Perhaps silly, but is it possible ...

[D. Alvarado]

to load a file into the classpath AFTER you have started your Java
program? That is, I know the path to a file, but that file does not
appear in the CLASSPATH enviornment variable or in any -CLASSPATH
directive passed to the java invocation. Perhaps a bit silly, but I
have no control over the environment or runtime setting s, which is
why I'm seeking a back door.

If the answer is yes, how could this be done?

Thanks in advance, - Dave

 

[Stefan Wischnewski]

to load a file into the classpath AFTER you have started your Java
program? That is, I know the path to a file, but that file does not
appear in the CLASSPATH enviornment variable or in any -CLASSPATH
directive passed to the java invocation. Perhaps a bit silly, but I
have no control over the environment or runtime setting s, which is
why I'm seeking a back door.

If the answer is yes, how could this be done?

Thanks in advance, - Dave

Not silly at all. Take a look at the URLClassLoader.

Stefan

 

[John Davison]

to load a file into the classpath AFTER you have started your Java
program? That is, I know the path to a file, but that file does not
appear in the CLASSPATH enviornment variable or in any -CLASSPATH
directive passed to the java invocation. Perhaps a bit silly, but I
have no control over the environment or runtime setting s, which is
why I'm seeking a back door.

If the answer is yes, how could this be done?

Thanks in advance, - Dave

You don't load files into the classpath. That doesn't make sense. All
the classpath does (AFAIK) is supply the JVM with directories to search
through for Java .class files.

If you need to open a file, simply provide the full path from root, or a
relative path. The classpath has nothing to do with this.

File f = new File("/some/path/to/your/file");

- john

 

[Michael Borgwardt]

You don't load files into the classpath. That doesn't make sense. All
the classpath does (AFAIK) is supply the JVM with directories to search
through for Java .class files.

No, you can also use it to load all kinds of files via the "resource" methods
in the Class and ClassLoader classes. This is in fact the preferred method
because it allows the files to be packaged with the application and found
regardless of the install location (end even within a JAR file).

Of course, the advantages disappear when you first have to make a new
ClassLoader via an absolute path anyway.

 

[John Davison]

No, you can also use it to load all kinds of files via the "resource"
methods
in the Class and ClassLoader classes. This is in fact the preferred method
because it allows the files to be packaged with the application and found
regardless of the install location (end even within a JAR file).

Of course, the advantages disappear when you first have to make a new
ClassLoader via an absolute path anyway.

You're right. I stand corrected.