title: ASM ClassReader failed to parse class file - probably due to a new Java class file version that isn't supported - Am using Apache 7 and JDK 1.8
body: <p>Am getting the below error **ASM ClassReader failed to parse class file - probably due to a new Java class file version that isn't supported yet **</p>
  
  <p>Am using JDK 1.8 and Apache 7 and am using Spring 3.2.9 versionto run my web project</p>
  
  <pre><code>[jar:file:/apps/tomcat/instances/tomcat01/work/Catalina/localhost/ConcurArchival_Web/WEB-INF/lib/ecl-test-1.0.0.jar!/com/tgt/ecl/framework/test/MVCTest.class]; nested exception is org.springframework.core.NestedIOException: ASM ClassReader failed to parse class file - probably due to a new Java class file version that isn't supported yet: URL 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Help appreciated from veterans</p>
  
  <p>Stack Trace added below:</p>
  
  <pre><code> SEVERE: Exception sending context initialized event to listener instance of class org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener
  org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Failed to read candidate component class: URL [jar:file:/apps/tomcat/instances/tomcat01/work/Catalina/localhost/ConcurArchival_Web/WEB-INF/lib/tgt-ecl-test-1.0.0.jar!/com/tgt/ecl/framework/test/MVCTest.class]; nested exception is org.springframework.core.NestedIOException: ASM ClassReader failed to parse class file - probably due to a new Java class file version that isn't supported yet: URL [jar:file:/apps/tomcat/instances/tomcat01/work/Catalina/localhost/ConcurArchival_Web/WEB-INF/lib/tgt-ecl-test-1.0.0.jar!/com/tgt/ecl/framework/test/MVCTest.class]; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
         at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.findCandidateComponents(ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.java:290)
         at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathBeanDefinitionScanner.doScan(ClassPathBeanDefinitionScanner.java:242)
         at org.springframework.context.annotation.ComponentScanBeanDefinitionParser.parse(ComponentScanBeanDefinitionParser.java:84)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.NamespaceHandlerSupport.parse(NamespaceHandlerSupport.java:73)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.parseCustomElement(BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.java:1438)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.parseCustomElement(BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.java:1428)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.DefaultBeanDefinitionDocumentReader.parseBeanDefinitions(DefaultBeanDefinitionDocumentReader.java:195)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.DefaultBeanDefinitionDocumentReader.doRegisterBeanDefinitions(DefaultBeanDefinitionDocumentReader.java:139)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.DefaultBeanDefinitionDocumentReader.registerBeanDefinitions(DefaultBeanDefinitionDocumentReader.java:108)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader.registerBeanDefinitions(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.java:493)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader.doLoadBeanDefinitions(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.java:390)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitions(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.java:334)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitions(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.java:302)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitions(AbstractBeanDefinitionReader.java:174)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitions(AbstractBeanDefinitionReader.java:209)
         at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitions(AbstractBeanDefinitionReader.java:180)
         at org.springframework.web.context.support.XmlWebApplicationContext.loadBeanDefinitions(XmlWebApplicationContext.java:125)
         at org.springframework.web.context.support.XmlWebApplicationContext.loadBeanDefinitions(XmlWebApplicationContext.java:94)
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractRefreshableApplicationContext.refreshBeanFactory(AbstractRefreshableApplicationContext.java:130)
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.obtainFreshBeanFactory(AbstractApplicationContext.java:537)
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:451)
         at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:410)
         at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:306)
         at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:112)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4939)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5434)
         at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:901)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:877)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:633)
         at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployDescriptor(HostConfig.java:663)
         at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig$DeployDescriptor.run(HostConfig.java:1642)
         at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Unknown Source)
         at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)
         at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
         at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
         at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
  Caused by: org.springframework.core.NestedIOException: ASM ClassReader failed to parse class file - probably due to a new Java class file version that isn't supported yet: URL [jar:file:/apps/tomcat/instances/tomcat01/work/Catalina/localhost/ConcurArchival_Web/WEB-INF/lib/tgt-ecl-test-1.0.0.jar!/com/tgt/ecl/framework/test/MVCTest.class]; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
         at org.springframework.core.type.classreading.SimpleMetadataReader.&lt;init&gt;(SimpleMetadataReader.java:56)
         at org.springframework.core.type.classreading.SimpleMetadataReaderFactory.getMetadataReader(SimpleMetadataReaderFactory.java:80)
         at org.springframework.core.type.classreading.CachingMetadataReaderFactory.getMetadataReader(CachingMetadataReaderFactory.java:102)
         at org.springframework.context.annotation.ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.findCandidateComponents(ClassPathScanningCandidateComponentProvider.java:266)
         ... 36 more
  Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
         at org.springframework.asm.ClassReader.&lt;init&gt;(Unknown Source)
         at org.springframework.asm.ClassReader.&lt;init&gt;(Unknown Source)
         at org.springframework.asm.ClassReader.&lt;init&gt;(Unknown Source)
         at org.springframework.core.type.classreading.SimpleMetadataReader.&lt;init&gt;(SimpleMetadataReader.java:53)
         ... 39 more
  
  Apr 22, 2016 1:52:31 AM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
  INFO: Closing Spring root WebApplicationContext
  Apr 22, 2016 1:52:31 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext listenerStop
  SEVERE: Exception sending context destroyed event to listener instance of class org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener
  java.lang.IllegalStateException: BeanFactory not initialized or already closed - call 'refresh' before accessing beans via the ApplicationContext
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractRefreshableApplicationContext.getBeanFactory(AbstractRefreshableApplicationContext.java:171)
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.destroyBeans(AbstractApplicationContext.java:1090)
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.doClose(AbstractApplicationContext.java:1064)
         at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.close(AbstractApplicationContext.java:1010)
         at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.closeWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:586)
         at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextDestroyed(ContextLoaderListener.java:143)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStop(StandardContext.java:4980)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.stopInternal(StandardContext.java:5626)
         at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.stop(LifecycleBase.java:232)
         at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:160)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:901)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:877)
         at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:633)
         at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployDescriptor(HostConfig.java:663)
         at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig$DeployDescriptor.run(HostConfig.java:1642)
         at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Unknown Source)
         at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)
         at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
         at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
         at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
  </code></pre>