Java Notes

Properties

Note: The function of the java.util.Properties class, to save and restore the properties for a program, might be easier to do using java.util.Preferences. See Preferences.

The java.util.Properties class stores and loads key/value pairs from a file, and manages them in memory. This is the class to use to implement persistent variables (values which are saved in a file).

To create and put values in a Properties table

This example creates a new Properties table and assigns a string value to four different keys.

Properties props = new Properties(); 
props.setProperty("recursiveSearch", "true");
props.setProperty("noCopyPattern", "*.$$$");
props.setProperty("maxLevel", "7");
props.setProperty("fileName", "C:\temp\work.html");

To store a Properties table in a file

Use the Properties .store(OutputStream, String) method. It will write the properties to the output stream, with a header line from the String parameter. Assuming you have variables and an OutputStream like:

boolean recursiveSearch;
String noCopyPattern;
int maxLevel;
. . .
try {
  OutputStream propOut = new FileOutputStream(
            new File("props.stat"));
}catch (. . .

To change values from their natural types to String, the usual idiom is to use concatenation of the empty string..

props.setProperty("recursiveSearch", ""+recursiveSearch);
props.setProperty("noCopyPattern"  , noCopyPattern");
props.setProperty("maxLevel"       , ""+maxLevel);

props.store(propOut, "Macro Processor Properties");

To load Properties from a file

Use the Properties .load(InputStream); method.

You will probably want to get each property value and assign it to an internal variable and perhaps show it in the user interface. For example,

boolean recursiveSearch;
String noCopyPattern;
int maxLevel;
. . .
props.load(propsIn);

// Change the properties back into their natural types.
recursiveSearch = Boolean.getBoolean(props.getProperty("recursiveSearch"));
noCopyPattern = props.getProperty("noCopyPattern");
maxLevel = Integer.parseInt(props.getProperty("maxLevel");

To use default properties

Create a Properties table with all of the default key/value pairs. For example,

Properties defaultProps = new Properties();
defaultProps.setProperty("sourceFile", "");
defaultProps.serProperty("enableScrolling", "false");

Use this default table in the constructor for your regular properties table:
```
Properties props = new Properties(defaultProps);
```

Constructor and Method Summary

Properties()
Properties(Properties defaultValues)

Object setProperty(String key, String value)
String getProperty(String key)
String getProperty(String key, String defaultValue)
Enumeration propertyNames()

void   load(InputStream in)
void   store(OutputStream out, String header)