NullPointerException when the version tag isn't specified

[omerzi]

Hi, I am having trouble updating a dependency version with 'use-dep-version' for a dependency without a version tag in the pom.xml:

➜  jenkins-jfrog-plugin git:(main) ✗ mvn -B versions:use-dep-version -Dincludes=org.jenkins-ci.plugins.workflow:workflow-cps -DdepVersion=2803.v1a_f77ffcc773 -DgenerateBackupPoms=false -e

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.codehaus.mojo:versions-maven-plugin:2.15.0:use-dep-version (default-cli) on project jfrog: Execution default-cli of goal org.codehaus.mojo:versions-maven-plugin:2.15.0:use-dep-version failed. NullPointerException -> [Help 1]
org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Failed to execute goal org.codehaus.mojo:versions-maven-plugin:2.15.0:use-dep-version (default-cli) on project jfrog: Execution default-cli of goal org.codehaus.mojo:versions-maven-plugin:2.15.0:use-dep-version failed.
...
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.codehaus.plexus.util.StringUtils.deleteWhitespace (StringUtils.java:147)
    at org.codehaus.mojo.versions.api.PomHelper.setDependencyVersion (PomHelper.java:565)
    at org.codehaus.mojo.versions.AbstractVersionsDependencyUpdaterMojo.updateDependencyVersion (AbstractVersionsDependencyUpdaterMojo.java:536)
    at org.codehaus.mojo.versions.UseDepVersionMojo.useDepVersion (UseDepVersionMojo.java:366)
    at org.codehaus.mojo.versions.UseDepVersionMojo.processModel (UseDepVersionMojo.java:201)
    at org.codehaus.mojo.versions.UseDepVersionMojo.execute (UseDepVersionMojo.java:156)

The code fails here:
https://github.com/mojohaus/versions/blob/master/versions-common/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/versions/api/PomHelper.java#L565

When the variable oldVersion is null.
To reproduce:

1. git clone https://github.com/jfrog/jenkins-jfrog-plugin.git
2. cd jenkins-jfrog-plugin
3. mvn -B versions:use-dep-version -Dincludes=org.jenkins-ci.plugins.workflow:workflow-cps -DdepVersion=2803.v1a_f77ffcc773 -DgenerateBackupPoms=false -e

I would be more than happy to contribute a fix, although I am unsure if a null check would be sufficient in this case. If you can let me know what the desired behavior should be, I will do so.

Thanks.

[andrzejj0]

The problem has been reported a number of times already and a fix is already merged in. See #926

As a workaround, try using -DprocessDependencies=false.

[omerzi]

Thanks, @ajarmoniuk.