import java.io.*; import java.net.*; import java.util.jar.*; boolean result = true; try { File file = new File( basedir, "target/parent-1.0-filtered-assembly/file.txt"); if(result) { BufferedReader r = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file)); String s = r.readLine(); result = s.equals("foo"); } } catch( IOException e ) { e.printStackTrace(); result = false; } return result;