eclipse: want to view a css file but get "Cannot create extension" error

Question

since i rebooted my computer and started eclipse again i can't view css or js files anymore. all i get is this bizarre error, see stack below:

  org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException: Cannot create extension
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPlugin.createExtension(WorkbenchPlugin.java:287)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.registry.EditorDescriptor.createEditor(EditorDescriptor.java:235)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.EditorReference.createPart(EditorReference.java:319)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityPart.createPart(CompatibilityPart.java:262)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityEditor.createPart(CompatibilityEditor.java:61)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityPart.create(CompatibilityPart.java:299)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:601)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.MethodRequestor.execute(MethodRequestor.java:56)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.processAnnotated(InjectorImpl.java:861)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.processAnnotated(InjectorImpl.java:841)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.inject(InjectorImpl.java:113)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.internalMake(InjectorImpl.java:321)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.make(InjectorImpl.java:242)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.contexts.ContextInjectionFactory.make(ContextInjectionFactory.java:161)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.createFromBundle(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:102)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.doCreate(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:71)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.create(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:53)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.ContributedPartRenderer.createWidget(ContributedPartRenderer.java:141)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createWidget(PartRenderingEngine.java:892)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:627)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.StackRenderer.showTab(StackRenderer.java:1115)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.LazyStackRenderer.postProcess(LazyStackRenderer.java:98)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:643)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$6.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:518)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:503)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.ElementReferenceRenderer.createWidget(ElementReferenceRenderer.java:74)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createWidget(PartRenderingEngine.java:892)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:627)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.PerspectiveRenderer.processContents(PerspectiveRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.PerspectiveStackRenderer.showTab(PerspectiveStackRenderer.java:103)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.LazyStackRenderer.postProcess(LazyStackRenderer.java:98)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.PerspectiveStackRenderer.postProcess(PerspectiveStackRenderer.java:77)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:643)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.SWTPartRenderer.processContents(SWTPartRenderer.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.WBWRenderer.processContents(WBWRenderer.java:644)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:639)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:729)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$2(PartRenderingEngine.java:700)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$7.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:694)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:679)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$9.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:985)
    at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:332)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:940)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.E4Workbench.createAndRunUI(E4Workbench.java:86)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench$5.run(Workbench.java:587)
    at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:332)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.createAndRunWorkbench(Workbench.java:542)
    at org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(PlatformUI.java:149)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.application.IDEApplication.start(IDEApplication.java:124)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.app.EclipseAppHandle.run(EclipseAppHandle.java:196)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:110)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:79)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:353)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:180)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:601)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:629)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:584)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1438)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPlugin.createExtension(WorkbenchPlugin.java:263)

Answer 1

use sudo apt-get install ia32-libs.

For Ubuntu 14.10, use sudo apt-get install lib32z1.

Answer 2

This kept happening to me. Tried re-installing Eclipse, pydev, Java, MS Word (kidding). Finally, I created a new workspace, dragged and dropped my source files into it, and lived happily ever after.

Answer 3

all this was was some hick-up in eclipse. closed and opened the files again and all is good.....