How to use get getResourceAsStream

Question

Gday all,
I gave up trying to comprehend the API doco and tutorials on the How to use get getResourceAsStream. I don't care how the class loader locates resources... I just it to work. Now!
Here's what works... and what doesn't work...
package krc.geometry;
import java.util.Properties;
import java.io.FileInputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import krc.utilz.io.RuntimeIOException;
abstract class GeometryProperties {
  private static Properties properties = new Properties();
  static {
    try {
      // properties.load(new FileInputStream("c:/java/home/src/krc/geometry/Geometry.properties")); //WORKS
      // properties.load(new FileInputStream("c:/java/home/classes/krc/geometry/Geometry.properties")); //WORKS
      // properties.load( (new Object()).getClass().getResourceAsStream("krc/geometry/Geometry.properties")); //DOES NOT WORK
      // properties.load( (new Object()).getClass().getResourceAsStream("krc.geometry.Geometry.properties")); //DOES NOT WORK
      // properties.load( (new Object()).getClass().getResourceAsStream("Geometry.properties")); //DOES NOT WORK
      // properties.load( (new Object()).getClass().getResourceAsStream("krc\\geometry\\Geometry.properties")); //DOES NOT WORK
      properties.load( (new Object()).getClass().getResourceAsStream("/krc/geometry/Geometry.properties")); //WORKS
    } catch(IOException e){
      throw new RuntimeIOException("Failed to load GeometryProperties: " + e.getMessage());
  static Properties get() {
    return properties;
  static String getProperty(String key) {
    return properties.getProperty(key);
  public static void main(String... args) {
    System.out.println(GeometryProperties.getProperty("format.double"));
}I hope someone finds this helpful someday.
Some related links are:
http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Class.html#getResourceAsStream(java.lang.String)
http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/ClassLoader.html#getSystemResourceAsStream(java.lang.String)
http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/ClassLoader.html#getSystemClassLoader()
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=getResourceAsStream+tutorial&meta=&btnG=Google+Search
http://rachel.sourceforge.net/tutorial.html
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5227823&messageID=9928698
PS: I think the API has ludicrously complicated explanation of something which can be explained succinctly by example... It's a classic case of a "correct" description which only makes sense once you already know how it works. Whomever wrote that one gets 3 out of 10 stars from me... ie No bananas.
Cheers. Keith.
Edited by: corlettk on Dec 2, 2007 9:28 AM - typos.

Answer 1

I've noticed a good google hit rate on this forum, especially on threads with meaningful a subject lines... That's how I found these forums in the first place... I'm hoping that posting solutions and comments here (as well as the occasional question) will make them available to others from google... I doubt that any site I created would earn the same "front page" status as Sun's site.
Besides, doesn't it still cost money to setup a blog or your own homepage?
I admit I'm intrigued despite myself... I'm aware that both http://www.joelonsoftware.com/ and http://www.dreamincode.net/ (and problably many others) started as little personal blogs.