FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0-beta2"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0-beta2-b86)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0-beta2-b86, mixed mode, sharing)

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

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
java.awt.SplashScreen.setImageURL(URL imageURL) may throw a ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException with many custom Types of URLs.

Internal, this method copy the bytes from the urlStream in a new buffer of size 'length'. The buffer may grow during the copying (if needed).

But the variable 'length'. is initialized as follows:
>>>
        URLConnection connection = imageURL.openConnection();
        connection.connect();
        int length = connection.getContentLength();
        java.io.InputStream stream = connection.getInputStream();
        byte[] buf = new byte[length];
<<<

Ant this is a bug: The Javadoc API says that URLConnection.getContentLength() may return "-1 if the content length is not known." In fact, this is the StandardImplementation of java.net.URLConnection.getContentLength(), so SplashScreen.setImageURL(URL imageURL) may throw a ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException beacuse the inital length is -1.

This bug can be easily fixed by adding a new line Of code:
>>>
        URLConnection connection = imageURL.openConnection();
        connection.connect();
        int length = connection.getContentLength();
>>>>>> length = (length < 0) ? 1 : length;
        java.io.InputStream stream = connection.getInputStream();
        byte[] buf = new byte[length];
<<<

Or maybe one should choose a bigger inital length for unknown content, for example 1024.


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
see Description