How to convert network path to URL in Java

Question

I have literally searched the whole internet for this question but I have not found an answer. I have a file, in the network and I want to create an Itext image with it and for that, I have to convert its path to URL. The problem is when I use path.toURI().toURL() it appends my project path to the URL such that my URL ends up starting with C:/ which will not work. Is there a way to just convert a string to file URL in java? I have tried this:

        String paths = "‪\\\\DESKTOP-A11F076\\Users\\Benson Korir\\Desktop\\walgotech\\passport.jpg";
        String first = "file:" + paths.replaceAll("\\\\", "//").replaceAll("////", "//");
        String second = "file://desktop-a11f076//Users//Benson Korir//Desktop//walgotech//passport.jpg";
        System.out.println(first);
        System.out.println(second);

The second string I have copied directly from the browser and it works fine. Funny this is these two strings output the same thing but the first string brings an error when I use it here:

            Image image1 = Image.getInstance(second);

I am getting the error below:

java.io.FileNotFoundException: ‪\DESKTOP-A11F076\Users\Benson Korir\Desktop\walgotech\passport.jpg (The system cannot find the path specified)

Most likely, the problem is because of the case-sensitivity. Use `String paths = "‪\\\\desktop-a11f076\\Users\\Benson Korir\\Desktop\\walgotech\\passport.jpg";`. — Arvind Kumar Avinash, Jan 02 '21 at 13:45
Why are you converting single backslashes to double forward slashes? You need to replace `"\\\\\\\\"` by `"//"`, and `"\\\\"` by `"/"`. — user207421, Jan 03 '21 at 02:58

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 02 '21 at 22:42

If I got your requirement correctly, your path is a UNC file name, and that is the short form of an SMB path, with DESKTOP-A11F076 being the remote machine, and \Users\Benson Korir\Desktop\walgotech\passport.jpg being the path to the file on that machine.

If I am correct with that assumption, my understanding is that your URL have to look like this: smb://‪DESKTOP-A11F076/Users/Benson Korir/Desktop/walgotech/passport.jpg.

As far I remember is a Java java.io.File object capable to handle a UNC file name (this article implies that, too), but when translating it to a URI, it tries to make it absolute first, and there it fails in your case.

I usually avoid working on Windows whenever possible, therefore I have no environment to verify that.

How to convert network path to URL in Java

1 Answers1