SQL Developer

At that spot in the code, SQL Developer is trying to get the connection type for that specific connection definition, as read from the connections.xml file under your user settings for 4.2 EA2, and the Java object for that entire definition is null.  Somehow that may have gotten corrupt.

Have you tried...

1. Deleting that particular connection definition, then defining it again?  All through the UI. Best never to edit connections.xml.

2. Deleting all connection definitions, then importing with the same export file you used for the import into 4.1.5?

The only other thing I can think of is some illegal character in the connection name that slipped in but gets caught upon reading the definition.  That seems very unlikely, though.

Hey Gary,

1. Did that with various combinations.

2. Deleted:

    SQL Developer 4.2 software

    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\SQL Developer\system4.2.0.16.356.1154

    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\sqldeveloper\4.2.0

   Unzipped (installed) a clean SQL Developer 4.2

   Configured SQL Developer 4.2 (copied msvcr100.dll, configured Oracle client & tnsnames paths in preferences)

   Imported the previous connections export.

  Got the exact same java.lang.NullPointerException error window, again.

There is no illegal or non-displayable characters in the connections export file or connection.xml .

The connections export file and

C:\Users\<users>\AppData\Roaming\SQL Developer\system4.2.0.16.356.1154\o.jdeveloper.db.connection.13.0.0.1.42.161121.1801\connection.xml

are the same except for export parameters and passwords - I compared them)

I'm open to suggestions.

Try these standard debugging methods...

1. Modify sqldeveloper.conf, removing the non from IncludeConfFile  sqldeveloper-nondebug.conf
2. Open a Cmd window and launch ...\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\bin\sqldeveloper.exe from there

Perhaps you will get some additional error messages in the console window or in the View > Log tabs that precede that Java exception.

1. done

2. I have the 1002 line log.  I attached it to this thread entry.

SOL21D is the DB that I connected to successfully in this session.

PMIBASL10 is the problem DB in this session.

I am not familiar with Data Guard, but the difference between the SOL21D and PMIBASL10 connection attempts seems to be that Oracle is expecting a Data Guard Broker (or perhaps some feature of Data Guard?) to be enabled when connecting to PMIBASL10.  The log contains lines like...

FINE    1430    0    oracle.dbtools.raptor.utils.DatabaseFeatureRegistry$QueryFeature    ORA-00439: feature not enabled: Data Guard Broker at oracle.jdbc.driver.T4CTTIoer.processError(T4CTTIoer.java:450)
FINE    1428    0    oracle.javatools.db.AbstractDBObjectProvider    fire provider pmibasl10   MiBAS LITE opened
FINE    1427    0    oracle.javatools.db.DBObjectProviderFactory    Provider created using key IdeConnections%23pmibasl10+++MiBAS+LITE: oracle.javatools.db.ora.Oracle12c
FINE    1426    0    oracle.javatools.db.AbstractDatabase    pmibasl10   MiBAS LITE: new oracle.javatools.db.ora.Oracle12c
FINEST    1425    61    oracle.javatools.db.DatabaseFactory    Opening connection for pmibasl10   MiBAS LITE took 63ms

Also, I had never noticed extra information referencing an application like "MiBAS LITE" in the Opening connnection message before, but maybe that's just me.  So it appears you must pursue how to configure PMIBASL10 / Data Guard so that an application like SQL Developer using JDBC can access it.

2. I have the 1002 line log. I attached it to this thread entry.
SOL21D is the DB that I connected to successfully in this session.
PMIBASL10 is the problem DB in this session.

I, for one, don't open unknown links from unknown sources.

Looks like it's time for you to SHOW US, rather that just tell us:

1. WHAT you do

2. HOW you do it

3. WHAT results you get

That way we can see for ourselves:

1. what connection parameters/settings you are using

2. that the 'test' of those was successful

3. that you can't open the connection

Probably unrelated but:

I copied msvcr100.dll from ...\sqldeveloper\jdk\jre\bin to newly created ...\sqldeveloper\jdk\bin

Why are you doing that? If you need that file on your machine then put it somewhere where Sql Dev can find it.

And why did you copy it to a different place?

By the way, I forgot to ask if that connection worked in 4.1.3.  The 4.2 EA does ship with a different JDBC driver.  If 4.1.3 connects, then maybe we can blame it on the driver...

Probably unrelated

Yes, the OP was just following advice for a workaround in 4.2.0 EA2 - fails on startup

Long weekend ...

Both PMIBASL10 and SOL21D (as well as other DBs) are on different servers on the same company network.  I created and administer these DBs.  I can or cannot connect to a DB with SQL Developer 4.2.0.16.356.1154-x64, however they all can be connected to with SQL Developer 4.1.5.21.78-x64.  Both versions of SQL Developer use the same client software, TNS connect method and tnsnames.ora.

Regarding "Probably unrelated ..."

"I copied msvcr100.dll from ...\sqldeveloper\jdk\jre\bin to newly created ...\sqldeveloper\jdk\bin"

This is a workaround found in a few places and is also referred to on in the web installation notes for SQL Developer:

(http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/sql-developer/downloads/sqldev-install-windows-1969674.html)

Without this workaround SQL Developer barely started.

