Thread: WHY AM I HAVING TO PUT THE ENTIRE FILE PATH?!?!

Ok im using netbeans and everytime i try input a file or anything i have to put the whole file path...which means none of my programs will be universal. example:

File file = new File("mgmt.jpg");

doesn't work...ever. even when mgmt.jpg is in netbeans in my project folder in my list of files under my java package.

File file = new File("C:/Users/Cameron Hussey/Documents/NetBeansProjects/pic2text/src/pic2text/mgmt.jpg");

i have to put this...which means noone can use my project.

why is this happening? this is something that shouldn't even be a problem , that noone should ever have to post on a forum about. but apparantly i do...any ideas guys? here is my whole code...it's a picture2text converter.

package pic2text;
 
import java.io.*;
import java.awt.*;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
 
public class pic2text {
 
    public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException {
        BufferedImage image = null;
 
        File file = new File("mgmt.jpg");
 
        if (file.exists()) {
            image = ImageIO.read(file);
        } else {
            System.out.println("doesn't exist man");
        }
 
        int w;
        int h;
        int clr = 0;
        String xline = null;
        String chars = null;
 
        for (h = 0; h < image.getHeight(); h+=2) {
 
            //System.out.println(clr);
 
            for (w = 0; w < image.getWidth(); w+=2) {
 
                clr = image.getRGB(w, h);
 
                switch (clr / -1350000) {
                    case 0:
                        chars = "$";
                        break;
                    case 1:
                        chars = "$";
                        break;
                    case 2:
                        chars = "@";
                        break;
                    case 3:
                        chars = "@";
                        break;
                    case 4:
                        chars = "%";
                        break;
                    case 5:
                        chars = "%";
                        break;
                    case 6:
                        chars = "H";
                        break;
                    case 7:
                        chars = "#";
                        break;
                    case 8:
                        chars = "#";
                        break;
                    case 9:
                        chars = "*";
                        break;
                    case 10:
                        chars = "*";
                        break;
                    case 11:
                        chars = "+";
                        break;
                    case 12:
                        chars = "+";
                        break;
                    case 13:
                        chars = "-";
                        break;
                    case 14:
                        chars = "-";
                        break;
                    case 15:
                        chars = ".";
                        break;
                    case 16:
                        chars = ".";
                        break;
 
                }
 
                xline = xline + chars;
 
            }
 
            System.out.println(xline);
            xline = null;
        }
 
    }
}

The JVM has a 'current working directory' which is something other than you believe it to be. Search online for pages about it. There'll be a lot. My first guess at how to find out what it is is to instantiate your File object new File("whatever.mpg"), and then use File.getAbsolutePath() to tell you where Java thinks that file should be located.