I have static variables in my test class, which I attempt to initialize using a static **@BeforeClass** method. However, I keep on getting the **java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError** exception, and I cannot figure out what in the world I am doing wrong.

Below is my code - I get the exception at the first line of **setupLocators()**:

```
package com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryTransactions.sales;

import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.Container;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.InventoryItem;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.InventoryQuantity;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.Location;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.Locator;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryTransactions.TransactionStatus;
import java.util.ArrayList;

import java.util.Date;
import java.util.List;
import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.BeforeClass;
import org.junit.Test;

/**
 *
 * @author Mwaldner
 */
public class SaleTest
{

    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(SaleTest.class);

    Sale sale;
    List<InventoryQuantity> inventory;
    List<InventoryQuantity> itemsToRemove;
    private static Locator l1;
    private static Locator l2;
    private static InventoryItem i1;
    private static InventoryItem i2;

    @BeforeClass
    public static void setupTest()
    {
        setupLocators();
        setupItems();
    }

    private static void setupLocators()
    {
        try
        {
            l1 = new Location();
            l1.setCode("L1");
            l2 = new Container();
            l2.setCode("C1");
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            log.error("error",e);
            log.error(e.getStackTrace());
        }

    }

    private static void setupItems()
    {
        i1 = new InventoryItem();
        i1.setBarcode("B1");
        i2 = new InventoryItem();
        i2.setBarcode("B2");
    }

    @Before
    public void setUp()
    {
        setupFakeInventory();
    }

    private void setupFakeInventory()
    {
        inventory = new ArrayList<InventoryQuantity>();

        InventoryQuantity iq1 = new InventoryQuantity();
        iq1.setItem(i1);
        iq1.setLocator(l1);
        iq1.setQuantityOnHand(15);

        InventoryQuantity iq2 = new InventoryQuantity();
        iq2.setItem(i2);
        iq2.setLocator(l2);
        iq2.setQuantityOnHand(35);

        inventory.add(iq1);
        inventory.add(iq2);
    }

    /**
     * <strong>Given</strong><br/>
     * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a list of <code>InventoryQuantity</code>     <br/>
     * <strong>Then</strong><br/>
     * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;remove said watches at said location from inventory
     */
    @Test
    public void testSellWatches() throws Exception
    {
        try
        {
            sale = new Sale();
            int user = sale.getCreatedBy();
            Date date = sale.getDateTimeFulfilled();

            sale.inventory = inventory;
            SaleLine line1 = new SaleLine(l1, i1, 5);
            SaleLine line2 = new SaleLine(l2, i2, 7);
            sale.add(line1);
            sale.add(line2);
            sale.execute(0);

            assertTrue(checkInventory(l1, i1) == 10);
            assertTrue(checkInventory(l2, i2) == 28);
            assertTrue(sale.getStatus() == TransactionStatus.COMPLETED);
            assertTrue(sale.toString().equals("Sale performed by '' on "));
            assertTrue(line1.toString().equals("Sold 5 of item 'i1' from locator 'l1'"));
            assertTrue(line2.toString().equals("Sold 7 of item 'i2' from locator 'l2'"));

        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            log.error(e.getCause());
            log.error(e.getMessage());
            log.error("error", e);
        }
    }

    private int checkInventory(Locator locator, InventoryItem item)
    {
        List<InventoryQuantity> inventory = sale.inventory;

        for (InventoryQuantity iq : inventory)
        {
            if (iq.getLocator().equals(locator) && iq.getItem().equals(item))
            {
                return iq.getQuantityOnHand();
            }
        }

        return 0;
    }

}

```

Here is the Location class:

```
package com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects;

import com.stuhrling.warehouse.exceptions.LocationsDisabledException;
import javax.persistence.Column;
import javax.persistence.DiscriminatorValue;
import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.EnumType;
import javax.persistence.Enumerated;

import com.stuhrling.warehouse.exceptions.ParentContainerException;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.exceptions.PersistenceException;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.Sequence.LocationSequence;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.locationHeirarchy.LocationNameFactory;
import com.stuhrling.warehouse.persistence.WH_HibernateUtil;
import java.util.List;
import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
import org.hibernate.Session;
import org.hibernate.criterion.Restrictions;

/**
 * @author Brian Horn
 */
@Entity
@DiscriminatorValue("L")
public class Location extends Container
{
    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(Location.class);

    @Column(name = "location_type")
    @Enumerated(EnumType.STRING)
    private LocationType locationType = LocationType.DEFAULT;

    public Location()
    {

    }

    public Location(String code)
    {
        this.code = code;
    }

    public Location(String code, String name)
    {
        this.code = code;
        this.name = name;
    }

    /**
     * Create a new <code>Location</code> for storing inventory;<br>
     * a unique sequence# is automatically assigned to the <code>Location</code>
     * .<br>
     * <Strong>Use this method to create new Locations, <i>do not use the
     * <code>Location</code> class!</i></Strong>
     *
     * @return
     * @throws PersistenceException
     */
    public static Location newLocation() throws PersistenceException
    {
        Location loc = new Location(LocationSequence.getNext());

        return loc;
    }

    /**
     * Create a new <code>Location</code> for storing inventory;<br>
     * a unique sequence# is automatically assigned to the <code>Location</code>
     * .<br>
     * <Strong>Use this method to create new Locations, <i>do not use the
     * <code>Location</code> class!</i></Strong>
     *
     * @param locationType
     * @param parent
     * @return
     * @throws PersistenceException
     * @throws com.stuhrling.warehouse.exceptions.ParentContainerException
     */
    public static Location newLocation(LocationType locationType, Locator parent) throws PersistenceException, ParentContainerException, LocationsDisabledException
    {
        Location loc = new Location(LocationSequence.getNext());
        loc.addTo(parent);
        log.debug(parent.getCode());
        loc.setLocationType(locationType);
        List<Location> siblings = getSiblings(loc);
        LocationNameFactory lFactory = new LocationNameFactory(loc, siblings);
        loc.setName(lFactory.getName());

        return loc;
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    private static List<Location> getSiblings(Location location) throws PersistenceException
    {
        Session session = WH_HibernateUtil.getCurrentSession();
        List<Location> l = session.createCriteria(Location.class).add(Restrictions.eq("parent", location.getParent())).add(Restrictions.isNotNull("name")).list();
        return l;
    }

    @Override
    public String getName()
    {
        return name;
    }

    public void setName(String name)
    {
        this.name = name;
    }

    public LocationType getLocationType()
    {
        return locationType;
    }

    public void setLocationType(LocationType locationType)
    {
        this.locationType = locationType;
    }

    public void createHierarchicalName(LocationNameFactory factory) throws Exception
    {
        if (!(locationType.equals(LocationType.DEFAULT)))
        {
            name = factory.getName();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void addTo(Locator locator) throws ParentContainerException, LocationsDisabledException
    {
        if (locator instanceof Location || locator instanceof Subinventory)
        {
            super.addTo(locator);
        }
        else
        {
            throw new ParentContainerException("Cannot add location to container");
        }
    }

}

```

Here is the StackTrace:

```
java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError: null
at com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryObjects.Location.<clinit>  (Location.java:17)
at com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryTransactions.sales.SaleTest.setupLocators(SaleTest.java:47)
at com.stuhrling.warehouse.inventoryTransactions.sales.SaleTest.setupTest(SaleTest.java:39)

```

Thank You in advance for your time.

**Edit**: BTW, I forgot to mention that **Location** and **Container** are subclasses of **Locator**.