protected static void loadFolderInfo(String folderInfo, List<Path> localFolders) {
        // load the local folders list
        if (folderInfo.contains(File.pathSeparator)) {
            // it's definitely a list
            String[] paths = folderInfo.split(File.pathSeparator);
            addLocalFolders( localFolders, paths );
        } else {
            File cfgFile = new File(folderInfo);
            if (!cfgFile.exists() && folderInfo.charAt(0) != '@') {
                System.out.println(" - No folders provided; Failed.");
                System.err.println("---------- DEBUG ----------");
                System.err.println(" FolderInfo: " + folderInfo);
                System.err.println(" file = " + cfgFile);
                if (cfgFile != null) {
                    System.err.println(" file.path = " + cfgFile.getAbsolutePath());
                    System.err.println(" file.exists = " + cfgFile.exists());
                    System.err.println(" file.canRead = " + cfgFile.canRead());
                    System.err.println(" file.isDirectory = " + cfgFile.isDirectory());
                }
                System.err.println("---------- DEBUG ----------");
                System.exit(1);
            } 
                
            if (cfgFile.isFile()) {
                // it's file; read line by line
                ArrayList<String> folders = new ArrayList<String>();
                try {
                    BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(
                            new InputStreamReader(
                            new DataInputStream(
                                    new FileInputStream(cfgFile.getCanonicalFile())
                                    ))
                            );
                    String line;
                    while ((line=reader.readLine()) != null)
                        folders.add(line);
                    
                    addLocalFolders( localFolders, folders );
                } catch (IOException e) {
                    System.out.println(" - Could not read folders from file " 
                            + folderInfo);
                    System.exit(1);
                }
            } else {
                // it's a single folder
                addLocalFolders( localFolders, folderInfo );
            }
        } 
    }