JAL-761

diff --git a/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java b/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java
index 48837ff..f80d729 100755 (executable)
--- a/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java
+++ b/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java
@@ -229,7 +229,14 @@ public class Cache
 
     try
     {
-      FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propertiesFile);
+      InputStream fis;
+      try {
+        fis = new java.net.URL(propertiesFile).openStream();
+        System.out.println("Loading jalview properties from : "+propertiesFile);
+      } catch (Exception ex) {fis=null;}
+      if (fis==null) {
+        fis = new FileInputStream(propertiesFile);
+      }
       applicationProperties.load(fis);
       applicationProperties.remove("LATEST_VERSION");
       applicationProperties.remove("VERSION");