code: protected Properties loadProps(Properties props) {
  
  		// try to load the properties file first from the user's home directory
  		File file = getPropsFile();
  		if (file != null) {
  			// Try to load the file from the user's home directory
  			if (file.exists()) {
  				try {
  					URL url = file.toURI().toURL();
  					loadFromUrl(props, url);
  				} catch (MalformedURLException ex) {
  					if (log.isLoggable(Level.WARNING)) {
  						log.log(Level.WARNING, ex.getMessage(), ex);
  					}
  				}
  			}
  		}
  		return props;
  	}
docs: Loads the Options properties from the aggregator properties file
  into the specified properties object.  If the properties file
  does not exist, then try to load from the bundle.
  
  @param props
  The properties object to load. May be initialized with default
  values.
  @return The properties file specified by {@code props}.