Why do I get an error outside the VM in the 3d api when resizing windows?

Question

I'm just starting with the 3d api.
Ive created a simpleUniverse and added a branchGroup and
some TransformGroups.I've created multi-color pyramid that
rotates using a RotationInterpolator. Everything works fine
except when I try to resize the window, this happens:
An unexpected exception has been detected in native code outside the VM.
Unexpected Signal : EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION occurred at PC=0x7ABDBC78
Function=[Unknown.]
Library=(N/A)
NOTE: We are unable to locate the function name symbol for the error
just occurred. Please refer to release documentation for possible
reason and solutions.
Current Java thread:
     at sun.awt.windows.WToolkit.eventLoop(Native Method)
     at sun.awt.windows.WToolkit.run(WToolkit.java:240)
     at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:536)
Dynamic libraries:
0x7D750000 - 0x7D76D000      C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IMAGEHLP.DLL
Local Time = Mon Sep 02 23:45:36 2002
Elapsed Time = 45
# The exception above was detected in native code outside the VM
# Java VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (1.4.0-b92 mixed mode)
I tried this:
SimpleUniverse su = new SimpleUniverse(myCanvas3D);
su.getViewer().getView().setWindowResizePolicy(View.VIRTUAL_WORLD );and some other variations but they don't have any effect.
Then I ran some of the 3D example programs from sun and the same
thing happens to them.
Does anyone know why this is happening?
Is there a solution?
ps> I am running all of these as applications not as applets.

Answer 1

I believe that you are running into a problem with the version of the IMAGEHLP.DLL that you are running.
DLLs are Dynamic Linked Libraries, containing native compiled functions available for use by applications.
I am not familiar with that particular DLL (not really a windows programmer, just dabble occasionally ;-)) but it looks like the VM is trying to access a function in that DLL that is not available.
As you probably already know the VM has to interface with native code and libraries to work on a given machine. In your case, it appears to be trying to interface with a portion of the native windowing/redraw/resize functionality.
On Windows there is a real nightmare as there are multiple APIs for accessing the native functionality embedded in multiple DLLs of which there are often multiple different versions in circulation. You will find that sometimes certain functionality can only be accessed by using an undocumented feature of a DLL and these features can disappear or be moved between versions - that is one reason why I much prefer java to MS C++...
There are a few things you can do to try and resolve this, see if there is a newer or older version of the JVM/Java3D extensions that works on your system, apply appropriate service packs or patches to windows if specified by the JVM/Java3D and update/change your graphics card drivers. Fixing this kind of problem in windows is a bit of a black art unless you can find someone who has had the exact same problem before and fixed it.
All I can say now is good luck!
Bob B.