FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_25"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_25-b06)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.0-b11, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Options that the compiler tool lists as valid do not work.

The compiler tool obtained with
    JavaCompiler compiler = ToolProvider.getSystemJavaCompiler();
reports the usual options when run without options or an input file, but some options do not work.

Of the options that I tried, I was able to get
  -verbose
to work,
but not
  -d
  -version
  -help
.

The -d option would be especially helpful in programs that compile generated code.


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
compile and run source code given below.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
All options should work, since they are listed by this version of the compiler
ACTUAL -
>java -cp C:\Users\cowang\Documents\Projects\TLanguage\build\test CompilerToolOptionTester

WITHOUT FILE option =
Usage: javacTask <options> <source files>
where possible options include:
  -g Generate all debugging info
  -g:none Generate no debugging info
  -g:{lines,vars,source} Generate only some debugging info
  -nowarn Generate no warnings
  -verbose Output messages about what the compiler is doing
  -deprecation Output source locations where deprecated APIs are used
  -classpath <path> Specify where to find user class files and annotation processors
  -cp <path> Specify where to find user class files and annotation processors
  -sourcepath <path> Specify where to find input source files
  -bootclasspath <path> Override location of bootstrap class files
  -extdirs <dirs> Override location of installed extensions
  -endorseddirs <dirs> Override location of endorsed standards path
  -proc:{none,only} Control whether annotation processing and/or compilation is done.
  -processor <class1>[,<class2>,<class3>...]Names of the annotation processors to run; bypasses default discovery proces
s
  -processorpath <path> Specify where to find annotation processors
  -d <directory> Specify where to place generated class files
  -s <directory> Specify where to place generated source files
  -implicit:{none,class} Specify whether or not to generate class files for implicitly referenced files
  -encoding <encoding> Specify character encoding used by source files
  -source <release> Provide source compatibility with specified release
  -target <release> Generate class files for specific VM version
  -version Version information
  -help Print a synopsis of standard options
  -Akey[=value] Options to pass to annotation processors
  -X Print a synopsis of nonstandard options
  -J<flag> Pass <flag> directly to the runtime system


WITH FILE option =

WITH FILE option = -verbose
[parsing started string:///SimpleClass.java from JavaSourceFromString]
[parsing completed 10ms]
[search path for source files: C:\Users\cowang\Documents\Projects\TLanguage\build\test]
[search path for class files: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\resources.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25jre\lib\rt.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\sunrsasign.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\jsse.j
ar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\jce.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\charsets.jar,C:\Program F
iles\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\modules\jdk.boot.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\classes,C:\Program Files\Java\j
dk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\ext\dnsns.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre\lib\ext\localedata.jar,C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1
.6.0_25\jre\lib\ext\sunjce_provider.jar,C:\Users\cowang\Documents\Projects\TLanguage\build\test]
[loading java\lang\Object.class(java\lang:Object.class)]
[checking SimpleClass]
[wrote SimpleClass.class]
[total 60ms]

WITHOUT FILE option = -help
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: invalid flag: -help
        at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTool.processOptions(JavacTool.java:236)
        at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTool.getTask(JavacTool.java:207)
        at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTool.getTask(JavacTool.java:53)
        at CompilerToolOptionTester.attemptWithoutFile(CompilerToolOptionTester.java:53)
        at CompilerToolOptionTester.main(CompilerToolOptionTester.java:89)

>

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: invalid flag: -help
        at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTool.processOptions(JavacTool.java:236)
        at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTool.getTask(JavacTool.java:207)
        at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTool.getTask(JavacTool.java:53)
        at CompilerToolOptionTester.attemptWithoutFile(CompilerToolOptionTester.java:53)
        at CompilerToolOptionTester.main(CompilerToolOptionTester.java:89)


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.io.StringWriter;
import java.net.URI;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import javax.tools.DiagnosticCollector;
import javax.tools.JavaCompiler;
import javax.tools.JavaFileObject;
import javax.tools.SimpleJavaFileObject;
import javax.tools.StandardJavaFileManager;
import javax.tools.ToolProvider;


public class CompilerToolOptionTester {

private final String javaClassSource = "class SimpleClass {}";


public CompilerToolOptionTester() {}


private void attemptWithFile(String option) {
  System.out.println();
  System.out.println("WITH FILE option = "+option);
  ArrayList<String> options = constructOptions(option);
  
  ArrayList<JavaSourceFromString> compilationUnits = new ArrayList<JavaSourceFromString>(1);
  compilationUnits.add(new JavaSourceFromString("SimpleClass", javaClassSource));
  
  JavaCompiler compiler = ToolProvider.getSystemJavaCompiler();
  
  StandardJavaFileManager fileManager = compiler.getStandardFileManager(null, null, null);
  
  StringWriter compilerOutput = null; // i.e., st err instead
  DiagnosticCollector<JavaFileObject> diagnostics = null; // i.e., st err instead
  compiler.getTask(compilerOutput, fileManager, diagnostics, options, null, compilationUnits)
          .call();
}


private void attemptWithoutFile(String option) {
  System.out.println();
  System.out.println("WITHOUT FILE option = "+option);
  ArrayList<String> options = constructOptions(option);

  ArrayList<JavaSourceFromString> compilationUnits = null;
  JavaCompiler compiler = ToolProvider.getSystemJavaCompiler();
  if (compiler == null) {
    System.err.println("JAVA COMPILER TOOL NOT AVAILABLE");
    return;
    }
  StandardJavaFileManager fileManager = null;
  StringWriter compilerOutput = null; // i.e., st err instead
  DiagnosticCollector<JavaFileObject> diagnostics = null; // i.e., st err instead
  compiler.getTask(compilerOutput, fileManager, diagnostics, options, null, compilationUnits)
          .call();
}

private ArrayList<String> constructOptions(String option) {
  ArrayList<String> options = new ArrayList<String>(1);
  if (option != "") {
    options.add(option);
  }
  return options;
}


public static final class JavaSourceFromString extends SimpleJavaFileObject {
final String sourceCode;

JavaSourceFromString(String compilationUnitName, String sourceCode) {
  super( URI.create("string:///" + compilationUnitName.replace('.','/') + Kind.SOURCE.extension)
       , Kind.SOURCE
       );
  this.sourceCode = sourceCode;
}

@Override
public CharSequence getCharContent(boolean ignoreEncodingErrors) {
  return sourceCode;
}

} // subclass JavaSourceFromString


public static void main(String[] args) {
  CompilerToolOptionTester tester = new CompilerToolOptionTester();
  tester.attemptWithoutFile("");
  tester.attemptWithFile("");
  tester.attemptWithFile("-verbose");
  tester.attemptWithoutFile("-help");
}

}

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

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
if options are needed, write to file and use
String runOutput = OS.runCommand("javac " +optionString+ " " +javaFileName);