Help please, not able to load images in a subclass of a japplet

Question

I've created this board for a project, but now I am stuck, I cannot seem to get images to appear, instead they come up as a nullpointerexception:
public class Board extends JLayeredPane implements MouseListener, MouseMotionListener{
     private Container contentPane;
     private JLayeredPane jlp;     
     private boolean pieceSelected;
     private timepanel time;
     Image bimage;
     ImageIcon board;
     JLabel brd;
     Image pimage;
     ImageIcon piece;
     JLabel pce;
     private Graphics g;
     private pieceLayout pieces;
     private String piecename;
     private JLabel jl;
     boolean selected;
     private int offset;
     boolean changepos;
     boolean moving;
     private int brdwidth;
     private int brdheight;
     private Timer countdown;
     private updateTimer ut;
     private String cb;
     private clientinterface ci;
     private JFrame j;
     private int playerturn;
     public Board(clientinterface ci, JFrame j, Hashtable images, ArrayList names,
     ImageIcon brdicon, URL cb)
          j.setSize(500,450);
          countdown = new Timer();
          selected = false;
          jlp = this;
          jlp.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, 450));
          changepos = false;
          //contentPane = getContentPane();
          //this.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500,400));
          jlp.setBounds(0,0,500,450);
          jlp.setLocation(0,0);
          jlp.setOpaque(true);
          jlp.setLayout(null);
          System.out.println(this.getSize() + "(((())))" );
          if(j.getWidth() > 400)
               offset = j.getWidth() - 400;
          else
               offset = 0;
          System.out.println("Width is: " +  j.getWidth() + " height: " + j.getHeight());     
          brdwidth = j.getWidth()-offset;
          brdheight = j.getHeight();
          System.out.println(images.size());     
          System.out.println(j.getWidth() + " " + j.getHeight() + " " + offset);
          brd = new JLabel(brdicon);
          brd.setBounds(0,0,j.getWidth()-offset, j.getHeight());
          brd.setSize(new Dimension(400,400));
          brd.setLocation(0,0);
          brd.setOpaque(true);
          jlp.add(brd, new Integer(-5));
          jlp.setBounds(0,0,j.getWidth(), j.getHeight());
          jlp.setVisible(true);
          time = new timepanel(jlp);
          time.setLocation(j.getWidth()-offset, 0);
          System.out.println(images.toString() + "++++++++");
          pieces = new pieceLayout(jlp, j.getWidth()-offset, names, cb);
          pieces.setLocation(0,0);
          pieces.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400,400));
          pieces.setBounds(0,0,400,400);
          pieces.setVisible(true);
          time.setBounds(400,0, 100, 400);
          time.setVisible(true);
          ut = new updateTimer(time);
          jlp.add(pieces, new Integer(2));
          jlp.add(time, new Integer(2));
          //this.add(jlp);
          j.setLayeredPane(jlp);
          addMouseMotionListener(this);
          addMouseListener(this);
          //j.getContentPane().add(jlp);
          //j.setContentPane(this);
          j.validate();
          //j.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
          //j.setContentPane(this);
          j.paintAll(j.getGraphics());
     public void run()
          //this.repaint();
          this.paintAll(this.getGraphics());
          time.repaint();
     public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent e)
          JLabel temp;
          moving = true;
          //pce.setLocation(e.getX(), e.getY());
          //pieces.getPiece(pieces.translatecoords(e.getX(),e.getY())).setLocation(e.getX(),e.getY());
          int piecepos = pieces.translatecoords(e.getX(), e.getY());
          /*if(pieces.hasPiece(piecepos) && moving)
               pieces.setSelected(piecepos);
               temp = pieces.getPiece(piecepos);
               //pieces.movePiece(e.getX(), e.getY());
               temp.setLocation(e.getX(), e.getY());
          //this.repaint();
     public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e)
          Point xpoin;
          System.out.println("Hello, clicked");
          /*pce.setLocation(e.getX(), e.getY());
          Point p = pce.getLocation();
          System.out.println(p.toString());*/
          System.out.println("\n" + e.getX() + " " + e.getY());
     public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent e)
     public void mouseExited(MouseEvent e)
     public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e)
          if(selected)
               Point xp;
               int x = e.getX();
               int y = e.getY();
               int bp = pieces.translatecoords(x,y);
               xp = pieces.posToPoint(bp);
               pieces.snapToSquare(xp.x, xp.y, bp);
               selected = false;
               moving = false;
               //pieces.updateBoard(bp, piecename);
     public void mouseMoved(MouseEvent e)
     public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e)
          Point xpoin;
          int pos = pieces.translatecoords(e.getX(),e.getY());
