Escape first = for a properties file's Map (ATG/Java)

Question

Did you guys (ATG/Java) come across to escape first '=' for a properties file's Map?

I have one map in my properties file like this:

elementToPropertyMap=\
        ./Name/Value[@locale\='en']=displayName

Here, what I want first equal should ignore ie

Key = ./Name/Value[@locale\='en'] and value = displayName

I tried these variations and but didn't get the required output.

1 ./Name/Value[@locale\='en']=displayName           ./Name/Value[@locale\
2 ./Name/Value[@locale\\='en']=displayName          ./Name/Value[@locale\\
3 ./Name/Value[@locale//='en']=displayName          ./Name/Value[@locale//
4 ./Name/Value[@locale\=\'en']=displayName          ./Name/Value[@locale\
5 ./Name/Value[@locale\\=\\'en']=displayName        ./Name/Value[@locale\\
6 ./Name/Value[@locale/\=/\'en']=displayName        ./Name/Value[@locale/\
7 ./Name/Value[@locale\u003d'en']=displayName       ./Name/Value[@locale\u003d'en']

Yes, we can you {0} and replace with ''=" or use unicode in properties and convert its value.

But wanted to know is there default way to escape first equal.

Thanks,

Answer 1

Why not try it out - the other way around? I took the key which has a backslash before the = . So that becomes \\\\ .

Properties properties = new Properties();
properties.setProperty("./Name/Value[@locale\\='en']", "displayName");
properties.setProperty("./Name/Value[@locale='en']", "displayName");
properties.store(Files.newOutputStream(Paths.get("test.properties")), "Test");

Gives a test.properties:

#Test
#Wed Jul 12 14:48:19 CEST 2017
./Name/Value[@locale\\\='en']=displayName
./Name/Value[@locale\='en']=displayName

The explanation is that = and the backslash itself, as part of the key must be escaped. (Also : would have need of escaping.) So two additional backslashes.

\= is the exactly the same as an equal sign and has no effect.