Servlet Init Parameter's

[Chad Dalton]

I have a servlet that loads on startup (<load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup> . It takes 1 parameter, a boot.properties file name. It's the name of a file on the file system that contains a list of properties for the servlet. When I start the server I see that the servlet reads the init-parameter name/value pair correctly and reads the properties file and populates the member variables of the servlet. However, when I navigate to the servlet the init is called again and this time the properties filename is empty so it fails on unable to open null. How can I configure it so the value in web.xml will be used for every instance of the servlet? I would like NOT to make it a context level parameter.
thanks,
Server: Tomcat 4.1.27, JDK 1.3 (unable to upgrade, being hosted).

[Ken Boyd]

In previous project I had property file on server (contains database URL & Password etc..) I was retrieving values from file using following code.

//Get real path of property file
String realPath = getServletContext().getRealPath( "rms30.properties");
PropertyResourceBundle m_props = new PropertyResourceBundle
 ( new FileInputStream( realPath));

What you are doing is put file name in servlet init parameter like this
<servlet>
<init-param>
<param-name>filename</param-name>
<param-value>"<actual nameof file>"</param-value>
</init-param>
</sevlet>
Now in your init you get just name of file & read it anywhere else.
Hope I understand & this help.
SCJP 1.4
SCWCD

[Mike Curwen]

I vaguely recall that init() being run twice on the same servlet was the result of "invoker servlet" evilness.

Are you calling the servlet through a path like: "/servlet/foo" ?

[Chad Dalton]

Originally posted by Mike Curwen:

Are you calling the servlet through a path like: "/servlet/foo" ?

Yes, and that was partically my problem. In the <name> portion of the <servlet> parmeter of my web.xml I had servlet.com.my.servlet.name, once I woke up and removed the servlet. part everything worked fine .
thanks,
--chad