Why System.getProperty("home.dir") returns null [duplicate]

Question

I cant figure out why System.getProperty("home.dir") is returning null instead of the current working directory.

I am using Eclipse Mars2.0 IDE on Ubuntu 16.04. I guess, this hardly matters which IDE I am using or the OS version.

package test; public class testing { public static void main (String args[]) { System.out.println(System.getProperty("home.dir")); } }

I am expecting to get a return for this code as something like /home/[user]/Workspace/test

How to remove the blue box with that text above: "This question already has answers here:" the answer is wrong, the user home directory is a different concept than a working directory. — Angel O'Sphere
– Angel O'Sphere, Commented Dec 18, 2019 at 14:00

Jonathan Botha · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-04 10:36:31Z

Home.dir is not a java property as specified here:

If by working directory you mean the users working directory then user.home should work.

Example:

 System.out.println(System.getProperty("user.home"));

Outputted:

C:\Users\User

If you mean the .jars working directory then I do not believe such a property exists. Instead use:

 your_class.class.getProtectionDomain().getCodeSource().getLocation().getPath();

This will return a string specifying where the jar is situated currently.

Example:

 System.out.println(new File(**TestLighting.class.getProtectionDomain().getCodeSource().getLocation().getPath()**));

(new File() is to get the correct formatting, it was /C:/...)

Outputted:

C:\Users\User\Documents\Java\Netbeans\Engine\build\test\classes

(This is the path of where the jar is being run from)

If home.dir is a system environment variable then you would use System.getenv()

I actually need the absolute path of the initialized application
As in where the jar you run is located? If so then then that is what I meant by .jars working directory. If not then please clarify with an example
Thank you, I also added an example, I believe my second suggestion with 'your_class.class.getProtectionDomain().getCodeSource().getLocation().getPath();' is the correct one that you are looking for.
Yes, this workaround worked. Thank you.However, I cant find out why System.getProperty("home.dir") did not work on the first place.
Home.dir is not a system property. Look at the link I put there. It shows all system properties.

1 Answer 1