Java Security

I'm writing a small PBE program for a class project and I keep getting an InvalidKeySpecException that claims my char[ ] is not ASCII. Now I am under the impression that when a char value is entered it's in ASCII values... I've only put up a piece of my code, if needed I can put up the rest, it's fairly simple and easy to follow.

here is my terminal output (with a number of debug outputs):

Encryption Program Started

Getting Password

Input password (32 character max):

hello
Holdspot is: 6

Pass: hello

Holder: (shows string of char (0) values, verifies that the array was cleared)
Done getting password, pass is:

hello

Creating PBEKeySpec

My keySpec value is: hello
Creating Salt

createSalt entered

Done getting salt

Creating PBEParameterSpec

setParams entered

My iteration field is: 1500

Done getting param

My param iterations are: 1500

Creating SecretKey

createKey Entered

My keySpec value is: hello
InvalidKeySpecException: Password is not ASCII
java.security.spec.InvalidKeySpecException: Password is not ASCII

at com.sun.crypto.provider.PBEKey.<init>(DashoA6275)

at com.sun.crypto.provider.PBEKeyFactory.engineGenerateSecret(DashoA6275)

at javax.crypto.SecretKeyFactory.generateSecret(DashoA6275)

at Cryptography.createKey(Cryptography.java:141)

at Cryptography.main(Cryptography.java:265)

at __SHELL3.run(__SHELL3.java:7)

at bluej.runtime.ExecServer.vmSuspend(ExecServer.java:178)

at bluej.runtime.ExecServer.main(ExecServer.java:143)

java.security.spec.InvalidKeySpecException: Password is not ASCII

at com.sun.crypto.provider.PBEKey.<init>(DashoA6275)

at com.sun.crypto.provider.PBEKeyFactory.engineGenerateSecret(DashoA6275)

at javax.crypto.SecretKeyFactory.generateSecret(DashoA6275)

at Cryptography.createKey(Cryptography.java:141)

at Cryptography.main(Cryptography.java:265)

at __SHELL4.run(__SHELL4.java:7)

at bluej.runtime.ExecServer.vmSuspend(ExecServer.java:178)

at bluej.runtime.ExecServer.main(ExecServer.java:143)


here is my code to get the char array input:

    private char[] getPass () throws IOException{
        System.out.println("Input password (32 character max):");
        char[] holder = new char[maxChar];
        int holdspot=0;
        while ((holder[holdspot++] = (char) System.in.read()) != '\n') {};
        //Debug
        System.out.println("Holdspot is: "+holdspot);
        //End Debug
        char[] pass = new char[holdspot];
        System.arraycopy (holder, 0, pass, 0, holdspot);
        //clear our holder array
        for (int i=0; i<holder.length;i++){
            holder=0;

}

//Debug

System.out.print("Pass: ");

for (int i=0; i<holdspot;i++){

System.out.print(pass[i]);

}

System.out.print("\n");

System.out.print("Holder: ");

for (int i=0; i<holder.length;i++){

System.out.print(holder[i]);

}

System.out.print("\n");

//End Debug

//Comment back in for final version, screen clear

//System.out.flush();

return (pass);

}



 here is my code at the point where the exception is thrown:
    private SecretKey createKey(PBEKeySpec keySpec) 
    throws NoSuchAlgorithmException, InvalidKeyException, InvalidKeySpecException{
        //Debug
        System.out.println("createKey Entered");
        char[] L = keySpec.getPassword();
        System.out.print("My keySpec value is: ");
         for (int i=0; i<L.length;i++){
            System.out.print(L);

}

//End Debug

SecretKeyFactory keyFac = SecretKeyFactory.getInstance("PBEWithMD5AndDES");

SecretKey secKey = keyFac.generateSecret(keySpec);

return (secKey);

}