Code to read local notepad.txt from applet

Question

Hi.
Further to my (unanswered) queries about reading a notepad.txt file from the local directory i.e. the same directory from which the html and applet were launched, the following code is supposed to be able to read the local file. It failed to do so both in Netscape 7.1 and in IE5
I've also received conflicting advices : some says we can read local files without using a signed applet or chaning the ACL, whereas others I'll need to use signed applets and / or acl to allow the applet to read a local file.
My research has shown that java applets are supposed to be able to read local files. Has something changed:
public class FileAccess extends Applet
   implements ActionListener {
   Button loadButton, saveButton;
   TextField filename;
   TextArea  content;
   String browserName;
   boolean securitySupported = false;
   public void init() {
     setLayout(new FlowLayout());
     Label label =
       new Label("Simple file editor");
     add(label);
     loadButton = new Button("Load");
     saveButton = new Button("Save");
     add(loadButton);
     add(saveButton);
     loadButton.addActionListener(this);
     saveButton.addActionListener(this);
     filename = new TextField(20);
     add(filename);
     content = new TextArea(5,20);
     add(content);
     browserName = System.getProperty("java.vendor");
     if (browserName.indexOf("Netscape") > -1)
        securitySupported = true;
     setSize(200, 200);
   public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt)  {
     if (securitySupported) {
        if (evt.getSource() == saveButton) {      
           PrivilegeManager.enablePrivilege("UniversalFileAccess");
           try {
              FileWriter aWriter = new FileWriter(filename.getText(), false);
              aWriter.write(content.getText());
              aWriter.flush();
              aWriter.close();           
           catch(Exception e) {
             e.printStackTrace();               
        else if (evt.getSource() == loadButton) {
           PrivilegeManager.enablePrivilege("UniversalFileAccess");
           try {
              BufferedReader aReader  =
                 new BufferedReader
                    (new FileReader(filename.getText()));
              content.setText(aReader.readLine());
              aReader.close();           
           catch(Exception e) {
             e.printStackTrace();               
      else {
        getAppletContext().showStatus("security not installed");
}

Answer 1

Hi acinhk,
I read your note with great interest. I am trying to solve almost exactly the same problem as you are -
Reading a .txt file in IE5 from the same directory where the html and the applet were lauched.
Your code looks fine to me.
My code is very similar, and again generates a security exception - as I am having the same problem you had getting around Java security.
If you have been able to solve the problem, can you please let me know what you did.
Any modifications to your sample code that actually made it work would be greatly appreciated.
Also, is signing the applet to read a local file under IE5 really necessary ?
Can the file be read from the local IE file system without signing the applet ?
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks !
drbob