Bean autowiring not working after Spring AOP - spring

Question

Before using Spring AOP I had a working code like this:
#Controller
public class UserChoiceController {
#Autowired
private CityPropertyEditor cityPropertyEditor;
//...
}
where
#Component("cityPropertyEditor")
public class CityPropertyEditor extends java.beans.PropertyEditorSupport {
//...
}
where
#Component
public class java.beans.PropertyEditorSupport implements java.beans.PropertyEditor {
//...
}
My autowiring of CityPropertyEditor worked fine. But after adding Spring AOP pointcut for all the methods:
#Pointcut("execution(* my.package.name..*.*(..))")
private void allMethodsExecution(){}
autowiring of CityPropertyEditor crashed. In fact the bean was not of the class CityPropertyEditor anymore, but simply PropertyEditor:
applicationContext.getBean("cityPropertyEditor") instanceof CityPropertyEditor; // returns false
applicationContext.getBean("cityPropertyEditor") instanceof PropertyEditorSupport; // returns false
applicationContext.getBean("cityPropertyEditor") instanceof PropertyEditor; // unexpectedly returns TRUE!
So I had to change the class from CityPropertyEditor to PropertyEditor as a workaround.
It's funny that it concerns only this bean. Every other bean is autowired exactly as before. How can I solve it the right way (without using beans ids or other workarounds)?
In case the stacktrace can help, here it goes:
HTTP Status 500 - Servlet.init() for servlet mvc-dispatcher threw exception
message Servlet.init() for servlet mvc-dispatcher threw exception
description The server encountered an internal error that prevented it from fulfilling this request.
javax.servlet.ServletException: Servlet.init() for servlet mvc-dispatcher threw exception
org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:501)
org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:98)
org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:607)
org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:313)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
root cause
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'userChoiceController': Injection of autowired dependencies failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Could not autowire field: private ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.utils.CityPropertyEditor ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.controller.UserChoiceController.cityPropertyEditor; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.NoSuchBeanDefinitionException: No qualifying bean of type [ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.utils.CityPropertyEditor] found for dependency: expected at least 1 bean which qualifies as autowire candidate for this dependency. Dependency annotations: {#org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired(required=true)}
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:334)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1214)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:543)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:482)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:305)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:301)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:196)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:772)
org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:834)
org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:537)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:667)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.createWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:633)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.createWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:681)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:552)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initServletBean(FrameworkServlet.java:493)
org.springframework.web.servlet.HttpServletBean.init(HttpServletBean.java:136)
javax.servlet.GenericServlet.init(GenericServlet.java:158)
org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:501)
org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:98)
org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:607)
org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:313)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
root cause
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Could not autowire field: private ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.utils.CityPropertyEditor ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.controller.UserChoiceController.cityPropertyEditor; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.NoSuchBeanDefinitionException: No qualifying bean of type [ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.utils.CityPropertyEditor] found for dependency: expected at least 1 bean which qualifies as autowire candidate for this dependency. Dependency annotations: {#org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired(required=true)}
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:571)
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:88)
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:331)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1214)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:543)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:482)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:305)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:301)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:196)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:772)
org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:834)
org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:537)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:667)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.createWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:633)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.createWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:681)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:552)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initServletBean(FrameworkServlet.java:493)
org.springframework.web.servlet.HttpServletBean.init(HttpServletBean.java:136)
javax.servlet.GenericServlet.init(GenericServlet.java:158)
org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:501)
org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:98)
org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:607)
org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:313)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
root cause
org.springframework.beans.factory.NoSuchBeanDefinitionException: No qualifying bean of type [ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.utils.CityPropertyEditor] found for dependency: expected at least 1 bean which qualifies as autowire candidate for this dependency. Dependency annotations: {#org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired(required=true)}
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.raiseNoSuchBeanDefinitionException(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1326)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1072)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:967)
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:543)
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:88)
org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:331)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1214)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:543)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:482)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:305)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:301)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:196)
org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:772)
org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:834)
org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:537)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:667)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.createWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:633)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.createWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:681)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:552)
org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initServletBean(FrameworkServlet.java:493)
org.springframework.web.servlet.HttpServletBean.init(HttpServletBean.java:136)
javax.servlet.GenericServlet.init(GenericServlet.java:158)
org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:501)
org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:98)
org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1041)
org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:607)
org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:313)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)

Answer 1

Spring AOP has two modes :
Proxy : Spring creates proxy around beans
Aspect : Spring use aspectj at classloading-time in order to change the bytecode and inject behaviors
The proxy mode can use jdk proxy, or cglib : if the bean has interfaces, Spring prefers to use JDK Proxy with these interfaces. If the bean didn't implement interfaces, Spring use cglib to generate subclasses.
JDK Proxies didn't extend the targeted class : it only implements the interfaces. It's the behavior you see on your test. The proxy didn't extend CityPropertyEditor neither PropertyEditorSupport.
CGLib proxies work by creating a subclass of the target class. This subclass overrides every method of the class, in order to add behaviors.
So, if you want to keep your code working, with Spring AOP, the easiest way is to force spring to use cglib proxy, with the property proxy-target-class="true". you can too try to use aspectj, but it's a little more complex.
<aop:config proxy-target-class="true">
...
</aop:config>
but it's better to implements interfaces and inject interfaces : the code is cleaner and more testable.