If a tree components backing tree model is not initialized on page load then a NullPointerException is thrown. This is even when the rendered attribute is set to false. This behavior is not seen in the ICEfaces 1.8.x releases.

Exception Stack Trace:

SEVERE: Error Rendering View[/welcomeICEfaces.xhtml]
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at com.icesoft.faces.component.tree.Tree.visitRows(Tree.java:1446)
        at com.icesoft.faces.component.tree.Tree.visitTree(Tree.java:1401)
        at javax.faces.component.UIComponent.visitTree(UIComponent.java:1600)
        at javax.faces.component.UIComponent.visitTree(UIComponent.java:1600)
        at javax.faces.component.UIForm.visitTree(UIForm.java:344)
        at javax.faces.component.UIComponent.visitTree(UIComponent.java:1600)
        at javax.faces.component.UIComponent.visitTree(UIComponent.java:1600)
        at com.sun.faces.application.view.StateManagementStrategyImpl.saveView(StateManagementStrategyImpl.java:160)
        at com.sun.faces.application.StateManagerImpl.saveView(StateManagerImpl.java:133)
        at com.sun.faces.application.view.WriteBehindStateWriter.flushToWriter(WriteBehindStateWriter.java:225)
        at com.sun.faces.application.view.FaceletViewHandlingStrategy.renderView(FaceletViewHandlingStrategy.java:418)
        at com.sun.faces.application.view.MultiViewHandler.renderView(MultiViewHandler.java:131)
        at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.RenderResponsePhase.execute(RenderResponsePhase.java:121)
        at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.Phase.doPhase(Phase.java:101)
        at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.LifecycleImpl.render(LifecycleImpl.java:139)
        at javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet.service(FacesServlet.java:410)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:290)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.netbeans.modules.web.monitor.server.MonitorFilter.doFilter(MonitorFilter.java:393)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:233)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:191)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:127)
        at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109)
        at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:298)
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProcessor.process(Http11AprProcessor.java:859)
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProtocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11AprProtocol.java:579)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$Worker.run(AprEndpoint.java:1555)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)