FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
JDK 1.6 update 12  or JDK 1.6 update 13

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows XP Proffessional

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Our client base is not able to reliably launch Web Start applications from desktop icon.

We use Java Web Start to deploy a Java application.  We rely on a feature whereby Web Start will place an icon on the user's desktop that is a shortcut to the JNLP file, allowing them to launch the cached application when offline.

However, frequently users are unable to launch, getting an error message "Unable to launch the application."  The Console shows "Could not load file/URL specified."

This is a bug that has repeatedly been "fixed" in 1.6 but reappeared in 1.6.0_12 and 1.6.0_13.  It is supposedly fixed in the upcoming 1.6.0_14 release.

But it appears even more brittle than that, breaking when we  simply update jars.


More information about this.
A bit more background, here are five excerpts that we could find, with varying diagnoses and remedies.  I���m pretty sure we don���t send  a ���no-cache��� directive in the HTTP header.  I haven���t been able to systematically test whether clearing IE cache will solve it.

http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6563938

Submitted On 27-MAR-2009

I had the similar error by executing the Desktop-Link of my Webstart-App after an update of resources has been available. In that case the Installer dumped the CouldNotLoadArgumentException.

But after I closed the Webstart Dialog with the error and executed the Desktop-Link again, the Installer updated and started successful.

 

The solution (at least for my JNLP configuration):

I experienced using the <j2se> element within the JNLP file without any other attributes but version leaded to a successful update through Desktop-Link at first trial, i.e. I got no error message any more.

Before my j2se tag was like this:

 

    <j2se version="1.6" initial-heap-size="256m" java-vm-args="-Xmx256m" />

 

now I have this:

 

    <j2se version="1.6" />

 

http://forums-beta.sun.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1211423

I have also run into this problem when working with a simple demonstration program. My browser is IE 6. I followed the previous posts advice and cleared my cache and the problem was solved. Thanks for the excellent posts!!!

 

 

http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6563938

We had the same problem. It appears to be that IE is trying to start the JNLP file before it gets written to the temporary internet files.
This typically happens when the temporary intenet files cache is huge. Whenever a user has reported this problem, we have them clear their IE cache, and everything works fine. I have never had to delete the Java Web Start cache. Hope this helps.

 

https://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/references/java/java1.5/tutorial/deployment/webstart/problems.html

Problem: When I click on a link to a JNLP file with Internet Explorer and Java Web Start launches, I get the message ���Could not load file/URL specified: C:\Documents and Settings\...\application[1].jnlp���.

This problem only occurs with Internet Explorer. It is usually caused by a no-cache directive from the Web or proxy server, which causes Internet Explorer to not write the JNLP file to the local disk.

This frequently happens when you upgrade a Tomcat-based server, as later versions set the no-cache directive by default for any resource that is within a security-constraint in the web.xml file. Try removing the relevant URI from the security constraint. This problem can also occur because of a full cache, or if the cache is turned off in Internet Explorer.

http://lopica.sourceforge.net/update.html

Two days later mickfinnfro solved the puzzle and writes:

Turns out that Tomcat is sending no-cache in the HTTP header and Internet Exploder honors it by not saving the script. Tomcat throws in a no-cache HTTP header for all resources that live within a security-constraint in web.xml. After moving the URI in question out of the security constraint, the Web Start XML script gets saved (cached) on the client and Web Start works its magic as advertised

1.     Desktop icons for JNLP are brittle for both our SSL (production) and unencrypted (beta) sites.  It works and then stops working.

 

 Screen shots of user error messages are below.  Strangely, launching Webstart from the icon failed for me and two colleagues on Wednesday evening but worked for me on Thursday morning.  And even when launching from the icon fails, we can launch from the web site itself okay.

 

1.       Here are links to a bug that appears very similar in symptoms to what we experience:

 

            http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6563938

 

2.       Here are some Java forum links referencing the ���Could not find file/URL specified.���

 

https://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/references/java/java1.5/tutorial/deployment/webstart/problems.html

http://forums-beta.sun.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1211423

 

3.       One of the forums above suggested this is a problem ���only��� with Internet Explorer.  But that���s the platform that the great majority of our customers use.

 

Our user base has smart people, but things like clearing Web Start caches, updating Java VMs, and so on should not be part of their job.  Is there a specific set of instructions we can give to a basic user?

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Our client base is not able to reliably launch Web Start applications from desktop icon.

We use Java Web Start to deploy a Java application.  We rely on a feature whereby Web Start will place an icon on the user's desktop that is a shortcut to the JNLP file, allowing them to launch the cached application when offline.

However, frequently users are unable to launch, getting an error message "Unable to launch the application."  The Console shows "Could not load file/URL specified."

This is a bug that has repeatedly been "fixed" in 1.6 but reappeared in 1.6.0_12 and 1.6.0_13.  It is supposedly fixed in the upcoming 1.6.0_14 release.

But it appears even more brittle than that, breaking when we  simply update jars.


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
JNLP short cut should work ,if jars are updated
ACTUAL -
JNLP short cut fails if jars are updated

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
CouldNotLoadArgumentException

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced often.

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screen shots attached.
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CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Some times works id cache is cleared

Release Regression From : 6u10
The above release value was the last known release where this 
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.