java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: input == null! when using ImageIO.read to load image as bufferedImage

Question

This is a question that has been asked like 100 times on this site, but I have looked at all of them and even though they all were solved, none of the solutions worked for m

Answer 1

You can try this:

image = ImageIO.read(getClass().getResource("/resources/" + imgName));

Answer 2

This may come as a "No, Duh!" to many on this site, but it is always important to point out how literal Java is. Case sensitivity is key, especially if you .jar a file.

If your program works fine with compiling and then running but suddenly is getting this issue when you .jar your files. Make sure to check you Case on your folders / files and your references in your code. (As well as make sure they are in your .jar)

Hope this helps anyone that ends up here looking at the same issue.

Answer 3

I had the exact same problem. I used the path "my_image.png" at first but it did not work, so I searched everywhere and tried the other solutions posted on this site but none of them worked. I solved mine by changing my code from this

 image = ImageIO.read(SpriteSheet.class.getResourceAsStream("res/image.png"));

to this

 image = ImageIO.read(SpriteSheet.class.getResourceAsStream("/image.png"));

I hope this helps, even though this question was posted 5 years ago.

Answer 4

Is the resource folder a class folder in eclipse? Right click on the project -> Properties -> Java Build Path -> Libraries -> Add Class Folder... -> (select the res folder) and add it as a class folder.

Answer 5

The path passed as the argument to getResourceAsStream() should be relative to the classpath set. So try changing this

this.icon = ImageIO.read(this.getClass().getResourceAsStream("/resources/" + imgName));

to

this.icon = ImageIO.read(this.getClass().getResourceAsStream("resources/" + imgName));

Answer 6

Try This

private BufferedImage get(String path) throws IOException{    
    URL url = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResource(path);     
    String thing = url.getFile();       
    return ImageIO.read(new File(thing));      
}