Java : How to include a .properties file that is outside of jar into classpath?

Question

We would like to keep the .properties file out of the jar so that we can change the properties used in a module and we do not have to re-install the module.

Before Java 8, we used to run a script and include the .properties file in the way below and it worked. But since when we updated to Java 8 , this way of including .properties file in classpath is not working, means java program fails not finding the .properties file.

My script to run the java project:

/usr/java/latest/bin/java -d64 -Xms1G -Xmx16G -XX:MaxPermSize=128m -XX:-UseGCOverheadLimit -cp "/online/sand/lib/client-api-1.0.0.jar:/online/sand/oap_pub/lib/*:/online/sand/oap/oap_dw/run/client_api/application.properties" team.online.client.api.MasterProcessor  | tee -a client_api.log

We are using Sping context to pick up the properties file this way:

<util:properties id="app_props"
                 location="classpath*:/application.properties" />

Then a property in that appilcation.properties files is being used ( in many different files) this way:

@Value( "#{app_props[\"SERVICE_PATH_GET_METADATA\"]?:''}" )
private String metadataServicePath;

Looking for a way to keep the.properties file out of the jar and in classpath so that Spring context finds that file.

Is their any other way than using ? We need to keep the properties file excluded from jar

class.getClassLoader( ).getResourceAsStream( "application.properties" );

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Use this if you are using xml based config

<context:property-placeholder location="classpath:application.properties"/>

Then it will load the properties from anywhere as long as it is in class path not in the jar. You have to include it in class path as $CLASSPATH:application.properties

For annotation based, @PropertySource("classpath:application.properties") There is a sample here Java: read properties file using spring annotations

Answer 2

I found a workaround making changes in the script to run the program by using "::" instead of ":" .

Got the idea :

==> java and javac are handling the classpath settings in a different way, javac is searching for classes in / if the classpath contains double Classpath delimiters ("::" under Unix, ";;" under Windows).

From this link which seemed convincing to me and that works. Please take a look here: https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-4809833