How to properly manage an EJBException

Question

With the following code, I'm catching some EJBException s thrown by several DAO s.

@Inject private IdentityProviderDAO identityProviderDAO;
@Inject private UserAccountDAO userAccountDAO;
@Inject private UserProfileDAO userProfileDAO;
@Inject private RoleDAO roleDAO;

public void signUpFromThirdPartIdentityProvider(
        String identityProviderEntityId, 
        String nameIdOnIdentityProvider, String email, String firstName,
        String middleName, String lastName, String personalPhone,
        String workPhone, String nationality, String taxcode,
        String employer, String emailRef)
        throws CredentialsOnIdentityProviderAlreadyUsedException,
        BadRequestException, DataAccessException {  
    try {
        try {
            IdentityProvider identityProvider = identityProviderDAO
                    .findByEntityId(identityProviderEntityId);
            if (userAccountDAO.existsForGivenCredentialsOnIdentityProvider(
                    identityProvider.getId(), nameIdOnIdentityProvider)) {
                throw new CredentialsOnIdentityProviderAlreadyUsedException();
            }
            UserAccount userAccount = new UserAccount(
                    identityProvider, nameIdOnIdentityProvider, email,
                    false, true);
            Set<Role> roles = new HashSet<Role>();
            roles.add(roleDAO.findByName("USER"));
            userAccount.setRoles(roles);
            UserProfile userProfile = new UserProfile(userAccount,
                    firstName, middleName, lastName, personalPhone,
                    employer, emailRef, workPhone, nationality, taxcode);
            userAccountDAO.create(userAccount);
            userProfileDAO.create(userProfile);
        } catch (EJBException ejbe) {
            throw ejbe.getCausedByException();
        }
    } catch (CredentialsOnIdentityProviderAlreadyUsedException e) {
        throw e;
    } catch (Exception e) {
        throw new DataAccessException();
    }
}

This approach has some problems:

• bad readability of the code;
• need to re-throw custom exceptions in order to handle them into another class;
• to retrieve the class instance that generates an exception, I need to read the stacktrace.
• therefore, JBoss is used to print a stacktrace of an EJBException outside the try-catch block by using an own interceptor.

Is there a better way to manage an EJB Exception?

---

Example of trace:

