Applet Reliability: Test with me! (MSIE 7.0 please)

[Riven]

Recently, I've gotten kinda annoyed by the fact that very few
people have actually seen applets 'go mad', and thus more or
less accusing me of whining and what not.

So I decided to put a simple testcase online, and see whether
it works for me, as making a testcase often reveals most
bugs. Well, I kept it simple (yet not extremely nicely coded),
and the only thing I could not reproduce yet was Firefox not
connecting to its server. Oh well, enough bugs left I guess.

So in MSIE 7.0, the following tends to break on 20% of the page
hits for me:

Test applet:
http://www.indiespot.net/files/spooky_applet.html

If it works for you, refresh a few times and see whether it keeps
working, please try at least 5 times.


and here a screenshot (with arrows ) of Java Plugin that hangs

click to enlarge

click to enlarge




Any feedback is welcome!

[irreversible_kev]

I never use MSIE7.0 but it seems to be installed on my PC so I tried the test ( on MSIE7.0, to be clear ).

I refreshed the page well over 5 times, restarted the browser multiple times, and even ran the page in 12 tabs concurently.

No errors were displayed in the console and each applet displayed a success.

One thing that was different to your screenshot is that my Uptimes for the 10 applets were much closer together than yours. Pretty much all within 3 seconds of eachother.

Java Plug-in 1.6.0_10
Using JRE version 1.6.0_10 Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM

[steveyO]

All ok here too.  Refreshed > 10 times with no exceptions in console (Firefox, 3.03 using JDK 1.6,  dont have MSIE7 either so cant test on this).

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[jamongames]

for the loadJar exception...

java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


i use the  deployJava.js

example : www.chessk.com

[DzzD]

----------------------------------------------------

java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.start()
SpookyApplet.start()

finally all applet succefully loaded .... but some of them lag for a while and throw execption (including the first one)

remove is ok

IE6-Java1.6-07-XPPROSP3

[Matzon]

no problems at all, only terrible flickering

[ChrisM]

5 time each on Firefox and Safari.  No problems whatsoever.  Wonder how much of this should be attributed to IE or settings you have in IE.

[steveyO]

Actually just found this.. Looks very familiar.

http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6391104

If you follow the 6399750 (duplicate case) one guy suggests it was fixed in 6u10 (which I am using so maybe this explains in my case).

So, would be helpfull if we all included JDK versions/OS on our replies to see if this is so :-)

[phu004]

I tried it on my Xp machine with java 6 update 10, no problem at all.

Browser:  IE7 & FF3

[Riven]

5 time each on Firefox and Safari.  No problems whatsoever.  Wonder how much of this should be attributed to IE or settings you have in IE.

Problem is that it happens on a whole slew of computers at work.

They all have roughly the same config though...

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Riven]

One thing that was different to your screenshot is that my Uptimes for the 10 applets were much closer together than yours. Pretty much all within 3 seconds of eachother.

Indeed, on my office PC each applet-launch feels like it is in its own JVM... it's just slow and the browser is freezing until all applets are (finally) loaded.

[Abuse]

Seems to work *almost* ok here. (Both FF3 & IE7 with JRE1.6.0_10-b33)
Only minor issue was this (occured in both browsers) :-

"sun.plugin2.main.client.PluginMain: unrecognized message ID 46"

I got it by hammering F5 a few dozen times. (not waiting for all of the applets to be added.)

Incidentally, in IE 7 a new java console is launched each time the page is refreshed - I managed to flood my system tray with about 30!
The Firefox plugin just reuses the same console.

:edit:

I spoke too soon!

After about 30 seconds of hammering F5, FF has simply stopped launching Applets =/ (it doesn't appear to be invoking SpookyApplet.init() )
After this happens, if I click your "click to remove applets from page" button FireFox stops responding 

[DzzD]

FF-2.0.0.17-Java1.6-07-XPPROSP3 => Ok => remove Ok

Safari-3.0.4-SafariJVM-XPPROSP3 => no applet started => remove applet crash

how do you load from same host and never throw ACL exception in FF , I remember you explain that but could you provide a code snipet, plz?

[princec]

Worked perfectly here in Opera 9.62, XP, update 10. Couldn't break it.

Cas

[Riven]

FF-2.0.0.17-Java1.6-07-XPPROSP3 => Ok => remove Ok

Safari-3.0.4-SafariJVM-XPPROSP3 => no applet started => remove applet crash

how do you load from same host and never throw ACL exception in FF , I remember you explain that but could you provide a code snipet, plz?

Sourcecode of the applet is available on the applet page.

[Abuse]

woot!

