protected void initProperties(String propFileName) {

    // Create instance of Class Properties
    props = new Properties(System.getProperties());

    // Try to load property list
    try {
      props.load(new BufferedInputStream(new FileInputStream(propFileName)));
    } catch (IOException ex) {
      ex.printStackTrace();
      System.out.println("Exception in SpaceAccessor");
      System.exit(-3);
    }

    // Output property list (can be ommitted - testing only)

    System.out.println("jiniURL   = " + props.getProperty("jiniURL"));
    // Assign values to fields

    jiniURL = props.getProperty("jiniURL");
  }