How to Specify Path for Properties file - java

I am using Config. properties file for passing parameters to my methods Now i am loading file from
Properties Config= new Properties();
Config.load(new FileInputStream("C:\\Config. properties "));
As i don't want to keep it hard coded how can i set it with package level. or within application.
Thanks in Advance.

Make use of ResourceBundle Class. You just need to specify the properties file name. It will take the file from any path,provided the path should be in the classpath.
Example:
// abc.properties is the properties file,which is placed in the class path.You just need to
// specify its name and the properties file gets loaded.
ResourceBundle s=ResourceBundle.getBundle("abc");
s.getString("key"); //any key from properties file...

I was also just going to suggest that but you can also pass in the full path to the config file via a command line argument for example:
java YourApp -config C:\\config.properties

A properties file packaged with the application should not be loaded using the file system, but using the class loader. Indeed, the properties file, once the application is packaged, will be embedded inside a jar file, with the .class files.
If the config.properties file is in the package com.foo.bar, then you should load it using
InputStream in = SomeClass.class.getResourceAsStream("/com/foo/bar/config.properties");
Or with
InputStream in = SomeClass.class.getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("com/foo/bar/config.properties");
You may also load it with a relative path. If SomeClass is also in the package com.foo.bar, then you may load it with.
InputStream in = SomeClass.class.getResourceAsStream("config.properties");
Note that Java variables should always start with a lowercase letter: config and not Config.

If it's just the path you're worried about then you can use a relative path:
Config.load(new FileInputStream("Config.properties"));
This will look in the current working directory. The upsdie: dead simple. The downside: it's not that robust. If you start your application from somewhere else without changing the working directory before, the file won't be found.

Put the config file in the classpath (where your .class files are), and access it using
getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream(_path_to_config_file);

There are two ways to get the path of the config files at runtime.
a) Getting it from database.
b) Getting it from custom properties of JVM configured at server level
Best process is "b" , you can change the properties of JVM at any time if path is changed and just restart the server.

Related

Reading application.properties file in ResourceBundle class [duplicate]

