FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.7.0_15"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_15-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 23.7-b01, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Running the 32Bit JDK on a 64Bit System

* I am using a Linux Mint Operating System on my machine
* I am connected via RDP to the Windows 7 machine
** The RDP connection is configured to share the clipboard

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
I'm not able to give a complete guide on how to reproduce the problem because it seems to be a special situation. I think someone looking at the jvm code will be able to find and solve the problem anyway.

I am using the following code on the Windows machine after establishing the RDP connection:

1 final Clipboard clipboard = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getSystemClipboard();
2 clipboard.getContents(null);

The second line causes the following exception:

java.io.IOException: system clipboard data unavailable
at sun.awt.windows.WClipboard.getClipboardData(Native Method)
at sun.awt.datatransfer.ClipboardTransferable.fetchOneFlavor(ClipboardTransferable.java:118)
at sun.awt.datatransfer.ClipboardTransferable.<init>(ClipboardTransferable.java:97)
at sun.awt.datatransfer.SunClipboard.getContents(SunClipboard.java:147)
        ...

Problem: The javadoc for Clipboard#getContents states that in the case the clipboard is not available an IllegalStateException is thrown. The IOException is not included in the methods throws-clause.

If I disable clipboard sharing in RDP it works without problems.
If I copy something into the clipboard after establishing the connection but before invoking the code it works without problems.


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
final Clipboard clipboard = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getSystemClipboard();
clipboard.getContents(null);
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Catch Exception instead of IOException when invoking Clipboard#getContents(Object)