FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version  " 1.7.0_21 " 
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_21-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.21-b01, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Darwin Kernel Version 12.4.0: Wed May  1 17:57:12 PDT 2013; root:xnu-2050.24.15~1/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Hi,

Through various calls, the JDK packaged version of Xalan ends up calling CoreDocumentImpl.setXmlVersion with null if the processed XML document doesn't contain an XML declaration. I'm inclined to say that it's a bug since the XML declaration is optional and the method should protect against NPEs.

This same code completes without Exception on 1.6.0_45 (likely doesn't call setVersion but I haven't confirmed)

Thanks,
Dustin Schultz

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile and run the provided SetVersionNPE class

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
With Java 1.6, this does not fail:

java version  " 1.6.0_45 " 
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_45-b06-451-11M4406)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.45-b01-451, mixed mode)

dustin$ java SetVersionNPE
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
[#document: null]
ACTUAL -
java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.dom.CoreDocumentImpl.setXmlVersion(CoreDocumentImpl.java:860)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.SAX2DOM.setDocumentInfo(SAX2DOM.java:144)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.SAX2DOM.startElement(SAX2DOM.java:154)
at com.sun.org.apache.xml.internal.serializer.ToXMLSAXHandler.closeStartTag(ToXMLSAXHandler.java:208)
at com.sun.org.apache.xml.internal.serializer.ToXMLSAXHandler.characters(ToXMLSAXHandler.java:528)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.StAXStream2SAX.handleCharacters(StAXStream2SAX.java:262)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.StAXStream2SAX.bridge(StAXStream2SAX.java:169)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.StAXStream2SAX.parse(StAXStream2SAX.java:118)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.TransformerImpl.transformIdentity(TransformerImpl.java:678)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.TransformerImpl.transform(TransformerImpl.java:727)
at com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.trax.TransformerImpl.transform(TransformerImpl.java:340)


ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.NullPointerException

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.io.FileReader;
 
import javax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory;
import javax.xml.stream.XMLStreamConstants;
import javax.xml.stream.XMLStreamReader;
import javax.xml.transform.Transformer;
import javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory;
import javax.xml.transform.dom.DOMResult;
import javax.xml.transform.stax.StAXSource;
 
import org.w3c.dom.Node;
 
public class SetVersionNPE {
 
    public static void main(final String[] args) throws Exception  {
        final XMLInputFactory xif = XMLInputFactory.newInstance();
        final XMLStreamReader xsr = xif.createXMLStreamReader(new FileReader( " input.xml " ));
        xsr.nextTag(); // Advance to statements element
 
        final TransformerFactory tf = TransformerFactory.newInstance();
        final Transformer t = tf.newTransformer();
        while(xsr.nextTag() == XMLStreamConstants.START_ELEMENT) {
            final DOMResult result = new DOMResult();
            t.transform(new StAXSource(xsr), result);
            final Node domNode = result.getNode();
            System.out.println(domNode);
        }
    }
 
}

with this XML

<catalog>
   <book id= " bk101 " >
      <author>Gambardella, Matthew</author>
      <title>XML Developer's Guide</title>
      <genre>Computer</genre>
      <price>44.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-10-01</publish_date>
      <description>An in-depth look at creating applications
      with XML.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk102 " >
      <author>Ralls, Kim</author>
      <title>Midnight Rain</title>
      <genre>Fantasy</genre>
      <price>5.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-12-16</publish_date>
      <description>A former architect battles corporate zombies,
      an evil sorceress, and her own childhood to become queen
      of the world.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk103 " >
      <author>Corets, Eva</author>
      <title>Maeve Ascendant</title>
      <genre>Fantasy</genre>
      <price>5.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-11-17</publish_date>
      <description>After the collapse of a nanotechnology
      society in England, the young survivors lay the
      foundation for a new society.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk104 " >
      <author>Corets, Eva</author>
      <title>Oberon's Legacy</title>
      <genre>Fantasy</genre>
      <price>5.95</price>
      <publish_date>2001-03-10</publish_date>
      <description>In post-apocalypse England, the mysterious
      agent known only as Oberon helps to create a new life
      for the inhabitants of London. Sequel to Maeve
      Ascendant.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk105 " >
      <author>Corets, Eva</author>
      <title>The Sundered Grail</title>
      <genre>Fantasy</genre>
      <price>5.95</price>
      <publish_date>2001-09-10</publish_date>
      <description>The two daughters of Maeve, half-sisters,
      battle one another for control of England. Sequel to
      Oberon's Legacy.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk106 " >
      <author>Randall, Cynthia</author>
      <title>Lover Birds</title>
      <genre>Romance</genre>
      <price>4.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-09-02</publish_date>
      <description>When Carla meets Paul at an ornithology
      conference, tempers fly as feathers get ruffled.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk107 " >
      <author>Thurman, Paula</author>
      <title>Splish Splash</title>
      <genre>Romance</genre>
      <price>4.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-11-02</publish_date>
      <description>A deep sea diver finds true love twenty
      thousand leagues beneath the sea.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk108 " >
      <author>Knorr, Stefan</author>
      <title>Creepy Crawlies</title>
      <genre>Horror</genre>
      <price>4.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-12-06</publish_date>
      <description>An anthology of horror stories about roaches,
      centipedes, scorpions  and other insects.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk109 " >
      <author>Kress, Peter</author>
      <title>Paradox Lost</title>
      <genre>Science Fiction</genre>
      <price>6.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-11-02</publish_date>
      <description>After an inadvertant trip through a Heisenberg
      Uncertainty Device, James Salway discovers the problems
      of being quantum.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk110 " >
      <author>O'Brien, Tim</author>
      <title>Microsoft .NET: The Programming Bible</title>
      <genre>Computer</genre>
      <price>36.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-12-09</publish_date>
      <description>Microsoft's .NET initiative is explored in
      detail in this deep programmer's reference.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk111 " >
      <author>O'Brien, Tim</author>
      <title>MSXML3: A Comprehensive Guide</title>
      <genre>Computer</genre>
      <price>36.95</price>
      <publish_date>2000-12-01</publish_date>
      <description>The Microsoft MSXML3 parser is covered in
      detail, with attention to XML DOM interfaces, XSLT processing,
      SAX and more.</description>
   </book>
   <book id= " bk112 " >
      <author>Galos, Mike</author>
      <title>Visual Studio 7: A Comprehensive Guide</title>
      <genre>Computer</genre>
      <price>49.95</price>
      <publish_date>2001-04-16</publish_date>
      <description>Microsoft Visual Studio 7 is explored in depth,
      looking at how Visual Basic, Visual C++, C#, and ASP+ are
      integrated into a comprehensive development
      environment.</description>
   </book>
</catalog>
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Do not use the provided version of Xalan/Xerces within the JDK.