In my web application I have to send email to set of predefined users like finance#xyz.example, so I wish to add that to a .properties file and access it when required. Is this a correct procedure, if so then where should I place this file? I am using Netbeans IDE which is having two separate folders for source and JSP files.
It's your choice. There are basically three ways in a Java web application archive (WAR):
1. Put it in classpath
So that you can load it by ClassLoader#getResourceAsStream() with a classpath-relative path:
ClassLoader classLoader = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
InputStream input = classLoader.getResourceAsStream("foo.properties");
// ...
Properties properties = new Properties();
properties.load(input);
Here foo.properties is supposed to be placed in one of the roots which are covered by the default classpath of a webapp, e.g. webapp's /WEB-INF/lib and /WEB-INF/classes, server's /lib, or JDK/JRE's /lib. If the propertiesfile is webapp-specific, best is to place it in /WEB-INF/classes. If you're developing a standard WAR project in an IDE, drop it in src folder (the project's source folder). If you're using a Maven project, drop it in /main/resources folder.
You can alternatively also put it somewhere outside the default classpath and add its path to the classpath of the appserver. In for example Tomcat you can configure it as shared.loader property of Tomcat/conf/catalina.properties.
If you have placed the foo.properties it in a Java package structure like com.example, then you need to load it as below
ClassLoader classLoader = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
InputStream input = classLoader.getResourceAsStream("com/example/foo.properties");
// ...
Note that this path of a context class loader should not start with a /. Only when you're using a "relative" class loader such as SomeClass.class.getClassLoader(), then you indeed need to start it with a /.
ClassLoader classLoader = getClass().getClassLoader();
InputStream input = classLoader.getResourceAsStream("/com/example/foo.properties");
// ...
However, the visibility of the properties file depends then on the class loader in question. It's only visible to the same class loader as the one which loaded the class. So, if the class is loaded by e.g. server common classloader instead of webapp classloader, and the properties file is inside webapp itself, then it's invisible. The context class loader is your safest bet so you can place the properties file "everywhere" in the classpath and/or you intend to be able to override a server-provided one from the webapp on.
2. Put it in webcontent
So that you can load it by ServletContext#getResourceAsStream() with a webcontent-relative path:
InputStream input = getServletContext().getResourceAsStream("/WEB-INF/foo.properties");
// ...
Note that I have demonstrated to place the file in /WEB-INF folder, otherwise it would have been public accessible by any webbrowser. Also note that the ServletContext is in any HttpServlet class just accessible by the inherited GenericServlet#getServletContext() and in Filter by FilterConfig#getServletContext(). In case you're not in a servlet class, it's usually just injectable via #Inject.
3. Put it in local disk file system
So that you can load it the usual java.io way with an absolute local disk file system path:
InputStream input = new FileInputStream("/absolute/path/to/foo.properties");
// ...
Note the importance of using an absolute path. Relative local disk file system paths are an absolute no-go in a Java EE web application. See also the first "See also" link below.
Which to choose?
Just weigh the advantages/disadvantages in your own opinion of maintainability.
If the properties files are "static" and never needs to change during runtime, then you could keep them in the WAR.
If you prefer being able to edit properties files from outside the web application without the need to rebuild and redeploy the WAR every time, then put it in the classpath outside the project (if necessary add the directory to the classpath).
If you prefer being able to edit properties files programmatically from inside the web application using Properties#store() method, put it outside the web application. As the Properties#store() requires a Writer, you can't go around using a disk file system path. That path can in turn be passed to the web application as a VM argument or system property. As a precaution, never use getRealPath(). All changes in deploy folder will get lost on a redeploy for the simple reason that the changes are not reflected back in original WAR file.
See also:
getResourceAsStream() vs FileInputStream
Adding a directory to tomcat classpath
Accessing properties file in a JSF application programmatically
Word of warning: if you put config files in your WEB-INF/classes folder, and your IDE, say Eclipse, does a clean/rebuild, it will nuke your conf files unless they were in the Java source directory. BalusC's great answer alludes to that in option 1 but I wanted to add emphasis.
I learned the hard way that if you "copy" a web project in Eclipse, it does a clean/rebuild from any source folders. In my case I had added a "linked source dir" from our POJO java library, it would compile to the WEB-INF/classes folder. Doing a clean/rebuild in that project (not the web app project) caused the same problem.
I thought about putting my confs in the POJO src folder, but these confs are all for 3rd party libs (like Quartz or URLRewrite) that are in the WEB-INF/lib folder, so that didn't make sense. I plan to test putting it in the web projects "src" folder when i get around to it, but that folder is currently empty and having conf files in it seems inelegant.
So I vote for putting conf files in WEB-INF/commonConfFolder/filename.properties, next to the classes folder, which is Balus option 2.
Ex: In web.xml file the tag
<context-param>
<param-name>chatpropertyfile</param-name>
<!-- Name of the chat properties file. It contains the name and description of rooms.-->
<param-value>chat.properties</param-value>
</context-param>
And chat.properties you can declare your properties like this
For Ex :
Jsp = Discussion about JSP can be made here.
Java = Talk about java and related technologies like J2EE.
ASP = Discuss about Active Server Pages related technologies like VBScript and JScript etc.
Web_Designing = Any discussion related to HTML, JavaScript, DHTML etc.
StartUp = Startup chat room. Chatter is added to this after he logs in.
It just needs to be in the classpath (aka make sure it ends up under /WEB-INF/classes in the .war as part of the build).
You can you with your source folder so whenever you build, those files are automatically copied to the classes directory.
Instead of using properties file, use XML file.
If the data is too small, you can even use web.xml for accessing the properties.
Please note that any of these approach will require app server restart for changes to be reflected.
Assume your code is looking for the file say app.properties. Copy this file to any dir and add this dir to classpath, by creating a setenv.sh in the bin dir of tomcat.
In your setenv.sh of tomcat( if this file is not existing, create one , tomcat will load this setenv.sh file.
#!/bin/sh
CLASSPATH="$CLASSPATH:/home/user/config_my_prod/"
You should not have your properties files in ./webapps//WEB-INF/classes/app.properties
Tomcat class loader will override the with the one from WEB-INF/classes/
A good read:
https://tomcat.apache.org/tomcat-8.0-doc/class-loader-howto.html

