NullPointer on ReadyAPI startup - Macbook 10.13.3 OS

[mattssmith]

I had ReadyAPI setup and working fine on my macbook which has 10.13.3 OS and Java 8... 

I'm not sure what changed, but all of a sudden I cannot start ReadyAPI up any more... I see this error in the error.log file:
/Applications/ReadyAPI-2.3.0.app/Contents/java/app/bin/error.log

Any help in resolving this would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks.

May 03, 2018 8:57:41 AM com.google.inject.internal.MessageProcessor visit
INFO: An exception was caught and reported. Message: java.lang.NullPointerException
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at java.awt.Window.init(Window.java:497)
	at java.awt.Window.<init>(Window.java:537)
	at java.awt.Frame.<init>(Frame.java:420)
	at java.awt.Frame.<init>(Frame.java:385)
	at javax.swing.SwingUtilities$SharedOwnerFrame.<init>(SwingUtilities.java:1758)
	at javax.swing.SwingUtilities.getSharedOwnerFrame(SwingUtilities.java:1833)
	at javax.swing.JOptionPane.getRootFrame(JOptionPane.java:1696)
	at javax.swing.JOptionPane.getFrameForComponent(JOptionPane.java:1612)
	at com.jp.protection.gui.dialogs.LicenseErrorDialog.<init>(LicenseErrorDialog.java:49)
	at com.jp.protection.gui.dialogs.DefaultLicenseAdapter.<init>(DefaultLicenseAdapter.java:56)
	at com.jp.protection.pub.launch.ProtectionLauncher.initLicenseListener(ProtectionLauncher.java:128)
	at com.jp.protection.pub.launch.HeadlessProtectionLauncher.init(HeadlessProtectionLauncher.java:189)
	at com.jp.protection.pub.launch.ProtectionLauncher.init(ProtectionLauncher.java:113)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.protection.HeadlessProtectionLauncherAdapter.init(HeadlessProtectionLauncherAdapter.java:94)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.protection.SoapuiProtectionSupport.a(SoapuiProtectionSupport.java:126)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.protection.SoapuiProtectionSupport.initProtectionLauncher(SoapuiProtectionSupport.java:105)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.protection.SoapuiProtectionSupport.<init>(SoapuiProtectionSupport.java:72)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.LicenseModule.configure(LicenseModule.java:29)
	at com.google.inject.PrivateModule.configure(PrivateModule.java:100)
	at com.google.inject.spi.Elements$RecordingBinder.install(Elements.java:340)
	at com.netflix.governator.guice.BootstrapBinder.install(BootstrapBinder.java:203)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.headless.HeadlessLicenseInitializerModule.configureModule(HeadlessLicenseInitializerModule.java:47)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.LicenseInitializerModule.configureModule(LicenseInitializerModule.java:31)
	at com.smartbear.ready.license.headless.HeadlessLicenseInitializerModule.configure(HeadlessLicenseInitializerModule.java:34)
	at com.netflix.governator.guice.InternalBootstrapModule.configure(InternalBootstrapModule.java:95)
	at com.google.inject.AbstractModule.configure(AbstractModule.java:62)
	at com.google.inject.spi.Elements$RecordingBinder.install(Elements.java:340)
	at com.google.inject.spi.Elements.getElements(Elements.java:110)
	at com.google.inject.internal.InjectorShell$Builder.build(InjectorShell.java:138)
	at com.google.inject.internal.InternalInjectorCreator.build(InternalInjectorCreator.java:104)
	at com.google.inject.Guice.createInjector(Guice.java:99)
	at com.google.inject.Guice.createInjector(Guice.java:84)
	at com.netflix.governator.guice.LifecycleInjector.<init>(LifecycleInjector.java:437)
	at com.netflix.governator.guice.LifecycleInjectorBuilderImpl.build(LifecycleInjectorBuilderImpl.java:313)
	at com.smartbear.ready.ui.ReadyApiMain.main(ReadyApiMain.java:80)
	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.exe4j.runtime.LauncherEngine.launch(LauncherEngine.java:65)
	at com.install4j.runtime.launcher.MacLauncher.main(MacLauncher.java:67)

[Nastya_Khovrina]

Hi Matt, 

I found the case where you mentioned that the issue was caused by your universal DELL docking station. Maybe JVM  tried to use Java options that cannot be used to run ReadyAPI. For example, there is a known issue with the JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS and _JAVA_OPTIONS OS environment variables: https://support.smartbear.com/readyapi/docs/general-info/troubleshooting.html

[jeremyzapata · Accepted solution]

I had the same issue and it turns out it was because my laptop was plugged into a docking station with 2 additional monitors. I don't know if it is my MacBook pro, macOS, ReadyAPI software or my docking station. Anyway, when I unplug from the dock and launch ReadyAPI it comes up just fine. Frustrating! Wasted a few hours trying to figure this out. That will be part of my troubleshooting steps from now on.

[Nastya_Khovrina]

Thank you for sharing the solution!

[r1tak]

 thanks for sharing.  when i unplugged my external monitor it worked.  SoapUI 5.5.0. MAC OS 10.14.6

[abe777]

I am having the same issue and can confirm i'm also using Mac as well as the dell docking station.

Unplugging the monitor is not really a "fix", is there any java settings or command line switches that can be passed to avoid the issue from occuring?  Or seems we need to file a bug?

[jeremyzapata]

Actually, the error is because your primary monitor is not selected to be your default. You do not have to unplug your monitors, just go into your System Preferences > Display >Arrangement and make sure the monitor with the little white bar is on your laptop screen. If not, then I think you just drag it to the correct one. Unfortunately, you cannot have an external monitor be your "primary", but at least you can still have other monitors. Still something seems broken IMO, but this is a better work-around.