"Illegal char <:> at index 2: /C:/path..." error if you run Paths.get(PortalUtil.getGlobalLibDir()) java code in Windows

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: Master
• Fix Version/s: 7.3.3 CE GA4, 7.3.10 DXP GA1, Master
• Component/s: Core Infrastructure
• Labels:
  • QA-AUTOMATION
  • backend_test
• Fix Priority: 3
• OS:
  Windows 10
• Git Pull Request: https://github.com/shuyangzhou/liferay-portal/pull/9120

"Illegal char <:> at index 2: /C:/path..." error if you run Paths.get(PortalUtil.getGlobalLibDir()) java code in Windows

This can be reproduced if you activate Elasticsearch Sidecar in Windows (see LPS-103577).
An "Illegal char <:> at index 2: /C:/path..." error is produced in this line of Sidecar.java

• String bootstrapClasspath = _createClasspath(
  	Paths.get(_props.get(PropsKeys.LIFERAY_LIB_GLOBAL_DIR)),
  

• https://github.com/liferay/liferay-portal/blob/4df4c092a3f1158a4d554b9efd60d8655069d80f/modules/apps/portal-search-elasticsearch7/portal-search-elasticsearch7-impl/src/main/java/com/liferay/portal/search/elasticsearch7/internal/sidecar/Sidecar.java#L321

Root cause
In Windows, for some environment variables, Liferay stores wrong paths that start with "/C:/...".
I have detected the issue in following environment variables:

• liferay.lib.global.dir: /C:/Liferay/Bundles_Builds/portal-master/tomcat-9.0.33/lib/ext/
• liferay.lib.global.shared.dir: /C:/Liferay/Bundles_Builds/portal-master/tomcat-9.0.33/lib/

These paths are not valid so Paths.get(...) call fails.
Note: for legacy reasons File class considers them a valid path and that class with handle them correctly, see:

• https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8197918

Steps to reproduce using groovy script

1. Start Liferay in a Windows machine.
2. Go to "Control panel" => "Configuration" => "Server Administration" => "Script" tab
3. Execute following groovy script:

   import com.liferay.portal.kernel.util.PortalUtil;
   import java.nio.file.Paths;
   out.println(Paths.get(PortalUtil.getGlobalLibDir()));
   

– Expected behavior: liferay.lib.global.dir value is printed
– Wrong behavior: "Illegal char <:> at index 2: /C:/path..." error is thrown

Steps to reproduce checking environment properties

1. Start Liferay in a Windows machine.
2. Go to "Control panel" => "Configuration" => "Server Administration" => "Properties" tab
3. In System Properties tab, filter by "liferay.lib.global"
   • Expected behavior: properties start with "C:/..."
   • Wrong behavior: properties start with "/C:/..."

The issue can be also reproduced in a Windows machine, if you enable Elasticsearch 7 and Sidecar.
In that environment, Sidecar won't startup due this issue. => For now, it was fixed removing the Paths.get usage, see: https://github.com/liferay/liferay-portal/commit/fc5a2d36a00c3abfd946db7f4cd55fff4cd6cb7b

---

Update 20/05/2020

After LPS-113450, this issue is reproduced again in a Windows machine, if you enable Elasticsearch 7 and Sidecar

• PR: https://github.com/brianchandotcom/liferay-portal/pull/88864
• Line that causes the issue: https://github.com/liferay/liferay-portal/blob/master/modules/apps/portal-search-elasticsearch7/portal-search-elasticsearch7-impl/src/main/java/com/liferay/portal/search/elasticsearch7/internal/sidecar/ProcessExecutorPathsImpl.java#L34

2020-05-20 14:41:47.072 WARN  [main][SidecarElasticsearchConnectionManager:92] Liferay is configured to use Elasticsearch engine running in a child process of current process named as sidecar. Do NOT use sidecar in production. Sidecar is useful for development and demonstration purposes. Refer to the documentation for details on the limitations of sidecar. Remote Elasticsearch connections can be configured in the Control Panel.
2020-05-20 14:41:47.314 INFO  [main][Sidecar:125] Starting sidecar Elasticsearch
2020-05-20 14:41:47.326 ERROR [main][ElasticsearchConnectionManager:93] bundle com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.impl:2.0.20 (1139)[com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.connection.ElasticsearchConnectionManager(188)] : The activate method has thrown an exception 
java.nio.file.InvalidPathException: Illegal char <:> at index 2: /C:/Liferay/Bundles_Builds/portal-master/tomcat-9.0.33/lib/ext/
	at sun.nio.fs.WindowsPathParser.normalize(WindowsPathParser.java:182)
	at sun.nio.fs.WindowsPathParser.parse(WindowsPathParser.java:153)
	at sun.nio.fs.WindowsPathParser.parse(WindowsPathParser.java:77)
	at sun.nio.fs.WindowsPath.parse(WindowsPath.java:94)
	at sun.nio.fs.WindowsFileSystem.getPath(WindowsFileSystem.java:255)
	at java.nio.file.Paths.get(Paths.java:84)
	at com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.sidecar.ProcessExecutorPathsImpl.getLibPath(ProcessExecutorPathsImpl.java:34)
	at com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.sidecar.Sidecar.getBootstrapClassPath(Sidecar.java:226)
	at com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.sidecar.Sidecar._createProcessConfig(Sidecar.java:334)
	at com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.sidecar.Sidecar.start(Sidecar.java:133)
	at com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.connection.SidecarElasticsearchConnection.connect(SidecarElasticsearchConnection.java:41)
	at com.liferay.portal.search.elasticsearch7.internal.connection.ElasticsearchConnectionManager.activate(ElasticsearchConnectionManager.java:270)