title: Hibernate-validator: @NotEmpty does not work for null values
body: <p>I have annotated a String field with @NotEmpty tag.</p>
  
  <p>When I try to persist the entity with this filed's value "", it works fine. Mechanism detects the validation error and raises an InvalidStateException exception notifying the issue.</p>
  
  <p>But when I try to persist the entity with this field's value null, an UndeclaredThrowableException (caused by InvocationTargetException, caused by PropertyValueException: not-null property references a null or transient value) exception is raised because system is trying to hit the database with null value on a non-nullable field.</p>
  
  <p>The question is obvious: why validation mechanism does not detect this situation? I think it should raise an InvalidStateException exception instead of an UndeclaredThrowableException.</p>
  
  <p>I was using the following libraries:</p>
  
  <pre><code>  - hibernate-annotations 3.3.1.GA
    - hibernate-validator 3.0.0.ga
    - hibernate-core 3.2.6ga
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and now I just upgrade to</p>
  
  <pre><code>  - hibernate-annotations 3.4.0.GA
    - hibernate-validator 3.1.0.GA
    - hibernate-core 3.3.2
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>These are the latest stable releases.</p>
  
  <p>But it still not working.</p>
  
  <p>Any idea?</p>
  
  <p>Full error trace:</p>
  
  <pre><code>java.lang.reflect.UndeclaredThrowableException
      at $Proxy78.merge(Unknown Source)
      at com.myApp.persistence.ddg.impl.MergeMethodInterceptor.intercept(MergeMethodInterceptor.java:18)
      at com.myApp.backoffice.model.cms.dao.IDAOOrganization$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$c21eebfe.merge(&lt;generated&gt;)
      at com.myApp.cms.components.implementations.DSOrganization.saveOrUpdate(DSOrganization.java:150)
      at com.myApp.cms.components.implementations.DSOrganization.saveOrUpdate(DSOrganization.java:1)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
      at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
      at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
      at org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils.invokeJoinpointUsingReflection(AopUtils.java:310)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:182)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:149)
      at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionalInterceptor$1.call(TransactionalInterceptor.java:34)
      at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionManagerImpl.createSessionAndTransactionAndRunCallable(TransactionManagerImpl.java:261)
      at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionManagerImpl.runInTransaction(TransactionManagerImpl.java:236)
      at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionalInterceptor.invoke(TransactionalInterceptor.java:27)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:171)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:204)
      at $Proxy70.saveOrUpdate(Unknown Source)
      at com.myApp.cms.components.ValidationTest.test_organization(ValidationTest.java:60)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
      at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
      at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
      at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:44)
      at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:15)
      at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:41)
      at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:20)
      at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:28)
      at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:31)
      at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:73)
      at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:46)
      at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:180)
      at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:41)
      at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:173)
      at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:28)
      at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:31)
      at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:220)
      at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:45)
      at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
      at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:460)
      at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:673)
      at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:386)
      at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:196)
  Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
      at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
      at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
      at com.myApp.persistence.tx.impl.TransactionManagerImpl$TimeoutInvocationHandler.invoke(TransactionManagerImpl.java:176)
      ... 44 more
  Caused by: org.hibernate.PropertyValueException: not-null property references a null or transient value: com.myApp.backoffice.model.cms.dto.Organization.name
      at org.hibernate.engine.Nullability.checkNullability(Nullability.java:72)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.AbstractSaveEventListener.performSaveOrReplicate(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:290)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.AbstractSaveEventListener.performSave(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:181)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.AbstractSaveEventListener.saveWithGeneratedId(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:121)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.entityIsTransient(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:186)
      at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.support.IdTransferringMergeEventListener.entityIsTransient(IdTransferringMergeEventListener.java:58)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.entityIsDetached(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:240)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.onMerge(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:120)
      at org.hibernate.event.def.DefaultMergeEventListener.onMerge(DefaultMergeEventListener.java:53)
      at org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.fireMerge(SessionImpl.java:677)
      at org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.merge(SessionImpl.java:661)
      at org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.merge(SessionImpl.java:665)
      ... 49 more
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Trying to register the merge event listener to the sessionFactory bean:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;property name="eventListeners"&gt;
    &lt;map&gt;
      &lt;entry key="merge"&gt;
        &lt;bean class="org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener"/&gt;
      &lt;/entry&gt;
    &lt;/map&gt;
  &lt;/property&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>It raises the following error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'com.myApp.persistence.tx.TransactionalAutoProxyCreator#0' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'transactionalInterceptor' while setting bean property 'transactionalInterceptor'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionalInterceptor' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'transactionManager' while setting bean property 'transactionManager'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionManager' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'sessionFactory' while setting bean property 'sessionFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:275)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:104)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1245)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1010)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:472)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
          at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
          at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.getBean(AbstractApplicationContext.java:881)
          at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.registerBeanPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:597)
          at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:366)
          at org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.&lt;init&gt;(ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.java:139)
          at org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.&lt;init&gt;(ClassPathXmlApplicationContext.java:93)
          at com.myApp.ContextLoader.getApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:27)
          at com.myApp.ContextLoader.getBean(ContextLoader.java:43)
          at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.getIDSPerson(CMSTestContext.java:200)
          at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.removePersons(CMSTestContext.java:486)
          at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.removeEditorialObjs(CMSTestContext.java:376)
          at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.removeCollections(CMSTestContext.java:323)
          at com.myApp.cms.CMSTestContext.after(CMSTestContext.java:1572)
          at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
          at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
          at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
          at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
          at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:44)
          at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:15)
          at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:41)
          at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:37)
          at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:73)
          at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:46)
          at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:180)
          at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:41)
          at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:173)
          at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:28)
          at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.RunAfters.evaluate(RunAfters.java:31)
          at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:220)
          at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:45)
          at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
          at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:460)
          at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:673)
          at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:386)
          at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:196)
      Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionalInterceptor' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'transactionManager' while setting bean property 'transactionManager'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionManager' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'sessionFactory' while setting bean property 'sessionFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:275)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:104)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1245)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1010)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:472)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
          at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:269)
          ... 46 more
      Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'transactionManager' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'sessionFactory' while setting bean property 'sessionFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:275)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:104)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1245)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1010)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:472)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
          at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:269)
          ... 59 more
      Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'sessionFactory' defined in class path resource [com/myApp/backoffice/model/persistence.xml]: Invocation of init method failed; nested exception is java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1337)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:473)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory$1.run(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
          at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:380)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:264)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:221)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:261)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:185)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:164)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:269)
          ... 72 more
      Caused by: java.lang.ArrayStoreException: org.hibernate.validator.event.ValidateEventListener
          at org.hibernate.cfg.Configuration.setListener(Configuration.java:1694)
          at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.LocalSessionFactoryBean.buildSessionFactory(LocalSessionFactoryBean.java:721)
          at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.AbstractSessionFactoryBean.afterPropertiesSet(AbstractSessionFactoryBean.java:211)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.invokeInitMethods(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1368)
          at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1334)
          ... 82 more
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance.</p>