FULL PRODUCT VERSION :


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
OS X 10.10

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
On OS X platform, when using an API to open an external application such as Desktop.getDesktop().open(File file) from within a signed Java Webstart application the external application load always results in a crash of that application when the JavaWS app was launched from its desktop shortcut. 

When the exact same webstart app is launched directly from the JNLP file or from the cache in the Java Control Panel the external application loads without issue. This issue does not occur on Windows.

The same behavior has been observed with any command the app can issue that will open another application, i.e. this is not just seen with RDP files/app, or with the getDesktop().open API ... when the JavaWS app has been loaded from its desktop shortcut, every mechanism we've tried has the same failure result.

When loaded from JNLP directly or from the Java cache within the Java Control Panel the exact same code works without issue. There are no errors or warnings seen in the code so it appears the external command is issued successfully however the way the JVM is interacting with the OS must differ in the two scenarios.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
steps to reproduce:

* Create a simple project with one class (Demo class below). This class only tries to all Desktop.getDesktop().open on an RDP file
* Bundle into a jar and sign (self sign is ok) (ant script below)
* Create a simple jnlp file (sample below)
* Deploy jar and jnlp to a webserver accessed via https
* Add webserver's domain to Java's exception list so that self signed app will run
* create test.rdp file in user.home folder. The file can be empty.

Test as follows on OS X platform:

* install Microsoft Remote Desktop app (v8.0.35) - ensure RDP files are associated with this app
* ensure the RDP client is closed
* download/run the jnlp file from the webserver it was uploaded to above
* JavaWS app will open and successfully open RDP client and load the RDP file
* ensure RDP client and demo app are closed
* load the demo app from its desktop icon <=== this is the failure case
* RDP client will start to open and then crash
* ensure RDP client and demo app are closed
* load app from java cache <=== this should have the same behaviour as loading from the desktop icon
* app will open and successfully open RDP client and load the RDP file


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------

Demo class with the open command:
=========================

package com.example;

import java.awt.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.util.logging.Logger;

public enum Demo {

   INSTANCE;

  private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(Demo.class.getName());

  public static void main(String[] args) {
  Demo demo = Demo.INSTANCE;
   String filename = System.getProperty("user.home")
  + System.getProperty("file.separator")
  + "test.rdp";
   log.info("opening file: " + filename);
   demo.openFile(new File(filename));
   }

   public void openFile(File file) {
   log.info("Desktop.getDesktop().open(" + file.getAbsolutePath() + ")");
  try {
   if (file.exists()) {
  Desktop.getDesktop().open(file);
   } else {
   log.info("Cannot open file " + file.getAbsolutePath() + " does not exist.");
   }
  } catch (Exception e) {
  e.printStackTrace();
   }
  }

}


Demo JNLP file:
=========================

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<jnlp spec="6.0+"
   codebase="https://yourwebserver.example.com/path/to/app"
   href="OpenDemo.jnlp" >
  <information>
  <title>Open Demo</title>
  <vendor>Example</vendor>
  <shortcut online="true" install="true">
  <desktop/>
  </shortcut>
  <update check="timeout" policy="always"/>
  </information>
  <security>
  <all-permissions/>
  </security>
  <resources>
  <java version="1.8+" />
  <jar href="./OpenDemo.jar" main="true" />
  </resources>
  <application-desc
   main-class="com.example.Demo" />
</jnlp>



ANT build file:
==========================


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project name="Build Open Demo WebStart Application">

  <property name="compiled.basedir" value="../out/production/demo-webstart-app/" />
  <property name="target.jarname" value="OpenDemo.jar" />

   <!-- default the target to be 1.8 -->
   <property name="ant.build.javac.target" value="1.8" />
  <property name="ant.build.javac.source" value="1.8" />

   <!-- bundle the jar -->
   <target name="bundle">
  <jar destfile="../${target.jarname}"
   filesetmanifest="mergewithoutmain"
   basedir="${compiled.basedir}" >

  <include name="com/example/**" />
  <manifest>
  <attribute name="Application-Name" value="OpenDemo" />
  <attribute name="Codebase" value="*" />
  <attribute name="Permissions" value="all-permissions" />
  <attribute name="Caller-Allowable-Codebase" value="*" />
  <attribute name="Entry-Point" value="com.example.Demo" />
  <attribute name="Trusted-Only" value="true" />
  </manifest>
  </jar>
  </target>


   <!-- sign what we have bundled with a self signed CA -->
  <!-- cert created using:
  keytool -genkey -keyalg RSA -alias selfsigned -keystore keystore -storepass opendemo -validity 30 -keysize 2048

  What is your first and last name?
  [Unknown]: OpenDemo
  What is the name of your organizational unit?
  [Unknown]: OpenDemo
  What is the name of your organization?
  [Unknown]: OpenDemo
  What is the name of your City or Locality?
  [Unknown]: OpenDemo
  What is the name of your State or Province?
  [Unknown]: OpenDemo
  What is the two-letter country code for this unit?
  [Unknown]: OD
  Is CN=OpenDemo, OU=OpenDemo, O=OpenDemo, L=OpenDemo, ST=OpenDemo, C=OD correct?
  [no]: yes

  Enter key password for <selfsigned>
  (RETURN if same as keystore password):
  -->
   <target name="sign" depends="bundle">

  <signjar
   jar="../${target.jarname}"
   lazy="false"
   alias="selfsigned"
   keystore="../keystore"
   storepass="opendemo"
   />
  </target>

</project>
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
the only workaround is to launch the app from the JNLP or from the Java Cache each time.