Adding images to jlabel

Question

newb question...
i have an image i'd like to put on a jlabel. i think i know the code but where do i put the image so it can be retrieved...here is the part of the code i use to show image...
ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon("whatever.gif");
JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel(icon);
when i run the app with the code like this the image doesnt show. the image is in a folder on my desktop now. do i need to move it somewhere else so that it can be retrieved or do i need to change the code to tell where the image is? thanks.

Answer 1

Place the gif in your classpath and load it like this:
URL url= YourClass.class.getClassLoader(
        ).getResource("whatever.gif"); // YourClass is the                                       class name
if ( url != null ) {
    ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon(url).getImage();
    JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel(icon);
}regds,
CA