Spring's LoadTimeWeaver Agent not starting up - spring

Question

I'm attempting to implement Load time weaving using Spring and AspectJ. To the best of my knowledge I have everything configured properly but I keep getting the error when I try to run my integration tests:
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'org.springframework.context.weaving.AspectJWeavingEnabler#0': Initialization of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'loadTimeWeaver': Initialization of bean failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: ClassLoader [sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader] does NOT provide an 'addTransformer(ClassFileTransformer)' method. Specify a custom LoadTimeWeaver or start your Java virtual machine with Spring's agent: -javaagent:org.springframework.instrument.jar
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:527)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:456)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:291)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:222)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:288)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.getBean(AbstractApplicationContext.java:1079)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:643)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:407)
at org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.<init>(ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.java:139)
at org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.<init>(ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.java:83)
at com.boku.risk.service.perisistence.PersistenceTestBase.setupBase(PersistenceTestBase.java:23)
at com.boku.risk.service.dao.CountryLimitDaoTest.setup(CountryLimitDaoTest.java:33)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
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.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:27)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:76)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:50)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:193)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:52)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:191)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:42)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:184)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:236)
at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:157)
at com.intellij.junit4.JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.startRunnerWithArgs(JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.java:71)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.prepareStreamsAndStart(JUnitStarter.java:199)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:62)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.application.AppMain.main(AppMain.java:120)
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'loadTimeWeaver': Initialization of bean failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: ClassLoader [sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader] does NOT provide an 'addTransformer(ClassFileTransformer)' method. Specify a custom LoadTimeWeaver or start your Java virtual machine with Spring's agent: -javaagent:org.springframework.instrument.jar
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:527)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:456)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:291)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:222)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:288)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
at org.springframework.context.weaving.LoadTimeWeaverAwareProcessor.postProcessBeforeInitialization(LoadTimeWeaverAwareProcessor.java:95)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyBeanPostProcessorsBeforeInitialization(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:394)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1413)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:519)
... 37 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: ClassLoader [sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader] does NOT provide an 'addTransformer(ClassFileTransformer)' method. Specify a custom LoadTimeWeaver or start your Java virtual machine with Spring's agent: -javaagent:org.springframework.instrument.jar
at org.springframework.context.weaving.DefaultContextLoadTimeWeaver.setBeanClassLoader(DefaultContextLoadTimeWeaver.java:83)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.invokeAwareMethods(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1436)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1408)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:519)
... 46 more
My application context contains:
<context:load-time-weaver/>
And my pom contains:
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-aspects</artifactId>
<version>${org.springframework.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-agent</artifactId>
<version>2.5.6</version>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.aspectj</groupId>
<artifactId>aspectjrt</artifactId>
<version>1.6.10</version>
</dependency>
...
<build>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
<configuration>
<forkMode>always</forkMode>
<argLine>
-javaagent:${settings.localRepository}/org/springframework/spring-agent/2.5.6/spring-agent-2.5.6.jar
</argLine>
</configuration>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
It appears as if it can't figure out to load the spring-agent but I can't seem to figure out the reason for this. Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

Try declaring an InstrumentationLoadTimeWeaver bean instead of explicitly using -javaagent:/path/to/org.springframework.instrument-{version}.jar. As per the documentation
To use it, you must start the virtual machine with the Spring agent, by supplying the following JVM options:
-javaagent:/path/to/org.springframework.instrument-{version}.jar
Note that this requires modification of the VM launch script which may prevent you from using this in application server environments (depending on your operation policies). Additionally, the JDK agent will instrument the entire VM which can prove expensive.
I am hoping doing the way below - here explained - would be better I guess.
#Bean
public InstrumentationLoadTimeWeaver loadTimeWeaver() throws Throwable {
InstrumentationLoadTimeWeaver loadTimeWeaver = new InstrumentationLoadTimeWeaver();
return loadTimeWeaver;
}
The same can be done in xml configuration.
Found a new library that just solves to dynamically setup spring InstrumentationLoadTimeWeaver to enable support for aspects without having to start the JVM with an explicit java agent
<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>de.invesdwin</groupId>
<artifactId>invesdwin-instrument</artifactId>
<version>1.0.9</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
<repositories>
<repository>
<id>invesdwin</id>
<url>https://invesdwin.de/artifactory/invesdwin-oss-remote</url>
<releases>
<enabled>true</enabled>
</releases>
</repository>
</repositories>
Spring boot config
#SpringBootApplication
/**
* Make #Configurable work via #EnableLoadTimeWeaving.
* If it does not work, alternatively you can try:
* #ImportResource(locations = "classpath:/META-INF/ctx.spring.weaving.xml")
*/
#EnableLoadTimeWeaving
public class MySpringBootApplication {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
DynamicInstrumentationLoader.waitForInitialized(); //dynamically attach java agent to jvm if not already present
DynamicInstrumentationLoader.initLoadTimeWeavingContext(); //weave all classes before they are loaded as beans
SpringApplication.run(MySpringBootApplication.class, args); //start application, load some classes
}
}

Answer 2

Add this to your VM arguments in STS or eclipse
-javaagent:C:\\spring-instrument.jar

Answer 3

You could try and switch to the following agent:
-javaagent:C:\Users\YourName\.m2\repository\org\aspectj\aspectjweaver\1.6.10.RC1\aspectjweaver-1.6.10.RC1.jar

Answer 4

adding the jar file to the VM Arg's in the Launch Configuration did the trick for me as the previous poster stated. in STS 3.6.3, Run -> Run Configurations -> MyTcServerEntry -> Arguments tab then add in the jar. my example was: -javaagent:"D:\sts-3.6.3\sts-bundle\tcServer-2.6.5\myApp\lib\spring-instrument-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar"

Answer 5

If you are using Tomcat try adding the following in the catalina.bash for windows or catalina.sh for linux servers:
set CATALINA_OPTS=%CATALINA_OPTS% -javaagent:"C:\path\to\spring-instrument-3.1.1.RELEASE.jar"
Keep in mind it will work only in Tomcat versions less than 7.0.55. After that it wont take it. And you will need to add it in the context.xml as mentioned here load-time-weaver (aspectj-weaver) is not working in apache tomcat 7.0.55.