Question

Java + PrintWriter class Question:

Answer 1

When you create a new notepad document using PrintWriter, you specify the name of the file that you're making in the PrintWriter's constructor like so:

PrintWriter pVariable = new PrintWriter("newFile.txt");

When the file is run, a file called newFile.txt is created inside of the folder of the program that you made it in.

Let's say my program is called test.java, if I go to my files, I can see the new notepad file newFile.txt in this path: C:\eclipse\javaProjects\test\newFile

How can I make a notepad document save in a different location through the PrintWriter class? Like onto the desktop for instance.

Answer 2

You enter the relative or full path to that location:
```
new PrintWriter("C:\\Users\\Lyrae\\Desktop\\newFile.txt");
```
or
```
new PrintWriter("..\\..\\relative\\path\\to\\newFile.txt");
```

On Windows the path separator is a backslash '\' which require escaping and becomes \\.
On *nix systems the path separator is a regular slash '/'.

Answer 3

Thanks for the reply! I'll test it out

Answer 4

Do you think it has to be through c drive? I guess it's ok, since desktop is in there too.

Answer 5

It worked, thanks a bunch Lyrae. Also, besides using the escape sequence \\, a single forward slash also works / on my system.

Answer 6

Great! Yw ^^