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Assert cannot be resolved to a type - Eclipse Helios for RCP Developers

The following error is preventing my project from running:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.Error: Unresolved compilation problems: 
  assert cannot be resolved to a type
  Syntax error on token ".", ; expected
  The method holdsLock(Logging[]) is undefined for the type Logging
  at org.geotools.util.logging.Logging.getLogging(Logging.java:183)
  at org.geotools.util.logging.Logging.getLogging(Logging.java:170)
  at org.geotools.util.logging.Logging.<clinit>(Logging.java:78)
  at myproject.RasterTest.<init>(RasterTest.java:57)
  at myproject.RasterTest.main(RasterTest.java:318)`

The logging tool needed from the geotools library has many assert statements within the classes which eclipse does not recognise.

I have seen a few similar problems on SO which suggested entering the string -ea into
Windows -> Preferences -> Java -> Installed JREs -> jdk1.7.0_51 -> Edit -> Default VM Arguments, but I did that to no avail.


The line which throws the error:

public class RasterTest extends ViewPart {
  ...
  protected final Logger LOGGER =  
    org.geotools.util.logging.Logging.getLogger("org.geotools.factory");
  ...
}
Solution

  • I found a solution:

    Instead of entering the string -ea into Windows -> Preferences -> Java -> Installed JREs -> jdk1.7.0_51 -> Edit -> Default VM Arguments

    I entered the string -ea into Right Click on ProjectName in Project Window -> Run as -> Run Configurations -> ProjectName.product -> Arguments -> Default VM Arguments.

    If anyone knows why the second works, but not the first, I'd love to know why.