FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.7.0-ea"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0-ea-b32)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 14.0-b01, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Ubuntu 8.04 :
Linux erevan 2.6.24-20-generic #1 SMP Mon Jul 28 13:06:07 UTC 2008 x86_64 GNU/Linux

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Processor is a Core 2 Duo T7100.
The shell used is zsh.


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The compiler crashes with the joind error message, when compiling the joined class file.
I compile with "javac Bug.java".
Actually, the source is not a _compilable_ java source, that's precisely the point :
the compiler crashes because of the variable "a" is not declared (or a least it
seems to be the reason).

There is no real impact, since the error message is almost printed : hence it's possible
to work. But it's not very "user friendly", and the compiler won't print any other error
message.


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Just compile the program with javac in a terminal.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The compiler should have printed, like the javac found in JDK6 :

[erevan:beaver] ~% javac Bug.java
  Bug.java:4: cannot find symbol
symbol : variable a
location: class Bug
a = 1;
^
1 error
zsh: exit 1 javac Bug.java
[erevan:beaver] ~%

ACTUAL -
See error message.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
[erevan:beaver] ~% javac Bug.java
  Bug.java:4: cannot find symbol
symbol : variable a
location: class Bug
a = 1;
An exception has occurred in the compiler (1.7.0-ea). Please file a bug at the Java Developer Connection (http://java.sun.com/webapps/bugreport) after checking the Bug Parade for duplicates. Include your program and the following diagnostic in your report. Thank you.
java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException: String index out of range: 8
at java.lang.String.charAt(String.java:694)
at com.sun.tools.javac.util.Log.printErrLine(Log.java:251)
at com.sun.tools.javac.util.Log.writeDiagnostic(Log.java:343)
at com.sun.tools.javac.util.Log.report(Log.java:315)
at com.sun.tools.javac.util.AbstractLog.error(AbstractLog.java:86)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$ResolveError.report(Resolve.java:1667)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.access(Resolve.java:1093)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.access(Resolve.java:1113)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.resolveIdent(Resolve.java:1176)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitIdent(Attr.java:1755)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCIdent.accept(JCTree.java:1679)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:372)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitAssign(Attr.java:1594)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCAssign.accept(JCTree.java:1440)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:372)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribExpr(Attr.java:396)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitExec(Attr.java:1066)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCExpressionStatement.accept(JCTree.java:1142)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:372)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStat(Attr.java:409)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStats(Attr.java:425)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitBlock(Attr.java:764)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCBlock.accept(JCTree.java:765)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:372)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStat(Attr.java:409)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitMethodDef(Attr.java:683)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCMethodDecl.accept(JCTree.java:653)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:372)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStat(Attr.java:409)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribClassBody(Attr.java:2745)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribClass(Attr.java:2671)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribClass(Attr.java:2607)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.attribute(JavaCompiler.java:1057)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile2(JavaCompiler.java:786)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile(JavaCompiler.java:751)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:386)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:312)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:303)
at com.sun.tools.javac.Main.compile(Main.java:82)
at com.sun.tools.javac.Main.main(Main.java:67)
zsh: exit 4 javac Bug.java
[erevan:beaver] ~%


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class Bug {
public static void main(String[] args) {
a = 1;
}
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

Release Regression From : 7
The above release value was the last known release where this
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.