Deleting a file. HELP!

[Ben Wong]

Hi

i am still trying to get a JAR version of my program fully functioning but im getting problems.

For all referenced files i use the class path from class.getResource(). however, for some reason I cannot delete files from the filesystem. It worked before but not anymore! this is the code im using:

String XMLFileName = Main.class.getResource("filename.xml");
File rFile = new File(XMLFileName);
boolean success = rFile.delete();

please help!

Ben

[Paul Clapham]

The getResource method returns you a URL object, so the code you have posted should not compile. At any rate, assuming your real code looks more like

URL XMLFileName = Main.class.getResource("filename.xml");

then -- also assuming the resource is actually in the file system and not inside the jar -- then I think calling its getPath() method should give you the file name. A little experimenting with System.out.println should show you what you are dealing with.
[ April 26, 2006: Message edited by: Paul Clapham ]

[Ben Wong]

yeah sorry about that. In my real code i wrote:

String filename = Main.class.getResource("thefile.xml").toString();
File f = new File(filename);
f.delete();

The problem I've notice and completely confused by is that when i call a f.exists() it returns false, even though i know it definitely does exist! ive been using loads of System.out.println() lines to try to find out whats going on.

when i change the code and use File f = new File("folder/thefile.xml"); it works fine. but the code then reads the file from OUTSIDE of the JAR, even though the file and folder exist inside the JAR.

im totally confused! please help!
[ April 26, 2006: Message edited by: Ben Wong ]

[Henry Wong]

I don't think the toString() method returns what you want. If memory serves, it should be a string representation of the URL -- and not a file path and name.

Henry