FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0-rc"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0-rc-b104)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0-rc-b104, mixed mode, sharing)


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

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
If the JdbcObc bridge is asked to use charset UTF-16, DriverManager.getConnection throws an IllegalArgumentException.

In JDK 1.4 and 1.5, the same call threw a SQLException (correctly, I believe).

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
See source code. Run source code against any valid ODBC data source. I used a Microsoft Access database registered using system DSN 'MondrianFoodMart'.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
I expect a SQLException to be thrown.
ACTUAL -
An IllegalArgumentException is thrown.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Illegal replacement
        at java.nio.charset.CharsetEncoder.replaceWith(CharsetEncoder.java:268)
        at sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcObject.CharsToBytes(JdbcOdbcObject.java:280)
        at sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbc.SQLDriverConnect(JdbcOdbc.java:3063)
        at sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcConnection.initialize(JdbcOdbcConnection.java:323)
        at sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver.connect(JdbcOdbcDriver.java:174)
        at java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(DriverManager.java:582)
        at java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(DriverManager.java:154)
        at mondrian.BugTestcase.main(BugTestcase.java:33)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
    public static void main(String[] args) throws SQLException {
        Properties info = new Properties();

        // JdbcOdbc bridge does not support UDF-16, so we know this will cause
        // an error. But it should be a SQLException. Between 1.5.0_10 and
        // 1.6.0-rc, it became an IllegalArgumentException.
        info.setProperty("charSet", "UTF-16");
        try {
            Connection connection = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:odbc:MondrianFoodMart", info);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            System.out.println("Received SQLException. This is behavior in JDK 1.4 and 1.5.");
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
            System.out.println("Received IllegalArgumentException. This is (incorrect?) behavior in JDK 1.6.");
            throw e;
        }
    }

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Catch the IllegalArgumentException.