16:45:50,860 ERROR [org.jboss.as.ejb3.tx.CMTTxInterceptor] (http--0.0.0.0-8080-1) javax.ejb.EJBTransactionRolledbackException: Cannot find entity it.prisma.dal.entities.accounting.IdentityProvider with EntityId <BUBBA>
16:45:50,873 ERROR [org.jboss.ejb3.invocation] (http--0.0.0.0-8080-1) JBAS014134: EJB Invocation failed on component IdentityProviderDAO for method public it.prisma.dal.entities.accounting.IdentityProvider it.prisma.dal.dao.accounting.IdentityProviderDAO.findByEntityId(java.lang.String) throws javax.persistence.EntityNotFoundException: javax.ejb.EJBTransactionRolledbackException: Cannot find entity it.prisma.dal.entities.accounting.IdentityProvider with EntityId <BUBBA>
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.tx.CMTTxInterceptor.handleInCallerTx(CMTTxInterceptor.java:139) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.tx.CMTTxInterceptor.invokeInCallerTx(CMTTxInterceptor.java:204) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.tx.CMTTxInterceptor.required(CMTTxInterceptor.java:306) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.tx.CMTTxInterceptor.processInvocation(CMTTxInterceptor.java:190) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.component.interceptors.CurrentInvocationContextInterceptor.processInvocation(CurrentInvocationContextInterceptor.java:41) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.component.interceptors.LoggingInterceptor.processInvocation(LoggingInterceptor.java:59) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.NamespaceContextInterceptor.processInvocation(NamespaceContextInterceptor.java:50) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.component.interceptors.AdditionalSetupInterceptor.processInvocation(AdditionalSetupInterceptor.java:32) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.TCCLInterceptor.processInvocation(TCCLInterceptor.java:45) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.ChainedInterceptor.processInvocation(ChainedInterceptor.java:61) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.ViewService$View.invoke(ViewService.java:165) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.ViewDescription$1.processInvocation(ViewDescription.java:173) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.ChainedInterceptor.processInvocation(ChainedInterceptor.java:61) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.ProxyInvocationHandler.invoke(ProxyInvocationHandler.java:72) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at it.prisma.dal.dao.accounting.IdentityProviderDAO$$$view13.findByEntityId(Unknown Source) [dal-0.0.6-SNAPSHOT.jar:]
    at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor41.invoke(Unknown Source) [:1.7.0_51]
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at org.jboss.weld.util.reflection.SecureReflections$13.work(SecureReflections.java:264) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.jboss.weld.util.reflection.SecureReflectionAccess.run(SecureReflectionAccess.java:52) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.jboss.weld.util.reflection.SecureReflectionAccess.runAsInvocation(SecureReflectionAccess.java:137) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.jboss.weld.util.reflection.SecureReflections.invoke(SecureReflections.java:260) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.jboss.weld.bean.proxy.EnterpriseBeanProxyMethodHandler.invoke(EnterpriseBeanProxyMethodHandler.java:111) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.jboss.weld.bean.proxy.EnterpriseTargetBeanInstance.invoke(EnterpriseTargetBeanInstance.java:56) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.jboss.weld.bean.proxy.ProxyMethodHandler.invoke(ProxyMethodHandler.java:105) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at it.prisma.dal.dao.accounting.IdentityProviderDAO$Proxy$_$$_Weld$Proxy$.findByEntityId(IdentityProviderDAO$Proxy$_$$_Weld$Proxy$.java) [dal-0.0.6-SNAPSHOT.jar:]
    at it.prisma.businesslayer.bizlib.accounting.UserManagementBean.signUpFromThirdPartIdentityProvider(UserManagementBean.java:126) [classes:]
    at it.prisma.businesslayer.bizws.accounting.UserManagementWSImpl.signUpFromThirdPartIdentityProvider(UserManagementWSImpl.java:47) [classes:]
    at it.prisma.businesslayer.bizws.accounting.UserManagementWSImpl$Proxy$_$$_WeldClientProxy.signUpFromThirdPartIdentityProvider(UserManagementWSImpl$Proxy$_$$_WeldClientProxy.java) [classes:]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.core.MethodInjectorImpl.invoke(MethodInjectorImpl.java:137) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.core.ResourceMethodInvoker.invokeOnTarget(ResourceMethodInvoker.java:288) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.core.ResourceMethodInvoker.invoke(ResourceMethodInvoker.java:242) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.core.ResourceMethodInvoker.invoke(ResourceMethodInvoker.java:229) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.core.SynchronousDispatcher.invoke(SynchronousDispatcher.java:356) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.core.SynchronousDispatcher.invoke(SynchronousDispatcher.java:179) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.plugins.server.servlet.ServletContainerDispatcher.service(ServletContainerDispatcher.java:220) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.plugins.server.servlet.HttpServletDispatcher.service(HttpServletDispatcher.java:56) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.resteasy.plugins.server.servlet.HttpServletDispatcher.service(HttpServletDispatcher.java:51) [resteasy-jaxrs-3.0.7.Final.jar:]
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:847) [jboss-servlet-api_3.0_spec-1.0.0.Final.jar:1.0.0.Final]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:329) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:248) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.weld.servlet.ConversationPropagationFilter.doFilter(ConversationPropagationFilter.java:62) [weld-core-1.1.5.AS71.Final.jar:2012-02-10 15:31]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:280) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:248) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.solder.servlet.exception.CatchExceptionFilter.doFilter(CatchExceptionFilter.java:65) [solder-impl-3.1.0.Final.jar:3.1.0.Final]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:280) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:248) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.solder.servlet.event.ServletEventBridgeFilter.doFilter(ServletEventBridgeFilter.java:74) [solder-impl-3.1.0.Final.jar:3.1.0.Final]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:280) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:248) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:275) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:161) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.jboss.as.jpa.interceptor.WebNonTxEmCloserValve.invoke(WebNonTxEmCloserValve.java:50) [jboss-as-jpa-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.web.security.SecurityContextAssociationValve.invoke(SecurityContextAssociationValve.java:153) [jboss-as-web-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:155) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.SingleSignOn.invoke(SingleSignOn.java:397) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:368) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.process(Http11Processor.java:877) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11Protocol.java:671) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.run(JIoEndpoint.java:930) [jbossweb-7.0.13.Final.jar:]
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
Caused by: javax.persistence.EntityNotFoundException: Cannot find entity it.prisma.dal.entities.accounting.IdentityProvider with EntityId <BUBBA>
    at it.prisma.dal.dao.accounting.IdentityProviderDAO.findByEntityId(IdentityProviderDAO.java:36) [dal-0.0.6-SNAPSHOT.jar:]
    at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor41.invoke(Unknown Source) [:1.7.0_51]
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606) [rt.jar:1.7.0_51]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.ManagedReferenceMethodInterceptorFactory$ManagedReferenceMethodInterceptor.processInvocation(ManagedReferenceMethodInterceptorFactory.java:72) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext$Invocation.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:374) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.weld.ejb.Jsr299BindingsInterceptor.doMethodInterception(Jsr299BindingsInterceptor.java:127) [jboss-as-weld-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.weld.ejb.Jsr299BindingsInterceptor.processInvocation(Jsr299BindingsInterceptor.java:135) [jboss-as-weld-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.interceptors.UserInterceptorFactory$1.processInvocation(UserInterceptorFactory.java:36) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.WeavedInterceptor.processInvocation(WeavedInterceptor.java:53) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.interceptors.UserInterceptorFactory$1.processInvocation(UserInterceptorFactory.java:36) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.jpa.interceptor.SBInvocationInterceptor.processInvocation(SBInvocationInterceptor.java:47) [jboss-as-jpa-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.weld.ejb.EjbRequestScopeActivationInterceptor.processInvocation(EjbRequestScopeActivationInterceptor.java:82) [jboss-as-weld-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InitialInterceptor.processInvocation(InitialInterceptor.java:21) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.ChainedInterceptor.processInvocation(ChainedInterceptor.java:61) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ee.component.interceptors.ComponentDispatcherInterceptor.processInvocation(ComponentDispatcherInterceptor.java:53) [jboss-as-ee-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.component.pool.PooledInstanceInterceptor.processInvocation(PooledInstanceInterceptor.java:51) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.invocation.InterceptorContext.proceed(InterceptorContext.java:288) [jboss-invocation-1.1.1.Final.jar:1.1.1.Final]
    at org.jboss.as.ejb3.tx.CMTTxInterceptor.invokeInCallerTx(CMTTxInterceptor.java:202) [jboss-as-ejb3-7.1.1.Final.jar:7.1.1.Final]
    ... 72 more

Answer 1

You generally want to treat EJBException the same as NullPointerException: something unexpected happened, and it's unclear what if any work of the method actually completed. The corollary is that EJBs should avoid throwing EJBException, which means they should avoid throwing system/undeclared exceptions, which the EJB container will automatically convert to an EJBException.

In this case, it's probably best to wrap your JPA interactions with try/catch and rethrow a an application/declared exception. Alternatively, depending on the capabilities of all the EJBs in your EJB module, it might work to use <application-exception> in the ejb-jar.xml deployment descriptor, but that will affect all EJB methods.