          System.out.println("\n" + pieces.translatecoords(e.getX(),e.getY()));
          if(pieces.hasPiece(pos, e.getX(), e.getY()))
                    piecename = pieces.getName(pos);
                    System.out.println("Found a piece!");
                    pieces.setSelected(pos);
                    xpoin = pieces.posToPoint(pos);
                    selected = true;
     public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
          //super.paintComponents(g);
          //System.out.println("Painting");
          time.repaint();
     public void start()
          countdown.schedule(ut, 0, 1000);
     public void setupBoard()
               //setSize(getSize().width < 400 ? 400 : getSize().width,
               //getSize().height < 400 ? 400 : getSize().height);
               //getLayeredPane().add(brd, new Integer(-5));
     public void sendInfo(String info)
          //parse information
     public class pieceLayout extends JLayeredPane
          JLabel pce1;
          private JLabel selected;
          private Hashtable pieceList;
          private ArrayList names;
          private int width;
          private Hashtable piecesOnBoard;
          private char boardstate[]= {'R','N','B','Q','K','B','N','R',
                                             'P','P','P','P','P','P','P','P',
                                             'p','p','p','p','p','p','p','p',
                                             'r','n','b','q','k','b','n','r'
          private String posnm[]       = {
                                                   "a8", "b8", "c8", "d8", "e8", "f8", "g8", "h8",
                                                   "a7", "b7", "c7", "d7", "e7", "f7", "g7", "h7",
                                                   "a6", "b6", "c6", "d6", "e6", "f6", "g6", "h6",
                                                   "a5", "b5", "c5", "d5", "e5", "f5", "g5", "h5",
                                                   "a4", "b4", "c4", "d4", "e4", "f4", "g4", "h4",
                                                   "a3", "b3", "c3", "d3", "e3", "f3", "g3", "h3",
                                                   "a2", "b2", "c2", "d2", "e2", "f2", "g2", "h2",
                                                   "a1", "b1", "c1", "d1", "e1", "f1", "g1", "h1"
          JLayeredPane thePane;
          private Hashtable ht;
          private Hashtable board;
          private Hashtable b2p;
          private Hashtable p2b;
          private Hashtable piecePos;
          private Hashtable objToName;
          private Hashtable posnames;
          private URL codebase;
          public pieceLayout(JLayeredPane p, int twidth, ArrayList pnames, URL cb)
               pieceList = new Hashtable(20);
               codebase = cb;
               names = pnames;
               selected = new JLabel();
               piecesOnBoard = new Hashtable(32);
               ht = new Hashtable(6);
               board = new Hashtable(64);
               b2p = new Hashtable(64);
               p2b = new Hashtable(64);
               piecePos = new Hashtable(64);
               objToName = new Hashtable(32);
               posnames = new Hashtable(64);
               fillnames();
               getImages();
               setImages();
               width = twidth;
               thePane = p;
               System.out.println(piecesOnBoard.size());
               showBoard();
          private void fillnames()
               int size = posnm.length;
               for(int i = 0; i < size; i++ )
                    posnames.put(new Integer(i), new String(posnm));
               showPos();
          private void getImages()
               Pattern p = Pattern.compile(".+\\.GIF");
               Pattern p1 = Pattern.compile(".+\\.gif");
               Pattern p2 = Pattern.compile("board.+");
               Pattern p3 = Pattern.compile(".+board.+");
               for(int i = 0; i < names.size(); i++)
                    Matcher m = p.matcher((String)names.get(i));
                    Matcher m1 = p1.matcher((String)names.get(i));
                    Matcher m2 = p2.matcher((String)names.get(i));
                    Matcher m3 = p3.matcher((String)names.get(i));
                    if(m.matches() || m1.matches())
                         //System.out.println("Files are: " + dirs[i].getName());
                         if(!m2.matches() && !m3.matches())
                              String piecename = new String((String)names.get(i));
                              //     System.out.println("Files were: " + dirs[i].getName());
                              Image tpimage = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().createImage(piecename);
                              Image pimage = tpimage.getScaledInstance(35,35, Image.SCALE_DEFAULT);
                              //ImageIcon piece = new ImageIcon(pimage);
                              pieceList.put(new String(piecename), pimage);
               System.out.println(pieceList.toString());
               System.out.println(pieceList.size() + "((**))(())");
          private void setImages()
               int listsize = names.size();
               if(!pieceList.isEmpty())
