adding relative directory to java classpath and using ClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("")

Question

Is it possible to add a relative directory (ie, foo/bar/plugh) to the java classpath and use

InputStream in = getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("xyzzy.properties");

To fetch foo/bar/plugh/xyzzy.properties?

My classpath looks like this:

foo.jar;foo/bar/plugh;xyz.jar

And I am able to use classes and resources from both foo and xyz jars but not from the plugh directory. In those cases, in is always null.

I can't get this to work and am not sure if this is just unsupported, I am missing something subtle or if I'm doing something wrong. Do I need to use an absolute path?

How did you set this classpath? Like the following example? java -classpath foo.jar;foo/bar/plugh;xyz.jar — David García
– David García, Commented May 20, 2009 at 12:31

Alex Beardsley · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-09 02:39:21Z

6

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to do, but if you have a folder in your classpath, that means all the files underneath it should be in the classpath as well. If not, you can always pass each .properties file on the class path.

But either way, since the file/folder that contains the file is in the classpath, you should just be able to do:

InputStream in = new FileInputStream("classpath:xyz.properties")

And since "foo/bar/plugh" is in the classpath, one of the places it will look for xyz.properties is in "foo/bar/plugh".

answered May 9, 2009 at 2:39

Alex Beardsley

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6 Comments

sal Over a year ago

For some reason this isn't working for me when my app runs via a batch file build by codehaus maven appassmebler. Absolute paths work but relative ones don't.

Alex Beardsley Over a year ago

The only thing I can think of is if the relative path you have in your classpath is being resolved based on where the program is run. For example if I have the batch file in the C:\myapp\bin directory, the "base" path might be C:\myapp\bin, not C:\myapp. If that is the case, it would be trying to resolve "C:\myapp\bin\foo\bar\plugh\xyz.properties".

David García Over a year ago

It worked for me with the absolute path of the directory. But it is very strange because I tried before with the code: <code>InputStream in = getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("xyzzy.properties"); </code> What is the difference between these two methods? Thanks.

David García Over a year ago

Is there any way to get this properties with the method: ResourceBundle.getBundle("xyz"); Thanks.

Alex Beardsley Over a year ago

@David I think as long as "xyz.properties" is in your classpath, it should get picked up with getBundle()

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