How to load external configuration properties (DB Config) on Spring fat jar?

Question

I am creating a service that runs automatically once the jar runs built with Spring. When the database configurations are written in the default application.properties , it can run normally and successfully done its tasks.

However, when I extract out the DB configs from there, and put them in app.properties which placed in the same folder as the fat jar, it returns this error:

org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.orm.jpa.HibernateJpaAutoConfiguration': Injection of autowired dependencies failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Could not autowire field: private javax.sql.DataSource org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.orm.jpa.JpaBaseConfiguration.dataSource; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceAutoConfiguration$NonEmbeddedConfiguration.class]: Bean instantiation via factory method failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [javax.sql.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Cannot determine embedded database driver class for database type NONE. If you want an embedded database please put a supported one on the classpath.
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:334)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1210)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:537)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:476)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:303)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:299)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:368)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1119)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1014)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:504)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:476)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:303)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:299)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.getBean(AbstractApplicationContext.java:956)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:747)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:480)
        at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:686)
        at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:320)
        at org.springframework.boot.builder.SpringApplicationBuilder.run(SpringApplicationBuilder.java:139)
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Could not autowire field: private javax.sql.DataSource org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.orm.jpa.JpaBaseConfiguration.dataSource; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceAutoConfiguration$NonEmbeddedConfiguration.class]: Bean instantiation via factory method failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [javax.sql.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Cannot determine embedded database driver class for database type NONE. If you want an embedded database please put a supported one on the classpath.
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:561)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:88)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:331)
        ... 29 common frames omitted
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceAutoConfiguration$NonEmbeddedConfiguration.class]: Bean instantiation via factory method failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [javax.sql.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Cannot determine embedded database driver class for database type NONE. If you want an embedded database please put a supported one on the classpath.
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:599)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1119)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1014)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:504)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:476)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:303)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:299)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.findAutowireCandidates(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1120)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1044)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:942)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:533)
        ... 31 common frames omitted
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [javax.sql.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Cannot determine embedded database driver class for database type NONE. If you want an embedded database please put a supported one on the classpath.
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:189)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:588)
        ... 43 common frames omitted
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Cannot determine embedded database driver class for database type NONE. If you want an embedded database please put a supported one on the classpath.
        at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceProperties.getDriverClassName(DataSourceProperties.java:137)
        at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceAutoConfiguration$NonEmbeddedConfiguration.dataSource(DataSourceAutoConfiguration.java:117)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:162)
        ... 44 common frames omitted

This error pops when I execute the jar with the flag -Dspring.config.location=file:./app.properties , or when I put the spring.config.location and spring.config.name inside the default application.properties .

I ran the command to run jar with this:

java -jar .\fatjarapp-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar -Dspring.config.location=file:./app.properties

How can I execute this with DB config on external properties file while running spring fat jar??

---

Edit

I have been able to resolve the execution with the flag -Dspring.config.location or --spring.config.location , but I am still curious whether if I put the spring.config.location and its path inside the default application.properties , it would work or not.

Answer 1

Spring doesn't know to look for a file called app.properties . If you want to use it you need to import it in some @Configuration file with @PropertySource :

@PropertySource("classpath:app.properties")

More info with example usage here: https://docs.spring.io/spring-framework/docs/current/javadoc-api/org/springframework/context/annotation/PropertySource.html

Answer 2

Previously, I did not expect whether the position of the spring flags needed to be placed before the jar filename, but it seems to be like that. In the Windows Powershell, I need to wrap the whole flag and its attribute with the doublequotes (") as well, so it turns to be:

java -jar "-Dspring.config.location=file:./app.properties" .\fatjarapp-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar

And it runs normally and successfully as before.