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Reach External Resource With ClassLoader.getResourceFromStream on WebSphere

I'm working with a local WebSphere server configured in IntelliJ Idea, and the application I'm working on is using a third-party library that loads a properties file with:
ThirdPartyClass.class.getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream(fileNameParameter);
It uses the default bootstrapClassLoader.
I've been instructed to make sure the properties file is in a config directory so that it can be edited without deploying a code change. My project looks something like this:
ProjectName
Configs
my.properties
src
java (sources root)
packages, .java files, etc
main (resources root)
schemas, web docs, etc
I have tried several of paths to make it work but it always returns null. Since I initially thought it was reaching from within the third party library package, I tried adding several ..\'s to the file path, but then I learned that this method loads from the classpath, so I pulled a
String test = System.getProperty("java.class.path");
and upon inspection, my classpath is all made up of websphere directories and jars within them:
C:\Users\me\Programs\IBM\AppServer\profiles\AppSrv01/properties
C:\Users\me\Programs\IBM\AppServer\AppSrv01/properties
and several jar files in C:\Users\me\Programs\IBM\AppServer/lib/
So just as a test I stuck the file in C:\Users\me\Programs\IBM\AppServer\AppSrv01/properties, then tried to grab it with just its file name (my.properties), but still couldn't reach it. I've also tried moving the file into the src directory and the main directory, but no matter what I do it just can't seem to find the file.
I'm aware that this method is typically used to grab resources from within a jar file, but from my understanding it seems like it should be possible to reach my file from outside of one as long as it's in a directory in the classpath... but apparently not since that didn't work.
I have the absolute path on my hard drive and will have said path on the server; is there a way to derive the path that ClassLoader.getResourceFromStream() wants with that info? Failing that, is there some obvious mistake I'm making with the resource url?

I think your fileNameParameter simply needs to start with / to indicate that it is in the root level of the classpath. Otherwise it will be searched relative to the class it is loaded from, i.e. the package of ThirdPartyClass in your example.

Getting the current working resource directory in java maven project

I am currently working on a JUnit test that checks functionality responsible for loading/saving a process configuration from/to some file. Given that a particular configuration file is present in resources, the functionality loads parameters from the file. Otherwise the functionality attempts to create new configuration file and persist a default configuration coded in the class. Right now I am using .class.getResource() method to check if configuration file exists, and to retrieve the necessary information. This approach is proven to be working fine from both maven's "test-class" and "class" directories. However, I am having problems while attempting to save default configuration when the file does not exist, namely the .class.getResource() method returns null, as the resource does not yet exist. This stops me from building the target resource directory (context-dependent) where the file should be saved.
Is there a way to code my functionality to evaluate whether particular object is being executed as a test or in production? More precisely, how can I build a relative path to my resource files to point to either production resources (../classes/...) or test resources (../test-classes/..) depending on the execution mode in which the project currently is?
My question is somewhat similar to the following How should I discover test-resource files in a Maven-managed Java project? but I think it is different enough to warrant new thread.

If I understand you right, essentially your issue is that you have a Maven project, which reads a particular file (normally, and during unit tests), that determines the application's behaviour. If that file doesn't exist, your application creates it.
The problem with ClassLoader.getSystemResource(...), is that it's not actually scanning a single directory. Instead it's looking at Java's classpath to determine the location of that particular resource. If there's multiple directories on the classpath, it'll have a number of areas that the file could potentially be located in.
In a sense then, .getSystemResource(...) is one way. You're able to look-up the location of a file, but not get the appropriate location to place it.
*So what about when you need to put the file in the correct location?*
You have two options essentially:
Hard-code the location of the file: Noone likes doing that.
The locations that are scanned on the classpath are passed into the classloader. You could use, for example, the first one and create the file there.
The second option isn't actually a bad one; have a look at this sample code.
final Enumeration<URL> urls = ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader().getResources("");
if(! urls.hasMoreElements()) {
LOG.error("No entries exist on the class path!");
System.exit(1);
}
final File configFile = new File(urls.nextElement().getFile(), "config.xml");
configFile.createNewFile();
LOG.info("Create a new configuration file: " + configFile.getPath());
System.exit(0);
This resolved the configuration file to be within my target folder: ..\target\classes\config.xml
Up to you what you do; happy to provide more tips & advice if you feel more is required.