log4j configuration file and jar application

I'm using the log4j2 library to manage the logging process.
I created a configuration file named log4j2.xml containing the Appenders and Loggers configurations. Then, I defined a Logger in each class
private static Logger my_logger = LogManager.getLogger(my_class);
I did not specify anywhere the name of the conf file, so I think that the library implicitly get and read it.
Now, I need to provide my application in the form of a jar file, so I need to make the config file available so that the user can modify and configure it.
In my case, I suggest to create a XXX folder at the level of the jar file, containing all the configuration files used by my app.
My question is how can I say to the app "get XXX/log4j2.xml" rather than the xml contained into the jar.
that config file must be located in the class path, if you want the app to read the configuration from any other location then you need to specify that using
PropertyConfigurator.configure("/myPath/log4j.properties");
Make any folder and put your property or xml file in that. In order to read the property file you can do something like this:
Properties objProperties = new Properties();
<your-class>.class.getClassLoader().getResource("folder/log4j.properties");
objProperties.load(isFile);
or, Also this:
InputStream ist = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("folder/log4j.properties");
In case of java web application please use the link
I had a similar task a few weeks ago.
I solved it this way:
Store a template of your log4j2.xml inside your jar files resource folder
When running your application, check for a file named log4j2.xml in the jar files current directory
If there is one, use that to create your logger
If not, copy your template from within your jar to the jar files directory and then use that to create your logger.
Cheers

JBoss7/WildFly webapp - how to access properties file from class

I try to load webapp project's settings from own config.properties file, but there's no success: the file not found. I can't use ServletContext method, because i've access the file from ordinary class.
file = Config.class.getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("/config.properties");
- it's returns null.
I've tried to put the file to WEB-INF and resources folders, still doesn't work :(
Any ideas how to force this work?
Try putting files in WEB-INF/classes .
If you put your config in src, than after compile it will be in WEB-INF/classes.
My recommendation for configuration files that would solve your problem is to place them in a folder that depends on an environment variable.
If you application is called MyApp, then you can force the user to place that file in the folder that points the environment variable MY_APP. You could in fact make it mandatory to run the application with a start up check.
Usually you should specify default values for your configuration parameters if you want your application to run without the environment variable.
To get enviroment variables in Java you can use System.getenv();

Loading Properties from a JAR file (java 1.6)

I manually inject a properties file inside a jar.
How to load properties from a jar file before java 1.7 ?
I tried many workarounds and nothing worked so far.
There's plenty questions about it, but everything is focused on ClassLoader methods from java 1.7.
When you have a properties file inside your classpath or inside your jar file it becomes a resource. Any other case is a simple file.
What you need to do, before you package your jar file, is add to your classpath the folder where the properties files are (i.e myproject/src/main/resources/) then wherever you do a
Properties properties = new Properties();
properties.load(MyClass.class.getResourceAsStream("/yourPropsFileName"));
it will load it!
Although, if you are using an external property file you can also load it by using:
Properties properties = new Properties();
properties.load(new FileInputStream("extenalPropsFileLocation"));
Hope it helps!
From some class, call:
getClass().getResourceAsStream("/path/to/props.props")
Make sure that the path matches up with a classpath location.

Load java.util.logging.config.file for default initialization

I'm trying to load a custom log.properties file when my application is started.
My properties file is in the same package as my main class, so I assumed that the -Djava.util.logging.config.file=log.properties command line parameter should get the properties file loaded.
But the properties are only loaded when i specify a full absolute path to the properties file. Any suggestions how to use a relative path?
You can dynamically load java.util.logging properties files from a relative path very easily. This is what I put inside a static {} block in my Main class. Put your logging.properties file in the default package and you can access it very easily with the following code.
final InputStream inputStream = Main.class.getResourceAsStream("/logging.properties");
try
{
LogManager.getLogManager().readConfiguration(inputStream);
}
catch (final IOException e)
{
Logger.getAnonymousLogger().severe("Could not load default logging.properties file");
Logger.getAnonymousLogger().severe(e.getMessage());
}
Java logging doesn't search your whole hard disk for a file; there are very simple rules how files are looked up. You want Java to see that the two files belong to each other but you didn't say so anywhere. Since Java sees no connection between the properties file and your class other than that they are in the same folder on your disk, it can't find the file.
-Djava.util.logging.config.file=log.properties only works if the file log.properties is in the current directory of the Java process (which can be pretty random). So you should use an absolute path here.
An alternate solution would be to move the file logging.properties into $JAVA_HOME/lib/ (or edit the file which should be there). In that case, you don't need to set a System property.
util logging does not load from classpath, it needs an absolute path which is why other logging packages like log4j are far easier to configure and better for web apps where it's a pain to get abs paths.
this is not explained at all in the java.util.logging.LogManager doco.

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