Error importing data: java.lang.NullPointerException" when importing in JIRA

[nkaravias]

Hello,

I'm trying to import a Jira backup to Jira 4.4 to the same server (my database got corrupted and I had to wipe it). I created an empty database and I installed Jira there. During the installation wizard I inserted my backup.zip file. The whole process failed at 90% and Jira wasnt completely restored.

JiraImportTaskExecutionThread-1 ERROR anonymous 481x38x1 1wf8qf1 10.100.110.177 /secure/SetupImport.jspa [jira.bc.dataimport.

DefaultDataImportService] Error importing data: java.lang.NullPointerException

java.lang.NullPointerException

at com.atlassian.activeobjects.backup.ActiveObjectsForeignKeyCreator.create(ActiveObjectsForeignKeyCreator.java:51)

at com.atlassian.activeobjects.backup.ForeignKeyAroundImporter.after(ForeignKeyAroundImporter.java:29)

at com.atlassian.dbexporter.importer.AbstractImporter.importNode(AbstractImporter.java:53)

at com.atlassian.dbexporter.DbImporter.importData(DbImporter.java:73)

at com.atlassian.activeobjects.backup.ActiveObjectsBackup.restore(ActiveObjectsBackup.java:155)

at com.atlassian.jira.bc.dataimport.DefaultDataImportService.restoreActiveObjects(DefaultDataImportService.java:347)

at com.atlassian.jira.bc.dataimport.DefaultDataImportService.performImport(DefaultDataImportService.java:479)

at com.atlassian.jira.bc.dataimport.DefaultDataImportService.doImport(DefaultDataImportService.java:209)

at com.atlassian.jira.web.action.setup.DataImportAsyncCommand.call(DataImportAsyncCommand.java:65)

at com.atlassian.jira.web.action.setup.DataImportAsyncCommand.call(DataImportAsyncCommand.java:28)

at com.atlassian.jira.task.ImportTaskManagerImpl$TaskCallableDecorator.call(ImportTaskManagerImpl.java:147)

at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask$Sync.innerRun(Unknown Source)

at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)

at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Unknown Source)

at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask$Sync.innerRun(Unknown Source)

at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)

at com.atlassian.multitenant.impl.DefaultMultiTenantManager.runForTenant(DefaultMultiTenantManager.java:61)

at com.atlassian.multitenant.juc.MultiTenantExecutors$WrappedRunnable.run(MultiTenantExecutors.java:160)

at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(Unknown Source)

at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)

at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

Someone suggested that I unzip my backup and install entities.xml first

Any ideas? This seems to be a pretty core issue if noone with Jira 4.4 can upgrade from xml dumps.

Thanks,

Nikolas

[Naren · Accepted solution]

This seems to be known bug in JIRA 4.x for the older version of Active Objects.

Can you try extracting the zip file to a folder. You will see two xml files -

• entities.xml
• activeobjects.xml

Try importing only the entities.xml file only into JIRA by zipping it on importing as it as.

Also you may try creating a SQL DB dump and then restore it in target DB. If the problem still persists, raise a support ticket.

Hope this helps!

[nkaravias]

I'm working on that at the moment. It's taking more time than the previous zip import (the zip took me 1:40 hours, now I'm at 50% after 1:15 hours). I'm just importing entities.xml for now (unziped). What about the other xml file (activeobjects)? Will I have to import it later after Jira is up and running?

Have you heard any success stories on people that followed this procedure (entities.xml instead of the zip)? This seems like an insanely critical bug with massive impact in most occasions. I'm amazed it's not mentioned by atlassian somewhere in the installation / upgrade / migrate documents.

I'll get back to you once the procedure is complete (I'd guess it would be another 45-50mins).

Thanks,

Nikolas

[Naren]

You should've tried by zipping the xml file, anyways, hopefully it should import the backup successfully.

You may be able to find this known bug for the above error JIRA-26635, JIRA-27939

>> What about the other xml file (activeobjects)? Will I have to import it later after Jira is up and running?

I don't think you need to import activeobjects.xml further into JIRA. Its better to create a support ticket in such cases.

Even I too faced the same kind of critical situation while importing the XML backup for the ActiveObjects, but with different errors. Which I was able to resolve it with the help of Atlassian support team.

[nkaravias]

Yeah I noticed that bug, however without a workaround (like importing just entities.xml) there's not much to see there. Hopefully entities.xml will work (as someone else implied on a similar issue).

Thanks,

[Naren]

Yeah, hope so. Let me know how it goes!

[nkaravias]

Yes it worked. This should get added somewhere on atlassian install / upgrade instructions.

Thanks!