Thread: FileNotFoundException

Hey,

I'm attempting to load two text files and, although I've solved this problem a few times before, nothing I try seems to work. If anyone can think of something to try it'll help! ^.^ Here is what the section of code that is causing the errors currently looks like:

//Load Text File Array
    public String[] loadTextFileArray(final String a)
    {
            String[] c = null;
            int i = 0;
 
            try
            {
                URL url = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResource(a);
                final BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(new File(url.toURI())));
                while(bufferedReader.readLine() != null)
                {
                   c[i] = bufferedReader.readLine();
                   i++;
                }
 
                bufferedReader.close();
 
                return c;
            }
            catch(Exception e)
            {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
 
            return null;
    }

Here is the code using the above method:

String[] npcValues = resource.loadTextFileArray("Resources/Maps/Sprites/"+mapId+"_Sprites.txt");
        String[] waypointValues = resource.loadTextFileArray("Resources/Maps/Sprites/"+mapId+"_Waypoints.txt");

...and here is the error message. No matter what I've tried I either get a FileNotFoundException or it'll give a null pointer exception.

java.lang.NullPointerException
	at Core.ResourceHandler.loadTextFileArray(ResourceHandler.java:121)
	at Entity.NPC.loadNpc(NPC.java:22)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.logicUpdate(ScreenGame.java:45)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.render(ScreenGame.java:102)
	at Core.GameCanvas.render(GameCanvas.java:111)
	at Core.GameCanvas.run(GameCanvas.java:73)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at Core.ResourceHandler.loadTextFileArray(ResourceHandler.java:121)
	at Entity.NPC.loadNpc(NPC.java:23)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.logicUpdate(ScreenGame.java:45)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.render(ScreenGame.java:102)
	at Core.GameCanvas.render(GameCanvas.java:111)
	at Core.GameCanvas.run(GameCanvas.java:73)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
Exception in thread "Thread-3" java.lang.NullPointerException
	at Entity.NPC.loadNpc(NPC.java:24)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.logicUpdate(ScreenGame.java:45)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.render(ScreenGame.java:102)
	at Core.GameCanvas.render(GameCanvas.java:111)
	at Core.GameCanvas.run(GameCanvas.java:73)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)

Edit: I just went looking around the forum for the first time in a while and noticed that there is a specific section for this, sorry for posting in the wrong area. >.<

Here is the error message along with some debug messages. According to what it says the file does exist, but for some reason it still gives a null pointer error.

URL Path: file:/C:/Users/Tyler/Java%20Projects/Sword_V2/build/classes/Resources/Maps/Sprites/0_Sprites.txt
Does file exist?: true
Is file a file?: true
Is file a directory?: false
URL Path: file:/C:/Users/Tyler/Java%20Projects/Sword_V2/build/classes/Resources/Maps/Sprites/0_Waypoints.txt
Does file exist?: true
java.lang.NullPointerException
Is file a file?: true
	at Core.ResourceHandler.loadTextFileArray(ResourceHandler.java:127)
	at Entity.NPC.loadNpc(NPC.java:22)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.logicUpdate(ScreenGame.java:45)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.render(Is file a directory?: false
ScreenGame.java:102)
	at Core.GameCanvas.render(GameCanvas.java:111)
	at Core.GameCanvas.run(GameCanvas.java:73)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at Core.ResourceHandler.loadTextFileArray(ResourceHandler.java:127)
	at Entity.NPC.loadNpc(NPC.java:23)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.logicUpdate(ScreenGame.java:45)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.render(ScreenGame.java:102)
	at Core.GameCanvas.render(GameCanvas.java:111)
	at Core.GameCanvas.run(GameCanvas.java:73)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
Exception in thread "Thread-3" java.lang.NullPointerException
	at Entity.NPC.loadNpc(NPC.java:24)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.logicUpdate(ScreenGame.java:45)
	at Screens.ScreenGame.render(ScreenGame.java:102)
	at Core.GameCanvas.render(GameCanvas.java:111)
	at Core.GameCanvas.run(GameCanvas.java:73)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)

...and here is the modified method.

public String[] loadTextFileArray(final String a)
    {
            String[] c = null;
            int i = 0;
 
            try
            {
                final URL url = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResource(a);
                File file = new File(url.toURI());
                System.out.println("URL Path: "+url);
                System.out.println("Does file exist?: "+file.exists());
                System.out.println("Is file a file?: "+file.isFile());
                System.out.println("Is file a directory?: "+file.isDirectory());
                final BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file));
 
                while(bufferedReader.readLine() != null)
                {
                   c[i] = bufferedReader.readLine();
                   i++;
                }
 
                bufferedReader.close();
 
                return c;
            }
            catch(Exception e)
            {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
 
            return null;
    }

Originally Posted by copeg

Use the println's to print the value of each variable (for instance, System.out.println(bufferedReader); ) - something is null, and printing out each variable you use on the line which throws the exception will tell you wish is null.

I separated each piece and then did System.out.println(); on each of them but nothing was null. I just decided to take 'final' away from BufferedReader and it somehow solved the problem. O.o I guess it just doesn't work if the BufferedReader is final or something.

A new error showed up right after those were fixed. There is now a null pointer exception when I do "c[i] = bufferedReader.readLine();". I'm thinking it's because I had to set c = null for the code to properly compile but there isn't, as far as I know, any other way to do that.

//Load Text File Array
    public String[] loadTextFileArray(final String a)
    {
            String[] c = null;
            int i = 0;
 
            try
            {
                URL url = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResource(a);
                File file = new File(url.toURI());
                FileReader fileReader = new FileReader(file);
                BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(fileReader);
 
                while(bufferedReader.readLine() != null)
                {
                    c[i] = bufferedReader.readLine();
                    i++;
                }
 
                bufferedReader.close();
 
                return c;
            }
            catch(Exception e)
            {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
 
            return null;
    }

Edit: =_____= I've been looking at the wrong lines this entire time, the error was always with "c[i] = bufferedReader.readLine();" and the bufferedReader was working properly. I still don't see how it can be null when I'm assigning variables to it.