Getting absolute path of image file

[Raghu Nathan]

Hello all,
I have an image file that I need to be using in an external tool and the only way I can use that is through its absolute (url) path. So if my image can be accessed by

 /images/img1.gif  

I need to be able to get the absolute path which might be:

 <a href="http://localhost:7001/app/images/img1.gif" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://localhost:7001/app/images/img1.gif</a>   

How can I do this?

Before I finish, I do not know if this topic belongs here; if it does not then please do the needful to port it to the right forum. I apologize if that is the case.

Thanks.

[Ulf Dittmer]

The ServletContext.getRealPath method can do this.

Since this is a servlet-related topic, I'll move it to the Servlets forum.

[Raghu Nathan]

Thanks ...
I am trying to use this from my ActionClass - is there an alternative to ServletContext.getRealPath?

[Raghu Nathan]

Hi
I tried doing this from my action class:

 
      ServletContext context = getServlet().getServletContext();
      String path = context.getRealPath("/images/logo.gif");
 
   

But I am getting NULL.
Is that the right way to use getRealPath? Please advise.

I am looking up online but I am not finding any answers.

[Bear Bibeault]

Are you trying to get the file path or the URL?

[Raghu Nathan]

I want to get the URL for the image.
Let me explain the requirement, I am trying to use this image from an XSL file and there it will not take the relative path, but only the absolute path.
So I need to be able to reference the image as

  <a href="http://localhost:7001/app/images/img1.gif" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://localhost:7001/app/images/img1.gif</a>  

From my Java code, I will be able to get the relative path of the image but I will need to know what is the application URL so that I can pass it appropriately to my XSL so that it can read the image properly and render it.

Thanks.

[Bear Bibeault]

All the information you need is available from the methods on the request.

[Raghu Nathan]

It is indeed! It was right under my nose! And I have used it earlier, never realized ....
Thanks for the help, Bear!