Name: gm110360			Date: 06/03/2003


A DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST :
Currently there is only one way to pass system properties into a Java application on startup - via the -D command line switch.

On some operating systems there is a command line length limit, which can retrict the use of this feature.

This is a request for a new mechanism to allow system properties to be specified on application startup.  For example a command line switch that allows the specification of a properties file.

JUSTIFICATION :
The only workaround available is to write a bespoke mechanism to be invoked within the application.  This may not always be possible, for example if the developed code runs within a third party application, like a web app in a web container.

Generally speaking this would be a feature useful to any java code that makes use of system properties.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
a new command line switch, say -sp, might be used:

java -sp mysystem.properties com.mydomain.MyApp

where mysystem.properties is a properties file that contains properties to be added to the default system properties, overriding any defaults.
(Review ID: 187024) 
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