It sounds like you want to do the following:
When your code runs, it tries to load the configuration file. When the configuration file is not found you want to create the configuration file. The twist is that
if you are executing the code in "production mode" (I presume using something like the exec-maven-plugin or jetty-maven-plugin depending on the nature of your code) you want the configuration file to be placed in ${project.build.outputDirectory}
if you are executing the code in "test mode" (e.g. via surefire or failsafe) you want the configuration file to be placed in ${project.build.testOutputDirectory}
What I would do is use the ServiceLoader pattern.
You create a ConfigFileStore interface that is responsible for storing your configuration.
The ConfigFileStoreFactory enumerates all the services implementing that interface (using the ServiceLoader API by getting all the /META-INF/services/com.yourpackage.ConfigFileStore resources and extracting the class names from those. If there are no implementations registered then it will instantiate a default implementation that stores the file in the path based on getClass() (i.e. working backwards to get to the ${project.build.outputDirectory} note that it should handle the case where the classes get bundled up into a JAR, and I would presume in such a case the config file might get stored adjacent to the JAR)
Note: The default implementation will not be registered in /META-INF/services
Then in src/test/java you extend the default implementation and register that extended implementation in src/test/resources/META-INF/services/com.yourpackage.ConfigFileStore
Now when running code that has the test code on the classpath, the test version will be found, that will pick up the getClass() for a class from ${project.build.testOutputDirectory} because it is from the test classpath's /META-INF/services.
When running code that does not have the test code on the classpath, the default implementation will pick up the getClass() for a class from ${project.build.outputDirectory}
Should do what you want.

Where to place a file if it is getting accessed using ClassLoader.getSystemResource in WebApplication

I am using one third party jar in my code. In the jar file , in one of the classes, when I opened the class using de-compiler, the code below is written:
java.net.URL fileURL = ClassLoader.getSystemResource("SOAPConfig.xml");
Now I am using this in my webapplication, where should I place this SOAPConfig.xml so that it will find the fileURL.
Note: I have tried putting this XML in WEB-INF/classes folder. But it is not working. Your help will be appreciated.
In Addition: In the explaination you have given, It is telling me not to use this code snippet inside the third party jar in this way...What is the exact usage of this statement

ClassLoader.getSystemResource will load the resource from the system classloader, which uses the classpath of the application as started from the command line. Any classloaders created by the application at runtime (i.e. the one that looks in WEB-INF/classes) are not on the system classpath.
You need to
Look through the script that starts your server, find out which directories are on the classpath there, and put your SOAPConfig.xml in one of those. If necessary, change the classpath in the script to look in a separate directory that's just used for your config file.
Track down the person who used ClassLoader.getSystemResource in the library, kick them squarely in the nuts, and tell them never to do that again.

properties file not working inside jar

I am having issues with properties file when I try to make my standalone Java aplication a runnable jar.
I have 2 properties file, depending upon the machine where its running one gets initialized.
Inside eclipse it was working fine. I was using:
Properties configProps = new Properties();
....
if(machine1)
....
configProps.load(Config.class.getResourceAsStream("machine1.properties"));
else
configProps.load(Config.class.getResourceAsStream("machine2.properties"));
It was working as Config.java and properties were in the same package.
On top of that I have log4j properties located on the root of the project.
That is also not working whne i made Jar.
How to handle the current sutuation.I know putting properties file outside jar is good idea.
How do I accomplish this.
Please help.