My F5 spamming has managed to get this =D :-

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19

sun.plugin2.main.client.PluginMain: unrecognized message ID 46 java.lang.ThreadDeath    at java.lang.Thread.stop(Unknown Source)    at java.lang.ThreadGroup.stopOrSuspend(Unknown Source)    at java.lang.ThreadGroup.stop(Unknown Source)    at sun.awt.AppContext.dispose(Unknown Source)    at sun.plugin2.applet.Plugin2Manager$AppContextDisposer.run(Unknown Source)    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) Exception in thread "Thread-397" java.lang.NullPointerException    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(Unknown Source)    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(Unknown Source)    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream(Unknown Source)    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getHeaderField(Unknown Source)    at java.net.URLConnection.getHeaderFieldInt(Unknown Source)    at java.net.URLConnection.getContentLength(Unknown Source)    at main.SpookyApplet.connectToOwnHost(SpookyApplet.java:165)    at main.SpookyApplet.access$0(SpookyApplet.java:136)    at main.SpookyApplet$1.run(SpookyApplet.java:33)    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

[Abuse]

hmm,

Thread dump after FF stops launching new Applets :-

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136

Dump thread list ... Group main,ac=130,agc=3,pri=10     main,5,alive     Timer-0,5,alive     traceMsgQueueThread,5,alive,daemon     Java Plug-In Pipe Worker Thread (Client-Side),5,alive     AWT-Shutdown,5,alive     AWT-Windows,6,alive,daemon     AWT-EventQueue-0,6,alive     Java Plug-In Heartbeat Thread,5,alive     CacheMemoryCleanUpThread,5,alive,daemon     CacheCleanUpThread,5,alive,daemon     Browser Side Object Cleanup Thread,5,alive     Windows Tray Icon Thread,5,alive     ConsoleWriterThread,5,alive,daemon Group Plugin Thread Group,ac=2,agc=0,pri=10     AWT-EventQueue-1,6,alive     TimerQueue,5,alive,daemon Group http://www.indiespot.net/files/-threadGroup,ac=5,agc=0,pri=4    Thread-341,4,alive     Thread-344,4,alive     Thread-347,4,alive     Thread-350,4,alive     Thread-353,4,alive Group http://www.indiespot.net/files/-threadGroup,ac=110,agc=0,pri=4    AWT-EventQueue-6,4,alive     Thread-359,4,alive     Thread-362,4,alive     Applet 304 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-115,4,alive     Thread-364,4,alive     Thread-365,4,alive     Applet 305 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-116,4,alive     Thread-367,4,alive     Thread-368,4,alive     Applet 306 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-117,4,alive     Thread-370,4,alive     Thread-371,4,alive     Applet 307 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-118,4,alive     Thread-373,4,alive     Thread-374,4,alive     Applet 308 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-119,4,alive     Thread-376,4,alive     Thread-377,4,alive     Applet 309 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-120,4,alive     Thread-379,4,alive     Thread-380,4,alive     Applet 310 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-121,4,alive     Thread-382,4,alive     Thread-383,4,alive     Applet 311 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-122,4,alive     Thread-385,4,alive     Thread-386,4,alive     Applet 312 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-123,4,alive     Thread-388,4,alive     Thread-389,4,alive     Applet 313 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-124,4,alive     Thread-391,4,alive     Thread-392,4,alive     Thread-395,4,alive     Applet 315 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-126,4,alive     Thread-397,4,alive     Thread-398,4,alive     Thread-401,4,alive     Thread-404,4,alive     Thread-407,4,alive     Thread-410,4,alive     Thread-413,4,alive     Thread-416,4,alive     Thread-419,4,alive     Thread-422,4,alive     Thread-425,4,alive     Applet 325 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-136,4,alive     Thread-427,4,alive     Thread-428,4,alive     Applet 326 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-137,4,alive     Thread-430,4,alive     Thread-431,4,alive     Applet 327 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-138,4,alive     Thread-433,4,alive     Thread-434,4,alive     Thread-437,4,alive     Applet 329 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-140,4,alive     Thread-439,4,alive     Thread-440,4,alive     Thread-443,4,alive     Thread-446,4,alive     Applet 332 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-143,4,alive     Thread-448,4,alive     Thread-449,4,alive     Thread-452,4,alive     Thread-455,4,alive     Thread-458,4,alive     Thread-461,4,alive     Thread-464,4,alive     Thread-467,4,alive     Thread-470,4,alive     Thread-473,4,alive     Thread-476,4,alive     Thread-479,4,alive     Applet 343 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-154,4,alive     Thread-481,4,alive     Thread-482,4,alive     Applet 344 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-155,4,alive     Thread-484,4,alive     Thread-485,4,alive     Applet 345 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-156,4,alive     Thread-487,4,alive     Thread-488,4,alive     Applet 346 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-157,4,alive     Thread-490,4,alive     Thread-491,4,alive     Applet 347 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive     thread applet-main/SpookyApplet.class-158,4,alive     Thread-493,4,alive     Thread-494,4,alive Done.

