java jar getResource() null exception

1. Adding resource folder to classpath:

When you Clean-&-Build a NetBeans Ant Based Project it creates a manifest.mf file in the root directory of the project. This file gets included in the JAR file also. Modify this file and add entry like follows:

Manifest-Version: 1.0
X-COMMENT: Main-Class will be added automatically by build
Class-Path: arts/

slash is important after arts in the class path.

Including the arts resource folder in the distribution

Either copy this folder in the dist folder after the build or add a ANT target to copy the required resources in the dist folder.

2. Add the target like as follows in the build.xml file:

<target name="-post-jar">
<mkdir dir="${dist.dir}/resources"/>
<copy todir="${dist.dir}/resources">
<fileset dir="${basedir}/resources" />
</copy>
</target>

3. Code to access such resources:

The code needed to access such resource files shall be as follows: (This will not work in design time but surely from the JAR file)

// pay attention to relative path
URL resource = ClassLoader.getSystemResource("gui/refresh.png");
ImageIcon tmp = new ImageIcon(resource);

NOTE: The files manifest.mf and build.xml located in the root directory of the project are accessible from the Files Panel in NetBeans IDE