BUG: java.text.DateFormat.parse() Throws a NullPointerException

• SDK for Java, version 2.0
• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0 on the following platforms: NT, Win95
• Microsoft Win32 Virtual Machine for Java

SYMPTOMS

When the parse() method of the java.text.DateFormat cannot parse a date, the Microsoft Virtual Machine for Java incorrectly throws a NullPointerException error instead of a ParseException error.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this bug and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Create a Java project and include the following class:

         class test
         {
            public static void main(String[] args)
            {
               try
               {
                  java.text.DateFormat Df;
                  Df = java.text.DateFormat.getDateInstance();
                  Df.parse("Foo");
                  System.out.println ("Done.");
               }
               catch(Exception e)
               {
                  System.err.println("caught exception");
                  e.printStackTrace();
               }
            }
         }
   
   

REFERENCES

For the latest Knowledge Base articles and other support information on Visual J++ and the SDK for Java, see the following page on the Microsoft Technical Support site:

   http://support.microsoft.com/support/visualj/
   http://support.microsoft.com/support/java/