Putting the properties file outside of the jar is only a good idea if you need to write to that property file (it's for configuration). Given your naming, I assume it is for configuration.
For reading only, your method is fine if the properties file is properly being packaged in the Jar. Is it? Have you peaked at the contents using jar tf MyJar.jar? Does it show your properties file at the correct path?
Where to store configuration files is a broader issue. Here's a good SO article that examines a few aspects of it (namely where to put it): What is the proper way to store app's conf data in Java?
It seems to me you want to choose a location (see the above article). Once you've done that, the first time the application is run you should load the default properties from your Jar file as you are trying to do, then immediately save them to the location you've chosen. Then, and afterwards, read from and write to that location instead. You will need to use a FileInputStream/FileOutputStream.

Try adding a manifest to your JAR's META-INF with Class-Path set appropriately.

loading from JAR files during deployment vs development

when i am loading some data into my java program, i usually use FileInputStream. however i deploy the program as a jar file and webstart, so i have to use getRessource() or getRessourceAsStream() to load the data directly from the jar file.
now it is quite annoying to always switch this code between development and deployment?
is there a way autmate this? i.e. is there a way to know if the code is run from a jar or not?
when i try to load it withoug jar like this:
InputStream is = this.getClass().getResourceAsStream("file.txt");
the returned inputstream is simply null, although the file is definitely in the root directory of the application.
thanks!

Why do you use FileInputStream during development? Why not just use getResourceAsStream from the very start? So long as you place your files in an appropriate place in your classpath, you shouldn't have any problems. It can still be a file in the local filesystem rather than in a jar file.
It's helpful to develop with the final deployment environment in mind.
EDIT: If you want something in the root directory of your classpath, you should either use:
InputStream x = getClass().getResourceAsStream("/file.txt");
or
InputStream x = getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("file.txt");
Basically Class.getResourceAsStream will resolve relative resources to the package containing the class; ClassLoader.getResourceAsStream resolves everything relative to the "root" package.

You could read your data always as a ressource. You only have to add the path where the data lies to your classpath.
If your data stays in WEB-INF/somewhere/mydata.txt inside your jar file, you will access it with:
getClass().getResourceAsStream( "/WEB-INF/somewhere/mydata.txt" )
Now, if you create a development directory /devel/WEB-INF/somewhere/mydata.txt and put /devel to your classpath, your code will work in development and production.
EDIT after explanation in question:
In your case this.getClass().getResourceAsStream( "mydata.txt" ) the resource is taken from the same position where the classfile of this is taken from. If you want to keep this, then you have to create a directory /devel/<path of package>/mydata.txt and again add /devel to your classpath.

How about setting a system property in your dev environment, via the -D switch? e.g. java -D:mypropertyname=mypropertyvalue
You could set the property in ant scripts in your dev environment, other environments don't get the property:
e.g.
public static boolean isDevEnvironment(){ return System.getProperty("mypropertyname")!=null;}
You might find a better way to hack it from one of the existing System Properties

If a file is considered part of your deployed application (as opposed to be part of the installation specific files) and can be located through the classpath then consider simply always using getResourceAsStream since it works regardless of the actual deployment scheme as long as it is in the classpath.
You might also find the information available from the JVM relevant (if allowed by the security manager):
// Get the location of this class
Class cls = this.getClass();
ProtectionDomain pDomain = cls.getProtectionDomain();
CodeSource cSource = pDomain.getCodeSource();
URL loc = cSource.getLocation(); // file:/c:/almanac14/examples/
http://www.exampledepot.com/egs/java.lang/ClassOrigin.html?l=rel

There shouldn't be any difference between development vs deployment, IHMO.
Classloader.getResource or getResourceAsStream works well, you can read resources and even write them.You can write your own Protocol handles and access everything as an URL/URI, which allows you to read and write resources and also allows proper identification of who actually provide the resource.
The only problem is if an URLStreamHandlerFactory is already registered(in a J2EE application the container could install a factory and you don't have any way to go over and install your own) and you cannot use your handlers "anywhere".
Knowing that, it is preferred to implement your own "resources". At that time when I need it I couldn't find something like that so I had to implement my own ResourceManager. For me it looks more intuitive to access a resource like
Resource layout = ResourceManager.resolve("view://layout/main.jsp")
instead of
URL layout = Classloader.getResource("some_package/view/layout/main.jsp")