Bug in 6.1 SP6 + 8.1 SP2 in WebAppServletContext.setAttribute

Question

          Althoug I found a depending Fixed Problem Message for BEA 7.0, I get the following
          NullPointer Exception with BEA Weblogic Server 6.1 SP6 (in SP 4 it works fine)
          and in 8.1 SP2.
          The J2EE Spec allowes to use setAttribute("xy", null) and it should be handled
          in the same way like caling removeAttribute("xy").
          11:19:37,573 ERROR (AdministrationConstantReloadTab.java:101) - Fehler beim Anzeigen
          des AdministrationAntragReloadTabs
          java.lang.NullPointerException
          at java.util.Hashtable.put(Hashtable.java:389)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.WebAppServletContext.setAttribute(WebAppServletContext.java:669)
          at de.abc.elektra.administration.control.AdministrationConstantReloadTab.handleAction(AdministrationConstantReloadTab.java:90)
          at de.abc.elektra.common.control.TabHandler$TabFormListener.formSubmitted(TabHandler.java:216)
          at com.javelin.swinglets.SForm.processFormEvent(SForm.java:168)
          at com.javelin.swinglets.SForm.processEvent(SForm.java:132)
          at com.javelin.swinglets.SComponent.dispatchEvent(SComponent.java:1179)
          at com.javelin.swinglets.ServletManager.handle(ServletManager.java:256)
          at de.abc.elektra.common.control.WindowHandler.handleContext(WindowHandler.java:44)
          at de.abc.elektra.common.control.Navigator.process(Navigator.java:239)
          at de.abc.elektra.common.control.Navigator.doPost(Navigator.java:117)
          at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:760)
          at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:853)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletStubImpl$ServletInvocationAction.run(ServletStubImpl.java:971)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletStubImpl.invokeServlet(ServletStubImpl.java:402)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletStubImpl.invokeServlet(ServletStubImpl.java:305)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.WebAppServletContext$ServletInvocationAction.run(WebAppServletContext.java:6350)
          at weblogic.security.acl.internal.AuthenticatedSubject.doAs(AuthenticatedSubject.java:317)
          at weblogic.security.service.SecurityManager.runAs(SecurityManager.java:118)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.WebAppServletContext.invokeServlet(WebAppServletContext.java:3635)
          at weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletRequestImpl.execute(ServletRequestImpl.java:2585)
          at weblogic.kernel.ExecuteThread.execute(ExecuteThread.java:197)
          at weblogic.kernel.ExecuteThread.run(ExecuteThread.java:170)
          http://java.sun.com/j2ee/sdk_1.3/techdocs/api/javax/servlet/ServletContext.html#setAttribute(java.lang.String,
          java.lang.Object)
          javax.servlet
          Interface ServletContext
          setAttribute
          public void setAttribute(java.lang.String name,
          java.lang.Object object)Binds an object to a given attribute
          name in this servlet context. If the name specified is already used for an attribute,
          this method will replace the attribute with the new to the new attribute.
          If listeners are configured on the ServletContext the container notifies them
          accordingly.
          If a null value is passed, the effect is the same as calling removeAttribute().
          Attribute names should follow the same convention as package names. The Java
          Servlet API specification reserves names matching java.*, javax.*, and sun.*.
          Parameters:
          name - a String specifying the name of the attribute
          object - an Object representing the attribute to be bound
          It is not really a problem if you have the chance to quickly change your implementation
          as you can use removeAttribute(String). But if there is a BEA employee reading
          this, then that bug should be fixed in the upcoming Service Packs.
          Guido Reiff
          

