I am using NetBeans 4.2 (8/16) build, and Appserver 8.1 PE UR2 build 10 for testing.
  
I gave this bug a P2 since if user follow the Quick Start Guide may also
see this NullPointerException.

I was following the Quick Start Guide on the J2EE applications, I got the
following NullPointerException at step (2) on Note section, which is to
add new connection on Driver node.  A point to make here is I did see the
node as described in step (1), but I continued with step (2), which is the
time I got this exception.  It may be the cause ?

Steps to recreat:

(1) Start the PointBase database server by choosing Tools > PointBase Database >
Start Local PointBase Database. 

(2)In the Runtime window, expand the Databases node. You should see nodes for
the jdbc:pointbase://localhost:9092/sample database and the
jdbc:pointbase://localhost:9092/sun-appserv-sample database. 
Note: If you do not see these nodes, expand the Drivers node, right-click
Pointbase, and choose Connect Using. Enter
jdbc:pointbase://localhost:9092/sample as the Database URL and pbpublic for the
user and password and click OK.


Pete williams took a quick look at the exception and said:
"Some quick research suggests that the add connection wizard not using the swing
event thread to update UI components." 

java.lang.NullPointerException
	at
javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicProgressBarUI.updateSizes(BasicProgressBarUI.java:428)
	at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicProgressBarUI.getBox(BasicProgressBarUI.java:385)
	at
com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsProgressBarUI.paintIndeterminate(WindowsProgressBarUI.java:156)
	at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicProgressBarUI.paint(BasicProgressBarUI.java:350)
	at javax.swing.plaf.ComponentUI.update(ComponentUI.java:142)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:740)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1003)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paintChildren(JComponent.java:840)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1012)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paintWithOffscreenBuffer(JComponent.java:4930)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paintDoubleBuffered(JComponent.java:4883)
	at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4826)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4633)
	at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:451)
[catch] at
javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:114)
	at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:461)
	at
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:242)
	at
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:163)
	at
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:153)
	at java.awt.Dialog$1.run(Dialog.java:515)
	at java.awt.Dialog.show(Dialog.java:536)
	at org.netbeans.core.windows.services.NbPresenter.superShow(NbPresenter.java:800)
	at org.netbeans.core.windows.services.NbPresenter.doShow(NbPresenter.java:843)
	at org.netbeans.core.windows.services.NbPresenter.run(NbPresenter.java:831)
	at org.openide.util.Mutex.doEventAccess(Mutex.java:1146)
	at org.openide.util.Mutex.readAccess(Mutex.java:183)
	at org.netbeans.core.windows.services.NbPresenter.show(NbPresenter.java:816)
	at java.awt.Component.show(Component.java:1300)
	at java.awt.Component.setVisible(Component.java:1253)
	at
org.netbeans.modules.db.explorer.dlg.ConnectionDialog.setVisible(ConnectionDialog.java:77)
	at
org.netbeans.modules.db.explorer.actions.ConnectUsingDriverAction.performAction(ConnectUsingDriverAction.java:205)
	at org.openide.util.actions.NodeAction$3.run(NodeAction.java:525)
	at
org.netbeans.modules.openide.util.ActionsBridge.doPerformAction(ActionsBridge.java:47)
	at
org.openide.util.actions.NodeAction$DelegateAction.actionPerformed(NodeAction.java:521)
	at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:1849)
	at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:2169)
	at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(DefaultButtonModel.java:420)
	at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(DefaultButtonModel.java:258)
	at javax.swing.AbstractButton.doClick(AbstractButton.java:302)
	at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicMenuItemUI.doClick(BasicMenuItemUI.java:1000)
	at
javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicMenuItemUI$Handler.mouseReleased(BasicMenuItemUI.java:1041)
	at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Component.java:5488)
	at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(JComponent.java:3093)
	at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Component.java:5253)
	at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Container.java:1966)
	at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Component.java:3955)
	at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2024)
	at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:3803)
	at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Container.java:4212)
	at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Container.java:3892)
	at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Container.java:3822)
	at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2010)
	at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Window.java:1774)
	at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:3803)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:463)
	at
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:242)
	at
java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:163)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:157)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:149)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:110)