properties file location

[Paul Keohan]

Is there a way to find a properties file from a class no matter where it is on the disk? I know you can use a getProperty() method to find the jdk ext directory and I could put my properties file there. I have a properties file which holds locations of other files. It would seem I'd need a properties file to hold the location of the properties file, and another properties file to hold the location of that properties file and so on . . .
I'd like to just name the file in the class, and not worry about which directory it's located in.
Thanks.
Paul

[Joel McNary]

Depends on how flexible you want to be. You could use the java.io.File class to walk the directory structure of the disk looking for the file, but I don't recommend that
Instead, I just put my properties in classpath and don't worry about the directory. Loading the Properties through PropertyResourceBundle.getBundle("myPropertiesFile") uses the classpath, so as long as my file is in the classpath I don't worry about it. If I don't have a resource in the classpath, I don't have the resource.
(Of course, I'm looking at moving to Preferences anyway...)