Error while compiling when using AspectJ compiler instead of Javac

Question

I have a multi module project. The aspect is currently added to the "core" project. When doing a mvn clean install here it works. However trying to do a mvn clean install on parent project it fails with this error when compiling one of the other projects:

The type org.hibernate.annotations.CacheConcurrencyStrategy cannot be resolved. It is indirectly referenced from required .class files

If I add the Hibernate core dependency in that project too it works, but adding dependencies to projects that shouldn't have the dependency does not make sense - so it is not a solution. When compiling with javac it works fine.

What is the reason? And how can I fix it so I can use the AspectJ compiler without leaking dependencies to projects that shouldn't have that?

I have this configuration in the parent POM:

 <build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
            <artifactId>aspectj-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>1.5</version>
            <configuration>
                <source>1.6</source>
                <target>1.6</target>
                <complianceLevel>1.6</complianceLevel>
            </configuration>
            <executions>
                <execution>
                    <goals>
                        <goal>compile</goal>
                    </goals>
                </execution>
            </executions>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

Update

I just found out. Running mvn clean install fails every time. However, running mvn [clean] install one time fails. Then running mvn install without clean works. I see that the builddef.lst in the target folder is the reason why it works and fails based on whether or not you run clean. So now my question is: How do you automatically generate this file?

Parent POM-file:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">

    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
    <groupId>com.mycompany</groupId>
    <artifactId>core-lib</artifactId>
    <name>core-lib</name>
    <packaging>pom</packaging>

    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
                <artifactId>aspectj-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>1.5</version>
                <configuration>
                    <source>1.6</source>
                    <target>1.6</target>
                    <complianceLevel>1.6</complianceLevel>
                </configuration>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>compile</goal>
                        </goals>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>

    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.aspectj</groupId>
            <artifactId>aspectjrt</artifactId>
            <version>1.7.4</version>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>

    <modules>
        <module>core-xyz</module>
        <module>core-xyz2</module>
    </modules>
</project>

Answer 1

Enable debug on the maven invocation to dig deeper. You should observe that the aspectj compile is only being invoked during the first maven invocation with the clean. Since the builddef.lst already exists after the first invocation, invoking without clean skips the aspectj compile.

This aspectj compile plugin behavior has been observed previously and was described here:

http://out-println.blogspot.com/2007/08/compile-time-checks-with-aspectj-part-2.html?m=1

You will need to look deeper to address the underlying issue, but as one commenter has already suggested, the aspectj compiler should only be enabled in modules that require it.

Otherwise, the additional dependencies are required for the aspectj compile, as you have already observed. I have incorporated aspectj compile into my own work without issue by restricting it to only the modules that require it.

Answer 2

According to the AspectJ compiler Maven plugin you could set up the argumentFileName to locate an existing builddef.lst.

So you can generate the builddef.lst and copy it to your resources folder, and instruct the AspectJ Maven plugin to use that file.