NullPointerException when retrieving Custom Config file

I'm trying to make a custom configuration file, but I've been having a few issues. First of all, I get a different NullPointerException unless I make a file of the name of the configuration in the root directory of the plugin. Secondly and most prominently, when I go to get something from the file, I am given a NullPointerException.

in onEnable():

Code:

characters = getCustomConfig(characters, "characters.yml");
       
chars = new HashMap<String, String>();
for(String x : characters.getKeys(true)) {
    String p = characters.getString(x);
    chars.put(x, p);
}

Config methods:

Code:

public void reloadCustomConfig(FileConfiguration config, String name) {
        File configFile = new File(this.getDataFolder(), name);
        if(!configFile.exists()) {
            this.saveResource(name, false);
        }
        config = YamlConfiguration.loadConfiguration(configFile);
       
        Reader defConfigStream = new InputStreamReader(this.getResource(name));
        if(defConfigStream != null) {
            YamlConfiguration defConfig = YamlConfiguration.loadConfiguration(defConfigStream);
            config.setDefaults(defConfig);
        }
    }
   
    public FileConfiguration getCustomConfig(FileConfiguration config, String name) {
        if(config == null) {
            reloadCustomConfig(config, name);
        }
        return config;
    }
   
    public void saveCustomConfig(FileConfiguration config) {
        if(config == null) {
            return;
        }
        try {
            getCustomConfig(config, config.getName()).save(new File(this.getDataFolder(), config.getName()));
        }catch(IOException e) {
            getLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, "Could not save config to " + config.getName(), e);
        }
    }

 

The File instantiation, AKA

Code:

File configFile = new File(this.getDataFolder(), name);

, loads a file where the left parameter (parent) is the directory and the right parameter (child) is the file.

You can have it create a new file when it doesn't exist like so:

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/io/File.html#File(java.lang.String, java.lang.String)

That should answer your first question.

As for the other one, 'config' is clearly null. reloadCustomConfig is broken or you are passing faulty parameters to it. I have no knowledge of YamlConfiguration but try debugging that.