Problem storing special characters (\, \n etc.) in the Properties file

Question

Hello,
I am trying to store a string that contains special characters like \, \n, which are normally escaped using a \ character. If I try to save the Properties object into a file (using the store() method call), it doesn't store these escape characters as they are. The following is what I am trying to do:
Properties p = new Properties();
String samp = "This string will have a \\ and a newline \ncharacter";
p.setProperty( "sample", samp );
p.store( new FileOutputStream( "/path/to/my/file" ) );I am trying to achieve the following result:
sample=This string will have a \ and a newline
characterBut, instead, I get this:
sample=This string will have a \\ and a newline \\\ncharacterCan somebody help me with this problem?
Thanks,

Answer 1

Thanks for your replies and efforts to help me out. I
guess there is no solution to my unique problem.
Basically I need this because one of my values (for a
key) is a multi-line value. It will probably load
fine when I use the \ character to delimit multiple
lines, but when I want to write back the same value
as multiple lines (using \ and \n characters), I am
unable to do that. I don't follow, or else if you're saying what I think you are, I disagree.
Let's say you have a String in your program that contains some \n characters, so if you print that string, say with println, on a Unix terminal, you'll see it on separate lines.
Now you write that string out to a properties file with store().
Forget how it looks in the props file. Consider that opaque, a black box.
Now you use load() to get it back from the properties file. It will be re-created in its original form, so if you print it out on a unix terminal, you'll again see multiple lines. The fact that it's all on one line in the .properties file doesn't affect that.
Now, if you want it to appear on multiple lines in the props file, then we're back to my previous post--you're breaking the format that load expects.
At least, that's my understanding of how it works. I might be mistaken, but I think I've tested this very thing in the not-too-distant past.