Cannot Load image without absolute path

Question

I am trying to display an image in my swing application and cannot seem to do so without absolute file addressing. This is a problem because I need to be able to give this program to others to use, and cannot have it addressed just to my computer. The code that loads the image is below:

public void loadImage(){
    try{
        BufferedImage img = ImageIO.read(new File("mock logo 128x128.png"));
        logoImage = new JLabel(new ImageIcon(img));
    }
    catch(IOException e){
        System.out.println("Logo not found");
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

I am certain that the file is in the src folder, so I know that is not the problem. if I setup the code like this:

public void loadImage(){
    try{
        BufferedImage img = ImageIO.read(new File("C:\\Users\\Dan\\Documents\\EXSoft\\ExSoft Workspace\\Septic Calculator Alpha\\src\\mock logo 128x128.png"));
        logoImage = new JLabel(new ImageIcon(img));
    }
    catch(IOException e){
        System.out.println("Logo not found");
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

Everything works perfectly. But as previously stated, this is not an acceptable solution.

Answer 1

You put the file in the src folder, therefore its packaged as part of your app. Its not outside your app binary. therefore you must use ClassLoader#getResourceAsStream.

Example:

    BufferedImage img = ImageIO.read(YourClass.class.getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("mock logo 128x128.png"));