                    int index = 0;
                    for(int i = 0; i < listsize; i++)
                         String pieceName = (String)names.get(index);
                         String hKey = getHashKey(pieceName);
                         System.out.println(hKey);
                         if((hKey.compareTo("blackking") == 0) || (hKey.compareTo("blackqueen") == 0) ||
                         (hKey.compareTo("whiteking") == 0) || (hKey.compareTo("whitequeen") == 0))
                              Image tpiece = (Image)pieceList.get(new String(hKey));
                              ImageIcon piece = new ImageIcon(tpiece);
                              pce1 = new JLabel(piece);
                              piecesOnBoard.put(new String(hKey), pce1);
                         else
                              System.out.println("multiples " + hKey);
                              createMultiples(hKey, pieceName);
                         if(i == listsize-1)
                              index = 0;
                         else
                              index++;
                         System.out.println(pieceName + " " + hKey + "1234567890");
          private void createMultiples(String key, String hname)
               JLabel piecet;
               String name;
               if(key == "blackpawn" || key == "whitepawn")
                    name = key;
                    for(int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
                         //System.out.println(name+i);
                         String tempname = name+i;
                         Image piece = (Image)pieceList.get(new String(name));
                         ImageIcon pieces = new ImageIcon(piece);
                         piecet = new JLabel(pieces);
                         piecesOnBoard.put(new String(tempname), piecet);
               else if(key == "blackknight" || key == "whiteknight")
                    name = key;
                    for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
                         //System.out.println(name+i);
                         String tempname = name+i;
                         Image piece = (Image)pieceList.get(new String(name));
                         ImageIcon pieces = new ImageIcon(piece);
                         piecet = new JLabel(pieces);
                         piecesOnBoard.put(new String(tempname), piecet);
                    if(!ht.containsKey(new String(key)))
                         ht.put(new String(key+0), new Integer(0));
               else if(key == "blackbishop" || key == "whitebishop")
                    name = key;
                    for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
                         System.out.println(name+i);
                         String tempname = name+i;
                         Image piece = (Image)pieceList.get(new String(name));
                         System.out.println(piece.toString());
                         ImageIcon pieces = new ImageIcon(piece);
                         piecet = new JLabel(pieces);
                         piecesOnBoard.put(new String(tempname), piecet);
                    if(!ht.containsKey(new String(key)))
                         ht.put(new String(key+0), new Integer(0));
               else if(key == "blackrook" || key == "whiterook")
                    name = key;
                    for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
                         System.out.println(name+i);
                         String tempname = name+i;
                         Image piece = (Image)pieceList.get(new String(name));
                         ImageIcon pieces = new ImageIcon(piece);
                         piecet = new JLabel(pieces);
                         piecesOnBoard.put(new String(tempname), piecet);
                    if(!ht.containsKey(new String(key)))
                         ht.put(new String(key+0), new Integer(0));
Hopefully this will format alright, but my question is, is that why is it giving me this error... it happens in the create multiples function(the last function in this code block) this is a jlayeredpane which is called by a JApplet. Any ideas on the loading? Its in the getImages() fuction.

Answer 1

These are the lines it dies on.... the System.out.println(piece.toString()); precisely. I don't know if I am not getting the images from the directory right... or if I need to make sure this is in a JAR file or not.
{                    name = key;                    for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++)                    {                         System.out.println(name+i);                         String tempname = name+i;                         Image piece = (Image)pieceList.get(new String(name));                         System.out.println(piece.toString());                         ImageIcon pieces = new ImageIcon(piece);                         piecet = new JLabel(pieces);                         piecesOnBoard.put(new String(tempname), piecet);                    }                    if(!ht.containsKey(new String(key)))                    {                         ht.put(new String(key+0), new Integer(0));                    }