Database PMIBASL10 is an 64 bit Oracle version12.1.0.1.0 Standard Edition without Data Guard, without and other DBs on the same server.  I manage some Data Guard DBs and this is not the case.  To be sure I double checked my client tnsnames.ora and DB parameters.  PMIBASL10 has nothing to do with Data Guard.  Why would SQL Developer presume that Data Guard is used/invoked/required here?  Is this a configured feature/option in SQL Developer?

"pmibasl10   MiBAS LITE" is the SQL Developer "Connection Name" in the DB connections tree.

It seems that in log line FINE 1427, the spaces were replaced by the "+"  sign, so we see "pmibasl10+++MiBAS+LITE".

And yes I defined a new DB connection with only pmibasl10 as the "Connection Name" but got the exact same error when attempting to connect.

TYPO / CORRECTION:

... without Data Guard, without and other DBs on the same server.

should read

without Data Guard, without other DBs on the same server.

Database PMIBASL10 is an 64 bit Oracle version12.1.0.1.0 Standard Edition without Data Guard

OK, my mistake. SQL Developer was just checking for Data Guard but, of course, it is not an option for standard edition.

Both versions of SQL Developer use the same client software, TNS connect method and tnsnames.ora

Just to clarify, is each install (both 4.1.5 and 4.2) definitely configured via Tools > Preferences > Database > Advanced to use the local Oracle client?  That way, the JDBC driver that ships with SQL Developer is not used, so my prior comment

The 4.2 EA does ship with a different JDBC driver.  If 4.1.3 connects, then maybe we can blame it on the driver

would not be relevant.  But that was my prime suspect, other things being equal.  By the way, do you have Use OCI/Thick driver checked off in those Advanced options?  

1) Yes, each install (both 4.1.5 and 4.2) is definitely configured via Tools > Preferences > Database > Advanced to use the local Oracle client.  The "Use Oracle Client" check box is marked.

2) No I do not use OCI/Thick driver / checked in Advanced options.  I did try that in both 4.1.5 and 4.2 and got
   "C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1\bin\ocijdbc12.dll: Can't load IA 32-bit .dll on a AMD 64-bit platform" for any and all DBs in both SQL Developer versions.  (I think I used this on previous versions (on a different computer) that did not have JDK included.)

You need to decide if you DO WANT to use an Oracle client of if you DO NOT WANT to use an Oracle client.

The 'basic' connection does NOT use an Oracle client - it uses the ojdbc.jar file.

Other connection types DO use/need an Oracle client and use the OCI/Thick driver.

The below says you want to use an Oracle client but do NOT want to use the thick driver. Please explain how that can work.

2621199 wrote:
1) Yes, each install (both 4.1.5 and 4.2) is definitely configured via Tools > Preferences > Database > Advanced to use the local Oracle client. The "Use Oracle Client" check box is marked.
2) No I do not use OCI/Thick driver / checked in Advanced options. I did try that in both 4.1.5 and 4.2 and got 
"C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1\bin\ocijdbc12.dll: Can't load IA 32-bit .dll on a AMD 64-bit platform" for any and all DBs in both SQL Developer versions. (I think I used this on previous versions (on a different computer) that did not have JDK included.)

We can NOT see your screen. This is what I said previously:

Looks like it's time for you to SHOW US, rather that just tell us:
1. WHAT you do
2. HOW you do it
3. WHAT results you get

Can't load IA 32-bit .dll on a AMD 64-bit platform

This message is just telling you there is a mismatch between the Oracle client and Java version.  Both must be either 32-bit or 64-bit, not a mixture of the two.  In this case, the Oracle Instant Client is 32-bit, so you could instead get...

Instant Client downloads for Microsoft Windows (x64)

or install a 32-bit JDK, then modify the product.conf file's SetJavaHome line to point to it rather than use the default bundled JDK.

My thought was that using the OCI/Thick driver might help (that is, there might be some option in the TNS that requires OCI), but just guessing.  As @"rp0428" says, you really have to show us details to get the most effective response

As I understand it, I do NOT use the OCI/Thick driver, because my installation of SQL Developer is 64-bit and my Oracle client is 32-bit. We need the 32-bit client for a different tool.

All the SQL Developer 4.1.5 and 4.2 definitions are identical. There is only one tnsnames.ora which I now understand is only parsed for the connect string but not used with the Oracle client.
The issue is only with one of the DBs in the SQL Developer tree. That same DB connection is defined identically in the 4.1.5 installation. That same DB can be connected to from my client with the sqlplus user/pwd@//host:port/service_name syntax.
See the two screen shots below.

What I do when I get the error:

Double click on the Connections tree on "pimbasl10 MiBAS LITE"

then I receive the first error screen:

Clicking the "Details" button, I receive the next error screen (which I enlarged to see all the details):

Clicking "OK" I receive:

Then OK (twice for some reason) and we're done.

Thanks for clarifying how you connect in terms of the Oracle client and use of Thin vs Thick driver. Since you noted previously that Basic and TNS connection types behave the same, I suppose there is no need to test with OCI.

