Probelems setting rich:calendar timezone from backing bean

[astarte]

I thought this would be as simple as implementing
public TimeZone getTimeZone()
{
return TimeZone.getDefault(); //For testing purposes keep it simple
}

in the backing bean, but I keep getting the following error:

SEVERE: Error Rendering View[/absenceBook.xhtml]
java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.util.GregorianCalendar.computeFields(Unknown Source)
at java.util.GregorianCalendar.computeFields(Unknown Source)
at java.util.Calendar.setTimeInMillis(Unknown Source)
at java.util.GregorianCalendar.(Unknown Source)
at java.util.Calendar.createCalendar(Unknown Source)
at java.util.Calendar.getInstance(Unknown Source)
at org.richfaces.component.UICalendar.getCurrentDateOrDefault(UICalendar.java:300)
at org.richfaces.renderkit.html.CalendarRenderer.doEncodeEnd(CalendarRenderer.java:371)
at org.richfaces.renderkit.html.CalendarRenderer.doEncodeEnd(CalendarRenderer.java:483)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.encodeEnd(RendererBase.java:135)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeEnd(UIComponentBase.java:836)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChild(RendererBase.java:286)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChildren(RendererBase.java:262)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.html.AjaxOutputPanelRenderer.encodeChildren(AjaxOutputPanelRenderer.java:79)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeChildren(UIComponentBase.java:812)
at com.sun.faces.renderkit.html_basic.HtmlBasicRenderer.encodeRecursive(HtmlBasicRenderer.java:271)
at com.sun.faces.renderkit.html_basic.GroupRenderer.encodeChildren(GroupRenderer.java:117)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeChildren(UIComponentBase.java:812)
at com.sun.faces.renderkit.html_basic.HtmlBasicRenderer.encodeRecursive(HtmlBasicRenderer.java:271)
at com.sun.faces.renderkit.html_basic.GridRenderer.encodeChildren(GridRenderer.java:242)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeChildren(UIComponentBase.java:812)
at com.sun.faces.renderkit.html_basic.HtmlBasicRenderer.encodeRecursive(HtmlBasicRenderer.java:271)
at com.sun.faces.renderkit.html_basic.GridRenderer.encodeChildren(GridRenderer.java:242)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeChildren(UIComponentBase.java:812)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChild(RendererBase.java:282)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChildren(RendererBase.java:262)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChild(RendererBase.java:284)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChildren(RendererBase.java:262)
at org.richfaces.renderkit.html.ModalPanelRenderer.doEncodeChildren(ModalPanelRenderer.java:397)
at org.richfaces.renderkit.html.ModalPanelRenderer.doEncodeChildren(ModalPanelRenderer.java:392)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.encodeChildren(RendererBase.java:121)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeChildren(UIComponentBase.java:812)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChild(RendererBase.java:282)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChildren(RendererBase.java:262)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.html.AjaxOutputPanelRenderer.encodeChildren(AjaxOutputPanelRenderer.java:79)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeChildren(UIComponentBase.java:812)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.RendererBase.renderChild(RendererBase.java:282)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.AjaxChildrenRenderer.encodeAjaxComponent(AjaxChildrenRenderer.java:125)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.AjaxChildrenRenderer.encodeAjaxChildren(AjaxChildrenRenderer.java:68)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.AjaxChildrenRenderer.encodeAjaxComponent(AjaxChildrenRenderer.java:116)
at org.ajax4jsf.renderkit.AjaxContainerRenderer.encodeAjax(AjaxContainerRenderer.java:123)
at org.ajax4jsf.component.AjaxViewRoot.encodeAjax(AjaxViewRoot.java:641)
at org.ajax4jsf.component.AjaxViewRoot.encodeChildren(AjaxViewRoot.java:512)
at javax.faces.component.UIComponent.encodeAll(UIComponent.java:886)
at com.sun.facelets.FaceletViewHandler.renderView(FaceletViewHandler.java:592)
at org.ajax4jsf.application.ViewHandlerWrapper.renderView(ViewHandlerWrapper.java:108)
at org.ajax4jsf.application.AjaxViewHandler.renderView(AjaxViewHandler.java:189)
at



etc, etc, What is going wrong?
Thanx

[astarte]

We finally got it to work. The getTimeZone() method was actually in an
abstract superclass. We removed the abstract qualifier, listed the class in
the faces-config.xml file and directly referenced it in the xhtml page.
But we do not understand why this way works, and not the other. Any clues?
Thanx