Backported refinements and polishing

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/BeanUtils.java

@@ -63,11 +63,10 @@ public abstract class BeanUtils {
 
 	/**
 	 * Convenience method to instantiate a class using its no-arg constructor.
-	 * As this method doesn't try to load classes by name, it should avoid
-	 * class-loading issues.
 	 * @param clazz class to instantiate
 	 * @return the new instance
 	 * @throws BeanInstantiationException if the bean cannot be instantiated
+	 * @see Class#newInstance()
 	 */
 	public static <T> T instantiate(Class<T> clazz) throws BeanInstantiationException {
 		Assert.notNull(clazz, "Class must not be null");
@@ -87,13 +86,12 @@ public abstract class BeanUtils {
 
 	/**
 	 * Instantiate a class using its no-arg constructor.
-	 * As this method doesn't try to load classes by name, it should avoid
-	 * class-loading issues.
 	 * <p>Note that this method tries to set the constructor accessible
 	 * if given a non-accessible (that is, non-public) constructor.
 	 * @param clazz class to instantiate
 	 * @return the new instance
 	 * @throws BeanInstantiationException if the bean cannot be instantiated
+	 * @see Constructor#newInstance
 	 */
 	public static <T> T instantiateClass(Class<T> clazz) throws BeanInstantiationException {
 		Assert.notNull(clazz, "Class must not be null");
@@ -111,17 +109,15 @@ public abstract class BeanUtils {
 	/**
 	 * Instantiate a class using its no-arg constructor and return the new instance
 	 * as the specified assignable type.
-	 * <p>Useful in cases where
-	 * the type of the class to instantiate (clazz) is not available, but the type
-	 * desired (assignableTo) is known.
-	 * <p>As this method doesn't try to load classes by name, it should avoid
-	 * class-loading issues.
-	 * <p>Note that this method tries to set the constructor accessible
-	 * if given a non-accessible (that is, non-public) constructor.
+	 * <p>Useful in cases where the type of the class to instantiate (clazz) is not
+	 * available, but the type desired (assignableTo) is known.
+	 * <p>Note that this method tries to set the constructor accessible if given a
+	 * non-accessible (that is, non-public) constructor.
 	 * @param clazz class to instantiate
 	 * @param assignableTo type that clazz must be assignableTo
 	 * @return the new instance
 	 * @throws BeanInstantiationException if the bean cannot be instantiated
+	 * @see Constructor#newInstance
 	 */
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public static <T> T instantiateClass(Class<?> clazz, Class<T> assignableTo) throws BeanInstantiationException {
@@ -131,14 +127,13 @@ public abstract class BeanUtils {
 
 	/**
 	 * Convenience method to instantiate a class using the given constructor.
-	 * As this method doesn't try to load classes by name, it should avoid
-	 * class-loading issues.
-	 * <p>Note that this method tries to set the constructor accessible
-	 * if given a non-accessible (that is, non-public) constructor.
+	 * <p>Note that this method tries to set the constructor accessible if given a
+	 * non-accessible (that is, non-public) constructor.
 	 * @param ctor the constructor to instantiate
 	 * @param args the constructor arguments to apply
 	 * @return the new instance
 	 * @throws BeanInstantiationException if the bean cannot be instantiated
+	 * @see Constructor#newInstance
 	 */
 	public static <T> T instantiateClass(Constructor<T> ctor, Object... args) throws BeanInstantiationException {
 		Assert.notNull(ctor, "Constructor must not be null");

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/NullValueInNestedPathException.java

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ package org.springframework.beans;
  * spouse property of the target object has a null value.
  *
  * @author Rod Johnson
+ * @author Juergen Hoeller
  */
 @SuppressWarnings("serial")
 public class NullValueInNestedPathException extends InvalidPropertyException {
@@ -47,4 +48,16 @@ public class NullValueInNestedPathException extends InvalidPropertyException {
 		super(beanClass, propertyName, msg);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Create a new NullValueInNestedPathException.
+	 * @param beanClass the offending bean class
+	 * @param propertyName the offending property
+	 * @param msg the detail message
+	 * @param cause the root cause
+	 * @since 4.3.2
+	 */
+	public NullValueInNestedPathException(Class<?> beanClass, String propertyName, String msg, Throwable cause) {
+		super(beanClass, propertyName, msg, cause);
+	}
+
 }

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/BeanNotOfRequiredTypeException.java

