NullPointerException on MacOS during startup with DisplayLink

[andyflatt]

I have been trying to run VisualVM on my mac all morning. I have updated to the latest JDK and am still having issues. Hopefully I missed something simple.

laptop:bin user1$ jvisualvm --jdkhome /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home -J-Dnetbeans.logger.console=true
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Log Session: Tuesday, May 1, 2018 11:51:10 AM BST
>System Info: 
  Product Version         = Java VisualVM
  Operating System        = Mac OS X version 10.13.3 running on x86_64
  Java; VM; Vendor        = 1.8.0_172; Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 25.172-b11; Oracle Corporation
  Runtime                 = Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 1.8.0_172-b11
  Java Home               = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre
  System Locale; Encoding = en_GB (visualvm); UTF-8
  Home Directory          = /Users/user1
  Current Directory       = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/bin
  User Directory          = /Users/user1/Library/Application Support/VisualVM/8u131
  Cache Directory         = /Users/user1/Library/Caches/VisualVM/8u131
  Installation            = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/visualvm
                            /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/profiler
                            /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform
  Boot & Ext. Classpath   = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/resources.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/rt.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/sunrsasign.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/jsse.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/jce.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/charsets.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/jfr.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/classes:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/sunec.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/nashorn.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/cldrdata.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/jfxrt.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/dnsns.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/localedata.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/sunjce_provider.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/sunpkcs11.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/jaccess.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/jre/lib/ext/zipfs.jar:/System/Library/Java/Extensions/MRJToolkit.jar
  Application Classpath   = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/boot.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/org-openide-modules.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/org-openide-util-lookup.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/org-openide-util.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/boot_ja.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/boot_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/org-openide-modules_ja.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/org-openide-modules_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/org-openide-util-lookup_ja.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/org-openide-util-lookup_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/org-openide-util_ja.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/lib/locale/org-openide-util_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/dt.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/tools.jar
  Startup Classpath       = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/core/org-openide-filesystems.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/core/core.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/core/locale/core_ja.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/core/locale/org-openide-filesystems_ja.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/core/locale/org-openide-filesystems_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/platform/core/locale/core_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/visualvm/core/com-sun-tools-visualvm-modules-startup.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/visualvm/core/locale/com-sun-tools-visualvm-modules-startup_zh_CN.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/visualvm/core/locale/core_visualvm.jar:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_172.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/visualvm/visualvm/core/locale/com-sun-tools-visualvm-modules-startup_ja.jar
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at java.awt.Window.init(Window.java:497)
	at java.awt.Window.<init>(Window.java:537)
	at java.awt.Frame.<init>(Frame.java:420)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.Splash.setRunning(Splash.java:119)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.Main.start(Main.java:257)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.TopThreadGroup.run(TopThreadGroup.java:84)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)

[thurka]

Do you have external monitor connected via some non-standard graphics card? Are you using DisplayLink?

[thurka]

Closing until more info is available.

[andyflatt]

I have an external monitor connected via DisplayLink using a Dell Docking Station Model D6000.

[thurka]

Try to disconnect DisplayLink USB adapter and start VisualVM. Does it fix the problem?

[bobbui]

I'm having the same problem, I'm using external monitor but not using DisplayLink USB. Any idea how to solve it?

[bobbui]

Managed to fix it by download latest JDK

[brunchboy]

I just moved to a new model MacBookPro, and find that any Java application crashes with a similar NullPointerException when I try to create any Swing windows if I am running in clamshell mode, with my monitors connected by a Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Express dock (one 4K display via HDMI, one LED Cinema Display via DisplayPort).

I updated to the latest releases of JDK 8 and JDK 10, and the same problem occurs. I need to open the laptop for Swing windows to be opened successfully.

Where is the best place to report this bug?

[brunchboy]

(I found where to submit bugs, but now I can’t reproduce the problem any longer. The OS must have been in a weird state. Sorry about the noise here, I will submit the issue in the right place if it recurs.)

[h3adache]

Still running into this using latest jdk 8.

1.8.0_202; Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 25.202-b08

java.lang.NullPointerException
	at java.awt.Window.init(Window.java:497)
	at java.awt.Window.<init>(Window.java:537)
	at java.awt.Frame.<init>(Frame.java:420)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.Splash.setRunning(Splash.java:119)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.Main.start(Main.java:257)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.TopThreadGroup.run(TopThreadGroup.java:84)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)

Also running multiple monitors with DisplayLink.
If I remove it from the dock it's fine, once you connect it back it crashes.

Process:               java [57057]
Path:                  /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_202.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java
Identifier:            net.java.openjdk.cmd
Version:               1.0 (1.0)
Code Type:             X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:        ??? [56764]
Responsible:           java [57057]
User ID:               501

Date/Time:             2019-01-28 14:57:46.296 -0500
OS Version:            Mac OS X 10.14.2 (18C54)
Report Version:        12
Bridge OS Version:     3.2 (16P2542)
Anonymous UUID:        393F2990-4C37-85A4-0554-6FC58C98EB20

Sleep/Wake UUID:       E0D2829C-49D7-4A81-BA32-7A4B1C2CD5CB

Time Awake Since Boot: 190000 seconds
Time Since Wake:       19000 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:        28  Java: Java2D Queue Flusher

Exception Type:        EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGABRT)
Exception Codes:       KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000000000003
Exception Note:        EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

VM Regions Near 0x3:
--> 
    __TEXT                 0000000106a9a000-0000000106aac000 [   72K] r-x/rwx SM=COW  /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_202.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java

Application Specific Information:
abort() called

[PhilippSalvisberg]

I have the same problem. I've opened a thread in the
DisplayLink forum.

The workaround is to keep the MacBook lid open and ensure that mirroring is disabled and the MacBook screen is the primary display (white bar on MacBook in Display Arrangement as shown below).

[thurka]

@PhilippSalvisberg Maybe this is JDK bug and DisplayLink driver does nothing wrong.

[PhilippSalvisberg]

@thurka maybe. In fact I run the code I've posted in the DisplayLink forum with JDK7, JDK8, JDK11 and JDK12. And guess what? It worked with JDK7 (NPE with other JDKs). This at least indicates, that it could be a JDK issue.

Any idea how to address that properly?

[PhilippSalvisberg]

@thurka fyi: I've opened SR 3-19669687661 : NullPointerException on MacOS during startup of Swing app with DisplayLink dock