Relative paths in Java

[-iSynthesis]

Im working on a XMLReader class for a project at school. But I'm having problems with relative paths after compiling code to a .jar file. When compiling with IntelliJ it all works. The XML file i want to read is in the normal Projekt directory so I can open it with 

File file = new File("test.xml");

It also works when using a full path, so C://...//test.xml.

However, after I compile the project to a .jar file it won't read the XML File if it is in the same directory. So, if i have a file, say test.xml, where should i put it in the final project to be able to open it?

[Mr_KoKa]

Try to display yourself current working directory so you know where your app is looking for files. Maybe it is because the way you run your app.

[RUWO_builder]

i don't know if this is neccecary, but its good practice to use a sub dir of your main dir to store xml files.

[-iSynthesis]

4 hours ago, RUWO_builder said:

i don't know if this is neccecary, but its good practice to use a sub dir of your main dir to store xml files.

 

4 hours ago, Mr_KoKa said:

Try to display yourself current working directory so you know where your app is looking for files. Maybe it is because the way you run your app.

I've read a bit more about loading resources in java. The following is my project structure

src/Main.class

resources/test.xml (<- marked as resource folder in IntelliJ)

I tried loading the file as follows:

StringBuilder path = new StringBuilder("");
ClassLoader classLoader = getClass().getClassLoader();
File file = new File(classLoader.getResource(resourceName).getFile());

In the main method I printed out the path name it is giving me: "(...)Project\out\production\Code\test.xml".

I'm a bit confused as you might see. I guess the \out\ is where IntelliJ compiles the programm to. The xml file is however shown in a different place in \out\ than the path it earlier gave me. It actually is at "(...)Project\out\production\Code\some\package\test.xml". This is why it gave me a NullPointerException but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong?

 

EDIT:

I fixed it, somehow. There were several problems but now it seems to work, thanks anyways^^