OfficeLAF & Java 1.8/Running NB Application using RELEASE72 modules under Java 1.8

I have an NB 7.2 application (using maven build system) that is using the now defunct OfficeLAF (https://dzone.com/articles/office-laf-netbeans-platform) project.  I am using NetBeans 8.2 and I am working to upgrade the application to use Java 1.8, but I am hitting a few problems:

Scenario 1) If I leave the NB modules at RELEASE72, keep all the code etc. at JDK 1.7 levels, the application will not run.  When I run the application, right off the bat I get an IllegalAccessException  error:


Code:

java.lang.IllegalStateException: java.lang.IllegalAccessException: Class org.openide.util.WeakListenerImpl$ProxyListener can not access a member of class org.openide.filesystems.$Proxy0 with modifiers "public"
	at org.openide.util.WeakListenerImpl$ProxyListener.<init>(WeakListenerImpl.java:423)
	at org.openide.util.WeakListenerImpl.create(WeakListenerImpl.java:164)
	at org.openide.util.WeakListeners.create(WeakListeners.java:271)
	at org.openide.filesystems.MultiFileObject.<init>(MultiFileObject.java:125)
	at org.openide.filesystems.MultiFileObject.<init>(MultiFileObject.java:142)
	at org.openide.filesystems.MultiFileSystem.getMultiRoot(MultiFileSystem.java:267)
	at org.openide.filesystems.MultiFileSystem.findResource(MultiFileSystem.java:355)
	at org.openide.filesystems.FileUtil.getConfigFile(FileUtil.java:2276)
	at org.openide.filesystems.FileUtil.getConfigRoot(FileUtil.java:2306)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.Main.getModuleSystem(Main.java:158)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.Main.start(Main.java:305)
	at org.netbeans.core.startup.TopThreadGroup.run(TopThreadGroup.java:123)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)




I've been researching this for a few weeks, and so far I've not found a lot of useful info, only a bug report from previous NB versions that don't seem to apply to this scenario (e.g., https://netbeans.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=229191, https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22944588/bug-can-not-start-netbeans-7-3-with-jdk-8).  Also, this occurs whether or not I include the OfficeLAF module in my project - so I am inclined to think this is an NB Module problem (please feel free to shed light on my darkened mind otherwise :) )

Scenario 2) If I update the NB modules to RELEASE82 and set the Compile version to JDK 1.8, I then have to add a new dependency for org-openide-util-ui, but then everything compiles.  When I run the program, it juices up, the splash screen is displayed, but the application seems to hang after the "Done loading modules" message is displayed.  The output is as follows:


Code:

INFO [org.netbeans.core.startup.NbEvents]: Turning on modules:
	org.openide.util.lookup [8.33.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.util [9.7.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.util.ui [9.6.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.modules [7.48.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.api.annotations.common/1 [1.27.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.filesystems [9.10.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.awt [7.67.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.api.progress/1 [1.47.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.api.progress.nb [1.47.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.dialogs [7.42.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.nodes [7.45.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.windows [6.75.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.editor.mimelookup/1 [1.40.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.text [6.67.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.swing.tabcontrol [1.56.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.swing.outline [1.34.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.explorer [6.62.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.actions [6.39.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.queries/1 [1.43.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.api.templates [1.7.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.filesystems.nb [9.9.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.loaders [7.66.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.api.intent [1.2.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.api.io [1.3.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.io [1.49.1 201609300101]
	org.openide.filesystems.compat8 [9.9.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.swing.plaf [1.41.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.spi.quicksearch [1.27.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.templates/1 [1.7.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.libs.asm [5.3.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.bootstrap/1 [2.76.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.startup.base [1.62.1.1 1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.startup/1 [1.62.1.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.settings/1 [1.49.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.sendopts/2 [2.35.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.sampler [1.14.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.progress.ui [1.33.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.print [7.26.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.keyring [1.24.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core/2 [3.51.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.options.api/1 [1.45.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.options.keymap [1.37.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.libs.jna/1 [1.44.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.masterfs/2 [2.55.1.2 2 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.masterfs.windows [1.16.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.masterfs.ui [2.3.1.2 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.masterfs.nio2 [1.15.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.keyring.fallback [1.8.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.keyring.impl [1.24.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.favorites/1 [1.46.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.editor.mimelookup.impl/1 [1.32.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.autoupdate.services [1.52.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.autoupdate.cli [1.13.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.windows/2 [2.81.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.ui/1 [1.45.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.libs.osgi [1.21.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.libs.felix [2.15.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.autoupdate.ui [1.45.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.modules.core.kit [1.30.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.libs.jna.platform/1 [1.14.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.output2/1 [1.41.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.network [1.10.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.netigso [1.31.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.nativeaccess/1 [1.31.1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.multitabs/1 [1.12.1.1 1 201609300101]
	org.netbeans.core.io.ui/1 [1.30.1 201609300101]
	org.j8update.oldflamingo.OldFlamingo.branding [7.3.0.0 7.3.0.0 201708261734]
	org.j8update.oldflamingo.AppUI [7.3.0.0 7.3.0.0 201708261734]
INFO [org.netbeans.core.network.proxy.NetworkProxyReloader]: System network proxy resolver: Windows
INFO [org.netbeans.core.network.proxy.windows.WindowsNetworkProxy]: Windows system proxy resolver: auto detect
INFO [org.netbeans.core.network.proxy.NetworkProxyReloader]: System network proxy reloading succeeded.
INFO [org.netbeans.core.network.proxy.NetworkProxyReloader]: System network proxy - mode: direct
INFO [org.netbeans.core.network.proxy.NetworkProxyReloader]: System network proxy: fell to default (correct if direct mode went before)
INFO [org.netbeans.ui.metrics.laf]: USG_LOOK_AND_FEEL




I cannot see any clues as to where it is hanging or why.  Running the debugger doesn't provide any additional clues to me as to where or why it is hung. 

In either scenario, If I revert everything back to RELEASE72 & JDK 1.7, and remove the added dependency (org-openide-util-ui), everything works as expected.  Getting Scenario #1 working would be ideal - less testing required, etc., but based on what I've been reading I am not sure that is possible. 

I'll work on getting some code together that I can package up and attach with this post for some more hands-on experiments and feedback from folks.  In the meantime, any information, experience, or ideas would be appreciated.