Hibernate-validator: @NotEmpty does not work for null values

Question

I have annotated a String field with @NotEmpty tag.

When I try to persist the entity with this filed's value "", it works fine. Mechanism detects the validation error and raises an InvalidStateException exception notifying the issue.

But when I try to persist the entity with this field's value null, an UndeclaredThrowableException (caused by InvocationTargetException, caused by PropertyValueException: not-null property references a null or transient value) exception is raised because system is trying to hit the database with null value on a non-nullable field.

The question is obvious: why validation mechanism does not detect this situation? I think it should raise an InvalidStateException exception instead of an UndeclaredThrowableException.

I was using the following libraries:

  - hibernate-annotations 3.3.1.GA
  - hibernate-validator 3.0.0.ga
  - hibernate-core 3.2.6ga

and now I just upgrade to

  - hibernate-annotations 3.4.0.GA
  - hibernate-validator 3.1.0.GA
  - hibernate-core 3.3.2

These are the latest stable releases.

But it still not working.

Any idea?

Full error trace:

java.lang.reflect.UndeclaredThrowableException
    at $Proxy78.merge(Unknown Source)
    at com.myApp.persistence.ddg.impl.MergeMethodInterceptor.intercept(MergeMethodInterceptor.java:18)
    at com.myApp.backoffice.model.cms.dao.IDAOOrganization$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$c21eebfe.merge(<generated>)
    at com.myApp.cms.components.implementations.DSOrganization.saveOrUpdate(DSOrganization.java:150)
    at com.myApp.cms.components.implementations.DSOrganization.saveOrUpdate(DSOrganization.java:1)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
    at org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils.invokeJoinpointUsingReflection(AopUtils.java:310)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:182)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:149)
    at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionalInterceptor$1.call(TransactionalInterceptor.java:34)
    at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionManagerImpl.createSessionAndTransactionAndRunCallable(TransactionManagerImpl.java:261)
    at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionManagerImpl.runInTransaction(TransactionManagerImpl.java:236)
    at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionalInterceptor.invoke(TransactionalInterceptor.java:27)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:171)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:204)
    at $Proxy70.saveOrUpdate(Unknown Source)
    at com.myApp.cms.components.ValidationTest.test_organization(ValidationTest.java:60)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
    at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:44)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:15)
    at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:41)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:20)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:28)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:31)
    at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:73)
    at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:46)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:180)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:41)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:173)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:28)
    at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:31)
    at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:220)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:45)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:460)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:673)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:386)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:196)
Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
    at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionManagerImpl$TimeoutInvocationHandler.invoke(TransactionManagerImpl.java:176)
    ... 44 more
Caused by: org.hibernate.PropertyValueException: not-null property references a null or transient value: com.myApp.backoffice.model.cms.dto.Organization.name
    at org.hibernate.engine.Nullability.checkNullability(Nullability.java:72)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.AbstractSaveEventListener.performSaveOrReplicate(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:290)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.AbstractSaveEventListener.performSave(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:181)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.AbstractSaveEventListener.saveWithGeneratedId(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:121)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.entityIsTransient(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:186)
    at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.support.IdTransferringMergeEventListener.entityIsTransient(IdTransferringMergeEventListener.java:58)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.entityIsDetached(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:240)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.onMerge(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:120)
    at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.onMerge(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:53)
    at org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.fireMerge(SessionImpl.java:677)
    at org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.merge(SessionImpl.java:661)
    at org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.merge(SessionImpl.java:665)
    ... 49 more

Trying to register the merge event listener to the sessionFactory bean:

<property name="eventListeners">
  <map>
    <entry key="merge">
      <bean class="org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener"/>
    </entry>
  </map>
</property>

It raises the following error:

org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'com.myApp.persistence.tx.TransactionalAutoProxyCreator#0' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'transactionalInterceptor' while setting bean property 'transactionalInterceptor'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionalInterceptor' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'transactionManager' while setting bean property 'transactionManager'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionManager' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'sessionFactory' while setting bean property 'sessionFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:275)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:104)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1245)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1010)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:472)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.getBean(AbstractApplicationContext.java:881)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.registerBeanPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:597)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:366)
        at org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.<init>(ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.java:139)
        at org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.<init>(ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.java:93)
        at com.myApp.ContextLoader.getApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:27)
        at com.myApp.ContextLoader.getBean(ContextLoader.java:43)
        at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.getIDSPerson(CMSTestContext.java:200)
        at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.removePersons(CMSTestContext.java:486)
        at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.removeEditorialObjs(CMSTestContext.java:376)
        at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.removeCollections(CMSTestContext.java:323)
        at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.after(CMSTestContext.java:1572)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:44)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:15)
        at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:41)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:37)
        at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:73)
        at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:46)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:180)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:41)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:173)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:28)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:31)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:220)
        at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:45)
        at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
        at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:460)
        at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:673)
        at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:386)
        at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:196)
    Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionalInterceptor' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'transactionManager' while setting bean property 'transactionManager'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionManager' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'sessionFactory' while setting bean property 'sessionFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:275)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:104)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1245)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1010)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:472)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:269)
        ... 46 more
    Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionManager' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'sessionFactory' while setting bean property 'sessionFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:275)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:104)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1245)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1010)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:472)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:269)
        ... 59 more
    Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1337)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:473)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:269)
        ... 72 more
    Caused by: java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
        at org.hibernate.cfg.Configuration.setListener(Configuration.java:1694)
        at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.LocalSessionFactoryBean.buildSessionFactory(LocalSessionFactoryBean.java:721)
        at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.AbstractSessionFactoryBean.afterPropertiesSet(AbstractSessionFactoryBean.java:211)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.invokeInitMethods(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1368)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1334)
        ... 82 more

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

First of all, "merge before save" doesn't make sense. You can use merge() instead of save() when appropriate, but merge() already returns a persistent instance - the following save() is pointless.

Secondly, merge() does not invoke pre-insert / pre-update event listeners by default as far as I know; thus validation never gets performed. You can work around this by manually specifying listener for merge event or manually invoking validatior prior to merging.

Answer 2

I got the same error which fixed itself once i did the following:

public class CustomEventListener implements PreUpdateEventListener{...}

instead of the earlier code which was:

public class CustomEventListener{..}