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ public class BeanNotOfRequiredTypeException extends BeansException {
 	 * the expected type
 	 */
 	public BeanNotOfRequiredTypeException(String beanName, Class<?> requiredType, Class<?> actualType) {
-		super("Bean named '" + beanName + "' must be of type [" + requiredType.getName() +
-				"], but was actually of type [" + actualType.getName() + "]");
+		super("Bean named '" + beanName + "' is expected to be of type [" + requiredType.getName() +
+				"] but was actually of type [" + actualType.getName() + "]");
 		this.beanName = beanName;
 		this.requiredType = requiredType;
 		this.actualType = actualType;

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/CglibSubclassingInstantiationStrategy.java

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public class CglibSubclassingInstantiationStrategy extends SimpleInstantiationSt
 			Class<?> subclass = createEnhancedSubclass(this.beanDefinition);
 			Object instance;
 			if (ctor == null) {
-				instance = BeanUtils.instantiate(subclass);
+				instance = BeanUtils.instantiateClass(subclass);
 			}
 			else {
 				try {

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/ConstructorResolver.java

@@ -609,8 +609,8 @@ class ConstructorResolver {
 	private int resolveConstructorArguments(String beanName, RootBeanDefinition mbd, BeanWrapper bw,
 			ConstructorArgumentValues cargs, ConstructorArgumentValues resolvedValues) {
 
-		TypeConverter converter = (this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter() != null ?
-				this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter() : bw);
+		TypeConverter customConverter = this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter();
+		TypeConverter converter = (customConverter != null ? customConverter : bw);
 		BeanDefinitionValueResolver valueResolver =
 				new BeanDefinitionValueResolver(this.beanFactory, beanName, mbd, converter);
 
@@ -665,8 +665,8 @@ class ConstructorResolver {
 			BeanWrapper bw, Class<?>[] paramTypes, String[] paramNames, Object methodOrCtor,
 			boolean autowiring) throws UnsatisfiedDependencyException {
 
-		TypeConverter converter = (this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter() != null ?
-				this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter() : bw);
+		TypeConverter customConverter = this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter();
+		TypeConverter converter = (customConverter != null ? customConverter : bw);
 
 		ArgumentsHolder args = new ArgumentsHolder(paramTypes.length);
 		Set<ConstructorArgumentValues.ValueHolder> usedValueHolders =
@@ -769,12 +769,13 @@ class ConstructorResolver {
 	private Object[] resolvePreparedArguments(
 			String beanName, RootBeanDefinition mbd, BeanWrapper bw, Member methodOrCtor, Object[] argsToResolve) {
 
-		Class<?>[] paramTypes = (methodOrCtor instanceof Method ?
-				((Method) methodOrCtor).getParameterTypes() : ((Constructor<?>) methodOrCtor).getParameterTypes());
-		TypeConverter converter = (this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter() != null ?
-				this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter() : bw);
+		TypeConverter customConverter = this.beanFactory.getCustomTypeConverter();
+		TypeConverter converter = (customConverter != null ? customConverter : bw);
 		BeanDefinitionValueResolver valueResolver =
 				new BeanDefinitionValueResolver(this.beanFactory, beanName, mbd, converter);
+		Class<?>[] paramTypes = (methodOrCtor instanceof Method ?
+				((Method) methodOrCtor).getParameterTypes() : ((Constructor<?>) methodOrCtor).getParameterTypes());
+
 		Object[] resolvedArgs = new Object[argsToResolve.length];
 		for (int argIndex = 0; argIndex < argsToResolve.length; argIndex++) {
 			Object argValue = argsToResolve[argIndex];

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java

@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public class SimpleInstantiationStrategy implements InstantiationStrategy {
 						}
 						bd.resolvedConstructorOrFactoryMethod = constructorToUse;
 					}
-					catch (Exception ex) {
+					catch (Throwable ex) {
 						throw new BeanInstantiationException(clazz, "No default constructor found", ex);
 					}
 				}

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/propertyeditors/CustomCollectionEditor.java

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ public class CustomCollectionEditor extends PropertyEditorSupport {
 			try {
 				return collectionType.newInstance();
 			}
-			catch (Exception ex) {
+			catch (Throwable ex) {
 				throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-						"Could not instantiate collection class [" + collectionType.getName() + "]: " + ex.getMessage());
+						"Could not instantiate collection class: " + collectionType.getName(), ex);
 			}
 		}
 		else if (List.class == collectionType) {

spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/propertyeditors/CustomMapEditor.java

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ public class CustomMapEditor extends PropertyEditorSupport {
 			try {
 				return mapType.newInstance();
 			}
-			catch (Exception ex) {
+			catch (Throwable ex) {
 				throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-						"Could not instantiate map class [" + mapType.getName() + "]: " + ex.getMessage());
+						"Could not instantiate map class: " + mapType.getName(), ex);
 			}
 		}
 		else if (SortedMap.class == mapType) {