Java 8 SE released 2014-03-18, the JRE 1.8 and its Java Access Bridge 2.0.4 is not compatible in some fashion with the existing hooks into the UNO Accessiblity API. A correctly configured JRE 1.8 with JAB enabled (verified with JavaFerret-32.exe, and correct function of the SwingSet2.jar demo applets) hangs LibreOffice when the Tools --> Options --> Accessibility: Enable Assistive Technology Tools checkbox is set active. If JRE 1.8u0 is installed, and the "Support assistive technology tools" option is selected during an installation/upgrade attemtp, it will hang on first launch. If attempt is made to "Enable Assistive Technolgy Tools" from Tools --> Options --> Accessibility panel, with JRE 1.8 alone installed and selected from the Tools --> Options --> Advanced Java Options panel, it will hang. Occurs when opening LibreOffice Version: 4.2.3.2, Build ID: 7c5c769e412afd32da4d946d2cb0c8b0674e95e0 and earlier builds for 4.2.x and 4.1.x branches I've tested. The same installs will function for UAA bridge on Windows with JRE 1.7u51 and JAB 2.0.3 The JRE 8 alone does not seem to be the issue, just issues with use of the Java Access Bridge 2.0.4 when UAA AT support is active. If a user can avoid activating assistive technology tool support until after enabling the IAccessible2 native bridge--then the Java SE 8, and JRE 1.8 can be enabled. But that scenario is going to be very difficult for disabled users dependent on AT support.
This is made more onerous for AT dependent users as the JRE 1.8 installation is followed by a "validator" that removes "old" JRE versions. Here is a StackTrace of the soffice.bin Version: 4.2.3.2 Build ID: 7c5c769e412afd32da4d946d2cb0c8b0674e95e0 as hung when JAB 2.0.4 is called, process must be killed from TaskManager to recover: wow64cpu.dll!TurboDispatchJumpAddressEnd+0x6c0 wow64cpu.dll!TurboDispatchJumpAddressEnd+0x4a8 wow64.dll!Wow64SystemServiceEx+0x1ce wow64.dll!Wow64LdrpInitialize+0x42b ntdll.dll!RtlUniform+0x6e6 ntdll.dll!RtlCreateTagHeap+0xa7 ntdll.dll!LdrInitializeThunk+0xe ntdll.dll!ZwWaitForSingleObject+0x15 kernel32.dll!WaitForSingleObjectEx+0x43 kernel32.dll!WaitForSingleObject+0x12 jvm.dll!_JVM_FindSignal@4+0x2979 jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x4cb06 jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x61ee4 jvm.dll!_JVM_MonitorWait@16+0x95 jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x45e35 jvm.dll!_JVM_FindSignal@4+0x62dee jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x45ece jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x522ea jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x52543 jvm.dll!_JVM_InvokeMethod@16+0xb3 java.dll!_Java_sun_reflect_NativeMethodAccessorImpl_invoke0@20+0x15 jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x45902 jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x45e35 jvm.dll!_JVM_FindSignal@4+0x62dee jvm.dll!JVM_GetThreadStateNames+0x45ece jvm.dll!JNI_GetCreatedJavaVMs+0x6f67 jvm.dll!JNI_GetCreatedJavaVMs+0xf663 java_uno_accessbridge.dll+0x106a java_uno_accessbridge.dll!_JNI_OnUnload@8+0x347 java_uno_accessbridge.dll!_JNI_OnUnload@8+0x3ef tllo.dll!?Call@Link@@QBEJPAX@Z+0x13 vcllo.dll!?Call@VclEventListeners@@QBEXPAVVclSimpleEvent@@@Z+0xf4 vcllo.dll!?CallEventListeners@Window@@IAEXKPAX@Z+0xac vcllo.dll!?ImplSetReallyVisible@Window@@QAEXXZ+0x7a vcllo.dll!?Show@Window@@QAEXEG@Z+0x49a ntdll.dll!RtlInitializeCriticalSection+0x3f ntdll.dll!RtlAllocateHeap+0xac sal3.dll!rtl_cache_free+0x159 sal3.dll!rtl_freeMemory+0x56 sal3.dll!osl_setFileTime+0x10f0 vcllo.dll!?InitVCL@@YA_NXZ+0x2fe vcllo.dll!??4EmbeddedFontsHelper@@QAEAAV0@ABV0@@Z+0x171 soffice.bin!main+0x51 soffice.bin!main+0x229
This does not affect builds of Master or future 4.3.0 release as support for JAB based AT on Windows has been removed. In the interim, could perhaps be addressed with a warning on the release notes for 4.2 branch to not use JRE 1.8 and JAB 2.0.4 for AT support, and as a work-around to by-pass the Java based AT by immediately activating IAccessible2 support from the "Enable experimental features" on the Tools --> Options --> Advanced panel.
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