FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_121"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_121-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.121-b13, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux mydomain.at 4.8.13-100.fc23.x86_64 #1 SMP Fri Dec 9 14:51:40 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
FileChooser does not open

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
execute attached test case

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
FileChooser opens in default directory.
I think the behaviour should be the same as if there was no initial directory or null set
ACTUAL -
FileChooser does not open

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Exception in Application start method
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.launchApplicationWithArgs(LauncherImpl.java:389)
at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.launchApplication(LauncherImpl.java:328)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at sun.launcher.LauncherHelper$FXHelper.main(LauncherHelper.java:767)
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Exception in Application start method
at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.launchApplication1(LauncherImpl.java:917)
at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication$155(LauncherImpl.java:182)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Folder parameter must be a valid folder
at com.sun.glass.ui.CommonDialogs.convertFolder(CommonDialogs.java:238)
at com.sun.glass.ui.CommonDialogs.showFileChooser(CommonDialogs.java:190)
at com.sun.javafx.tk.quantum.QuantumToolkit.showFileChooser(QuantumToolkit.java:1496)
at javafx.stage.FileChooser.showDialog(FileChooser.java:416)
at javafx.stage.FileChooser.showOpenDialog(FileChooser.java:350)
at test.TestFileChooser.start(TestFileChooser.java:18)
at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication1$162(LauncherImpl.java:863)
at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runAndWait$175(PlatformImpl.java:326)
at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$null$173(PlatformImpl.java:295)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runLater$174(PlatformImpl.java:294)
at com.sun.glass.ui.InvokeLaterDispatcher$Future.run(InvokeLaterDispatcher.java:95)
at com.sun.glass.ui.gtk.GtkApplication._runLoop(Native Method)
at com.sun.glass.ui.gtk.GtkApplication.lambda$null$49(GtkApplication.java:139)
... 1 more
Exception running application test.TestFileChooser

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
package test;

import java.io.File;

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.stage.FileChooser;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class TestFileChooser extends Application {
public static void main(String[] args) {
launch(args);
}

@Override
public void start(Stage stage) {
FileChooser f = new FileChooser();
f.setInitialDirectory(new File("/nonexistingdirectory"));
f.showOpenDialog(stage);
}
}

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

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
check manually if initial file exists:

package test;

import java.io.File;

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.stage.FileChooser;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class TestFileChooser extends Application {
public static void main(String[] args) {
launch(args);
}

@Override
public void start(Stage stage) {
FileChooser f = new FileChooser();
File file = new File("/nonexistingdirectory");
if (file.exists()) {
f.setInitialDirectory(file);
}
f.showOpenDialog(stage);
}
}