Can't read image from executable jar file

[HokeyFry]

I am creating a text editor for my java class in high school. I have all of the essential parts done (i.e. input text, save, change color, etc.) and now I am moving on to sprucing it up with at least 15 pieces of flair ;) .

One of these things is a splash image. But, since I can't get a proper one to come up, I just made a message box using JOptionPane and stuck an ImageIcon in it, just to make it look cool. When I run the class in bluej before creating a jar file, it works perfectly. But when I create an executable jar file, the image won't display. Just so you know, the image is in the same directory when I create the jar file, and the ImageIcon respects this. Also, the rest of the program works perfectly, it is just this one problem at this point. I would also like to point out that this is the first jar file I have ever made before, so if it is something easy and/or obvious, please bear with me.

[HokeyFry]

Okay, I figured out that it is reading in the directory that the jar file is in, not the jar file itself (I extracted the image into the folder). But I really want the picture inside the jar file. Is there a way to get java to look inside the jar file for the picture?

[hod139]

Okay, I figured out that it is reading in the directory that the jar file is in, not the jar file itself (I extracted the image into the folder). But I really want the picture inside the jar file. Is there a way to get java to look inside the jar file for the picture?

You have to open the image either as a URL or as an input stream. Input streams tend to be faster. Here is a demo from one of Java's Swing tutorials (http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/misc/icon.html):


public class IconDemoApplet extends JApplet ... {
protected String leftButtonFilename = "images/left.gif";
...
public void init() {
...
ImageIcon leftButtonIcon = createAppletImageIcon(leftButtonFilename,
"an arrow pointing left");
...
}
...
//Returns an ImageIcon, or null if the path was invalid.
//When running an applet using Java Plug-in,
//getResourceAsStream is more efficient than getResource.
protected static ImageIcon createAppletImageIcon(String path,
String description) {
int MAX_IMAGE_SIZE = 75000; //Change this to the size of
//your biggest image, in bytes.
int count = 0;
BufferedInputStream imgStream = new BufferedInputStream(
IconDemoApplet.class.getResourceAsStream(path));
if (imgStream != null) {
byte buf[] = new byte[MAX_IMAGE_SIZE];
try {
count = imgStream.read(buf);
} catch (IOException ieo) {
System.err.println("Couldn't read stream from file: " + path);
}

try {
imgStream.close();
} catch (IOException ieo) {
System.err.println("Can't close file " + path);
}

if (count <= 0) {
System.err.println("Empty file: " + path);
return null;
}
return new ImageIcon(Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().createImage( buf),
description);
} else {
System.err.println("Couldn't find file: " + path);
return null;
}
}
...
}