After Compiling Project With Javafx Maven Plugin, Program Cant Locate Resources

Question

Alright so im fairly new to javafx and programming in general. I have never actually packaged a program before as i have never needed to run them outside the IDE. I need to package my javafx program and must use maven to do so as it handles all of my other dependencies.

Upon compiling the program using the command mvn jfx:jar in the directory that contains the pom file, the build succeeds and produces my jar. Which when examined through WINRar, contains all of the files that had previously been in my /src/main/resource folder of the in the root directory.

However when ran with java -jar (nameofjar).jar it does not launch and instead produces several errors all relating to not being able to locate specific resources, The FXML in particular, among other resources.

Refrences to files

welcome.fxml

public void start(Stage primaryStage) {


    try {
        AnchorPane pane = FXMLLoader.load(MainApp.class.getResource("welcome.fxml"));
        Scene scene = new Scene(pane);
        primaryStage.setScene(scene);
        primaryStage.setTitle("HeelBot Beta "+versionNumber);

        primaryStage.getIcons().add(new Image("Icon.png"));
        primaryStage.setResizable(true);
        primaryStage.show();
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        Logger.getLogger(MainApp.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    }

defaultProperties.properties

    public class PropertiesManager {
    public static void editProperty(String key, String value) throws IOException {
        // create and load default properties
        Properties defaultProps = new Properties();
        FileInputStream in = new FileInputStream("src/main/resources/defaultProperties.properties");
        defaultProps.load(in);
        in.close();

// create application properties with default
        Properties applicationProps = new Properties(defaultProps);

// now load properties
// from last invocation
        in = new FileInputStream("src/main/resources/appProperties.properties");
        applicationProps.load(in);
        in.close();
//set properties
        applicationProps.setProperty(key,value);
        FileOutputStream out = new FileOutputStream("src/main/resources/appProperties.properties");
        applicationProps.store(out, "---No Comment---");
        out.close();

    }

POM FILE

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

    <groupId>com.coursecruncher</groupId>
    <artifactId>heelbot</artifactId>
    <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>com.zenjava</groupId>
            <artifactId>javafx-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>8.1.4</version>
            <configuration>
                <mainClass>MainApp</mainClass>
                <verbose>true</verbose>
                <jfxMainAppJarName>heelbot.jar</jfxMainAppJarName>
                <deployDir>${project.basedir}/src/main/resources</deployDir>
                <updateExistingJar>true</updateExistingJar>
                <allPermissions>true</allPermissions>
            </configuration>
        </plugin>

    </plugins>

</build>

    <dependencies>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.seleniumhq.selenium</groupId>
            <artifactId>selenium-java</artifactId>
            <version>2.48.2</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.shiro</groupId>
            <artifactId>shiro-core</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.4</version>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>

</project>

Project Structure

├── configure
├── configure.in
├── src
│   ├── main
│   │   ├── java 
│   │   │     ├── CoreController(class)
│   │   │     ├── Login(class)
│   │   │     ├── LoginController(class)
│   │   │     ├── MainApp(class)
│   │   │     └── PropertiesManager(class)
│   │   │        
│   │   ├── resources
│   │   │     ├── appProperties.properties
│   │   │     ├── defaultProperties.properties
│   │   │     ├── welcome.fxml
│   │   │     ├── core.fxml
│   │   │     └── Heelbot.css 

Error

enter code here

java.io.FileNotFoundException: src\main\resources\defaultProperties.properties (
The system cannot find the path specified)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.open0(Native Method)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.open(FileInputStream.java:195)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:138)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:93)
        at PropertiesManager.editProperty(PropertiesManager.java:11)
        at LoginController.initialize(LoginController.java:60)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2548)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2441)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3214)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3175)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3148)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3124)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3104)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.load(FXMLLoader.java:3097)
        at Main.start(Main.java:53)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication1$163
(LauncherImpl.java:863)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runAndWait$176(Platfor
mImpl.java:326)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$null$174(PlatformImpl.
java:295)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runLater$175(PlatformI
mpl.java:294)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.InvokeLaterDispatcher$Future.run(InvokeLaterDispatch
er.java:95)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication._runLoop(Native Method)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication.lambda$null$149(WinApplication.ja
va:191)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
java.io.FileNotFoundException: src\main\resources\defaultProperties.properties (
The system cannot find the path specified)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.open0(Native Method)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.open(FileInputStream.java:195)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:138)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:93)
        at PropertiesManager.queryProperty(PropertiesManager.java:34)
        at LoginController.initialize(LoginController.java:106)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2548)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2441)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3214)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3175)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3148)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3124)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3104)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.load(FXMLLoader.java:3097)
        at Main.start(Main.java:53)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication1$163
(LauncherImpl.java:863)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runAndWait$176(Platfor
mImpl.java:326)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$null$174(PlatformImpl.
java:295)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runLater$175(PlatformI
mpl.java:294)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.InvokeLaterDispatcher$Future.run(InvokeLaterDispatch
er.java:95)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication._runLoop(Native Method)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication.lambda$null$149(WinApplication.ja
va:191)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Nov 12, 2015 5:12:08 PM Main start
SEVERE: null
javafx.fxml.LoadException:
file:/D:/Programing%20Data/Projects/CourseCruncher/target/jfx/app/heelbot.jar!/w
elcome.fxml

