@Startup @Singleton @PostConstruct giving a RunTimeException (Could not invoke PostConstruct on the newly created bean instance)

Question

I'm trying to build a bean which is launched at startup, to do migration on data we have. It is annotated as a @Singleton @Startup bean, but the @PostConstruct is failing, but I have no idea why.

This is the code:

@Startup
@Singleton
@DependsOn("SearchInitializer")
public class SearchMigrator {
    @Inject
    @Any
    private Instance<MigrationScenario> migrationScenarios;
    @Inject
    private SearchRepository repository;
    private List<MigrationScenario> sortedScenarioList;

    @PostConstruct
    public void doMigration() {
        (call run() on each MigrationScenario)
    }
}

The SearchInitializer is also a @Startup @Singleton bean, with a @PostConstruct annotation on a method, and that runs fine (also, before this bean, so the @DependsOn is working correctly). SearchRepository is a @Stateless bean, which is going to the db.

However, if I run this code, I get this exception:

Create: java.lang.RuntimeException: Could not invoke PostConstruct on the newly created bean instance

Anybody any idea what I'm doing wrong?

EDIT

Additional information: I suspect that the "@Inject private SearchRepository repository" is the culprit. When I remove the injection of that repository, it boots just fine. If I don't, I get this error:

16:10:39,531 ERROR [org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.AbstractKernelController] Error installing to Start: name=startup-singleton-initiator:topLevelUnit=xxx-war.war,unit=xxx-war.war,bean=SearchInitializer aliases=[startup-singleton-initiator:bean=SearchInitializer,topLevelUnit=xxx-war.war,unit=xxx-war.war] state=Create: java.lang.RuntimeException: Could not invoke PostConstruct on the newly created bean instance
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.impl.container.SingletonEJBInstanceManagerImpl.create(SingletonEJBInstanceManagerImpl.java:137) [:1.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.impl.container.SingletonEJBInstanceManagerImpl.get(SingletonEJBInstanceManagerImpl.java:152) [:1.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.deployer.StartupSingletonInitiator.start(StartupSingletonInitiator.java:84) [:1.0.2]
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) [:1.6.0_30]
at org.jboss.reflect.plugins.introspection.ReflectionUtils.invoke(ReflectionUtils.java:60) [jboss-reflect.jar:2.2.1.SP1]
at org.jboss.reflect.plugins.introspection.ReflectMethodInfoImpl.invoke(ReflectMethodInfoImpl.java:168) [jboss-reflect.jar:2.2.1.SP1]
at org.jboss.joinpoint.plugins.BasicMethodJoinPoint.dispatch(BasicMethodJoinPoint.java:66) [jboss-reflect.jar:2.2.1.SP1]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.KernelControllerContextAction$JoinpointDispatchWrapper.execute(KernelControllerContextAction.java:257) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.ExecutionWrapper.execute(ExecutionWrapper.java:47) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.KernelControllerContextAction.dispatchExecutionWrapper(KernelControllerContextAction.java:125) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.KernelControllerContextAction.dispatchJoinPoint(KernelControllerContextAction.java:72) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.LifecycleAction.installActionInternal(LifecycleAction.java:202) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.InstallsAwareAction.installAction(InstallsAwareAction.java:54) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.kernel.plugins.dependency.InstallsAwareAction.installAction(InstallsAwareAction.java:42) [jboss-kernel.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.action.SimpleControllerContextAction.simpleInstallAction(SimpleControllerContextAction.java:62) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.action.AccessControllerContextAction.install(AccessControllerContextAction.java:71) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractControllerContextActions.install(AbstractControllerContextActions.java:51) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractControllerContext.install(AbstractControllerContext.java:379) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.install(AbstractController.java:2044) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.incrementState(AbstractController.java:1083) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.executeOrIncrementStateDirectly(AbstractController.java:1322) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.resolveContexts(AbstractController.java:1246) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.resolveContexts(AbstractController.java:1139) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.change(AbstractController.java:939) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.dependency.plugins.AbstractController.change(AbstractController.java:654) [jboss-dependency.jar:2.2.0.SP2]
at org.jboss.deployers.plugins.deployers.DeployersImpl.change(DeployersImpl.java:1983) [:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.deployers.plugins.deployers.DeployersImpl.process(DeployersImpl.java:1076) [:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.deployers.plugins.main.MainDeployerImpl.process(MainDeployerImpl.java:679) [:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.deployment.MainDeployer.deploy(MainDeployer.java:380) [:6.1.0.Final]
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) [:1.6.0_30]
at org.jboss.mx.interceptor.ReflectedDispatcher.invoke(ReflectedDispatcher.java:157) [:6.0.0.GA]
at org.jboss.mx.server.Invocation.dispatch(Invocation.java:96) [:6.0.0.GA]
at org.jboss.mx.server.Invocation.invoke(Invocation.java:88) [:6.0.0.GA]
at org.jboss.mx.server.AbstractMBeanInvoker.invoke(AbstractMBeanInvoker.java:271) [:6.0.0.GA]
at org.jboss.mx.server.MBeanServerImpl.invoke(MBeanServerImpl.java:670) [:6.0.0.GA]
at org.jboss.system.server.jmx.MBeanServerWrapper.invoke(MBeanServerWrapper.java:138) [:6.1.0.Final]
at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.doOperation(RMIConnectionImpl.java:1427) [:1.6.0_30]
at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.access$200(RMIConnectionImpl.java:72) [:1.6.0_30]
at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl$PrivilegedOperation.run(RMIConnectionImpl.java:1265) [:1.6.0_30]
at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.doPrivilegedOperation(RMIConnectionImpl.java:1360) [:1.6.0_30]
at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.invoke(RMIConnectionImpl.java:788) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.rmi.server.UnicastServerRef.dispatch(UnicastServerRef.java:303) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.rmi.transport.Transport$1.run(Transport.java:159) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.rmi.transport.Transport.serviceCall(Transport.java:155) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport.handleMessages(TCPTransport.java:535) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.run0(TCPTransport.java:790) [:1.6.0_30]
at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.run(TCPTransport.java:649) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:886) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:908) [:1.6.0_30]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:662) [:1.6.0_30]
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.aop.impl.AOPBasedSingletonContainer.invokeCallback(AOPBasedSingletonContainer.java:1065) [:1.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.EJBContainer.invokePostConstruct(EJBContainer.java:1396) [:1.7.21]
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.aop.impl.AOPBasedSingletonContainer.postConstruct(AOPBasedSingletonContainer.java:762) [:1.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.impl.container.SingletonEJBInstanceManagerImpl.create(SingletonEJBInstanceManagerImpl.java:133) [:1.0.2]
... 60 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.jboss.ejb3.EJBContainer.getApplicationException(EJBContainer.java:509) [:1.7.21]
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.aop.impl.ConstructionInvocationContextAdapter.getApplicationException(ConstructionInvocationContextAdapter.java:62) [:1.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.tx2.impl.CMTTxInterceptor.handleExceptionInOurTx(CMTTxInterceptor.java:163) [:0.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.tx2.impl.CMTTxInterceptor.invokeInOurTx(CMTTxInterceptor.java:251) [:0.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.tx2.impl.CMTTxInterceptor.requiresNew(CMTTxInterceptor.java:392) [:0.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.tx2.impl.CMTTxInterceptor.invoke(CMTTxInterceptor.java:211) [:0.0.2]
at org.jboss.ejb3.tx2.aop.CMTTxInterceptorWrapper.invoke(CMTTxInterceptorWrapper.java:52) [:0.0.2]
at org.jboss.aop.joinpoint.ConstructionInvocation.invokeNext(ConstructionInvocation.java:80) [jboss-aop.jar:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.aspects.tx.TxPropagationInterceptor.invoke(TxPropagationInterceptor.java:76) [:1.0.0.GA]
at org.jboss.aop.joinpoint.ConstructionInvocation.invokeNext(ConstructionInvocation.java:80) [jboss-aop.jar:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.ejb3.core.context.CurrentInvocationContextInterceptor.invoke(CurrentInvocationContextInterceptor.java:47) [:1.7.21]
at org.jboss.aop.joinpoint.ConstructionInvocation.invokeNext(ConstructionInvocation.java:80) [jboss-aop.jar:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.ejb3.interceptors.aop.InvocationContextInterceptor.setup(InvocationContextInterceptor.java:90) [:1.1.3]
at org.jboss.aop.advice.org.jboss.ejb3.interceptors.aop.InvocationContextInterceptor_z_setup_1631131631.invoke(InvocationContextInterceptor_z_setup_1631131631.java) [:]
at org.jboss.aop.joinpoint.ConstructionInvocation.invokeNext(ConstructionInvocation.java:80) [jboss-aop.jar:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.aspects.currentinvocation.CurrentInvocationInterceptor.invoke(CurrentInvocationInterceptor.java:67) [:1.0.1]
at org.jboss.aop.joinpoint.ConstructionInvocation.invokeNext(ConstructionInvocation.java:80) [jboss-aop.jar:2.2.2.GA]
at org.jboss.ejb3.singleton.aop.impl.AOPBasedSingletonContainer.invokeCallback(AOPBasedSingletonContainer.java:1061) [:1.0.2]
... 63 more

