java.io.FileNotFoundException: class path resource [timex-servlet.properties] cannot be opened because it does not exist

Question

I'm getting the following error message when I try to start a spring web application:

2012-04-12 13:53:20,491 ERROR [org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet] - 

Context initialization failed
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanInitializationException: Could not load properties; nested exception is java.io.FileNotFoundException: class path resource [timex-servlet.properties] cannot be opened because it does not exist
java.io.FileNotFoundException: class path resource [timex-servlet.properties] cannot be opened because it does not exist
    at org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource.getInputStream(ClassPathResource.java:137)
    at org.springframework.core.io.support.PropertiesLoaderSupport.loadProperties(PropertiesLoaderSupport.java:172)

I'm running Tomcat (version 6.x) through eclipse. I tried putting timex-servlet.properties in the following directories but to no avail:

WebContent\WEB-INF
WebContent\WEB-INF\classes
WebContent\

Here is the reference to timex-servlet.properties in timex-servlet.xml:

    <bean id="placeholderConfig"
    class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
    <property name="location"
        value="timex-servlet.properties" />
</bean>

There are several SO threads dealing with the same message that say to put a classpath: in front of the properties file reference. So I tried the following, which also did not work:

        <bean id="placeholderConfig"
    class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
    <property name="location"
        value="classpath:timex-servlet.properties" />
</bean>

Answer 1

ensure the file is placed in the /WEB-INF/classes folder and use classpath:/timex-servlet.properties (note the slash after classpath:)