using properties in a multi module Spring Boot project

Question

I'm working on a multi module spring boot project and ran into problems concerning properties saved in the application.properties file. To start at the beginning:

At the moment I have two modules: data and web. The project structure looks like this:

parent project

      |_ data

      |_ web

The modules are correctly named in the parent pom file

<modules>
    <module>data</module>
    <module>web</module>
</modules>

The data-module is responsible for connecting to the database and defines the repositories for data access. It has some properties in it's application.properties file which hold the connection details to the database

spring.datasource.url=jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:XE
spring.datasource.driver-class-name=oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver
spring.datasource.username=XXXXXXXX
spring.datasource.password=XXXXXXXXX

In the web-module I want to read data from the database and put it into a jsp. So I added a dependency in the pom of the web-module to the data-module:

<dependency> 
    <groupId>de.my.fancy.groupId</groupId>
    <artifactId>data</artifactId> 
    <version>${project.version}</version>
</dependency>

When starting the web-module I get this error:

***************************
APPLICATION FAILED TO START
***************************

Description:

Failed to configure a DataSource: 'url' attribute is not specified and no embedded datasource could be configured.

Reason: Failed to determine a suitable driver class

I thought I might have to inject my config class from the data-module so I changed the starter class of web-module like this:

@SpringBootApplication(exclude= {SecurityAutoConfiguration.class}, scanBasePackageClasses= {JPAConfig.class})
public class WebApplication {

    @Autowired
    JPAConfig config;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(WebApplication.class, args);
    }
}

After this modification I get the following error:

Error starting ApplicationContext. To display the conditions report re-run your application with 'debug' enabled.
2018-09-13 11:25:21.517 ERROR 8120 --- [           main] o.s.boot.SpringApplication               : Application run failed

org.springframework.beans.factory.UnsatisfiedDependencyException: Error creating bean with name 'webApplication': Unsatisfied dependency expressed through field 'config'; nested exception is         org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'JPAConfig': Injection of autowired dependencies failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Could not resolve placeholder 'spring.datasource.driver-class-name' in value "${spring.datasource.driver-class-name}"
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:587) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:91) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:373) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1350) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:580) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:503) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:317) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:222) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:315) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:199) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:760) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:869) ~[spring-context-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:550) ~[spring-context-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.boot.web.servlet.context.ServletWebServerApplicationContext.refresh(ServletWebServerApplicationContext.java:140) ~[spring-boot-2.0.3.RELEASE.jar:2.0.3.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:759) [spring-boot-2.0.3.RELEASE.jar:2.0.3.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:395) [spring-boot-2.0.3.RELEASE.jar:2.0.3.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:327) [spring-boot-2.0.3.RELEASE.jar:2.0.3.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1255) [spring-boot-2.0.3.RELEASE.jar:2.0.3.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1243) [spring-boot-2.0.3.RELEASE.jar:2.0.3.RELEASE]
at de.fraport.bvd.mobisl.web.WebApplication.main(WebApplication.java:17) [classes/:na]
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'JPAConfig': Injection of autowired dependencies failed; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Could not resolve placeholder 'spring.datasource.driver-class-name' in value "${spring.datasource.driver-class-name}"
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:379) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1350) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:580) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:503) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:317) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:222) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:315) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:199) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.config.DependencyDescriptor.resolveCandidate(DependencyDescriptor.java:251) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1138) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1065) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:584) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
... 19 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Could not resolve placeholder 'spring.datasource.driver-class-name' in value "${spring.datasource.driver-class-name}"
at org.springframework.util.PropertyPlaceholderHelper.parseStringValue(PropertyPlaceholderHelper.java:172) ~[spring-core-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.util.PropertyPlaceholderHelper.replacePlaceholders(PropertyPlaceholderHelper.java:124) ~[spring-core-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.core.env.AbstractPropertyResolver.doResolvePlaceholders(AbstractPropertyResolver.java:237) ~[spring-core-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.core.env.AbstractPropertyResolver.resolveRequiredPlaceholders(AbstractPropertyResolver.java:211) ~[spring-core-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.context.support.PropertySourcesPlaceholderConfigurer.lambda$processProperties$0(PropertySourcesPlaceholderConfigurer.java:175) ~[spring-context-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.resolveEmbeddedValue(AbstractBeanFactory.java:839) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1086) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1065) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:584) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:91) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:373) ~[spring-beans-5.0.7.RELEASE.jar:5.0.7.RELEASE]
... 30 common frames omitted

So it seems like I cannot get the properties from application.properties in the data-module to be used in the injected config object in the web-module. What can I do here to have the properties used in the web-module?

https://stackoverflow.com/a/43222303/9705485 or https://stackoverflow.com/a/44722003/9705485 might be of help. Perhaps you could use a data.properties and PropertySource — Ryan Dawson, Sep 13 '18 at 09:56
Either you can have on the web project (the one for final jar) the properties listed again, or maybe this can help you solving this issue: https://stackoverflow.com/a/35285874/3154883 — Brother, Sep 13 '18 at 10:06
Well, great! Thanks to both of you. That sounds good and I will give it a try — Raistlin, Sep 13 '18 at 10:09

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 13 '18 at 11:03

Probably the issue is that the application.properties is coming from the web project rather than data. You can't inherit these and the application.properties files are not aggregated, it just comes from the last project in the chain. You could try renaming the properties file in the data project to e.g. data.properties and ensure it is loaded with @PropertySource(value = {"data.properties"}

using properties in a multi module Spring Boot project

1 Answers1