If I debug through the boot process, I see that the repository is actually proxied (which is also supported via the references to AOP in the stacktrace).

But still no luck in figuring it out! Anyone?

Answer 1

OK, I figured out what the problem was. Actually, my answer will cover the general way of handling this kind of error. The problem for this error is JBoss itself: the application server actually eats the real error, and just throws a NullPointerException in your face.

What I did to get my actual error was temporarily enter this hack in my code, just to find out what was going on:

@PostConstruct
public void doMigration() throws Throwable {
    try {
        runAllFoundScenarios();
    } catch (Throwable e) {
        System.out.println("Cause: " + e.getCause());
        System.out.println("Message: " + e.getMessage());
        System.out.println("Class: " + e.getClass());
        System.out.println("StackTrace: " + e.getStackTrace());
        throw e;
    }
}

That way, I was able to determine the real cause by looking in the log, which allowed me to actually tackle this problem. I could find people everywhere on the web with the same problem, but nobody ever posted a workaround, so I hope this answer will help you find out what is really going on.

FYI, for me, it was a JPA problem with the injected repository.

Answer 2

As stated in PosConstruct annotation (PostConstruct javadoc), methods annotated with PostConstruct are not allowed to launch checked exceptions.

So, the natural question arises, How are we supposed to report problems initiating our beans?. Throwing a simple RuntimeException, to skip the checked exception limitation, seems not the proper way. This practice use to indicate lazy development, and many quality code analisys tools will complain. By the way, EJB container swallows the exception as already mentioned in the original question.

Well, after some time browsing the web, I have not found actual answer. For an EJB bean, there seem to be a fair option in the EJBException exception hierarchy (EJBException javadoc).

For regular CDI beans, i guess we can select some of the RuntimeException subclasses as stated in postconstruct checked exceptions