property file passed to start.jar is not read

[ghost]

When passing a property file to start.jar like

java -jar start.jar externalized.properties --list-config

the existence of the file is check (a not existing file causes an error) but the properties are not read (file containts a property named foo):

Properties:
-----------
 java.version = 1.8.0_131
 java.version.major = 1
 java.version.micro = 0
 java.version.minor = 8
 java.version.platform = 8
 jetty.base = E:\jetty-9.4
 jetty.base.uri = file:///E:/jetty-9.4
 jetty.home = E:\jetty-9.4
 jetty.home.uri = file:///E:/jetty-9.4

The odd thing is that passing a key-value pair directly (java -jar start.jar foo=bar --list-config) or placing a ini-file in start.d folder works:

Properties:
-----------
 foo = bar
 java.version = 1.8.0_131
 ...

[joakime]

that particular syntax is not supported.

But you can do this (as you have already noted) ...

$ mkdir start.d
$ mv externalized.properties start.d/externalized.ini

now that properties file will be read as properties by start.jar

[ghost]

Oh, okay. You're right. Thanks for the quick answer.
I re-read the output of start.jar --help and property files are indeed not mentioned there.

I guess what brought me on the wrong track was some debugging and the observations that StartArgs#propertyFileRefs and StartArgs#propertyFiles are containing the passed property file. But as already mentioned it is not read...

Then this is perhaps a potential improvement that can build on the already available foundation in StartArgs? Because as far as I can tell the only thing missing is that the property file is read and the properties are added to StartArgs#properties, right?

[joakime]

closing as already supported.

[ghost]

Sorry, but property files are not yet supported.
Only some foundation is already there.
Currently only ini files work.

[gregw]

I think there is some kind of problem here.... consider the following:

gregw@pellet: /tmp/test
[2019] java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar 
2018-08-21 11:29:25.439:INFO::main: Logging initialized @311ms to org.eclipse.jetty.util.log.StdErrLog
2018-08-21 11:29:25.593:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-9.4.12-SNAPSHOT; built: 2018-08-15T23:30:14.041Z; git: 56afcb96115c6ef3cd9cba896596d380c95a7d46; jvm 10.0.1+10
2018-08-21 11:29:25.613:INFO:oejs.AbstractConnector:main: Started ServerConnector@78ffe6dc{HTTP/1.1,[http/1.1]}{0.0.0.0:8080}
2018-08-21 11:29:25.614:INFO:oejs.Server:main: Started @486ms
^C2018-08-21 11:29:28.007:INFO:oejs.AbstractConnector:Thread-10: Stopped ServerConnector@78ffe6dc{HTTP/1.1,[http/1.1]}{0.0.0.0:8080}

gregw@pellet: /tmp/test
[2020] java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar jetty.http.port=8888
2018-08-21 11:30:16.133:INFO::main: Logging initialized @779ms to org.eclipse.jetty.util.log.StdErrLog
2018-08-21 11:30:16.779:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-9.4.12-SNAPSHOT; built: 2018-08-15T23:30:14.041Z; git: 56afcb96115c6ef3cd9cba896596d380c95a7d46; jvm 10.0.1+10
2018-08-21 11:30:16.844:INFO:oejs.AbstractConnector:main: Started ServerConnector@192011f4{HTTP/1.1,[http/1.1]}{0.0.0.0:8888}
2018-08-21 11:30:16.847:INFO:oejs.Server:main: Started @1492ms
^C2018-08-21 11:30:18.791:INFO:oejs.AbstractConnector:Thread-10: Stopped ServerConnector@192011f4{HTTP/1.1,[http/1.1]}{0.0.0.0:8888}

gregw@pellet: /tmp/test
[2021] java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar jetty.http.port=8888 --list-config

Java Environment:
[ ... snip ... ] 
Properties:
-----------
 java.version = 10.0.1
 java.version.major = 10
 java.version.micro = 1
 java.version.minor = 0
 java.version.platform = 10
 jetty.base = /tmp/test
 jetty.base.uri = file:///tmp/test
 jetty.home = /usr/local/home/gregw/src/jetty-9.4.x/jetty-home/target/jetty-home
 jetty.home.uri = file:///usr/local/home/gregw/src/jetty-9.4.x/jetty-home/target/jetty-home
 jetty.http.port = 8888

[... snip ...]

gregw@pellet: /tmp/test
[2022] echo jetty.http.port=8888 > config.properties

gregw@pellet: /tmp/test
[2023] java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar config.properties --list-config

Java Environment:
[... snip ...]
Properties:
-----------
 java.version = 10.0.1
 java.version.major = 10
 java.version.micro = 1
 java.version.minor = 0
 java.version.platform = 10
 jetty.base = /tmp/test
 jetty.base.uri = file:///tmp/test
 jetty.home = /usr/local/home/gregw/src/jetty-9.4.x/jetty-home/target/jetty-home
 jetty.home.uri = file:///usr/local/home/gregw/src/jetty-9.4.x/jetty-home/target/jetty-home

[... snip ...]

gregw@pellet: /tmp/test
[2024] java -jar $JETTY_HOME/start.jar config.properties
2018-08-21 11:31:02.449:INFO::main: Logging initialized @337ms to org.eclipse.jetty.util.log.StdErrLog
2018-08-21 11:31:02.593:INFO:oejs.Server:main: jetty-9.4.12-SNAPSHOT; built: 2018-08-15T23:30:14.041Z; git: 56afcb96115c6ef3cd9cba896596d380c95a7d46; jvm 10.0.1+10
2018-08-21 11:31:02.613:INFO:oejs.AbstractConnector:main: Started ServerConnector@78ffe6dc{HTTP/1.1,[http/1.1]}{0.0.0.0:8888}
2018-08-21 11:31:02.614:INFO:oejs.Server:main: Started @502ms
^C2018-08-21 11:31:05.581:INFO:oejs.AbstractConnector:Thread-10: Stopped ServerConnector@78ffe6dc{HTTP/1.1,[http/1.1]}{0.0.0.0:8888}

So the property file appears to be working, but it is impossible to see that in --list-configs

[gregw]

45d5bd2 fixes the list config issue.

[ghost]

Thanks for dealing with that issue.
Just to be 100% sure: Does that mean it was "only" a --list-config display issue and property file loading always works as expected?

[gregw]

@jscheible-tpgroup in my testing, the property file was working fine to actually affect the settings, but was not be reported if I did a --list-config. So I have fixed list config and I hope that is your issue as well.

[ghost]

I mistakenly assumed that the properties weren't there cause they did not appear in the --list-config output... Thanks for your help! We gave it try with the jetty-9.4.x branch and can confirm that it works now as expected.