Java 7 for Absolute Beginners

CHAPTER 1 ■ WRITING YOUR FIRST JAVA PROGRAM

■ Note If you don't have administrator rights on your computer, clear (that is, uncheck) the checkbox that lets

you install the program for all users. This enables you to still install the JDK.I would provide more details, but the

web site changes from time to time, so more detailed instructions would probably be wrong (and confusing and

irritating).

You can put the JDK anywhere you'd put any other program. The default location works just fine.

Installing Eclipse

Eclipse is an IDE. Basically, it provides a convenient tool for writing and testing your programs. Among

other things, it identifies your errors as you make them, which makes correcting them much easier and

faster than writing code in a text file and compiling it from the command line. Eclipse also colors parts of

your code. After you get used to the color scheme (which happens very quickly), you'll be able to write

code more quickly.

Again, before you can install Eclipse, you have to download it. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ in a web browser.


2. Find the EEclipse IDE for Java Developers choice and select the 32-bit version.

■ Note If you have a 64-bit operating system, choose the 32-bit version of Eclipse anyway. At the time of this

writing, the 64-bit version of Eclipse has issues that make Java development more difficult than it needs to be.

3. Follow the instructions provided by the web site.


4. Run the installer and accept any defaults.

Again, I would try to provide more detail, but the web site changes from time to time, so more

detailed instructions would probably be wrong (and so confusing and irritating).

You can put Eclipse anywhere you'd put any other program. Again, the default location works

just fine.

Creating Your First Project

When you use Eclipse, you have to create a separate project for each program. That way, Eclipse can

keep the details of one program separate from another. Each project consists of the source code files you

write for your program and, potentially, a number of other resources that you might attach to a program.

For example, you might include images and files that contain settings to load at run time and many

other possible items.