title: Access .properties file at same level as working directory
body: <p>I am working on a Java project that I want to deliver to my client as a .jar file.  However, I want to allow the client to be able to change the parameters of the program without having to recompile or recreate the .jar.  Basically, I want to be able to load .properties files from classes inside the .jar but locate those .properties files outside of the .jar and even outside the working directory.</p>
  
  <p>I have been testing my attempts inside Eclipse, which might be causing some of the problem but I don't see how at the moment.  My setup is a follows.   I have one project that contains a few classes that I build a .jar file from.  I have a .properties file that is used to create a ResourceBundle whenever a class for the .jar is created.  I specify that an additional directory, "conf/", be included in the .jar classpath within the .jar manifest.</p>
  
  <p>Once the .jar file is built, it is copied to the lib/ directory of another project which I am using for testing.  This test project includes the .jar file as a library ("Add External Jars..") in the Java Build Path.  The .properties file is located the conf/ directory which is at the same level as lib/, src/, and bin/ but I am unable to accces it there.  The only way I have been able to get it to work is to locate conf/ under src/ (and bin/) but I would like to be able to use it up one level.  Is this possible?</p>
  
  <p>Here's the entry in the .jar manifest file...</p>
  
  <pre><code>Class-Path: ../conf/
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here's the ResourceBundle call that I tried (didn't work)...</p>
  
  <pre><code>rb = ResourceBundle.getBundle("..conf.BaseProject");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here's the directory structure that works now (names have been changed to protect the innocent)...</p>
  
  <pre>
  /Project
  /Project/bin
  /Project/bin/conf
  /Project/bin/conf/BaseProject.properties
  /Project/bin/TestClass.class
  /Project/lib
  /Project/lib/BaseProject.jar
  </pre>
  
  <p>Here's the directory layout I want (again, file names not important)...</p>
  
  <pre>
  /Project
  /Project/bin
  /Project/bin/TestClass.class
  /Project/conf
  /Project/conf/BaseProject.properties
  /Project/lib
  /Project/lib/BaseProject.jar
  </pre>