Can we have images as values in properties file?

Question

I wanted to know can we have images as a values in properties file if so in which folder it needs to be placed. Any solutin with example is of great help else point me to some useful solution.

Marcelo · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-05T16:19:46.843

Yes, you can have an image encoded as a base 64 string such as:

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%3D%3D

You can then decode it for example to a file with:

Base64 decoder = new Base64();   
byte[] imageData = decoder.decode(encodedData);  
FileOutputStream out = new FileOutputStream(new File("trollface.png"););  
out.write(imageData);  
out.close();

The Base64 class is part of the Apache Commons Library.

I don't know what your exact requirements for your applications are, but in the Java Tutorial you can find out about Loading Images using getResource.

@ Marccelo thanks, what is that encoded value indicate and how to generate for associated image — sachin, Aug 05 '11 at 15:38
@sachin The encoded value is the binary data of the image encoded to a base 64 string. You can obtain it using the method in this answer: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6484002/sending-image-as-text-in-java/6484366#6484366 — Marcelo, Aug 05 '11 at 16:11
I also added to my answer an alternate method about *Loading Images using getResource*. — Marcelo, Aug 05 '11 at 16:21

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 05 '11 at 15:18

You can have any string as the value in a properties file (although a few characters will need to be escaped). There is nothing preventing you from having an image filename (with complete or relative path) as this value.

Note that if you are using windows paths, that backslashes \ need to be escaped (so \\ for each path segment separator).

You can of course not have the actual image itself as the value without some tricky encoding of it to readable characters.

Can we have images as values in properties file?

2 Answers2