V22.1, 32-bit Linux, illegal reflective access operation

[RBVanDyke]

For Linux Mint 32-bit 19.3, oXygen XML Editor 22.1 (most current version as of this date), oXygen running well under openjdk 11.0.8 2020-07-14. (Starting oXygen XML 32-bit under the open JDK for the first time, oXygen tells me that the openjdk should be supplanted with a proprietary version, I have not for almost three years experienced any problems that have led me to do that...)

ALSO, after a recent Linux Mint upgrade to version 19.3, version 22.1 of oXygen XML editor for 32-bit for Java still seems to run properly. This is consistent with oXygen XML Editor's problem free performance across three years on Linux Mint 18.3. (I'd like to upgrade to Linux 64-bit but can't for the time being.)

However, I've tried a different approach to installing oXygen on version 19.3 of Linux. I:

1. Put oXygen in a subdirectory of my home/bin directory.
2. Created a link to oxygen.sh and put that in my home/bin directory. This enables me to start oXygen from the BASH command line.

When I start oXygen from the BASH command line, I receive these warnings:

Code: Select all

rbv@rbv-F80Q:~/bin$ oxygen.sh 
WARNING: An illegal reflective access operation has occurred
WARNING: Illegal reflective access by ro.sync.net.protocol.Installer (file:/home/rbv/bin/oxygen/lib/oxygen.jar) to field java.net.URL.handlers
WARNING: Please consider reporting this to the maintainers of ro.sync.net.protocol.Installer
WARNING: Use --illegal-access=warn to enable warnings of further illegal reflective access operations
WARNING: All illegal access operations will be denied in a future release

Despite these WARNINGs, oXygen XML seems to be running without apparent problems.

SO -- What should I do about these WARNINGs? I have no idea what these WARNINGs mean. Or how I might best respond to them.

[adrian]

Hi,

The "illegal reflective access operation" warnings appear for any distribution of Oxygen that runs on OpenJDK 11 or later. So, they are not 32-bit specific, but Java specific (since Java 9). Oxygen relies on reflection to set up some hooks and handlers in the Java VM (e.g. URL handlers), so these illegal reflective access operations are currently unavoidable.
For the user it's not necessary to do anything about these warnings at this time. If they bother you, you can hide them with the Java argument:

Code: Select all

--illegal-access=permit

passed after "${OXYGEN_JAVA}" on the last line from oxygen.sh.
It's possible that future versions of Java will deny these operations by default, but you will most likely still be able to allow them with the Java option mentioned above.

Regarding Linux 32-bit (x86), do note that we no longer provide a distribution of Oxygen for this platform and we no longer officially support it (Linux 32-bit). It should still work if you have the appropriate Java VM (OpenJDK 11 or later). However, I would advise moving to Linux 64-bit, if possible.

Regarding the use of the system installed openjdk 11.x, it should be fine as long as you don't use some of the features that require JavaFX. Do note that Oxygen uses JavaFX/OpenJFX for some of its features (dynamic help, embedded audio/video player in Author mode) and there are also some third party plugins that require it (Acrolinx comes to mind). So, you should investigate if it's possible to also install and enable OpenJFX for the OpenJDK distribution you currently have.

Regards,
Adrian

[RBVanDyke]

Thanks as always Adrian.

By the by, I did install OpenJFX.

Hoping to find a way to afford a zippy 64-bit laptop that I can run Linux on.

Cheers & thanks 'gain,
Riley
SFO