Bug 388405

Summary:	Java programs with empty grey windows when run in non-reparenting window managers
Product:	Gentoo Linux	Reporter:	Fabiano <fabianoengler>
Component:	[OLD] Java	Assignee:	Java team <java>
Status:	RESOLVED DUPLICATE
Severity:	normal
Priority:	Normal
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	x86
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---

Description Fabiano 2011-10-25 02:54:46 UTC

It is an long standing bug that java programs come with empty grey
windows when run in non-reparenting window managers, such as awesome, xmonad, ratpoison, dwm, e17, etc. (reference links below).

An old timer workaround does not work anymore, which was to use legacy Motif-based integration exporting the following env var:
$ export AWT_TOOLKIT=MToolkit

This workaround is not support anymore and actually it has the opposite effect in some applications, such as on java applets on firefox (all grey applet canvas). On amd64 this workaround causes segfault.

Debian ppl came up with fix patch that is being used on some other distros as well, like arch. Maybe we should take a look at it and see if it would work for gentoo (I believe so).

The real problem is actually upstream, which had it reported several times and never fixed it for java 1.5 and 1.6 (1.7 is fixed). Sun java has a hard coded list of non-reparenting window managers and if the wm name is not on this list, it assumes it is reparenting one and the result is grey area. This debian patch reads an env var (i.e. _JAVA_AWT_WM_NONREPARENTING=1) to use the appropriate behavior.

Debian bug report and patch:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=508650

Arch's:
https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/15674

Awesome wiki:
http://awesome.naquadah.org/wiki/Problems_with_Java

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Login on any non-reparenting window managers, such as awesome, xmonad, ratpoison, dwm, e17, etc.
2. Start any graphical java app

Actual Results:
An entire blank (grey) window is displayed.

Expected Results:
Application windows should be displayed instead of blank (grey) area.

Comment 1 Fabiano 2012-04-08 09:20:03 UTC

Bump. Everyone uses kde or gnome these days?

Comment 2 Ralph Sennhauser (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2012-04-08 14:30:00 UTC


*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 339741 ***