Jersey Singleton Using Spring: Method cannot be cast to Constructor

Question

I am trying to use Spring to autowire Jersey but I'm getting the weirdest exception as soon as one of the methods gets called.

Here is my resource:

package fungle.funfinder.rest.resource;

import java.net.URI;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;

import javax.inject.Singleton;
import javax.ws.rs.GET;
import javax.ws.rs.POST;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;
import javax.ws.rs.PathParam;
import javax.ws.rs.Produces;
import javax.ws.rs.core.Context;
import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;
import javax.ws.rs.core.Response;
import javax.ws.rs.core.UriInfo;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;

import fungle.common.hdao.model.ByteId;
import fungle.common.hdao.model.OnError;
import fungle.common.hdao.util.CascadeUtils;
import fungle.common.hdao.util.FetchUtils;
import fungle.funfinder.data.dao.ActivityTypeDAO;
import fungle.funfinder.data.entity.ActivityType;

@Path("activityType")
@Singleton
@Service
public class ActivityTypeResource {

    private ActivityTypeDAO activityTypeDAO;

    public ActivityTypeResource() {

    }

    public ActivityTypeResource(ActivityTypeDAO activityTypeDAO) {
        this.activityTypeDAO=activityTypeDAO;
    }

    public ActivityTypeDAO getActivityTypeDAO() {
        return activityTypeDAO;
    }

    @Autowired
    public void setActivityTypeDAO(ActivityTypeDAO activityTypeDAO) {
        this.activityTypeDAO = activityTypeDAO;
    }

    @GET
    @Path("/all")
    @Produces(value={MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON,MediaType.APPLICATION_XML})
    public List<ActivityType> getAll() {
        Map<ByteId, ActivityType> types = activityTypeDAO.getAll(FetchUtils.always(),OnError.CONTINUE,null,null);
        return new ArrayList<>(types.values());
    }

    @POST
    public Response post(ActivityType activityType,@Context UriInfo uriInfo) {
        ActivityType existing = activityTypeDAO.getByName(activityType.getName());
        if (existing==null) {
            activityTypeDAO.save(activityType, CascadeUtils.always(), OnError.ATTEMPT_UNDO);
            existing = activityTypeDAO.getByName(activityType.getName());
            if (existing !=null) {
                // success
                URI uri = uriInfo.getAbsolutePathBuilder().path(existing.getName()).build();
                return Response.created(uri).build();
            } else {
                // failed to save.
                return Response.serverError().build();
            }
        } else {
            // already exists.
            return Response.notModified("An activity type with that name already exists.").entity(existing).build();
        }
    }

    @GET
    @Path("/{name}")
    public ActivityType getByName(@PathParam("name") String name) {
        ActivityType existing = activityTypeDAO.getByName(name);
        return existing;
    }
}

Here is my maven dependency:tree:

