properties - Spring application Context initialization failed, BeanCreationException - Error Setting Property due to NullPointerException Util:Set property -

having problem i'm not sure start looking with.

background:

multi-module app - main web app module , module each provider, using overlays overwrite provider-specifics @ file level. problem occurring in 1 of provider modules. provider modules use pretty similar applicationcontext.xml's. problem occurring on production environment, , on 1 co-workers machine - 1 of provider overlay modules - built same git master branch. dev/test/prod machine = linux, co-workers machine = imac, else's machines = windows.

problem occurs @ weblogic startup, when offending bean being initialized. bean wired set properties defined in same applicationcontext.xml in terms of util:set elements. various modules define same auth_filter bean same set properties (albeit providers may have couple of different uris lists)

bean definition:

<bean id="auth_filter" class="xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.authfilter"><!--offending bean-->     <property name="sessionprofile" ref="sessionprofile"/>     <property name="alloweduris" ref="alloweduris"/><!--offending set-->     <property name="protecteduris" ref="protecteduris"/><!--offending set-->     <property name="allowedalwaysuris" ref="allowedalwaysuris"/><!--offending set--> </bean> 

the offending sets defined follows (just 1 brevity - others follow suite):

<util:set id="alloweduris">     <value>/</value> <!--this here because '/j_spring_security_check' presents in authfilter-->     <value></value> <!-- dashboard -->     <value>/login(/.*)*</value>     <value>/resources(/.*)*</value>     <value>/register(/.*)*</value>     <value>/forgotpassword(/.*)*</value>     <value>/community(/.*)*</value>     .     .     .     </util:set> 

when weblogic starts, other modules start fine, seen excluding offending module build shows no issues in others. module gives following exception (again truncated brevity, can include if required):

     [2013/07/19 08:46:40] [error] org.springframework.web.context.contextloader@308 -> context initialization failed org.springframework.beans.factory.beancreationexception: error creating bean name 'auth_filter' defined in servletcontext resource [/web-inf/applicationcontext.xml]: error setting property values; nested exception org.springframework.beans.propertybatchupdateexception; nested propertyaccessexceptions (3) are: propertyaccessexception 1: org.springframework.beans.methodinvocationexception: property 'alloweduris' threw exception; nested exception java.lang.nullpointerexception propertyaccessexception 2: org.springframework.beans.methodinvocationexception: property 'protecteduris' threw exception; nested exception java.lang.nullpointerexception propertyaccessexception 3: org.springframework.beans.methodinvocationexception: property 'allowedalwaysuris' threw exception; nested exception java.lang.nullpointerexception     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.applypropertyvalues(abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.java:1396)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.populatebean(abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.java:1118)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.docreatebean(abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.java:517)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.createbean(abstractautowirecapablebeanfactory.java:456)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractbeanfactory$1.getobject(abstractbeanfactory.java:294)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.defaultsingletonbeanregistry.getsingleton(defaultsingletonbeanregistry.java:225)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractbeanfactory.dogetbean(abstractbeanfactory.java:291)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.abstractbeanfactory.getbean(abstractbeanfactory.java:193)     @ org.springframework.beans.factory.support.defaultlistablebeanfactory.preinstantiatesingletons(defaultlistablebeanfactory.java:585)     @ org.springframework.context.support.abstractapplicationcontext.finishbeanfactoryinitialization(abstractapplicationcontext.java:913)     @ org.springframework.context.support.abstractapplicationcontext.refresh(abstractapplicationcontext.java:464)     @ org.springframework.web.context.contextloader.configureandrefreshwebapplicationcontext(contextloader.java:385)     @ org.springframework.web.context.contextloader.initwebapplicationcontext(contextloader.java:284)     @ org.springframework.web.context.contextloaderlistener.contextinitialized(contextloaderlistener.java:111) . . . 

again, error has shown occurring on production environment, , 1 other co-workers machines. advice begin looking hugely appreciated

compare versions of weblogic , jre of environment dev test setup. check if spring versions same.