CODEWITHSUNDEEP
java
twpc
twpc

Reputation: 709

Program not running from expected directory?

I am working on a web-based program, using Java. I am not sure exactly how to phrase this, but I expect the program to be running from within the c:/Resin/webapps/apps directory. However, when I reference a file in the program like this: "../files/randomfile.pdf", it cannot find that file. It works when I reference it like this: "c:/Resin/webapps/files/randomfile.pdf". How to I change the "running location"? (And what is the technical term for this?)

try {
    Document iTextDoc = new Document(PageSize.LETTER, 27, 27, 35, 18);
    HttpServletResponse res = (HttpServletResponse) pageContext.getResponse();
    res.setContentType("application/vnd.ms-word");
    res.setHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=" + fileName + ".rtf;");

    RtfWriter2 rtfWriter = RtfWriter2.getInstance(iTextDoc, res.getOutputStream());     
    iTextDoc.open();
    iTextDoc.add(new Paragraph ("Testing RTF Letterhead with Logo"));

    // Use full classname to avoid ambiguity with java.awt.Image
    com.lowagie.text.Image logoImg = com.lowagie.text.Image.getInstance("../files/someimage.jpg");
    logoImg.setAlignment(Image.RIGHT | Image.TEXTWRAP);
    iTextDoc.add(logoImg);
    iTextDoc.add(new Paragraph ("Put other information about organization beneath logo"));
    iTextDoc.close();
}

I get the following error with the resulting file: Adobe Reader could not open 'someFile.pdf' because it is either not a supported file type or because the file has been damaged (for example, it was sent as an email attachment and wasn't correctly decoded).

However, if I change the getInstance command to this:

com.lowagie.text.Image logoImg = com.lowagie.text.Image.getInstance("webapps/files/someimage.jpg");

it works. So my guess is that the working directory (thanks for the term) needs to be set somewhere. I am using Resin -- any idea where I should be setting this?

Thanks!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 524

Answers (3)

leonbloy
leonbloy

Reputation: 75986

From the java.io.File doc

By default the classes in the java.io package always resolve relative pathnames against the current user directory. This directory is named by the system property user.dir, and is typically the directory in which the Java virtual machine was invoked.

Broadly speaking, you should not rely on the current directory for locating files. Use full (absolute) paths, if possible (but without harcoding it in you application, of course). if the file is inside a webapp tree (or just inside the classpath), you might want to take a look at findResource() and related methods.

Upvotes: 0

tangens
tangens

Reputation: 39743

In a java program you can't change the running location.

First you should find out where your program is running. You can do this by calling

System.out.println( new File( "." ).getAbsolutePath() );

Now you can specify your paths relative to this directory.

Upvotes: 0

kgiannakakis
kgiannakakis

Reputation: 104188

You are probably referring to the user.dir system property, which is read only. Relative paths use this as the root folder.

Upvotes: 3

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