How to define configuration parameters in Java?

Question

My main function uses set of hard coded parameters as given in the sample code. Objective: I want a cleaner code instead of hard coding these values inside main. Question: WIs there a way of defining all these parameters in a separate file like a configuration file and enabling access to main? Anybody who wants to change values will be required to modify only the parameter file. If there is a better way of handling the objective, please suggest so.

    public class Sample {

    public static void main(String[] arg) throws Exception {
    BufferedReader File = new BufferedReader(new FileReader("myfile.txt"));
            // parameter list
            String Parameter_1 = "Value_1";
            String Parameter_2 = "Value_2";
            .......
            //Function code
    }

Jesper · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-21 08:10:07Z

6

Have a look at Java properties files; you can easily load (and save) them using the class java.util.Properties.

A properties file is a text file that contains key-value pairs, for example like this:

Parameter_1=Value_1
Parameter_2=Value_2

Loading a properties file is very easy:

Properties props = new Properties();
InputStream in = new FileInputStream("config.properties");
props.load(in);
in.close();

Then you can get the values:

String Parameter_1 = props.get("Parameter_1");

answered Nov 21, 2012 at 8:10

Jesper

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1 Comment

jlordo Over a year ago

+1, OP is trying to get rid of hardcoded values, so you could notice that the properties filename needn't be hardcoded either, he can use args[0]

Frank · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-21 08:10:59Z

1

Use Properties object:

Properties prop = new Properties();

        try {
               //load a properties file
            prop.load(new FileInputStream("config.properties"));

               //get the property value and print it out
                System.out.println(prop.getProperty("Value_1"));
            System.out.println(prop.getProperty("Value_2"));
            System.out.println(prop.getProperty("Value_3"));

        } catch (IOException ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }

answered Nov 21, 2012 at 8:10

Frank

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Comments

hd1 · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-21 13:33:32Z

0

The Preferences API is the preferred way, over Properties, at least as of Java 1.4. There's actually a comparison between other approaches and Preferences.

answered Nov 21, 2012 at 13:33

hd1

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