PH52701: NULLPOINTEREXCEPTION OCCURS AT COMPOUNDCLASSLOADER.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• NullPointerException occurs at CompoundClassLoader.
  
  ---
  Caused by:
  java.lang.NullPointerException
  	at com.ibm.ws.classloader.CompoundClassLoader.loadClass(Compou
  ndClassLoader.java:589)
  	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:872)
  ...
  ---
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
  *                  Server                                      *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: A NullPointerException occurs when a    *
  *                      null                                    *
  *                      class name argument is passed to the    *
  *                      WAS                                     *
  *                      application class loader                *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  A null string is not a valid class name - a call to
  ClassLoader.loadClass(null) should not be expected to succeed,
  and the ClassLoader API contract does not define a specific
  behavior in that instance. When a null name argument is passed
  to the WAS CompoundClassLoader (the application class loader
  type), it failed with a NullPointerException. This is consistent
  with the Java 8 URLClassLoader implementation, but it does not
  provide sufficient detail to users in order to determine the
  root cause of the failure.
  

Problem conclusion

• A null check has been added to CompoundClassLoader.loadClass(),
  and in that case it will throw a more descriptive
  IllegalArgumentException with the message text "name cannot be
  null". As IllegalArgumentException is a subclass of
  RuntimeException, the method signature is unchanged.
  
  The fix for this APAR is targeted for inclusion in fix packs
  8.5.5.25 and 9.0.5.17. For more information, see 'Recommended
  Updates for WebSphere Application Server':
  https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/715553
  

Temporary fix

• Avoid passing a null argument to ClassLoader.loadClass()
  

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  WEBS APP SERV N

• Fixed component ID

  5724H8800

Applicable component levels