Thread: [SWT-App] How to point to a directory full of images globally (for each computer).

Hey Java'ners,

Basically I am coding using the SWT Widget Java library, using eclipse, and I've already tried to google my problem but with no luck. I'm creating an application and in the code it points to various pictures on my computer, so it looks more visually appealing. So here lies the problem, I have no clue how to point to a directory full of images which I have, to each computer that runs the app.

So here, the code is just pointing to one image on my Desktop;

Image imageFile= new Image(display, "C://Users//PC-name//Desktop//blah.png");

I thought maybe I put in "...Desktop//blah.png" it could still find the image, but no, IOException error, can't find image.
Does anyone know how to help me ?

Thank you.

how to point to a directory full of images which I have, to each computer that runs the app.

Will all the PCs have the images in the same local directory? If you have a hardcoded path in your program then all the PCs will have to have the same directory structure for the images.

Yeah, I'm going to Zip up my .jar runnable file with the images inside a directory/file. So They'll download the whole bundle. I wouldn't have a clue how to hard-code the path. Wouldn't know where to look, or start. You'll need to elaborate please.

Not sure how to do it with SWT, but images are normally bundled with a Java application as resources in a jar file:
Creating a JAR File (The Java™ Tutorials > Deployment > Packaging Programs in JAR Files)
This page also briefly covers loading images using getResource():
How to Use Icons (The Java™ Tutorials > Creating a GUI With JFC/Swing > Using Swing Components)

Yeah, I see what your saying, but not everyone will have C drive as there local disk, or "PC-name" as there PC name. Which brings me back to my first point.

EDIT: Thanks for the links, I'll read them tommorow and will get back to you guys by than, see how it goes.

I believe I've got it, I have to create an executable JAR file and run it on another computer to truly see if it works, but basically those links didn't really help. Though you said "getResource()". So Googled it for SWT, surely enough found it.

Image image = new Image(display, <ClassName>.class.getResourceAsStream("bg.png"));

And what I did is dragged and dropped the images I wanted inside of the PACKAGE folder where my Java class is. So I'm guessing if I create an executable JAR file, it will carry those images as well. So awesome, if it works, thanks.

EDIT: Sorry double post