title: NullPointerException with read properties file in java
body: <p>When load the properties file I get a <code>java.lang.NullPointerException</code></p>
  
  <p>This is a simple java swing application, try to read the properties file with following code get <code>java.lang.NullPointerException</code>:</p>
  
  <pre><code>InputStream inputStream;
  Properties properties;
  
  inputStream = new FileInputStream("C:/Config/config.properties");
  properties.load(inputStream);
  </code></pre>