PropertyUtils.getProperty fails when trying to get a simple property value

Question

I've a strange issue with the PropertyUtils.getProperty(bean, fieldName) method, where I got a java.lang.NoShuchMethodException.

Suppose we have a simple java class called pojo:

public class Pojo {
    public java.util.Date aDate;
    public java.util.Date theDate;

    public Pojo(){}
}

and a caller class like

public class TestPojo{
    public static void main(String[] args){
        Pojo p = new Pojo();
        p.setADate(new Date());
        p.setTheDate(new Date());

        PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "theDate");
        PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "aDate");
    }
}

The first PropertyUtils.getProperty call works fine, and the second one will throw the NoSuchMethodExeption.

I would like to know if I'm missing something stupid or it's really a bug :)

Answer 1

I don't understand how PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "TheDate"); could work since the name of the property is not correct.

Try this:

public class TestPojo{
    public static void main(String[] args){
        Pojo p = new Pojo();
        p.setADate(new Date());
        p.setTheDate(new Date());

        PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "theDate");
        PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "aDate");
    }
}

Link to the PropertyUtils method

To Solve your problem, two solutions:

• use property name "ADate" instead
• change your accessors method names to getaDate() and setaDate(Date dateToSet)

As Xavi said it is a reported bug

Answer 2

Take a look at this bug report

The Java Bean Specification states in section "8.8 Capitalization of inferred names" that when the first character is converted to lowercase unless the first two characters are both uppercase then the property name is "unchanged".

Adapting the rest for you (in italics):

So when you have a getter method named "getADate" this is translated into property name "ADate" and not "aDate".

So to resolve your issue you have two choices:

• use property name "ADate" instead or
• change you method names to "getaDate" and "setaDate"

Answer 3

Try

PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "ADate");

instead of

PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "aDate");

Answer 4

May be you need using:

PropertyUtils.getProperty(p, "ADate");

where A in UPPERCASE