FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0-beta"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.6.0-beta-b59g)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0-beta-b59g, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Must have Windows Plus! themes installed. (Or other theming software.)

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Running an Swing application on Microsoft Windows XP (and using the XP look and feel), with an alternate "theme" installed, produces an exception when displaying a JTable.

  See also these various reports of the problem using Java applications:

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=667836&tstart=0
http://idendev.com/SCRIPTS/WA-motorola.EXE?A2=ind0507&L=sdklist&T=0&P=8587
http://tamino.forums.softwareag.com/viewtopic.php?p=16756&
http://jalbum.net/forum/thread.jspa?threadID=1475&messageID=8836

http://www.google.com/search?q=NullPointerException+emptyborder


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. You must get a Windows XP system with Microsoft Plus! installed. Switch to one of the custom themes. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/PlusHome.asp
2. Run the SwingSet2 demo
3. Change Look and Feel to "Windows Style Look and Feel"
4. Click on the JTable demo

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Expected table header to render as usual.
ACTUAL -
Stacktrace originating in WindowsTableHeaderUI.XPDefaultRenderer. It seems that in this line:

setBorder(new EmptyBorder(skin.getContentMargin()));

skin.getContentMargin() is returning null, and EmptyBorder doesn't like that.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.NullPointerException
at javax.swing.border.EmptyBorder.<init>(Unknown Source)
at
com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsTableHeaderUI$XPDefaultRenderer.ge=
tTableCellRendererComponent(Unknown
Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicTableHeaderUI.getHeaderRenderer(Unknown
Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicTableHeaderUI.getHeaderHeight(Unknown
Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicTableHeaderUI.createHeaderSize(Unknown
Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicTableHeaderUI.getPreferredSize(Unknown
Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.ViewportLayout.preferredLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.preferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.ScrollPaneLayout.layoutContainer(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.layout(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.doLayout(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
N/A - SwingSet demo provides adequate example
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
User workarounds:
1. Change from XP custom look and feel to standard XP or Windows Classic L&F
2. Change application properties to "Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 2000."

Code workarounds:
No way to workaround without modifying Swing code. But one of these things could be corrected:

1. ThemeReader.getThemeMargins(..) guarantees to return non-null
2. Skin.getContentMargin() guarantees to return non-null
3. XPDefaultRenderer's call to getContentMargin() should handle null and pass in some legit Insets to EmptyBorder.