How to reference properties files in executable jar AND Eclipse?

Question

I use two properties files: log4j.properties and myapp.properties . I want to load them correctly when I execute my application in Eclipse AND in an executable jar.

ATM the files are stored here: /src/configs/*.properties . I reference them in my code with this line:

config = new PropertiesConfiguration(getClass().getResource("/configs/myapp.properties"));

This works great if I execute my application in Eclipse, but fails if I execute the (from eclipse generated) executable jar. I have created a manifest file in /META-INF/ and wrote this line into it:

Class-Path: .

To effect, executing the jar still fails :-( Where do I have to put my properties files and how do I have to reference them?

Is it also possible to reference them outside the jar if I execute the jar and inside my project if I'm in Eclipse? Thank you!

Answer 1

The way you try to load the properties file looks fine to me. Have you checked if the properties files are actually part of the generated jar file?

Answer 2

Usually property files are meant to be deployed / modified without rebuilding the jar, eg environment / external resource specific things, hence they are stored separately.

But in case you have a need to keep them inside, make sure that (in your case) "configs/myapp.properties" are actually at the JAR's root level. Just unjar that jar you created to see what is there. Or you can run:

jar -tvf your.jar | grep myapp.properties

to see the actual path within a JAR without unjaring it.

If it is there, you can load them via a classloader as follows:

ClassLoader cl = YourClass.class.getClassLoader()

config = new PropertiesConfiguration( cl.getResourceAsStream( "configs/myapp.properties" ) ) );