Question

Is there a way I could use some functions for setting the location(directory) of my files on the fly?

Every time I use to hardcode file location like this

    String folder = "/Users/...../Desktop/sample";
    File dir = new File(folder);
    File[] files = dir.listFiles();

is there any method where I can avoid hardcoding? The location I’m using isn’t my current directory.

Suggestions or help in this regard appreciated. 🙂

Answer 1

As I see it some rather simple ways are feasible, but might not exactly be what you want:

Navigate from the classpath

ClassLoader cl = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
URL url = cl.getResource("relative/path/from/classpath");

or

String path = getClass().getClassLoader().getResource(".").getPath();

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Use a property file containing an entry for the path

Properties properties = new Properties();
properties.load(new FileInputStream("filename.properties"));
properties.getProperty("PATH")

where in your property file you would have a line like

PATH = the/absolute/path

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Use environment variables

System.getenv("THE_PATH_ENV")

Where you would store the path in the environment variables (if applicable for your OS).

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Give the path as a parameter
Well, that one is pretty straightforward… Just access the string array in main…

public static void main(String[] args){
    String path = args[0]; //Or at whatever position it is in your parameter list
    ..

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Alternatively I could think that it is possible to use the Java file system commands to manually traverse a directory structure and search for something in it. I would however not advise to do this, as this is not what they’re made for. If at all I guess I’d fall back on some 3rd party API.