ClassFormatError: Absent Code attribute in method that is not native or abstract in class file javax/mail/MessagingException

Question

I am getting a strange ClassFormatError when using the javaMail api to send email on my spring mvc web app.

Below is my mail-cfg.xml

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Answer 1

You normally get this error when you have multiple conflicting JAR's in your class path. One of the more common reasons is if you include an artifact in your classpath that is supposed to be provided by the application container. Looking at your POM, you have several redundant and overlapping dependencies. Remove these:

    javax.servlet
    servlet-api
    2.5
    provided


    javax.validation
    validation-api
    1.0.0.GA


    javax.servlet
    jstl
    1.2


    javax.mail
    mail
    1.4.3


    javaee
    javaee-api
    5

And change the scope of your Java EE dependency to 'provided':

    javax
    javaee-api
    6.0
    provided

Finally, make sure you are deploying to a Java EE 6 capable web server, and the error should go away.

--- Edit ---

Just noticed that you are compiling to a Java 5 compliance level. Change this:

    1.5
    1.5

And make the source and target values 1.6.