Topic: DC 2.3 - Null error when selecting an analysis / transformer function ?

Hmmm, I'm having a very weird behaviour:

for example I select a CSV file to be analysed. File selection is ok, then it comes to the analysis step (no other feature actived so far).

But when I want to select an Analysis or Transformer function I get an error just some seconds after I have opened up the list of functions from the menubar and move the key over the functions available. Here is the error text:
==================
Unexpected error!

Message:
java.lang.NullPointerException
Level:
SEVERE
Stack Trace:
null
sun.font.FontDesignMetrics$MetricsKey.init(Unknown Source)
sun.font.FontDesignMetrics.getMetrics(Unknown Source)
sun.swing.SwingUtilities2.getFontMetrics(Unknown Source)
javax.swing.JComponent.getFontMetrics(Unknown Source)
javax.swing.JTextArea.getColumnWidth(Unknown Source)
javax.swing.JTextArea.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
org.eobjects.datacleaner.widgets.DescriptorMenuItem.createToolTip(DescriptorMenuItem.java:114)
javax.swing.ToolTipManager.showTipWindow(Unknown Source)
javax.swing.ToolTipManager$insideTimerAction.actionPerformed(Unknown Source)
javax.swing.Timer.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
javax.swing.Timer$DoPostEvent.run(Unknown Source)
java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)
==================

What is so strange with that error is the fact, that it ONLY occurs, if I move the cursor over the list of features. If I keep away, nothing will happen.

Also if I am fast enough to select a function, everything seems to be fine. This means: no error message, the window with the details for the function selected will appear and I can start the analysis. Maybe the analysis is still in theory, because I started it some minutes before and still there is no dialogue which shows up in the analysis results screen - so something like "number of records read" and details if I click on the verbose mode. I believe this is a follow up mis-function due to the problems I've described on top.

So what to do now ???

Best regards,
Christian

(received Java version by mail)

I see your version (Java 6u11) does actually meet our formal minimum requirements, but it is still quite old (end 2008) and Sun/Oracle have fixed a lot of bugs since then. So before we do anything else, can you try updating to the latest version of Java 6 (6u27). You can find it here on Oracle's website

Hi again,

did not forget, but unfortunatelly my local administrator privilege has been deactivated by mistake (you'll remember, we have a very strong IT-security in our company).

So I had to restart the process again to get my local administrator back. And this takes some time.

And before I can do some further checks and tests (e.g.: a new Java installation) I need the administrator privileges first.

Best regards,
Christian

Hallo Kasper,

so I am fighting my way through registry settings and Java versions.

So far I got the administor privileges back. And in fact I suspect that the whole problem has been caused by an installation of a third party product. For some reasons there must have been a change in my settings.

And the problems are not only affecting DC but also other applications which are using Java.

So that is the status so far:
* I had 2 Java versions (1.6 and 1.7) which got somehow mixed up. So I removed 1.6
* I verified also the path settings
* as long as I use my local administrator account, everything works perfect and I can run DC and the other applications without error messages.
* if I login as regular user, it still does not work. DC unfortunatelly does not return an error message, but does funny display actions on the screen. Other applications check basic setups before and come back immediatelly with error messages about my Java setup.

As it seems that this can also happen to my colleagues - depending on the applications they need to run on their PC.
So I investigate now a lot to get this fixed and to setup a clear guideline what to do if Java settings are not working.

In other words currently I enhance my knowledge a lot about Java. And as I am no Java specialist (and did not plan to become one), of course I am happy about any hint which may help me to fix the problem.

So far I could fix the following error message "Registry key 'Software\JvaSoft\JavaRuntime Environment\CurrentVersion' has value xxx, but yyy is required". But this was just a small step.

Best regards,
Christian

Hi Kaspar,

no celebrations yet, because I just could fix a specific Java error. But still DC is not working with my Java Installation yet.

So what I could reach so far:
LAPTOP 1 / STANDARD USER
* get rid of version mix
* get all other Java based applications running (no more Java problems)
* DC still has the problems as described before

LAPTOP A / ADMINISTRATOR USER
* get rid of ALL problems
* DC works properly !!!


Checked already a lot of settings and still I am investigating why there is a different behaviour with both users.
My changes helped, because some applications are working now again and properly.

Keep you updated as soon as I find something. And if you have any hint what I should check additionally would be helpful.

Best regards,
Christian