java file handling and exceptions

Question

The standard way of handling file reading and writing in java goes something like this:

try
{
    ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream("file.dat"));
    oos.writeObject(h);
    oos.close();
}
catch (FileNotFoundException ex)
{
}
catch (IOException ex)
{
}

But I'm bothered by that code, because it could be possible here that the file is never closed if an exception is thrown. Sure we could add a finally clause and initialise the ObjectOutputStream outside the try block. However, when you do that you need to add another try/catch block INSIDE the finally block again...that's just ugly. Is there a better way of handling this problem?

Answer 1

use apache commons io

http://commons.apache.org/proper/commons-io/

look at their FileUtils class. Full of gold. Gold I say....