Don't think you're Applet is cleaning up after itself very thoroughly?

[hishadow]

Managed to crash it in Firefox 3 with Java 1.6.10, flooding the console with messages like this:

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20

Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-12" java.lang.NullPointerException: component argument pData    at sun.java2d.windows.GDIWindowSurfaceData.initOps(Native Method)    at sun.java2d.windows.GDIWindowSurfaceData.<init>(Unknown Source)    at sun.java2d.windows.GDIWindowSurfaceData.createData(Unknown Source)    at sun.java2d.d3d.D3DScreenUpdateManager.getGdiSurface(Unknown Source)    at sun.java2d.d3d.D3DScreenUpdateManager.createGraphics(Unknown Source)    at sun.awt.windows.WComponentPeer.getGraphics(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.Component.getGraphics(Unknown Source)    at sun.awt.RepaintArea.paint(Unknown Source)    at sun.awt.windows.WComponentPeer.handleEvent(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)

I noticed several JavaVM starting so might be related to that.

[Riven]

I'm fairly sure the Thread.stop() (called by the Plugin) is preventing my in/out.close() to be executed.

"Applet 304 LiveConnect Worker Thread,4,alive"

I'm not making threads with names like that either...

[GKW]

All's well on Ku intrepid FF3.1b1 6.10.

[brackeen]

No problems using IE7/6u10.

Previously, though, I've seen problems using multiple jars like this example uses. Do you get those exceptions when the archive tag only references one jar?

[ewjordan]

We're way overrepresenting 6u10 here, IMO - anyone left with a more common in the wild version of the plugin installed?

[anemian]

The only time I got it to break was refreshing when not all of them were loaded.   Though I do tend to have to refresh applets that use LWJGL before the applet will even load(no exceptions just sits there with a white screen, works after a refresh).


C:\***\***t>java -version
java version "1.6.0_07"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_07-b06)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 10.0-b23, mixed mode, sharing)

[zammbi]

java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
java.lang.NullPointerException
   at sun.plugin.AppletViewer.loadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.runLoader(Unknown Source)
   at sun.applet.AppletPanel.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
SpookyApplet.static ... v19
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.init()
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started
SpookyApplet.run() -> started

On the first run the last 2 didn't load. Which one just stays on the Java logo.
Version: 1.6_7-b06
Vista using IE7

[Riven]

Thanks. I have 1.6.0_u7 installed at work too - maybe... it got fixed in u10

[ewjordan]

With OS X Leopard and Java 1.5 (in browser, at least), couldn't cause any problems no matter what I tried.  I've usually found the Mac plugin to be pretty robust, so I'm not too surprised.

[brackeen]

Yes it got fixed in 6u10, bug #6399750
#6391104 says the bug happens more often for pages with multiple applets, refreshing, and big jars (exactly like your test)

I can't link to the bugs at the moment because bugs.sun.com is... down, or something.

[Markus_Persson]

Works great in firefox. Sometimes works great in ie, but usually only loads a couple of applets, then dies with one of the errors posted above.

After refreshing the page a few times in ie, clicking "remove applets", then requesting a thread dump, I got a LOT of threads. Far too many.

connectToOwnHost() probably should check running in the loop and after the sleeps, and abort if it's ever false. Other than that, the source code looks sound to me.

[thijs]

It seemed to work fine in IE, though at some point it threw some exceptions

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20

java.lang.InterruptedException    at java.lang.Object.wait(Native Method)    at java.lang.Thread.join(Unknown Source)    at java.lang.Thread.join(Unknown Source)    at main.SpookyApplet$1.run(SpookyApplet.java:49)    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) SpookyApplet.run() -> stopped java.lang.InterruptedException    at java.lang.Object.wait(Native Method)    at java.lang.Thread.join(Unknown Source)    at java.lang.Thread.join(Unknown Source) SpookyApplet.run() -> stopped    at main.SpookyApplet$1.run(SpookyApplet.java:49)    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) java.lang.InterruptedException    at java.lang.Object.wait(Native Method)    at java.lang.Thread.join(Unknown Source)    at java.lang.Thread.join(Unknown Source)    at main.SpookyApplet$1.run(SpookyApplet.java:49)    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

Argh, I just had an exception after many page refreshes and a click on the remove button, but appearantly the whole JVM died, cant access console anymore..

[Riven]

I installed u10 at work, and cannot reproduce the problems anymore.

Now I only have to wait 5-10 years before most of our customers have upgraded