CSci 2101 Data Structures -- Resources.
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This page contains handouts for the course, code samples, and links to
other helpful materials. The materials will be added as needed.
Installing Java
The instructions are for a Windows machine. Most of the installation
for Mac is similar, and most of the pages linked below have
documentation for Mac. If you run into any problems, please let me
know.
- You can
download J2SE version 1.4.2 from java.sun.com
(It's a free download). You will need to download JRE and SDK. You
might also need to download the J2SE 1.4.2 documentation.
If you already have Java installed, make sure that it is version 1.3
or later (1.4 preferred).
- In order to access Java compiler and java virtual machine, you
need to add the path to these programs to the variable PATH on your
computer:
- Find out the path to javac on your computer (you may do a search on
javac). On my machine it's
C:\j2sdk1.4.2_05\bin
- Open Control Panel, double-click on System, go to advanced, and
choose Environment Variables.
- Scroll down the list of variables. Find
Path
, click
on it, and click the button Edit. A narrow window will open which will
show a long string of symbols -- the current value of Path.
- Carefully move the cursor to the end of the string. Make sure not
to overwrite anything in the string. At the very end add the path that
you have found in part 1 preceded by semicolon. In my case it would be
;C:\j2sdk1.4.2_05\bin
- Click OK to close the little window.
- jEdit is the text editor that we will be using. You may obtain it
from www.jedit.org (also a free
download). You need to install Java before you can install jEdit.
- Documentation
for various Java tools (javac, java, appletviewer) might be helpful.
Java resources
- Language
Essentials Short Course. Fairly easy to read, a good source for a
new Java programmer. Also, check out New to Java
Center: it's helpful in explaining general principles, but most
examples focus on applets and graphics. Both sources are from sun.com.
- APIs for Java
1.4. Java APIs (lists of Java pre-defined classes and methods)
will become your most frequently used source of Java information from
this class on. Finding necessary information in APIs is not easy at
first. The ability to orient oneself in APIs is one of the most
important skills that you will learn in this class.
- Java
tutorials at sun.com are another source of information that you
need to be familiar with. They answer most "How do I..."
questions, though sometimes not in a straightforward way. Getting
oriented in Java tutorials will be helpful to you for many years to
come.
- The resources page for
CSci 1211 (a Java course for non-CSci majors) has a lot of Java
examples, links, and excercises. CSci 1211 focuses more on applets,
graphics, and interactive programs than this class does, so the page
might be helpful if you want to play with Java on your own.
In-class examples