Filename for ImageIcon

Question

Hi all
How to avoid hard coding the absolute path for the argument for ImageIcon ?
For example :
ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon("c:\\img\\help.gif");
Thank you

Answer 1

I have written the following class which works for me:
import java.io.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.net.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.util.HashMap;
public final class ImgLoader {
  private static HashMap imageMap = new HashMap (20);
  private ImgLoader() { }
  public static Image loadImage (File image) {
    return loadImage (image.getAbsolutePath());
  public static Image loadImage (String imageName) {
    return loadImage (imageName, false);
  public static Image loadImage (String imageName, boolean useCache) {
    ImageIcon icon = loadIcon (imageName, useCache);
    if (icon != null)
      return icon.getImage();
    else
      return null;
  public static URL getResource (String imageName) {
    final String location;
    URL url;
    if (imageName.charAt (0) == File.separatorChar || imageName.charAt (1) == ':')
      location = imageName;
      // full path
      try
        url = new java.io.File (location).toURL();
      catch (MalformedURLException e)
        Logger.log (e);
        url = null;
    else
      location = "pics/" + imageName;
      // relative path
      url = ImgLoader.class.getResource (location);
    return url;
  public static ImageIcon loadIcon (File imageName, boolean useCache) {
    return loadIcon (imageName.getAbsolutePath(), useCache);
  public static synchronized ImageIcon loadIcon (String imageName, boolean useCache) {
    final URL url = getResource (imageName);
    if (url != null)
      if (imageMap.containsKey (imageName))
        return (ImageIcon) imageMap.get (imageName);
      else
        final ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon (url);
        if (useCache)
          imageMap.put (imageName, icon);
        return icon;
    else
      Logger.log ("Warning: icon '" + imageName + "' not found");
      return null;
  public static synchronized ImageIcon loadIcon (String imageName) {
    return loadIcon (imageName, true);
}You can put this class inside some package if you want. In order for this class to work, you need to place all images in a directory calls "pics".
Your directory tree could look something like this:
. <-- root
|
+ ImgLoader.java
+ pics
| |
| + print.gif
| + .. etc ..
+ .. etc ..You then use this class by calling:
ImageIcon icon = ImgLoader.loadIcon("print.gif");Good luck