Sonar throws in headless environment on a Mac

Question

We're trying to run sonar through our regular ant-driven Jenkins build on a Mac OS X Mountain Lion system, but fail with the following exception:

.../main/custom_rules.xml:149: java.lang.InternalError: Can't connect to window server - not enough permissions.
    at java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Native Method)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(ClassLoader.java:1827)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(ClassLoader.java:1724)
    at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Runtime.java:823)
    at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(System.java:1045)
    at sun.security.action.LoadLibraryAction.run(LoadLibraryAction.java:50)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.awt.Toolkit.loadLibraries(Toolkit.java:1605)
    at java.awt.Toolkit.(Toolkit.java:1627)
    at sun.awt.AppContext$2.run(AppContext.java:240)
    at sun.awt.AppContext$2.run(AppContext.java:226)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at sun.awt.AppContext.initMainAppContext(AppContext.java:226)
    at sun.awt.AppContext.access$200(AppContext.java:112)
    at sun.awt.AppContext$3.run(AppContext.java:306)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at sun.awt.AppContext.getAppContext(AppContext.java:287)
    at com.sun.jmx.trace.Trace.out(Trace.java:180)
    at com.sun.jmx.trace.Trace.isSelected(Trace.java:88)
    at com.sun.jmx.interceptor.DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.isTraceOn(DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.java:1830)
    at com.sun.jmx.interceptor.DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.registerDynamicMBean(DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.java:929)
    at com.sun.jmx.interceptor.DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.registerObject(DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.java:916)
    at com.sun.jmx.interceptor.DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.registerMBean(DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.java:312)
    at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer$2.run(JmxMBeanServer.java:1195)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer.initialize(JmxMBeanServer.java:1193)
    at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer.(JmxMBeanServer.java:225)
    at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer.(JmxMBeanServer.java:170)
    at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer.newMBeanServer(JmxMBeanServer.java:1401)
    at javax.management.MBeanServerBuilder.newMBeanServer(MBeanServerBuilder.java:93)
    at javax.management.MBeanServerFactory.newMBeanServer(MBeanServerFactory.java:311)
    at javax.management.MBeanServerFactory.createMBeanServer(MBeanServerFactory.java:214)
    at javax.management.MBeanServerFactory.createMBeanServer(MBeanServerFactory.java:175)
    at sun.management.ManagementFactory.createPlatformMBeanServer(ManagementFactory.java:302)
    at java.lang.management.ManagementFactory.getPlatformMBeanServer(ManagementFactory.java:504)
    at com.persistit.Persistit.registerMBean(Persistit.java:758)
    at com.persistit.Persistit.registerMXBeans(Persistit.java:735)
    at com.persistit.Persistit.initializeManagement(Persistit.java:654)
    at com.persistit.Persistit.initialize(Persistit.java:434)
    at org.sonar.batch.index.Caches.initPersistit(Caches.java:70)
    at org.sonar.batch.index.Caches.(Caches.java:53)
    at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.java:39)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.java:27)
    at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:513)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjector.newInstance(AbstractInjector.java:145)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$1.run(ConstructorInjector.java:342)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjector$ThreadLocalCyclicDependencyGuard.observe(AbstractInjector.java:270)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector.getComponentInstance(ConstructorInjector.java:364)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjectionFactory$LifecycleAdapter.getComponentInstance(AbstractInjectionFactory.java:56)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.AbstractBehavior.getComponentInstance(AbstractBehavior.java:64)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.Stored.getComponentInstance(Stored.java:91)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getInstance(DefaultPicoContainer.java:698)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getComponent(DefaultPicoContainer.java:646)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getComponent(DefaultPicoContainer.java:631)
    at org.picocontainer.parameters.BasicComponentParameter$1.resolveInstance(BasicComponentParameter.java:118)
    at org.picocontainer.parameters.ComponentParameter$1.resolveInstance(ComponentParameter.java:136)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.SingleMemberInjector.getParameter(SingleMemberInjector.java:78)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$CtorAndAdapters.getParameterArguments(ConstructorInjector.java:309)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$1.run(ConstructorInjector.java:335)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjector$ThreadLocalCyclicDependencyGuard.observe(AbstractInjector.java:270)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector.getComponentInstance(ConstructorInjector.java:364)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjectionFactory$LifecycleAdapter.getComponentInstance(AbstractInjectionFactory.java:56)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.AbstractBehavior.getComponentInstance(AbstractBehavior.java:64)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.Stored.getComponentInstance(Stored.java:91)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getInstance(DefaultPicoContainer.java:698)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getComponent(DefaultPicoContainer.java:646)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getComponent(DefaultPicoContainer.java:631)
    at org.picocontainer.parameters.BasicComponentParameter$1.resolveInstance(BasicComponentParameter.java:118)
    at org.picocontainer.parameters.ComponentParameter$1.resolveInstance(ComponentParameter.java:136)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.SingleMemberInjector.getParameter(SingleMemberInjector.java:78)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$CtorAndAdapters.getParameterArguments(ConstructorInjector.java:309)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$1.run(ConstructorInjector.java:335)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjector$ThreadLocalCyclicDependencyGuard.observe(AbstractInjector.java:270)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector.getComponentInstance(ConstructorInjector.java:364)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjectionFactory$LifecycleAdapter.getComponentInstance(AbstractInjectionFactory.java:56)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.AbstractBehavior.getComponentInstance(AbstractBehavior.java:64)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.Stored.getComponentInstance(Stored.java:91)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getInstance(DefaultPicoContainer.java:698)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getComponent(DefaultPicoContainer.java:646)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.getComponent(DefaultPicoContainer.java:631)
    at org.picocontainer.parameters.BasicComponentParameter$1.resolveInstance(BasicComponentParameter.java:118)
    at org.picocontainer.parameters.ComponentParameter$1.resolveInstance(ComponentParameter.java:136)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.SingleMemberInjector.getParameter(SingleMemberInjector.java:78)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$CtorAndAdapters.getParameterArguments(ConstructorInjector.java:309)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector$1.run(ConstructorInjector.java:335)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjector$ThreadLocalCyclicDependencyGuard.observe(AbstractInjector.java:270)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.ConstructorInjector.getComponentInstance(ConstructorInjector.java:364)
    at org.picocontainer.injectors.AbstractInjectionFactory$LifecycleAdapter.getComponentInstance(AbstractInjectionFactory.java:56)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.AbstractBehavior.getComponentInstance(AbstractBehavior.java:64)
    at org.picocontainer.behaviors.Stored.getComponentInstance(Stored.java:91)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.instantiateComponentAsIsStartable(DefaultPicoContainer.java:1033)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.addAdapterIfStartable(DefaultPicoContainer.java:1025)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.startAdapters(DefaultPicoContainer.java:1002)
    at org.picocontainer.DefaultPicoContainer.start(DefaultPicoContainer.java:766)
    at org.sonar.api.platform.ComponentContainer.startComponents(ComponentContainer.java:87)
    at org.sonar.api.platform.ComponentContainer.execute(ComponentContainer.java:73)
    at org.sonar.batch.scan.ScanTask.scan(ScanTask.java:57)
    at org.sonar.batch.scan.ScanTask.execute(ScanTask.java:45)
    at org.sonar.batch.bootstrap.TaskContainer.doAfterStart(TaskContainer.java:80)
    at org.sonar.api.platform.ComponentContainer.startComponents(ComponentContainer.java:88)
    at org.sonar.api.platform.ComponentContainer.execute(ComponentContainer.java:73)
    at org.sonar.batch.bootstrap.BootstrapContainer.executeTask(BootstrapContainer.java:156)
    at org.sonar.batch.bootstrap.BootstrapContainer.doAfterStart(BootstrapContainer.java:144)
    at org.sonar.api.platform.ComponentContainer.startComponents(ComponentContainer.java:88)
    at org.sonar.api.platform.ComponentContainer.execute(ComponentContainer.java:73)
    at org.sonar.batch.bootstrapper.Batch.startBatch(Batch.java:86)
    at org.sonar.batch.bootstrapper.Batch.execute(Batch.java:68)
    at org.sonar.batch.Batch.execute(Batch.java:103)
    at org.sonar.ant.Launcher.execute(Launcher.java:78)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
    at org.sonar.ant.SonarTask.delegateExecution(SonarTask.java:244)
    at org.sonar.ant.SonarTask.execute(SonarTask.java:193)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:291)
    at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor4.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:106)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:348)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.execute(Target.java:392)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.performTasks(Target.java:413)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeSortedTargets(Project.java:1399)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTarget(Project.java:1368)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.helper.DefaultExecutor.executeTargets(DefaultExecutor.java:41)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTargets(Project.java:1251)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Main.runBuild(Main.java:811)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.Main.startAnt(Main.java:217)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.launch.Launcher.run(Launcher.java:280)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.launch.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:109)

