Spring With XML configuration, setter selection can be random in case of overloaded setter methods (e.g. on SimpleClientHttpRequestFactory in 6.1)

Affects: 6.1.0-M2 or later

Summary

In XMLConfig, if a bean-defined class has an overloaded setter, an exception may be thrown at runtime.

I checked the logs and found that the wrong setter was used. Specifically, I found that the setter was changing each time the application was launched.

This behavior only occurs in XMLConfig and not in JavaConfig. I think this behavior is a bug in Spring Framework, what do you think?

Detail

I found this behavior in the bean definition of SimpleClientHttpRequestFactory. Here is an example of a Baen definition.

```xml:sample.xml


spring-web-6.1.0-M2 or later,
SimplyClientHttpRequestFactory have overload setter of Duration and int such as setConnectTimeout method, setReadTimeout method.
https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-framework/blob/v6.1.0-M2/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/SimpleClientHttpRequestFactory.java#L99C1-L135C3


In the XMLConfig example above, my expected behavior was that a Duration setter would be used.
However, in actuality, the int setter was sometimes used.

The log of that case is shown below.

<details><summary>log.txt</summary><div>

```text
    org.springframework.beans.factory.UnsatisfiedDependencyException: Error creating bean with name 'timeoutRestClientServiceImpl': Unsatisfied dependency expressed through field 'timeoutRestTemplate': Error creating bean with name 'timeoutRestTemplate' defined in file [C:\WORK\dev\apache-tomcat-10.1.8\webapps\spring-functionaltest-web\WEB-INF\classes\META-INF\spring\rscl-app\applicationContext-rscl.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'clientHttpRequestFactory' while setting constructor argument
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.resolveFieldValue(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:767)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:747)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:145)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessProperties(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:492)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1420)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:600)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:523)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:325)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:234)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:323)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:199)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:973)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:939)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:608)
        at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:394)
        at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:274)
        at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:102)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4454)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:4892)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:683)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:658)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:713)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployWAR(HostConfig.java:975)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig$DeployWar.run(HostConfig.java:1949)
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:539)
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75)
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:123)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployWARs(HostConfig.java:776)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployApps(HostConfig.java:426)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.start(HostConfig.java:1656)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.lifecycleEvent(HostConfig.java:309)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.fireLifecycleEvent(LifecycleBase.java:123)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.setStateInternal(LifecycleBase.java:423)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.setState(LifecycleBase.java:366)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:898)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.startInternal(StandardHost.java:846)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1332)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1322)
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75)
        at java.base/java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:145)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:871)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine.startInternal(StandardEngine.java:241)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardService.startInternal(StandardService.java:428)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardServer.startInternal(StandardServer.java:913)
        at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina.start(Catalina.java:795)
        at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:77)
        at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
        at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:568)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.start(Bootstrap.java:347)
        at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.main(Bootstrap.java:478)
    Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'timeoutRestTemplate' defined in file [C:\WORK\dev\apache-tomcat-10.1.8\webapps\spring-functionaltest-web\WEB-INF\classes\META-INF\spring\rscl-app\applicationContext-rscl.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'clientHttpRequestFactory' while setting constructor argument
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:377)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:135)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.resolveConstructorArguments(ConstructorResolver.java:702)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.autowireConstructor(ConstructorResolver.java:206)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.autowireConstructor(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1356)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1193)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:563)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:523)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:325)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:234)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:323)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:199)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.config.DependencyDescriptor.resolveCandidate(DependencyDescriptor.java:254)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1441)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1348)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.resolveFieldValue(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:764)
        ... 57 more
    Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'clientHttpRequestFactory' defined in file [C:\WORK\dev\apache-tomcat-10.1.8\webapps\spring-functionaltest-web\WEB-INF\classes\META-INF\spring\rscl-app\applicationContext-rscl.xml]: Failed to convert property value of type 'java.time.Duration' to required type 'int' for property 'readTimeout'; Cannot convert value of type 'java.time.Duration' to required type 'int' for property 'readTimeout': PropertyEditor [org.springframework.beans.propertyeditors.CustomNumberEditor] returned inappropriate value of type 'java.time.Duration'
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:608)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:523)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:325)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:234)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:323)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:199)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:365)
        ... 72 more
    Caused by: org.springframework.beans.TypeMismatchException: Failed to convert property value of type 'java.time.Duration' to required type 'int' for property 'readTimeout'; Cannot convert value of type 'java.time.Duration' to required type 'int' for property 'readTimeout': PropertyEditor [org.springframework.beans.propertyeditors.CustomNumberEditor] returned inappropriate value of type 'java.time.Duration'
        at org.springframework.beans.AbstractNestablePropertyAccessor.convertIfNecessary(AbstractNestablePropertyAccessor.java:598)
        at org.springframework.beans.AbstractNestablePropertyAccessor.convertForProperty(AbstractNestablePropertyAccessor.java:607)
        at org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapperImpl.convertForProperty(BeanWrapperImpl.java:190)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.convertForProperty(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1734)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1691)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1435)
        at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:600)
        ... 78 more
    Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Cannot convert value of type 'java.time.Duration' to required type 'int' for property 'readTimeout': PropertyEditor [org.springframework.beans.propertyeditors.CustomNumberEditor] returned inappropriate value of type 'java.time.Duration'
        at org.springframework.beans.TypeConverterDelegate.convertIfNecessary(TypeConverterDelegate.java:268)
        at org.springframework.beans.AbstractNestablePropertyAccessor.convertIfNecessary(AbstractNestablePropertyAccessor.java:588)
        ... 84 more

In contrast to the sibling issue about constructor arguments, this one is not actually related to parameter name retention as far as I can tell. This is rather a consequence of us having added overloaded setter methods to SimpleClientHttpRequestFactory in 6.1 which is not properly supported by the JavaBeans Introspector, sometimes choosing an arbitrary setter method then (depending on the JVM's runtime reflection order which is not predictable).

While we arguably should have introduced those Duration-based setters with different method names instead, as traditional JavaBeans wants it to be if the argument types differ, there is also a long-standing case that we should handle this in a more lenient but predictable fashion. I'll see what I can do about this for 6.1.3.

This is still reproducible for me exactly with the same XML Bean definition on 6.1.3 version. According to stack trace the exception (TypeMismatchException) is happening here https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-framework/blob/2e9d6a1d4e4720414ab3c5c0f64f9ff20cf676eb/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java#L1689

As far as I understand the fix by @jhoeller will help if convertIfNecessary method is called later @ https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-framework/blob/2e9d6a1d4e4720414ab3c5c0f64f9ff20cf676eb/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java#L1717

@dima-sarin good catch, we should be equally defensive when pre-converting a value there, sorry for missing this the first time around. Could you please create a follow-up GitHub issue linking to this one? I'll revisit this for 6.1.4 then.

@jhoeller , I really appreciate such a quick turnaround on this one. I've created a new issue (https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-framework/issues/32159).