If you really wanted to test with OCI (while still using 64-bit Java), the fact that you already have a 32-bit Oracle Instant client installed is not an obstacle.  Just download and unzip the 64-bit version, point SQL Developer at it using Tools > Preferences > Database > Advanced, plus this extra step:  launch SQL Developer from a Cmd window (.../sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper/bin/sqldeveloper.exe) where you have reset the PATH variable to prepend the location of that 64-bit Oracle Instant client.

Returning to the original issue of the null pointer exception, it would help if we knew why the connection info object for pmibasl10 is not created as expected.  Apparently this situation is completely unexpected.  It would happen if ...

1) The database fails to report that its product name is Oracle.

2) Some SQLException occurs (which is currently ignored).

I installed a 64-bit client and verified that it was in my PATH variable:

>echo %PATH%

C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_2\bin;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;...

I then changed Tools > Preferences > Database > Advanced to reflect the new client:

(Clent_2 is the 64-bit client)

Of course I copied the tnsnames.ora file from the 32-bit to the64-bit client TNS directory

But unfortunately got the exact same java.lang.NullPointerException error.

I again, deleted the pmibasl10 connections from the Connections tree and added back with TNS.

I also tried again, to play with the tnsnames.ora file, with no success.

Regarding:

1. The database fails to report that its product name is Oracle.

2. Some SQLException occurs (which is currently ignored).

Is there no way to debug this?

I FOUND THE PROBLEM - it is when attempting to connect to a 12.1.0.1 Standard Edition database.

I get the exact same java.lang.NullPointerException error when trying to connect to two other 12.1.0.1 Standard Edition databases, which are on a different server.  The error is identical whether using the 32-bit or the 64-bit client.  There was no problem connecting to a 11.2.0.3 SE database.

This is not something that I am able to test since 12.1.0.1 SE/SE1 got replaced by 12.1.0.2 SE2 in Sept 2015 with an additional 12 months of patching support through end of August 2016.  If you happen to upgrade to 12.1.0.2 SE2 and it suffers from the same issue, then you should log an SR with MOS. 

Normally Development does not concern itself with licensing issues, so I was not surprised to learn of my ignorance regarding SE/SE1.  It seems this is one of those cases where an upgrade is (ultimately) unavoidable...

https://blogs.oracle.com/UPGRADE/entry/oracle_database_12_1_0

https://support.oracle.com/epmos/faces/DocumentDisplay?id=2027072.1

Oracle SE2 - HUGE impact for Oracle Standard Edition Customers! - Oracle Application Express (APEX) Consultants, develop…

Hey Gary,

All three SE databases that I cannot connect to in SQL Developer 4.2 are 12.1.0.1 SE.

All the other DBs that I tried were 12.1.0.2 EE or 11.2 SE and 11.2EE.

The three 12.1.0.1 SE DBs will not upgraded any time soon.

Is there no workaround in order to use SQL Developer 4.2 ?

Is this an issue that is being investigated that will be resolved in a later SQL Developer version?

4.2 is beta

and 12.1.0.2 works, so nothing formal is being done today.

if 4.1 is also not working, you could open a Service Request with My Oracle Support

Hi,

I had the same problem connecting to 12.1.0.2 SE, Sqldeveloper was configured to use the InstantClient.

OS: Antergos

SqlDeveloper: 4.2

Orace Client: InstantClient 12.1.0.2 (latest version)

To fix:

In Sqldeveloper -> Preferences -> Database -> Advanced -> Use Oracle Client - not checked (also the Use OCI/Thick Driver is  not checked)

I could then connect to the 12c database and the Database objects would display under the connection.

I do not know if this will work with Windows.

In Windows, though a full 12.1 client is installed,

Sqldeveloper -> Preferences -> Database -> Advanced -> Use Oracle Client - not checked

Use OCI/Thick Driver - not checked

Does allow connection to 12.1 SE DBs.  Interesting.  Other 12.1 EE and 11.2 DBs also connect.

However this is a SQL Developer high level change.

I'm not sure how not using the full Oracle client affects other things like SQL Developer performance and SQL functionality.  In my current and all previous shops we always used a full client for non-end users.

I think that for now I will stick with 4.1.5 and NOT recommend moving to 4.2 until this is resolved.

However this is a SQL Developer high level change.

What difference does that make. It works.

I'm not sure how not using the full Oracle client affects other things like SQL Developer performance and SQL functionality.

It generally won't. But  the way you resolve 'not sure' is to test your use cases.

 In my current and all previous previous shops we always used a full client for non-end users.

And when I was growing up we used phones with dials on them.

You do NOT need an Oracle client for most use cases. Unless you have very special needs use the thin driver.

I think that for now I will stick with 4.1.5 and NOT recommend moving to 4.2 until this is resolved.

The reason for not 'moving to 4.2' is because the product has not been released - it is still in development.

Every problem/issue you have mentioned in this thread is because of that Oracle client you insist on using. You mixed software versions and you mixed configuration settings.

You also are copying a DLL all over the place to try to fix problems.

Do things the SIMPLE way and all of those problems will go away.