I use JBoss/Seam 1.0.0CR3.
When I wrote a long EL name for accessing JavaBean's property.
javax.faces.FacesException: Value binding '#{chgWhereaboutsAction.groupSelectItems}'of UISelectItems with component-path {Component-Path : [Class: javax.faces.component.UIViewRoot,ViewId: /chgWhereabouts.jsp] [Class: javax.faces.component.html.HtmlForm,Id: _id0][Class: javax.faces.component.html.HtmlSelectOneMenu,Id: groupId][Class: javax.faces.component.UISelectItems,Id: _id218]} does not reference an Object of type SelectItem, SelectItem[], Collection or Map but of type : null
There is no hard-coded limit on the size of EL expressions (other than the usual Java language limitations). The one you cited is relatively short.
Maybe you had a typo somewhere?
Stan