Does Classloader loads normal files from dir in a JAR file

[naresh pokuri]

what is the nature of Classloader, when a JAR file contains a dir named pref folder with .properties files and other xml files.
can we get reference to that files as stream by passing file names to ClassLoader.getReasourceAsStream() method.

[Ireneusz Kordal]

naresh pokuri wrote:what is the nature of Classloader, when a JAR file contains a dir named pref folder with .properties files and other xml files.
can we get reference to that files as stream by passing file names to ClassLoader.getReasourceAsStream() method.

Yes, we can.
You could pack to jar file whatever you want - images, properties, icons, text files, other jars, even database files.
If you want to retrieve resources from your application's jar file, try this example:

  public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        URL xml = ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader().getResource("pref_folder/test.xml");
        BufferedReader rd = null;
        try {
            rd = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(xml.openStream()));
            String s;
            while(null != (s = rd.readLine())){
                System.out.println(s);
            }
        } catch (IOException ex) {
           ex.printStackTrace();
        }finally{
            try{ rd.close(); }catch(Exception ex){}
        }
    }
}

If you want to read file from other jar, try this:

  public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws MalformedURLException {
        String jarPath = "/home/krokodilko/NetBeansProjects/testUtility/dist/testUtility.jar";

        URL xml = new URL("jar:file:"+jarPath + "!/pref_folder/test.xml");
        BufferedReader rd = null;
        try {
            rd = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(xml.openStream()));
            String s;
            while(null != (s = rd.readLine())){
                System.out.println(s);
            }
        } catch (IOException ex) {
           ex.printStackTrace();
        }finally{
            try{ rd.close(); }catch(Exception ex){}
        }
    }
}   

[David Newton]

naresh pokuri wrote:what is the nature of Classloader, when a JAR file contains a dir named pref folder with .properties files and other xml files.
can we get reference to that files as stream by passing file names to ClassLoader.getReasourceAsStream() method.

Just for future reference, it would have been quicker to just try it!