Obviously we want to run the Jenkins instance headless and thus set -Djava.awt.headless=true, which is also reflected by the system information Jenkins shows us. Still, it refuses to work and the exception is rather unspecific.

Has anybody else stumbled upon this issue?

Thanks in advance, Thomas.

Answer 1

I recently ran into this issue and stumbled across this question. I thought perhaps I would elaborate in case anyone else might run into this. The solution I used was to apply Java 7. To say to 'upgrade' is a bit vague. What you want to do is add 7 to Jenkins. Following these steps I was able to successfully build my project:

1. Go to the Oracle Java page and downloaded the 1.7_51 jdk for Mac.
2. Opened the dmg and ran the executable.
3. On the Mac, this installs the JDK to /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_51.jdk/
4. In Jenkins, go to 'Manage Jenkins' > 'Configure System'
5. Under the JDK heading, click the button that says JDK Installations
6. Under Name type 'JDK 1.7.0_51'
7. For JAVA_HOME type '/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_51.jdk/Contents/Home/'
8. Select Save
9. Go to your project and select Configure
10. You should now have a JDK drop down near the top of the page.
11. Select the JDK you just configured under 'Manage Jenkins'
12. Run the build

After doing this, my build successfully ran without the 'Can't connect to window server - not enough permissions error.'

Answer 2

And a workaround when using JDK 6 -- and when upgrading to JDK 7 is not an option -- is to add the JVM options -Djava.awt.headless=true when executing sonar-runner.

I use this workaround successfully for e.g. a Jenkins build server that has sonar-runner build steps.

Answer 3

This is a bug of some versions of Java 6 on Mac (apparently with 1.6.0_51). Here are more details :

• http://lists.apple.com/archives/java-dev/2013/Jun/msg00078.html

• https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LUCENE-5086

A workaround is to upgrade to Java 7.

Regards