Read from file in eclipse

Question

Hi,

I'm trying to read from a text file to input data to my java program. However, eclipse continuosly gives me a Source not found error no matter where I put the file.

I've made an additional sources folder in the project directory, the file in question is in both it and the bin file for the project and it still can't find it.

I even put a copy of it on my desktop and tried pointing eclipse there when it asked me to browse for the source lookup path.

No matter what I do it can't find the file.

here's my code in case it's pertinent:

System.out.println(System.getProperty("user.dir"));
 File file = new File("file.txt");


 Scanner scanner = new Scanner(file);

in addition, it says the user directory is the project directory and there is a copy there too.

I have no clue what to do.

Thanks, Alex

after attempting the suggestion below and refreshing again, I was greeted by a host of errors.

FileNotFoundException(Throwable).<init>(String) line: 195
FileNotFoundException(Exception).<init>(String) line: not available FileNotFoundException(IOException).<init>(String) line: not available
FileNotFoundException.<init>(String) line: not available
URLClassPath$JarLoader.getJarFile(URL) line: not available
URLClassPath$JarLoader.access$600(URLClassPath$JarLoader, URL) line: not available
URLClassPath$JarLoader$1.run() line: not available
AccessController.doPrivileged(PrivilegedExceptionAction<T>) line: not available [native method] URLClassPath$JarLoader.ensureOpen() line: not available URLClassPath$JarLoader.<init>(URL, URLStreamHandler, HashMap) line: not available
URLClassPath$3.run() line: not available
AccessController.doPrivileged(PrivilegedExceptionAction<T>) line: not available [native method] URLClassPath.getLoader(URL) line: not available URLClassPath.getLoader(int) line: not available URLClassPath.access$000(URLClassPath, int) line: not available
URLClassPath$2.next() line: not available
URLClassPath$2.hasMoreElements() line: not available
ClassLoader$2.hasMoreElements() line: not available CompoundEnumeration<E>.next() line: not available
CompoundEnumeration<E>.hasMoreElements() line: not available
ServiceLoader$LazyIterator.hasNext() line: not available
ServiceLoader$1.hasNext() line: not available
LocaleServiceProviderPool$1.run() line: not available
AccessController.doPrivileged(PrivilegedExceptionAction<T>) line: not available [native method] LocaleServiceProviderPool.<init>(Class<LocaleServiceProvider>) line: not available
LocaleServiceProviderPool.getPool(Class<LocaleServiceProvider>) line: not available NumberFormat.getInstance(Locale, int) line: not available
NumberFormat.getNumberInstance(Locale) line: not available
Scanner.useLocale(Locale) line: not available
Scanner.<init>(Readable, Pattern) line: not available
Scanner.<init>(ReadableByteChannel) line: not available Scanner.<init>(File) line: not available
code used:

System.out.println(System.getProperty("user.dir"));
 File file = new File(System.getProperty("user.dir") + "/file.txt");


 Scanner scanner = new Scanner(file);

Answer 1

Have you tried using an absolute path:

File file = new File(System.getProperty("user.dir") + "/file.txt");

Answer 2

Did you try refreshing (right click -> refresh) the project folder after copying the file in there? That will SYNC your file system with Eclipse's internal file system.

When you run Eclipse projects, the CWD (current working directory) is project's root directory. Not bin's directory. Not src's directory, but the root dir.

Also, if you're in Linux, remember that its file systems are usually case sensitive.

Answer 3

There's nothing wrong with your code, the following works fine for me when I have the file.txt in the user.dir directory.

import java.io.File;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class testme {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(System.getProperty("user.dir"));
        File file = new File("file.txt");
        try {
            Scanner scanner = new Scanner(file);
        } catch (Exception e) {
        System.out.println(e);
        }
    }
}

Don't trust Eclipse with where it says the file is. Go out to the actual filesystem with Windows Explorer or equivalent and check.

Based on your edit, I think we need to see your import statements as well.

Answer 4

You are searching/reading the file "fiel.txt" in the execution directory (where the class are stored, i think).

If you whish to read the file in a given directory, you have to says so :

File file = System.getProperty("user.dir")+"/"+"file.txt";

You could also give the directory with a relative path, eg "./images/photo.gif) for a subdirecory for example.

Note that there is also a property for the separator (hard-coded to "/" in my exemple)

regards Guillaume