Building Projects with Java IDEs

Eclipse

• First, you'll need to download Eclipse to your computer:
  • Eclipse Download Page
• You also must have the Java Standard Development Kit installed on your computer
• Eclipse doesn't have to be "installed":
  • Unzip the downloaded archive, wherever you want the program located. (You could even put it on a flash drive, for example
  • Open the folder containing Eclipse
  • Double-click the "Eclipse.exe" file to run it
  • Recommended: Create a shortcut on your desktop to the application

Creating a Project File for a simple Java application

1. From the "File" menu, pick "New", then "Java Project". This opens a dialog box for you to select your settings
2. Type a project name in the "Project Name" box
3. Under Contents
   • Select "Create new project in workspace" if you are starting a new project from scratch
   • Select "Create project from existing source" if you want to open up an existing source code file as a new project. This is especially useful for running any existing code examples that you've downloaded from the course web site
4. Default settings under "JRE" are fine
5. Recommend choosing "Use project folder as root for sources and class files" at the start, for simple examples and assignments. This will place your resulting class files in the same folder as your source.
   • Once we learn about the "package" directive, you may want to start using the other setting option
6. Clicking "Next" will take you to another screen with other settings options. You shouldn't need those early in the course
7. Clicking "Finish" will create your project file.

Creating source code files to add to your project

1. "File" menu -- "New" -- pick the type of file to create. Usually this will be "Class"
2. Dialog box will come up with some options. At the very least, you'll need to type thge name of the class into the "Name" box
3. Other options will become more clear as we get to new topics
4. If you want this class to have a "main()" in it, you can click the appropriate box under "Which method stubs would you like", and the framework of main() will be auto-inserted for you
5. Once you click "Finish", the file will open in the built-in text editor. Type your code, and make sure to "Save"

Compiling and running

• Select "Run" from the "Run" menu
  • There is also a green arrow button on the toolbar. This is a shortcut for the same operation
  • Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + F11
• Note that any console I/O will show up in an "Output" window at the bottom of the screen
• Any GUI output will pop up in separate windows

NetBeans

• Java SE Download Page

Creating a Project File for a simple Java application

1. From the "File" menu, select "New Project"
2. You'll see a pop-up dialog window that asks what kind of project. For now, go ahead and pick "Java Application" (which should be the default selection. Click "Next".
3. The next screen of the dialog gives you some choices to fill out. For the initial projects in this course, you don't need any overly advanced options. Here are the recommendations:
   • Go ahead and choose a project name, and type it in the box "Project Name".
   • There will be a default path suggested under "Project Location". You can take this one, or you can use the "Browse" button to pick some other location in your file system
   • If you want the project to start you off with a file with a "main() function in it, go ahead and check the "Create Main Class" button
4. IMPORTANT: IF you check this box (Create Main Class), JavaBeans will try to give you a recommended default name for the main class, usually something like "myproject.Main". The default usually places your code inside a "package". This is more complex than you need right now.
   • We will talk about how to create packages later in the course
   • You should not place your code into packages in the early assignments
   • If you are supposed to create a main program in a class called, for example, "Program1" -- then just type "Program1" as the name in this box (the Create Main Class) box
5. Click "Finish" on the current dialog box
6. NetBeans will open up your project. A window on the left will show files currently in your project. A window on the right will display source code files you have open. A starter code file will appear for you to start typing code in.

Adding more source code files to your project

1. Select "New File" from the "File" menu
2. In the dialog box that comes up, pick the type of file, then click "Next".
   • This box lets you pick a category of file, then the specific type
   • usually, this will be simply "Java class", although later we will learn some other special types of classes, which map to some of the other options
3. On the next screen, type the class name in the appropriate box
4. Other settings on this window
   • Location should be "source packages"
   • For now, accepting the "default package" is fine. Note that this window has a warning against that, but again -- we'll talk about creating packages later in the course
5. This will open up another java code file for you to edit. Make sure to save after you add code (File menu, "Save")

Compiling and running

• Select "Run Main Project" from the "Run" menu
  • There is also a green arrow button (like the Play button on a DVD player) on the toolbar. This is a shortcut for the same operation
  • Keyboard shortcut: F6
• Note that any console I/O will show up in an "Output" window at the bottom of the screen
• Any GUI output will pop up in separate windows