jFileGoodies

Special file utilities for java

A set of classes and utilities for files that are probably not available in other utility-libraries and might help you in your project.

This library includes:

• a FileGoodies class that provides a lot of special utilities
• a FormattedFile class that adds more functionality to the base java.io.File class
• a FileExplorer API that lets you to call the native GUI file explorer from java on Windows, Mac and Linux.
• ...and more to come!

If you have become interested let's jump in to the User Guide!

User Guide

1. Compatibility
2. Installation
   • Using maven
   • Using gradle
3. Using jFileGoodies
   • The FileGoodies class
     • Executable file-extensions
     • Shorting file-paths
   • The FormattedFile class
     • Converting a File to a FormattedFile and getting the extension
     • More
   • The FileExplorer API

Compatibility

jFileGoodies is compatible with java 8+ environments. On Android the minimum API level is 24.

Installation

Using maven

Coming soon...

Using gradle

Coming soon...

Using jFileGoodies

In this section we will cover some features of this library.

The FileGoodies class

The com.jfilegoodies.FileGoodies class provides a lot of 'helper' methods for you. Let's look at a few!

Executable file-extensions

Sometimes, we want to determine that a file is an executable file on the current OS. Usually, this can be checked based on the file's extension. On Windows there are executable file-extensions like exe, bat or msi. On Linux, the focus is not on the file-extensions and any file can be executed, unlike Windows but there are "executable" extensions like sh or bin etc...

If you want to list these extensions you can use the FileGoodies.listExecutableExtensions() method.

List<String> extensions = FileGoodies.listExecutableExtensions();
extensions.forEach(System.out::println);

On Windows the code above will print this:

exe
bat
bin
cmd
com
... (+ 29)

If you want to check that a file is an executable file you can use the FileGoodies.isOSExecutable(File) method.

File file = new File("myProgram.exe");
boolean osExecutable = FileGoodies.isOSExecutable(file);
System.out.println("isOsExecutable: " + osExecutable);

On Windows the code above will print this:

isOsExecutable: true

Of course, we have also a FileGoodies.isNotOSExecutable(File) method.

Shorting file-paths

If you have a file that has a too long absolute-path, and you want to short it, the FileGoodies.shortenedFilePath method is for you!

Let's take an example:
You have a file: user\home\documents\work\plan\Example.docx and you want to show only the corresponding directory of the file, and you want to hide the others like this: .../plan/Example.docx

In code:

File file = new File("user\\home\\documents\\work\\plan\\Example.docx");
String shortenedPath = FileGoodies.shortenedFilePath(file, 1 /*=> how many parent directories should be visible*/);
System.out.println(shortenedPath);

Output:

...\plan\Example.docx

You can also specify a custom prefix which was ... in the previous example and a custom separator which was \.

For more information just go to the javadoc.

There are other useful methods available in the `FileGoodies` class, and you can read their documentation.

The FormattedFile class

The com.jfilegoodies.FormattedFile is a subtype of java.io.File. It has all constructors and methods that a basic File object provides. The most significant difference is that a FormattedFile separates the file-name into two different parts:

• a simpleName (the file's name without its extension); Can be retrieved by FormattedFile.getSimpleName()
• an extension; can be retrieved by FormattedFile.getExtension()

Converting a File to a FormattedFile and getting the extension

Wrapping an existing File into a FormattedFile:

File file = new File("user/home/documents/work/plan/Example.docx");
FormattedFile formattedFile = new FormattedFile(file);

Getting the extension:

System.out.println(formattedFile.getExtension());
// Or a more efficient way:
formattedFile.getExtensionOptional()
        .ifPresent(System.out::println);

Output:

docx

A FormattedFile has more features, take a look at the javadoc.

The FileExplorer API

The FileExplorer API allows you to open a file in the system file explorer. It is a feature that probably you rarely want to use, but it's quite interesting. It works only on desktop environments (Windows, Linux (desktop), MacOS)

Creating a com.jfilegoodies.explorer.FileExplorer object:

FileExplorer fileExplorer = FileExplorers.get();

Opening a file:

fileExplorer.openSelect(new File("path/to/file"));

Result (on Windows): As you see, the gui file explorer has been opened and selected the file.

Of course, the FileExplorer API has other features, you can read them in the javadoc.