How to open (as in launch) text file in Java?

Question

My program has the following code where output is a StringBuilder:

   try
   {
       BufferedWriter bw = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("data.txt"));
       bw.write(output.toString());
   }
   catch(IOException e)
   {
       System.out.println("File error: "+e.getMessage());
   }

after the bw.write(output.toString()); I want to have another line that launches the textfile with the default application. I considered using the desktop API but heard it has bad cross-platform compatibility. Any suggestions?

Launch a text file? You mean opening it with the OS specific menu? — tilpner, May 21 '14 at 18:42
I mean mean opening it with the OS specific applicaon. e.g. notepad — Celeritas, May 21 '14 at 18:44
Possible duplicate of [Open a file with an external application on Java](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/390736/open-a-file-with-an-external-application-on-java)? — Russell Zahniser, May 21 '14 at 18:44
So I use desktop api. I haven't had any issues cross-platform. You can't specify the application opening your text file though. Edit: so I looked and it has some problems across different linux environments. Do you need to handle so many edge cases? — , May 21 '14 at 18:45

score 3 · Answer 1 · edited May 21 '14 at 19:12

3

File file = new File("somefile.txt");
Desktop desktop = Desktop.getDesktop();
desktop.open(file);

I think you were looking for this.

edited May 21 '14 at 19:12

slaadvak

4,311
1
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answered May 21 '14 at 19:08

Tayyab Hussain

1,458
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20

could this be done all in one line? `Desktop.getDesktop().open(new File("somefile.txt"));` – Celeritas May 21 '14 at 20:50

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 21 '14 at 19:07

0

public static void main(String[] args) {
    try {
        Main m = new Main();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

public Main() throws IOException {
    File file = new File("test.txt");
    if (!file.exists())
        file.createNewFile();
    Desktop.getDesktop().edit(file);
}

Worked for me

answered May 21 '14 at 19:07

FabianTe

473
4
16

The OP asked for opening the file. `Desktop.getDesktop().open` would be more suitable. – slaadvak May 21 '14 at 19:11

How to open (as in launch) text file in Java?

2 Answers2