Thread: Can't find file (not sure the error)

Hello, I'm Taco. I am trying to create a java program that will allow users to open certain files (stored in a text file) by selecting something on a JList and clicking ok. When i program an application (the only other major experience in programming is in dos batch file), I try to make sure a certain element works before continuing, starting from the begging. So, first i tried to make sure java could read from the text file items.txt and store the names and path of a file

this is the format the text in items.txt would be in (eventually i wat the user to be able press a button to create an item):

<Name> (what the user sees on the list) <filepath> (the path that will be run)

the code i used in the class is as follows:

import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
 
 
 
public class b extends JFrame{
 
	JList itemList;
	Scanner x;
	String items = "items.txt";
	String[] itemNames;
	String[] filepaths;
 
	public b(){
		super("Super Essentials");
		setLayout(new FlowLayout());
 
		getItemNamesAndPaths();
 
 
	}
	public void getItemNamesAndPaths(){
		try{
			x = new Scanner(new File(items));
			int i = 0;
			while(x.hasNext()){
				itemNames[i] = x.next();
				filepaths[i] = x.next();
				i++;
			}
			x.close();
			System.out.println(itemNames);
		}
		catch(Exception e){
			System.out.println("error occured");
		}
 
 
		}
 
 
 
	}

i tried rearranging everything (except the first line) of the try block, but with everything in the try block that way it opens the window and gets rid of the exception stack, but there's still an error....

it seems to me that the error is it cant find items.txt, even if change the path and such. or it could be that it cant input anything into itemNames[] or filepaths[].

Heres the Exception stack (what was removed before i put the while loop, x.close(), and the println statement in the try block:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
at b.getItemNamesAndPaths(b.java:33)
at b.<init>(b.java:20) (where the while loop was before)
at a.main(a.java:6) (in a.java that line is b list = new b() i know fr a fact there's nothing wrong there, everything just needs to work)

By the way, I use Eclipse.

i kept the code as it is there. and put e.printStackTrace(); this is what was returned:

java.io.FileNotFoundException: items.txt (The system cannot find the file specified)
at java.io.FileInputStream.open(Native Method)
at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(Unknown Source)
at java.util.Scanner.<init>(Unknown Source)
at b.getItemNamesAndPaths(b.java:26)
at b.<init>(b.java:20)
at a.main(a.java:6)

line 26 is x = new Scanner ...
line 20 is getItemNamesAndPaths();
and line 6 in a.java is the same as stated in the thread

in the same directory as b.java

i was planning to use the JFileChooser for when the user wants to add an item. first an input dialog would appear for an alias they want, then the JFileChooser would ask them to find the file. both would be put into the text file.

i put System.out.println(System.getProperty("user.dir")) ; in the catch statement (didn't seem to work outside the method, idk why) says its looking in C:\Users\(me)\workspace\(project name) ...

is there any way to change where java is searching for the text file?

so know, String items = System.getProperty("user.dir") + "items.txt" in the exception stack i see at b.getItemNamesAndPaths(b.java:26) which is x = new Scanner(new File(items)); and im thinking that its the '(new File(items))' thats the problem, but i wouldnt know what else to put there...

so now String items = System.getProperty("user.dir") + "items.txt"; and in the exception stack i see at b.getItemNamesAndPaths(b.java:26) which is the line that initiates x. i think maybe the error resides in (new File(item.txt)) however i dont knw what other parameters Scanner can take that'd be the same...

oops... didnt mean t double post, didnt know there was another page

if i put the path to where the file is on my computer, then it wouldnt work if i distribute the program

in Eclipse theres a green play button called run.

Failed to load Main-Class manifest...

when exporting, it doesnt show a .manifest to include... i didnt notice that last time.... in situations like this a usually start completely from scratch or close to it... however i end up typing the same thing or very similar... this'll be the second day where i have no idea what this problem is...