[INFO] fungle:fungle.funfinder.data:jar:0.0.1-SNAPSHOT
[INFO] +- fungle:fungle.common.core:jar:0.0.1-SNAPSHOT:compile
[INFO] +- fungle:fungle.common.hdao:jar:0.0.1-SNAPSHOT:compile
[INFO] +- org.apache.avro:avro:jar:1.7.6:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.codehaus.jackson:jackson-core-asl:jar:1.8.8:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.codehaus.jackson:jackson-mapper-asl:jar:1.8.8:compile
[INFO] |  +- com.thoughtworks.paranamer:paranamer:jar:2.3:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.xerial.snappy:snappy-java:jar:1.0.5:compile
[INFO] |  \- org.apache.commons:commons-compress:jar:1.4.1:compile
[INFO] |     \- org.tukaani:xz:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] +- org.apache.commons:commons-math3:jar:3.2:compile
[INFO] +- org.geotools:gt-referencing:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |  +- java3d:vecmath:jar:1.3.2:compile
[INFO] |  +- commons-pool:commons-pool:jar:1.5.4:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.geotools:gt-metadata:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |  |  \- org.geotools:gt-opengis:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |  +- jgridshift:jgridshift:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] |  \- javax.media:jai_core:jar:1.1.3:compile
[INFO] +- org.geotools:gt-geometry:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |  +- net.java.dev.jsr-275:jsr-275:jar:1.0-beta-2:compile
[INFO] |  \- org.geotools:gt-main:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |     +- org.geotools:gt-api:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |     +- com.vividsolutions:jts:jar:1.13:compile
[INFO] |     \- org.jdom:jdom:jar:1.1.3:compile
[INFO] +- org.geotools:gt-epsg-hsql:jar:11.1:compile
[INFO] |  \- org.hsqldb:hsqldb:jar:2.2.8:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-aspects:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] |  \- org.aspectj:aspectjweaver:jar:1.7.4:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-context:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-test:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:test
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-aop:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] |  \- aopalliance:aopalliance:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-tx:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-core:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] |  \- commons-logging:commons-logging:jar:1.1.3:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-beans:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-expression:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-orm:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] |  \- org.springframework:spring-jdbc:jar:4.0.2.RELEASE:compile
[INFO] +- ch.qos.logback:logback-classic:jar:1.1.2:compile
[INFO] |  \- ch.qos.logback:logback-core:jar:1.1.2:compile
[INFO] +- org.slf4j:slf4j-api:jar:1.7.7:compile
[INFO] +- commons-cli:commons-cli:jar:20040117.000000:compile
[INFO] +- com.google.guava:guava:jar:17.0:compile
[INFO] +- org.apache.commons:commons-collections4:jar:4.0:compile
[INFO] +- commons-io:commons-io:jar:1.3.2:compile
[INFO] +- org.apache.commons:commons-lang3:jar:3.1:compile
[INFO] +- junit:junit:jar:4.11:test
[INFO] |  \- org.hamcrest:hamcrest-core:jar:1.3:test
[INFO] +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-client:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-common:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- org.apache.commons:commons-math:jar:2.1:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- xmlenc:xmlenc:jar:0.52:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- commons-net:commons-net:jar:3.1:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- commons-el:commons-el:jar:1.0:runtime
[INFO] |  |  +- org.apache.hadoop:cloudera-jets3t:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- org.mockito:mockito-all:jar:1.8.5:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-auth:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  \- com.jcraft:jsch:jar:0.1.42:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-hdfs:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-mapreduce-client-app:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-mapreduce-client-common:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-yarn-client:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  |  \- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-yarn-server-common:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-mapreduce-client-shuffle:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  \- org.jboss.netty:netty:jar:3.2.4.Final:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-yarn-api:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-mapreduce-client-core:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  |  \- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-yarn-common:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  +- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-mapreduce-client-jobclient:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] |  \- org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-annotations:jar:2.0.0-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO] \- org.apache.hbase:hbase:jar:0.94.6-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO]    +- com.yammer.metrics:metrics-core:jar:2.1.2:compile
[INFO]    +- commons-configuration:commons-configuration:jar:1.6:compile
[INFO]    |  +- commons-collections:commons-collections:jar:3.2.1:compile
[INFO]    |  +- commons-digester:commons-digester:jar:1.8:compile
[INFO]    |  |  \- commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils:jar:1.7.0:compile
[INFO]    |  \- commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils-core:jar:1.8.0:compile
[INFO]    +- com.github.stephenc.high-scale-lib:high-scale-lib:jar:1.1.1:compile
[INFO]    +- commons-codec:commons-codec:jar:20041127.091804:compile (version managed from 1.4)
[INFO]    +- commons-httpclient:commons-httpclient:jar:3.1:compile
[INFO]    +- commons-lang:commons-lang:jar:2.5:compile
[INFO]    +- log4j:log4j:jar:1.2.17:compile
[INFO]    +- org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper:jar:3.4.5-cdh4.5.0:compile
[INFO]    +- org.apache.thrift:libthrift:jar:0.9.0:compile
[INFO]    |  +- org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient:jar:4.3.1:compile (version managed from 4.1.3)
[INFO]    |  \- org.apache.httpcomponents:httpcore:jar:4.1.3:compile
[INFO]    +- org.jruby:jruby-complete:jar:1.6.5:compile
[INFO]    +- org.mortbay.jetty:jetty:jar:6.1.26.cloudera.2:compile
[INFO]    +- org.mortbay.jetty:jetty-util:jar:6.1.26.cloudera.2:compile
[INFO]    +- org.mortbay.jetty:jsp-2.1:jar:6.1.14:compile
[INFO]    |  \- org.eclipse.jdt:core:jar:3.1.1:compile
[INFO]    +- org.mortbay.jetty:jsp-api-2.1:jar:6.1.14:compile
[INFO]    +- org.codehaus.jackson:jackson-jaxrs:jar:1.8.8:compile
[INFO]    +- org.codehaus.jackson:jackson-xc:jar:1.8.8:compile
[INFO]    +- tomcat:jasper-compiler:jar:5.5.23:runtime
[INFO]    +- tomcat:jasper-runtime:jar:5.5.23:runtime
[INFO]    +- org.jamon:jamon-runtime:jar:2.3.1:compile
[INFO]    +- com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java:jar:2.4.0a:compile
[INFO]    +- javax.xml.bind:jaxb-api:jar:2.1:compile
[INFO]    |  \- javax.activation:activation:jar:1.1:compile
[INFO]    \- stax:stax-api:jar:1.0.1:compile

