title: How a servlet can get the absolute path to a file outside of the servlet?
body: <p>We have been using System.getProperties("user.dir") to get the location of a properties file. Now that it has been deployed on Tomcat(via servlet), the System call is giving the location as tomcat and not at the location at where the properties file exist.  </p>
  
  <p>How can we call the the properties file dynamically? </p>
  
  <p><strong>Given:</strong></p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Tomcat is not the only way the app
  will be deployed</li>
  <li>We have no control on where the app
  may be placed.</li>
  <li>Relative paths will not work as that
  Vista is being used and Vista breaks
  relative paths.</li>
  <li>This must work on all OS,
  including(but not limited to) Linux,
  XP and Vista.</li>
  <li><strong>EDIT</strong> I implied this, but in case I was not clear enough, I have no way
  of knowing the path String.</li>
  </ul>