[FIXED] netbeans icon ok in designer but fails when run (maven)

Issue

So I followed the netbeans (I'm using 12.2) tutorial for handling images:

https://netbeans.org/kb/73/java/gui-image-display.html?print=yes

I can see the icon in the designer but when run getResource() returns a null indicating it can't find the resource.

I have found this question which seemed to be related:

Netbeans ImageIcon not displaying

I have ensured that I am using a package and not a folder.

The error generated :

Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.NullPointerException
    at java.desktop/javax.swing.ImageIcon.<init>(ImageIcon.java:217)
    at com.byotrader.zom.ZomFrame.initComponents(ZomFrame.java:37)

The line of code:

   jButton1.setIcon(new javax.swing.ImageIcon(getClass().getResource("/com/byotrader/zom/resources/ZomIcon.gif"))); // NOI18N

I have no idea why this is failing when run.

So my introduction to netbeans isn't going as smoothly as I hoped!

As requested project screen shot:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CJ4EB3PD4a86nAVK8

Any ideas what I have failed to do?

One suggested answer relating to the following question :

netbeans & java, resourceMap.getString returning null

However the answer clearly states this is only a problem if a Clean build has not been done. That is not my issue as I have tried a clean build!

However looking in the .jar file I can see the picture resources have not been added! I assume this is the problem. However I have no idea how I can force the IDE to do its job!

Link to files structure:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bRxHHW2UtRjPF7LeA

This link may also help others in future:

Netbeans Maven Project - Other Sources does not appear

Solution

(It is a Maven-Project!*) Put your image under:

src/main/resources/com/byotrader/zom/resources/ZomIcon.gif

../resources/...

Explanation:

Netbeans (when on a maven project) completely (except maybe in designer mode!;) builds with maven! ...which means... no gif (etc.) files are considered form src/main/java ... (check your target/classes folder!)

After my fix proposal, the image should be in the desired location.

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* The tutorial(, which explicitly tells "Java Project") is little outdated for Netbeans 12.2, where there is no "Java Project"... possible alternatives are (maven/gradle) "Java Frontend Project" (requires javaFX!) or the "good ole" (ant) "Samples>Java With Ant".

Answered By - xerx593