I am not sure if this is relevant or not, but I was having some jersey jar conflicts a while back, my hadoop jars were pulling in some jersey artifacts so I threw some exclusions in my pom as follows:

<dependency>
        <groupId>org.apache.hadoop</groupId>
        <artifactId>hadoop-client</artifactId>
        <exclusions>
            <exclusion>
                <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
                <artifactId>slf4j-log4j12</artifactId>
            </exclusion>
            <exclusion>
                <artifactId>
                    jersey-test-framework-grizzly2
                </artifactId>
                <groupId>
                    com.sun.jersey.jersey-test-framework
                </groupId>
            </exclusion>
            <exclusion>
                <artifactId>jersey-guice</artifactId>
                <groupId>com.sun.jersey.contribs</groupId>
            </exclusion>
            <exclusion>
                <artifactId>jersey-server</artifactId>
                <groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
            </exclusion>
            <exclusion>
                <artifactId>jersey-core</artifactId>
                <groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
            </exclusion>
            <exclusion>
                <artifactId>jersey-json</artifactId>
                <groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
            </exclusion>
        </exclusions>
    </dependency>

So when I run my web app, everything seems to be fine until that resource is called when my jsp page loads. Here is the stack trace:

SEVERE: Servlet.service() for servlet [jersey] in context with path [/fungle.funfinder.web] threw exception [A MultiException has 3 exceptions.  They are:
1. java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.reflect.Method cannot be cast to java.lang.reflect.Constructor
2. java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: While attempting to resolve the dependencies of fungle.funfinder.rest.resource.ActivityTypeResource errors were found
3. java.lang.IllegalStateException: Unable to perform operation: resolve on fungle.funfinder.rest.resource.ActivityTypeResource
] with root cause
java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.reflect.Method cannot be cast to java.lang.reflect.Constructor
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.spring.AutowiredInjectResolver.createSpringDependencyDescriptor(AutowiredInjectResolver.java:114)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.spring.AutowiredInjectResolver.getBeanFromSpringContext(AutowiredInjectResolver.java:97)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.spring.AutowiredInjectResolver.resolve(AutowiredInjectResolver.java:92)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.ClazzCreator.resolve(ClazzCreator.java:214)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.ClazzCreator.resolveAllDependencies(ClazzCreator.java:244)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.ClazzCreator.create(ClazzCreator.java:360)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.SystemDescriptor.create(SystemDescriptor.java:456)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.SingletonContext$1.compute(SingletonContext.java:114)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.SingletonContext$1.compute(SingletonContext.java:102)
    at org.glassfish.hk2.utilities.cache.Cache$OriginThreadAwareFuture$1.call(Cache.java:97)
    at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266)
    at org.glassfish.hk2.utilities.cache.Cache$OriginThreadAwareFuture.run(Cache.java:154)
    at org.glassfish.hk2.utilities.cache.Cache.compute(Cache.java:199)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.SingletonContext.findOrCreate(SingletonContext.java:153)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.Utilities.createService(Utilities.java:2151)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.ServiceLocatorImpl.getService(ServiceLocatorImpl.java:641)
    at org.jvnet.hk2.internal.ServiceLocatorImpl.getService(ServiceLocatorImpl.java:626)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.internal.inject.Injections.getOrCreate(Injections.java:172)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.model.MethodHandler$ClassBasedMethodHandler.getInstance(MethodHandler.java:185)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.PushMethodHandlerRouter.apply(PushMethodHandlerRouter.java:74)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage._apply(RoutingStage.java:112)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage._apply(RoutingStage.java:115)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage._apply(RoutingStage.java:115)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage._apply(RoutingStage.java:115)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage._apply(RoutingStage.java:115)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage.apply(RoutingStage.java:94)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.internal.routing.RoutingStage.apply(RoutingStage.java:63)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.process.internal.Stages.process(Stages.java:197)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.ServerRuntime$1.run(ServerRuntime.java:261)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.internal.Errors$1.call(Errors.java:271)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.internal.Errors$1.call(Errors.java:267)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.internal.Errors.process(Errors.java:315)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.internal.Errors.process(Errors.java:297)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.internal.Errors.process(Errors.java:267)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.process.internal.RequestScope.runInScope(RequestScope.java:297)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.ServerRuntime.process(ServerRuntime.java:252)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.server.ApplicationHandler.handle(ApplicationHandler.java:1025)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.servlet.WebComponent.service(WebComponent.java:372)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:382)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:345)
    at org.glassfish.jersey.servlet.ServletContainer.service(ServletContainer.java:220)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:303)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:330)
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:118)
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:84)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:103)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:113)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:154)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:45)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:199)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:110)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:50)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:87)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:192)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:160)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:343)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:260)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:220)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:122)
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:501)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:171)
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:950)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:116)
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:408)
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1040)
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:607)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:316)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)

I can also post any of my app contexts and/or web xml file, it's just that this post is already pretty long and I think this might be a classpath issue. Let me know if you want to see those.

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong.

==================================

Edit: I just moved the autowired to the constructor and now it is working without exception. Still, I might need to use a setter method in the future for various reasons. Would somebody please tell me why it fails when I autowire the setter? Is this a bug?

Answer 1

This was due to a bug in Jersey (JERSEY-2681). This bug was fixed in Jersey 2.16, which was released in 2015. It was fixed in Jersey GitHub pull request #115.

The best fix therefore would be to update to Jersey 2.16 or later.

The issue was that the Jersey code re-implements some of the Spring autowiring logic, but was missing the setter method case. The exception thrown in the AutowiredInjectResolver class was because method autowiring case wasn't being taken into account; if the autowired element wasn't a field, the code was assuming it's a constructor. So in the case of an autowired method, a ClassCastException was thrown.

private DependencyDescriptor createSpringDependencyDescriptor(final Injectee injectee) {
    AnnotatedElement annotatedElement = injectee.getParent();
    if (annotatedElement.getClass().isAssignableFrom(Field.class)) {
        return new DependencyDescriptor((Field) annotatedElement,
                !injectee.isOptional());
    } else {
        return new DependencyDescriptor(
                new MethodParameter((Constructor) annotatedElement, injectee.getPosition()), !injectee.isOptional());
    }
}

If your code is stuck on an older version of Jersey and you don't want to use constructor injection, field injection does still work. So you could annotate the field with @Autowired and everything should work. You could still keep the setter around if you still want or need it.

@Autowired
private ActivityTypeDAO activityTypeDAO;

public void setActivityTypeDAO(ActivityTypeDAO activityTypeDAO) {
    this.activityTypeDAO = activityTypeDAO;
}