Deploying applications w. Jar files

Question

I'm experiencing extreme difficulties trying to deploy my application using a jar. I use a file and an image in my app, so I want to include them in the Jar file and I want my app to use the files from the jar.
So my question is: how do I do this? And is it possible to do it in such a way that I can (test)run my app without having to create a jar file each time I want to test s.thing.
I found a lot of suggestions on the internet but after hours of fruitless hacking and slashing I ask you for an example that does the trick, and REALLY does the trick... I'm quite desperate :(
BTW: I use eclipse 2.0
Thank you very much in advance!

Answer 1

True, it often is someone's own fault, but after many tries one fails to see his own errors. But your answer does not help me. For example: if I use:
File f = new File("map.map");
FileInputStream fIn = new FileInputStream(f);
ObjectInputStream objIn = new ObjectInputStream(fIn);
while in an IDE I can succesfully run my app. But if I make a jar (which holds the map.map file) and try to execute the same code, I get the error:
java.io.FileNotFoundException: map.map (The system cannot find the file specified)
at java.io.FileInputStream.open(Native Method)
at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:103)
at Display.PlayField.<init>(PlayField.java:27)
at Display.PlayField.main(PlayField.java:51)
See, that's my problem :(
Greets