getResourceAsStream() can be used to load any kind of file from the classpath, not just .class files. For example, it can be used for image files or configuration files--useful for loading any kind of resource when you don't know or care about the nature of the underlying filesystem.
What it *can't* be used for however, is writing or modifying files, so it's probably not useful to you. What I've done in the past is include a configuration parameter (e.g. a servlet init-param) to specify the filesystem location of the webapp directory. Of course that's one more thing that needs to be configured at deployment time-- but I'm not aware of a better solution. Best regards, Robert Lowe http://RMLowe.com/ -----Original Message----- From: Sean Leblanc [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 2:38 AM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: RE: Discovering the webapp path. user.dir gives me the directory of the tomcat binary directory. I'm not sure that will always and forever be the case? getResourceAsStream() I'm not familiar with. It looks like it's used to load classes? Loading classes is actually why I was thinking there should be a way to get access to the directory in question in the first place. I need the path so that I can write some data to a file there. TIA, -- Sean LeBlanc Software Developer insightamerica "Those who do not understand Unix are condemned to reinvent it, poorly." --Henry Spencer -----Original Message----- From: Keith Bohnenberger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 10:02 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Discovering the webapp path. You can try getting the java system property user.dir Why do you need the path? Can you get away with using getResourceAsStream(...) instead? > -----Original Message----- > From: Sean Leblanc [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 11:40 AM > To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' > Subject: Discovering the webapp path. > > I'm hoping this isn't a FAQ somewhere. I did try googling and searching > the > mailing list. Here goes: > > Is there a way to, at runtime, discover the path that the webapp is in? I > can't really rely on the root path being any particular path and doing > absolute path, because depending on how tomcat is started, root is in > different places. > > > TIA, > > -- > Sean LeBlanc > Software Developer > insightamerica > "Those who do not understand Unix are condemned to reinvent it, poorly." > --Henry Spencer > e-Mail Notice: This communication may contain sensitive information. If > you > are not the intended recipient, or believe that you have received this > communication in error, do not print, copy, retransmit, disseminate, or > otherwise use the information contained herein for any purpose. Please > alert the sender that you have received this message in error and delete > the > copy that you received. e-Mail Notice: This communication may contain sensitive information. If you are not the intended recipient, or believe that you have received this communication in error, do not print, copy, retransmit, disseminate, or otherwise use the information contained herein for any purpose. Please alert the sender that you have received this message in error and delete the copy that you received.
