@Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
  public void testAlterPartitionsNullPartition() throws Exception {
    createTable4PartColsParts(client);
    Partition part = client.listPartitions(DB_NAME, TABLE_NAME, (short)-1).get(0);
    client.alter_partitions(DB_NAME, TABLE_NAME, Lists.newArrayList(part, null));
  }
Testing
   alter_partitions(String,String,List(Partition)) ->
   alter_partitions_with_environment_context(String,String,List(Partition),null).
standalone-metastore/metastore-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/metastore/client/TestAlterPartitions.java