Answer 1

I think we are running into a related issue with WLS6.1 SP6. We use struts
          and on re-loading some of the action classes, we see a NPE on a
          getServletContext call in org.apache.structs.action.RequestProcessor. This
          worked fine in WLS6.1 SP4.
          - Prasad
          "greiff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
          news:[email protected]...
          >
          > Althoug I found a depending Fixed Problem Message for BEA 7.0, I get the
          following
          > NullPointer Exception with BEA Weblogic Server 6.1 SP6 (in SP 4 it works
          fine)
          > and in 8.1 SP2.
          >
          > The J2EE Spec allowes to use setAttribute("xy", null) and it should be
          handled
          > in the same way like caling removeAttribute("xy").
          >
          >
          > 11:19:37,573 ERROR (AdministrationConstantReloadTab.java:101) - Fehler
          beim Anzeigen
          > des AdministrationAntragReloadTabs
          > java.lang.NullPointerException
          > at java.util.Hashtable.put(Hashtable.java:389)
          > at
          weblogic.servlet.internal.WebAppServletContext.setAttribute(WebAppServletCon
          text.java:669)
          > at
          de.abc.elektra.administration.control.AdministrationConstantReloadTab.handle
          Action(AdministrationConstantReloadTab.java:90)
          > at
          de.abc.elektra.common.control.TabHandler$TabFormListener.formSubmitted(TabHa
          ndler.java:216)
          > at com.javelin.swinglets.SForm.processFormEvent(SForm.java:168)
          > at com.javelin.swinglets.SForm.processEvent(SForm.java:132)
          > at
          com.javelin.swinglets.SComponent.dispatchEvent(SComponent.java:1179)
          > at
          com.javelin.swinglets.ServletManager.handle(ServletManager.java:256)
          > at
          de.abc.elektra.common.control.WindowHandler.handleContext(WindowHandler.java
          :44)
          > at
          de.abc.elektra.common.control.Navigator.process(Navigator.java:239)
          > at
          de.abc.elektra.common.control.Navigator.doPost(Navigator.java:117)
          > at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:760)
          > at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:853)
          > at weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletStubImpl$ServletInvocationActi
          on.run(ServletStubImpl.java:971)
          > at
          weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletStubImpl.invokeServlet(ServletStubImpl.java
          :402)
          > at
          weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletStubImpl.invokeServlet(ServletStubImpl.java
          :305)
          > at
          weblogic.servlet.internal.WebAppServletContext$ServletInvocationAction.run(W
          ebAppServletContext.java:6350)
          > at
          weblogic.security.acl.internal.AuthenticatedSubject.doAs(AuthenticatedSubjec
          t.java:317)
          > at
          weblogic.security.service.SecurityManager.runAs(SecurityManager.java:118)
          > at
          weblogic.servlet.internal.WebAppServletContext.invokeServlet(WebAppServletCo
          ntext.java:3635)
          > at
          weblogic.servlet.internal.ServletRequestImpl.execute(ServletRequestImpl.java
          :2585)
          > at weblogic.kernel.ExecuteThread.execute(ExecuteThread.java:197)
          > at weblogic.kernel.ExecuteThread.run(ExecuteThread.java:170)
          >
          >
          >
          http://java.sun.com/j2ee/sdk_1.3/techdocs/api/javax/servlet/ServletContext.html#setAttribute(java.lang.String,
          > java.lang.Object)
          > --------------------------------------------------------
          >
          > javax.servlet
          > Interface ServletContext
          > setAttribute
          >
          > public void setAttribute(java.lang.String name,
          > java.lang.Object object)Binds an object to a
          given attribute
          > name in this servlet context. If the name specified is already used for an
          attribute,
          > this method will replace the attribute with the new to the new attribute.
          > If listeners are configured on the ServletContext the container notifies
          them
          > accordingly.
          >
          > If a null value is passed, the effect is the same as calling
          removeAttribute().
          >
          >
          > Attribute names should follow the same convention as package names. The
          Java
          > Servlet API specification reserves names matching java.*, javax.*, and
          sun.*.
          >
          > Parameters:
          > name - a String specifying the name of the attribute
          > object - an Object representing the attribute to be bound
          >
          >
          > It is not really a problem if you have the chance to quickly change your
          implementation
          > as you can use removeAttribute(String). But if there is a BEA employee
          reading
          > this, then that bug should be fixed in the upcoming Service Packs.
          >
          > Guido Reiff