Open PDF file on the fly from a Java application

Question

Is there any way to have a code that opens a PDF file in Java application in a platform independant way? I mean using a batch file in Windows could do that. Is there any oth

Answer 1

Michael Meyer's solution didn't quite work for me. Specifically, a path with spaces fails with an IllegalArgumentException rather than an IOException.

Here's what works for me:

    if (Desktop.isDesktopSupported()) {
try {
File theUMFile = new File(usersManualPath);
 Desktop.getDesktop().open(theUMFile);
}
catch (FileNotFoundException fnf){
okDialog(msg_fnf);
theConcours.GetLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, null, fnf);
theConcours.GetLogger().info(msg_fnf);
}
catch (IllegalArgumentException fnf) {
 okDialog(msg_fnf);
            theConcours.GetLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, null, fnf);
            theConcours.GetLogger().info(msg_fnf);
        }
        catch (IOException ex) {
            okDialog(msg_cno);
            theConcours.GetLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            theConcours.GetLogger().info(msg_cno);
        }
    }