        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.constructLoadException(FXMLLoader.java:2601)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2579)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2441)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3214)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3175)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3148)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3124)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:3104)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.load(FXMLLoader.java:3097)
        at Main.start(Main.java:53)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication1$163
(LauncherImpl.java:863)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runAndWait$176(Platfor
mImpl.java:326)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$null$174(PlatformImpl.
java:295)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runLater$175(PlatformI
mpl.java:294)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.InvokeLaterDispatcher$Future.run(InvokeLaterDispatch
er.java:95)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication._runLoop(Native Method)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication.lambda$null$149(WinApplication.ja
va:191)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
        at java.util.Properties$LineReader.readLine(Properties.java:434)
        at java.util.Properties.load0(Properties.java:353)
        at java.util.Properties.load(Properties.java:341)
        at PropertiesManager.queryProperty(PropertiesManager.java:39)
        at LoginController.initialize(LoginController.java:106)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2548)
        ... 17 more

I suspect that my pom configuration may be what is causing the issue. I am not quite sure how to correctly format it and have tried various combinations and tutorials all to no avail. The closest I ever got was using this pom

Alternate POM file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
    <groupId>com.courecruncher</groupId>
    <artifactId>heelbot</artifactId>
    <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
    <packaging>jar</packaging>
    <name>HeelBotBeta1</name>

    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>junit</groupId>
            <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
            <version>4.11</version>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.seleniumhq.selenium</groupId>
            <artifactId>selenium-java</artifactId>
            <version>2.48.2</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.shiro</groupId>
            <artifactId>shiro-core</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.4</version>
        </dependency>

    </dependencies>
    <build>
        <defaultGoal>clean package</defaultGoal>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.6</version>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <id>unpack-dependencies</id>
                        <phase>package</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>unpack-dependencies</goal>
                        </goals>
                        <configuration>
                            <excludeScope>system</excludeScope>
                            <excludeGroupIds>junit,org.mockito,org.hamcrest</excludeGroupIds>
                            <outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/classes</outputDirectory>
                        </configuration>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
                <artifactId>exec-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>1.2.1</version>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <id>package-jar</id>
                        <phase>package</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>exec</goal>
                        </goals>
                        <configuration>
                            <executable>${env.JAVA_HOME}/bin/javafxpackager</executable>
                            <arguments>
                                <argument>-createjar</argument>
                                <argument>-nocss2bin</argument>
                                <argument>-appclass</argument>
                                <argument>MainApp</argument>
                                <argument>-srcdir</argument>
                                <argument>${project.build.directory}/classes</argument>
                                <argument>-outdir</argument>
                                <argument>.</argument>
                                <argument>-outdir</argument>
                                <argument>${project.build.directory}</argument>
                                <argument>-outfile</argument>
                                <argument>${project.artifactId}-app</argument>
                                <argument>-v</argument>
                            </arguments>
                        </configuration>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>
    <properties>
        <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
        <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
    </properties>
</project>

This would result in it finding the fxml file but still throwing an error for the properties file I would have to manually add the property files into the project directory. How do i make the packaged jar able to locate its own resources rather than look for resources outside of the jar?

Answer 1

I'm the maintainer of the javafx-maven-plugin, stumbled upon this question per accident ;)

The problem is within your "logic" of reading that files, accessing to that property-file within your JAR is done in another way, but it's not the fault of the plugin used, it's a normal java-thing (as pointed our by the thrown exxception). To know where "your current folder" is, just print out new File(".")

Just to inform you about that javafx-maven-plugin configuration: there is nothing wrong

Here are some links I found to show you simple loading of properties inside JAR-files:

Load properties file in JAR?

Load Properties from resources folder within JAR

EDIT: please make sure about having a bit knowledge about "current working folder", calling java -jar somejar.jar differs from java -jar somefolder/somejar.jar, makes a big difference