Search code examples
javaproperties-file

Loading a properties file from Java package

I need to read a properties files that's buried in my package structure in com.al.common.email.templates.

I've tried everything and I can't figure it out.

In the end, my code will be running in a servlet container, but I don't want to depend on the container for anything. I write JUnit test cases and it needs to work in both.

Solution

  • When loading the Properties from a Class in the package com.al.common.email.templates you can use

    Properties prop = new Properties();
InputStream in = getClass().getResourceAsStream("foo.properties");
prop.load(in);
in.close();

    (Add all the necessary exception handling).

    If your class is not in that package, you need to aquire the InputStream slightly differently:

    InputStream in = 
 getClass().getResourceAsStream("/com/al/common/email/templates/foo.properties");

    Relative paths (those without a leading '/') in getResource()/getResourceAsStream() mean that the resource will be searched relative to the directory which represents the package the class is in.

    Using java.lang.String.class.getResource("foo.txt") would search for the (inexistent) file /java/lang/String/foo.txt on the classpath.

    Using an absolute path (one that starts with '/') means that the current package is ignored.