NullPointerException if native JDBC/ODBC library not found

Name: js151677 Date: 08/31/2004


A DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST:
A simple modification would improve error messages when the native JDBC/ODBC library is not found.

In JdbcOdbcDriver.initialize(), there is this bit of code:

  try {
    OdbcApi = new JdbcOdbc(tracer, nativePrefix);
    ....
  } catch (Exception exception) {
        ...log...
  }

This drops the SQLException thrown by the JdbcOdbc constructor on the floor. The "OdbcApi" variable remains null, causing a NullPointerException a bit later.

Simple fix: add "catch (SQLException e) { throw e; }" to allow the more useful exception to get through to the user.

JUSTIFICATION :
An easy enough fix to improve a strange error message. A few people have run into this; google for it, or search the Java forums.
(Incident Review ID: 301469)
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