I’m writing a Java application that’s working with Apache Derby via JDBC. I’m having

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Asked: May 16, 20262026-05-16T11:38:25+00:00 2026-05-16T11:38:25+00:00

I’m writing a Java application that’s working with Apache Derby via JDBC. I’m having

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I’m writing a Java application that’s working with Apache Derby via JDBC. I’m having problems with the code in the following snippet:

byte md5[] = md5sum(file);

PreparedStatement s = con.prepareStatement("INSERT INTO input_files (job_ID, hash) SELECT job_id, ? FROM job WHERE job_name = ?");
s.setBytes(1, md5);
s.setString(2, jobName);
s.executeUpdate();
s.close();

This inserts into the following tables:

CREATE TABLE input_files
(
    hash char(16) for bit data,
    job_id integer REFERENCES job,
    PRIMARY KEY(job_id, hash)
);

CREATE TABLE job
(
    job_id integer PRIMARY KEY GENERATED ALWAYS as IDENTITY,
    job_name character varying(50) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    #other fields
);

The idea is that there is an internal integer job_id which is used internally by the database, but we want to reference it as much as possible with the human-readable String job_name

This consistently throws the following exception.

java.sql.SQLException: Java exception: ': java.lang.NullPointerException'.
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.newEmbedSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.javaException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.wrapInSQLException(UnknownSource)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.ConnectionChild.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement20.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement30.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement40.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.jdbc.Driver40.newEmbedPreparedStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at [line 3 of snippet above]

As you can see, this is thrown from the line where the prepared statement is created – it doesn’t get as far as executing it. What am I doing wrong? The exact same prepared statement works fine with PostgreSQL.

[edit]
Derby.log:

----------------------------------------------------------------
2010-08-18 08:47:08.779 GMT:
 Booting Derby version The Apache Software Foundation - Apache Derby - 10.6.1.0 - (938214): instance a816c00e-012a-8461-611c-0000046700d0 
on database directory /path/to/myDatabase   with class loader sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@6d6f0472

Database Class Loader started - derby.database.classpath=''
2010-08-18 08:47:12.067 GMT Thread[SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-1,5,main] (XID = 316), (SESSIONID = 1), (DATABASE = myDatabase), (DRDAID = null), Cleanup action starting
2010-08-18 08:47:12.067 GMT Thread[SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-1,5,main] (XID = 316), (SESSIONID = 1), (DATABASE = myDatabase), (DRDAID = null), Failed Statement is: INSERT INTO input_files (job_id, hash) SELECT job_id, ? FROM job WHERE job_name = ?
java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.BitTypeCompiler.storable(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumnList.checkStorableExpressions(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.InsertNode.bindStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepMinion(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepare(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.conn.GenericLanguageConnectionContext.prepareInternalStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement20.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement30.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement40.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.jdbc.Driver40.newEmbedPreparedStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at [line 3 of snippet]
Cleanup action completed

2010-08-18 08:47:12.084 GMT:
Shutting down instance a816c00e-012a-8461-611c-0000046700d0 with class loader sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@6d6f0472 
----------------------------------------------------------------

and unrolled exception:

java.sql.SQLException: Java exception: ': java.lang.NullPointerException'.
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.newEmbedSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.javaException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.wrapInSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.ConnectionChild.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement20.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement30.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement40.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.jdbc.Driver40.newEmbedPreparedStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at [line 3 of snippet above]
Caused by: java.sql.SQLException: Java exception: ': java.lang.NullPointerException'.
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.wrapArgsForTransportAcrossDRDA(Unknown Source)
... 26 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.BitTypeCompiler.storable(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumnList.checkStorableExpressions(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.InsertNode.bindStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepMinion(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepare(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.conn.GenericLanguageConnectionContext.prepareInternalStatement(Unknown Source)
... 19 more
SQLState: XJ001
Error code: 0
Message: Java exception: ': java.lang.NullPointerException'.
Cause: java.sql.SQLException: Java exception: ': java.lang.NullPointerException'.
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.wrapArgsForTransportAcrossDRDA(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.newEmbedSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.javaException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.wrapInSQLException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.ConnectionChild.handleException(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement20.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement30.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement40.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.jdbc.Driver40.newEmbedPreparedStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at [line 3 of snippet above]
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.BitTypeCompiler.storable(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumnList.checkStorableExpressions(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.InsertNode.bindStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepMinion(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepare(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.conn.GenericLanguageConnectionContext.prepareInternalStatement(Unknown Source)
... 19 more
Cause:  java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.BitTypeCompiler.storable(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumn.checkStorableExpression(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.ResultColumnList.checkStorableExpressions(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.compile.InsertNode.bindStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepMinion(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.GenericStatement.prepare(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.sql.conn.GenericLanguageConnectionContext.prepareInternalStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement20.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement30.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement40.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.jdbc.Driver40.newEmbedPreparedStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source)
    at [line 3 of snippet above]

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1 Answer

Editorial Team · Answer 1 · 2026-05-16T11:38:26+00:00

Editorial Team

2026-05-16T11:38:26+00:00Added an answer on May 16, 2026 at 11:38 am

A null pointer exception in this context – especially if the same JDBC code works with another DBMS – looks like you’ve hit a bug in the Derby JDBC driver. Even if you’d made a mistake and passed erroneous data or a null pointer, the driver should be detecting that and reporting an error, not crashing.

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