server-start.sh config/server.properties
Error: Could not find or load main class config.server.properties

```

This could probably be improved to say something closer to the truth.

This is on 0.10.0.0-rc6 tarball from github.

Issue Links

• is duplicated by: KAFKA-5507 kafka-run-class.sh doesn't check for empty $CLASSPATH