Question

Is there a way to read a file from a network shared location on windows?

Let’s say for instance I’ve this simple code that reads a text file called readMe.txt from the Addons folder.

import java.io.File;

class Sample{

    public static void main(String[] ar){
        File file = new File("Addons/ReadMe.txt");
        System.out.println(file.getAbsolutePath());
      //followed by printing the contents of file   
    }
}

And I execute this file using a windows batch runme.bat that has

java Sample
PAUSE

The bat runs and executes the above class only when I place the Addons folder with ReadMe.txt, Sample.class, runme.bat file in my local drive.

When it is placed in a network shared location with UNC path like \\name\Shared

In such a scenario, the bat file typically starts the base from C:\Windows and throws a classNotFoundException. I can rather map the shared drive to a *Z:* drive or whatever but I do not want to do it.

I want the code to programatically detect and retrieve the content of Readme.txt in Addons folder irrespective of whether it is being executed on a local drive or on a shared drive. Is there a way to achieve this? Please help..

Thanks

Veekay

Answer 1

Two ways of doing.

1) Map the shared path to a local drive.

2) Else hard code the server path in new File(”) as mentioned by Medopal.

Something like new File("").getAbsolutePath() might help me get the base Folder when executed on a local system. Likewise there is no such way to programmatically find out the working base when executed on a shared location.