Help! JDOM SAXParserFactory causing Security exception in Microsoft Java VM

Question

Hiya all, I'm really hoping you can offer me a hand with this problem.
I'm having a problem with SAXParserFactory causing a security exception in
Microsoft Internet Explorer, using JDOM b7.
here is the error string it spits out:
String...com.ms.security.SecurityExceptionEx[javax/xml/parsers/SAXParserFact
ory.newInstance]: Unable to access system property:
javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory
at com/ms/security/permissions/PropertyPermission.check
(PropertyPermission.java)
at com/ms/security/PolicyEngine.shallowCheck (PolicyEngine.java)
at com/ms/security/PolicyEngine.checkCallersPermission (PolicyEngine.java)
at com/ms/security/StandardSecurityManager.chk
(StandardSecurityManager.java)
at com/ms/security/StandardSecurityManager.checkPropertyAccess
(StandardSecurityManager.java)
at java/lang/System.getProperty (System.java)
at javax/xml/parsers/SAXParserFactory.newInstance
(SAXParserFactory.java:139)
at java/lang/reflect/Method.invoke (Method.java)
at org/jdom/input/SAXBuilder.createParser (SAXBuilder.java)
at org/jdom/input/SAXBuilder.build (SAXBuilder.java)
at org/jdom/input/SAXBuilder.build (SAXBuilder.java)
at aim/AIMPanel.parseXML (AIMPanel.java:673)
at aim/AIMPanel.serverCall (AIMPanel.java:486)
at aim/LogicalAIM.<init> (LogicalAIM.java:62)
at aim/AIMPanel.customInitialize (AIMPanel.java:1595)
at shout3d/Shout3DPanel.n (Shout3DPanel.java)
at shout3d/Shout3DPanel.run (Shout3DPanel.java)
at java/lang/Thread.run (Thread.java)
Using Microsoft's 5.0.0.3802 VM, this error results in a NullPointer
Exception further down, causing the app to quit.
in 5.0.0.3310, it reports the error but continues to run.
in 5.0.0.3234, no errors are reported at all.
Do you guys have any idea what's going on and why, and what I might be able
to do to correct this?
Any help is greatly appreciated...
-J

Answer 1

The factory classes (DocumentBuilderFactory and SAXParserFactory) use a Systems Property to determine which parser to use. Since applets do not have access to the Systems properties, a security exception is usually thrown.
I have not done work with Applets that use JAXP, however I would bet if you search this forum you will find other who have had this problem along with a possible work around.
Hope this helps.