Help! Compiling error

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Software Troubleshooting
1

for some reason the IDE now freaks out when I try to compile any sketches, it worked fine a few days ago. I've even tried reinstalling the whole IDE (im using vers 18)

here's what I get when I hit the compile button:

java.lang.NullPointerException
      at processing.app.debug.Compiler.compile(Compiler.java:75)
      at processing.app.Sketch.build(Sketch.java:1412)
      at processing.app.Sketch.compile(Sketch.java:1203)
      at processing.app.Editor$44.run(Editor.java:1807)
      at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
      at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:597)
      at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
      at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
      at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
      at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
      at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
      at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)

any help would be greatly appreciated, I just want to know what's going on so I can get my arduino back up and running!

2

it COULD be something mysterious but first look for mismatched "s or something similar.

if you can't find it, post your sketch.

3

Unfortunately I think this is a problem with my computer itself, considering I get the exact same error with ALL sketches including examples, etc. So the problem cant be in the code. Anyone ever encountered this before?

4

Your system (like most) probably has several copies of java installed. they should not interact but...

Try deleting/renaming the java folder inside arduino then restart the ide.

5

Its possible your machine got a newer java version installed recently, one that doesn't work with the Arduino IDE - check the release notes about version requirements.

6

Its possible your machine got a newer java version installed recently, one that doesn't work with the Arduino IDE - check the release notes about version requirements.

I haven't seen that happen and there's nothing in the release notes. I HAVE seen ide issues cured by dropping the version of java packaged with it in favour of a newer one.

7

Hmm, still no idea what went wrong, but I deleted 18 and reinstalled version 17 of the ide and everything's A OK, guess there must have been some compatibility problem? Thanks for the help everyone, it was all much appreciated, I'm just happy I can use my duino again! :slight_smile:

8

So, you can have multiple versions of the IDE installed. If you now install 18 again, does it work?