Bug ID: JDK-4463345 System.setProperty(key, value) does not accept null value

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5.0 tigerFixed

If value is null, System.setProperty(key, value) will throw
NullPointerException. This behavior is not on the spec and makes it
difficult to remove a system property.

The workaround is to use System.setProperties(). However, if system does not
give permissions to read/write all the system properties, this workaround will
fail and there is no way to remove this single property.

CONVERTED DATA BugTraq+ Release Management Values COMMIT TO FIX: tiger FIXED IN: tiger INTEGRATED IN: tiger tiger-b07
14-06-2004
SUGGESTED FIX /** * Removes the system property indicated by the specified key. * <p> * First, if a security manager exists, its * <code>SecurityManager.checkPermission</code> method * is called with a <code>PropertyPermission(key, "write")</code> * permission. This may result in a SecurityException being thrown. * If no exception is thrown, the specified property is removed from * the system properties. * <p> * * @param key the name of the system property. * @return the previous value of the system property, * or <code>null</code> if it did not have one. * @exception SecurityException if a security manager exists and its * <code>checkPermission</code> method doesn't allow * setting of the specified property. * @exception NullPointerException if <code>key</code> is * <code>null</code>. * @exception IllegalArgumentException if <code>key</code> is empty. * @see java.util.PropertyPermission * @see SecurityManager#checkPermission * @since 1.5 */ public static String clearProperty(String key) { if (key == null) { throw new NullPointerException("key can't be null"); } if (key.equals("")) { throw new IllegalArgumentException("key can't be empty"); } if (security != null) security.checkPermission(new PropertyPermission(key, "write")); return (String) props.remove(key); }
11-06-2004
WORK AROUND This code fragment will allow you to entirely remove a property. Properties p = System.getProperties(); p.remove(key); System.setProperties(p); Unfortunately, this still requires permission to read/write all of the system properties. -- iag@sfbay 2001-11-02
02-11-2001
EVALUATION The javadoc for setProperty() should be modified to indicate that a NullPointerException will be thrown if value is null. There is no API to handle removing an individual system property. To address this problem, a new method System.clearProperty(String key) should be added. -- iag@sfbay 2001-11-02
02-11-2001