Karaf PaxExam getting java.lang.IllegalStateException: Invalid BundleContext - osgi

Question

Hi i am loading some features and bundles in runtime using FeaturesService and BundleContext. All these things are loaded successfully. After that if i do an operation on bundlecontext object i am getting
java.lang.IllegalStateException: Invalid BundleContext.
#Inject
FeaturesService service;
#Before
public void init() throws Exception{
service.installFeature("hibernate");
service.installFeature("hibernate-validator");
service.installFeature("transaction");
service.installFeature("jpa");
service.installFeature("hibernate-envers");
service.installFeature("hibernate-envers");
bc.installBundle("wrap:mvn:com.oracle/ojdbc6/11.2.0").start();
service.installFeature("DBHandler");
bc.getBundle(); // Fails
}
After a lot of browsing i understood you need to refresh the bundles. How to do it programatically and get a refeshed bundleContext object

Answer 1

You have this exception when you are using a bundle which is not valid : it has been stopped, or refreshed (a refresh stop the bundle and start a new instance)
When you install a feature, by default, Karaf try to define a list of bundles to refresh because of the new capabilities. For example, if a bundle have an optional dependency on a package, and the new feature add this package, then this bundle will be refreshed, in order to update his wires. This is transitive : all dependent bundles are refreshed too.
Moreover, when you use the "wrap" protocol, it create a bundle from a jar by importing all used packaged with a resolution 'optional'
In your case, I suppose the feature 'DBHandler' add a package which is used by your bundle.
You can :
After installing the features, look up your bundle by SymbolicName, with the BundleContext.getBundles() : You will have an instance of a valid bundle
Use the option NoAutoRefreshBundles to disable the refresh when installing a feature (featureService.installFeature("..", EnumSet.of(FeatureService.NoAutoRefreshBundles))). But it's not a good idea as some bundle will not see the new package

Answer 2

This code fixed my problem
public void refreshBundles() {
Bundle currentBundle = FrameworkUtil.getBundle(MyTest.class);
if (currentBundle == null) {
return;
}
BundleContext bundleContext = currentBundle.getBundleContext();
if (bundleContext == null) {
return;
}
Bundle systemBundle = bundleContext.getBundle(0);
if (systemBundle == null) {
return;
}
FrameworkWiring frameworkWiring = systemBundle.adapt(FrameworkWiring.class);
frameworkWiring.refreshBundles(null);
bc = frameworkWiring.getBundle().getBundleContext();
}