Spring/Java error: namespace element 'annotation-config' … on JDK 1.5 and higher

Question

I have Spring/Java App that is compiled with Compiler compliance level 1.5.

I have a new Linux setup where I downloaded Apache Tomcat 8.0.8<

Answer 1

I happen to be another unfortunate user of a very old project (developed in 2008!) which is still using Spring 2.5. And it is not a Maven project either, so upgrading to later versions of Spring was taking a long time with dependencies failing and giving build errors. I downgraded tomcat JRE to 1.7 and it worked fine.

Just documenting how to do that in eclipse in case someone needs help:

1. If you do not already have Java 7, download JDK 7 and install it somewhere like C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_71

2. Then go to eclipse and double click on Servers > Tomcat vX.Y server

3. Click on Runtime Environment, then Installed JREs

4. Then Add > Standard VM and click Next. You see a window like this:

   

5. Click on Directory... and browse to the folder where you installed the JDK (i.e. C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_71. JDK is fine, no need for JRE). Click Finish.

6. Then make sure to select the JRE for Java 7 and you are all set.

Answer 2

<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring</artifactId>
<version>2.5.6</version>

TO =>

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
    <version>4.1.4.RELEASE</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
    <version>4.1.4.RELEASE</version>
</dependency>

OR

1. Right click on project property.
2. Go to/ Click on "Java Build Path".
3. Select Libraries tab and double click on "JRE System Libry"
4. On that pop up select the JDK 1.7 (If you dont have JDK 1.7 ,first install it, then select it from "Execution environment")

Answer 3

I've added support java1.8 and java1.9 to spring 2.5. Please replace file in your tomacat lib. JdkVersion.class - changed

download spring.jar

Answer 4

The class that's throwing the exception is using this code to check for Java version:

static {
        javaVersion = System.getProperty("java.version");
        // version String should look like "1.4.2_10"
        if (javaVersion.indexOf("1.7.") != -1) {
            majorJavaVersion = JAVA_17;
        }
        else if (javaVersion.indexOf("1.6.") != -1) {
            majorJavaVersion = JAVA_16;
        }
        else if (javaVersion.indexOf("1.5.") != -1) {
            majorJavaVersion = JAVA_15;
        }
        else {
            // else leave 1.4 as default (it's either 1.4 or unknown)
            majorJavaVersion = JAVA_14;
        }
    }

So, when Spring 2.5 was first released, the code didn't assume it will be run in a Java version that's later than 1.7. For Java 8 and beyond, the code above will assume default 1.4 version. Because of this, the annotations part will complain.

I think you either need to upgrade your Spring version or use Java 7. Spring 2.5 has been EOLed for quite some time now, anyway.

Answer 5

I was facing the same issue. But, after trying very hard, I found out that this is because of using Java 1.8. I changed it to 1.6 and it worked.

Answer 6

I have the similar problem. Old Spring MVC/Spring Faces application under spring 2.5.5 doesn't run on Java 8.

I spent few days trying to find solution because we need to run Java 8.

First idea was: to upgrade complete Spring package up to 4.1.6. I used Maven. Problem of this method that after that it is necessary to rework nearly the whole project. It is because for example in Spring 4 were removed JSF implementation and some special taglibs where completely removed, like <sf:..>. And were some more major and minor problems with configuration, adapters, handlers, mappings....

Second approach was to replace Spring JARs partially.One by one. Again no success. Impossible to replace any jar without touching dependencies.

I believe that after few weeks or monthes of struggling I can get success on both approaches. But have no so much time. And I gave up. My solution is:

I found source file JdkVersion.java from org.springframework.core package. http://www.java2s.com/Code/Jar/o/Downloadorgspringframeworkcoresources300releasejar.htm. I created org.springframework.core package in my project with only one class JdkVersion. After that made simple change of the code to check Java 8 version. Smth like that:

public static final int JAVA_18 = 5;

...

        javaVersion = System.getProperty("java.version");
    // version String should look like "1.4.2_10"
    if (javaVersion.contains("1.8.")) {
        majorJavaVersion = JAVA_18;         
        System.out.println("JAVA_VERSION: "+javaVersion);

    } else if (javaVersion.contains("1.7.")) {
        majorJavaVersion = JAVA_17;
    }

Even this code change is not really necessary, only just for fun.It is because this source came from Spring 3.0.0 package where Spring guys already changed the Java version check. Versions higher than 7 are not considered as old java.

Now application starts properly. It call JdkVersion class from my project instead of jar.

Works so far! Thanks for all from this thread who gave this idea.

Thanks