code: protected byte[] getFileBytes(String filename) {
  
          try {
              // is this a zip-file?
              if (m_importZip != null) {
                  // yes
                  ZipEntry entry = m_importZip.getEntry(filename);
  
                  // path to file might be relative, too
                  if ((entry == null) && filename.startsWith("/")) {
                      entry = m_importZip.getEntry(filename.substring(1));
                  }
                  if (entry == null) {
                      throw new ZipException(
                          Messages.get().getBundle().key(Messages.LOG_IMPORTEXPORT_FILE_NOT_FOUND_IN_ZIP_1, filename));
                  }
  
                  InputStream stream = m_importZip.getInputStream(entry);
                  int size = new Long(entry.getSize()).intValue();
                  return CmsFileUtil.readFully(stream, size);
              } else {
                  // no - use directory
                  File file = new File(m_importResource, filename);
                  return CmsFileUtil.readFile(file);
              }
          } catch (FileNotFoundException fnfe) {
              if (LOG.isErrorEnabled()) {
                  LOG.error(Messages.get().getBundle().key(Messages.ERR_IMPORTEXPORT_FILE_NOT_FOUND_1, filename), fnfe);
              }
              m_report.println(fnfe);
          } catch (IOException ioe) {
              if (LOG.isErrorEnabled()) {
                  LOG.error(
                      Messages.get().getBundle().key(Messages.ERR_IMPORTEXPORT_ERROR_READING_FILE_1, filename),
                      ioe);
              }
              m_report.println(ioe);
          }
          // this will only be returned in case there was an exception
          return "".getBytes();
      }
docs: Returns a byte array containing the content of the file.<p>
  
  @param filename the name of the file to read
  @return a byte array containing the content of the file