IcedTea version 1.8 is unable to open any JNLP file

Question

Currently I am unable to open a .jnlp file (TopCoder Arena) on Ubuntu 18.04. It gives an error message

net.sourceforge.jnlp.LaunchException: Fatal: Launch Error: Could not launch JNLP file. The application has not been initialized, for more information execute javaws/browser from the command line and send a bug report.
    at net.sourceforge.jnlp.Launcher.launchApplication(Launcher.java:582)
    at net.sourceforge.jnlp.Launcher$TgThread.run(Launcher.java:945)

Earlier it was working fine. But I guess, the recent updates are the issue for the problem. I have tried the solutions from these two sources https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=294555 and AskUbuntu . Till now I am unable to find a way to start the Arena. I have also tried solutions from this thread https://apps.topcoder.com/forums/?module=Thread&threadID=618387&start=0 but none of them is working. Solutions which I have tried till now:
1.Cleared the application Cache.
2.Downgraded from Java 11 to 8
I am unable to downgrade IcedTea to version 1.6 as version 1.6 is not working on my system.

Here is Error message:

net.sourceforge.jnlp.LaunchException: Fatal: Launch Error: Could not launch JNLP file. The application has not been initialized, for more information execute javaws/browser from the command line and send a bug report.
    at net.sourceforge.jnlp.Launcher.launchApplication(Launcher.java:582)
    at net.sourceforge.jnlp.Launcher$TgThread.run(Launcher.java:945)
Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:566)
    at net.sourceforge.jnlp.Launcher.launchApplication(Launcher.java:576)
    ... 1 more
Caused by: javax.xml.parsers.FactoryConfigurationError: Provider for class javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory cannot be created
    at java.xml/javax.xml.parsers.FactoryFinder.findServiceProvider(FactoryFinder.java:305)
    at java.xml/javax.xml.parsers.FactoryFinder.find(FactoryFinder.java:261)
    at java.xml/javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory.newInstance(SAXParserFactory.java:147)
    at com.topcoder.client.ui.impl.XMLUIManager.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at com.topcoder.client.ui.UIFactory.getUIManager(Unknown Source)
    at com.topcoder.client.ui.UIFactory.getUIManagerFromResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.topcoder.client.contestApplet.common.LocalPreferences.getAllUIManagers(Unknown Source)
    at com.topcoder.client.contestApplet.ContestApplet.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at com.topcoder.client.contestApplet.runner.generic.main(Unknown Source)
    ... 6 more
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Provider for class javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory cannot be created
    at java.xml/javax.xml.parsers.FactoryFinder.findServiceProvider(FactoryFinder.java:302)
    ... 14 more
Caused by: java.util.ServiceConfigurationError: javax.xml.parsers.SAXParserFactory: Provider org.apache.xerces.jaxp.SAXParserFactoryImpl not found
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader.fail(ServiceLoader.java:588)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$LazyClassPathLookupIterator.nextProviderClass(ServiceLoader.java:1211)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$LazyClassPathLookupIterator.hasNextService(ServiceLoader.java:1220)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$LazyClassPathLookupIterator$1.run(ServiceLoader.java:1267)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$LazyClassPathLookupIterator$1.run(ServiceLoader.java:1266)
    at java.base/java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$LazyClassPathLookupIterator.hasNext(ServiceLoader.java:1269)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$2.hasNext(ServiceLoader.java:1299)
    at java.base/java.util.ServiceLoader$3.hasNext(ServiceLoader.java:1384)
    at java.xml/javax.xml.parsers.FactoryFinder$1.run(FactoryFinder.java:287)
    at java.base/java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.xml/javax.xml.parsers.FactoryFinder.findServiceProvider(FactoryFinder.java:283)
    ... 14 more

The Java Plug-In required for both applets and JWS apps. is deprecated and most browser manufacturers have already removed it. That may not explain the problems you are facing, but it should go some way to explaining why few people care enough to look into it. — Andrew Thompson, Jun 06 '19 at 08:56

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 19 '20 at 08:19

Apparently, IcedTea will not work with Java 11. There are three alternatives:

Stop using JNLP, applets, JWS and so on. They are no longer supported by Oracle or OpenJDK. The Oracle recommended replacement for many use-cases is building and distributing executables created using jlink.
Downgrade to OpenJDK 8. See @Sankalp1999's answer.

This will only be viable until April 2021 when the Ubuntu packages for OpenJDK 8 will reach end-of-life and stop getting security updates. It is possible that you will be able to find a Java vendor who will back-port security patches, but it is (IMO) unlikely that you will be able to get them via the Canonical repositories.
Switch to OpenWebstart.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 19 '20 at 06:27

I had been facing the same problem. I solved it by first deleting the existing versions(higher) of Java. Then, installing open-JDK 8. After that, I installed the required dependencies for iced-tea applet.

sudo apt purge oracle-java11-* -y
sudo apt purge *openjdk* -y
sudo apt autoremove --purge -y

After that, I followed this thread https://askubuntu.com/questions/1134881/icedtea-8-cannot-run-any-jnlp-application-maybe-due-to-openjdk-11

Some of the links are not working in that thread. So first, you need to install Open JDK 8.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jdk

Verify the version of the java you have installed.

java -version

If the correct version of Java is not being used, use the alternatives command to switch it

sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.8.0_version/bin/java

Now, you can go back to the first thread that I have referenced. Run the links. If they are already installed, then it is not a problem.

After that, you can go to the directory of the applet and run

javaws ContestAppletProd.jnlp

References:

IcedTea version 1.8 is unable to open any JNLP file

2 Answers2