Is it possible to have multiple PropertyPlaceHolderConfigurer in my applicationContext?

Question

I need to load a specific applicationContext.xml file according to a given system property. This itself loads a file with the actual configuration. Therefore I need 2 Proper

Answer 1

Beware -- there might be a bug related to multiple configurers. See http://jira.spring.io/browse/SPR-5719 for more details.

I'm unable to get multiple to work locally... but I'm not yet blaming anyone but myself.

Answer 2

You can't do this directly, and this JIRA issue from Spring explains why (check the comment from Chris Beams for a detailed explanation):

https://jira.springsource.org/browse/SPR-6428

However, he does provide a workaround using Spring 3.1 or later, which is to use the PropertySourcesPlaceholderConfigurer class instead of PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer class.

You can download a Maven-based project that demonstrates the problem and the solution from the Spring framework issues github:

https://github.com/SpringSource/spring-framework-issues

Look for the issue number, SPR-6428, in the downloaded projects.

Answer 3

We have the following approach working:

<util:properties id="defaultProperties">
    <prop key="stand.name">DEV</prop>
    <prop key="host">localhost</prop>
</util:properties>
<context:property-placeholder 
    location="file:${app.properties.path:app.properties}" 
    properties-ref="defaultProperties"/>

System property app.properties.path can be used to override path to config file.

And application bundles some default values for placeholders that cannot be defined with defaults in common modules.

Answer 4

On my own side, playing with PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer both properties :

• order (should be lower for first accessed/parsed PPC)

• ignoreUnresolvablePlaceholders ("false" for first accessed/parsed PPC, "true" for next one)

• and also give 2 distinct id(s) to both PPC (to avoid one to be overwritten by the other)

works perfectly

Hope it helps

Answer 5

Yes you can do more than one. Be sure to set ignoreUnresolvablePlaceholders so that the first will ignore any placeholders that it can't resolve.

<bean id="ppConfig1" class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
   <property name="ignoreUnresolvablePlaceholders" value="true"/>
   <property name="locations">
    <list>
             <value>classpath*:/my.properties</value>
    </list>
  </property>
</bean>

<bean id="ppConfig2" class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
   <property name="ignoreUnresolvablePlaceholders" value="false"/>
   <property name="locations">
    <list>
             <value>classpath*:/myOther.properties</value>
    </list>
  </property>
</bean>

Depending on your application, you should investigate systemPropertiesMode, it allows you to load properties from a file, but allow the system properties to override values in the property file if set.

Answer 6

Just giving 2 distinct ids worked for me. I am using spring 3.0.4.

Hope that helps.