ObjectOutputStream writeObject() method returning empty file
<p>I am trying to implement a save feature that will save the current status of the game. Here is my code:</p>

<pre><code>public class MyGame extends javax.swing.JFrame implements Serializable {

     private void saveGame(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                               

        JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
        int user_command = fileChooser.showSaveDialog(this);
        if (user_command == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
            try {
                File file = fileChooser.getSelectedFile();
                ObjectOutputStream outputStream = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(file));
                MyGame saveFile = this;

                outputStream.writeObject(saveFile);
                outputStream.close();

            } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
            } catch (IOException e) {System.out.println("ioexception");}
        }

    }             
</code></pre>

<p>The resulting saved file is 0 bytes. I tried debugging the program and it crashes on the outputStream.writeObject(saveFile) line. What am I doing wrong?        </p>

<p>Edit: Its reporting the IOException </p>

<pre><code>ioexception
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthRootPaneUI.update(SynthRootPaneUI.java:77)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5128)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1015)
    at java.awt.GraphicsCallback$PaintCallback.run(GraphicsCallback.java:21)
    at sun.awt.SunGraphicsCallback.runOneComponent(SunGraphicsCallback.java:60)
    at sun.awt.SunGraphicsCallback.runComponents(SunGraphicsCallback.java:97)
    at java.awt.Container.paint(Container.java:1780)
    at java.awt.Window.paint(Window.java:3375)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:796)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.paintRegion(SynthLookAndFeel.java:386)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLookAndFeel.update(SynthLookAndFeel.java:350)
    at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthPanelUI.update(SynthPanelUI.java:94)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintComponent(JComponent.java:752)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintToOffscreen(JComponent.java:5124)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paintDoubleBuffered(RepaintManager.java:1479)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager$PaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1410)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paint(RepaintManager.java:1224)
    at javax.swing.JComponent._paintImmediately(JComponent.java:5072)
    at javax.swing.JComponent.paintImmediately(JComponent.java:4882)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:785)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.paintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:713)
    at javax.swing.RepaintManager.seqPaintDirtyRegions(RepaintManager.java:693)
    at javax.swing.SystemEventQueueUtilities$ComponentWorkRequest.run(SystemEventQueueUtilities.java:125)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:641)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.access$000(EventQueue.java:84)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:602)
    at java.awt.EventQueue$1.run(EventQueue.java:600)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.security.AccessControlContext$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(AccessControlContext.java:87)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:611)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)     
</code></pre>
