Class questions and message board

[Datapunter]

This thread is intended for general questions or requests for the whole class.

- If you have a question about a specific lesson post it in the thread of that lesson.

- If you want to start a project of your own simply start a new thread like :
DP's project: Horse Racing Rating System
and stick any questions about that in there.

- Any general questions or requests post in here.

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Chat room schedule.

If you want to chat send me a PM or post the request here. I will add any time i'm in the chatroom here as much as possible so others can join in.

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I'm also available on MSN , just add datapunter @ hotmail.com to you friends list, send me a mail with your msn email adress and we can use the chat facility there.

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Documentation and links

Here i will list documentation and links concerning Java.
( have not neccesarily read all of this myself ! )

An explanation of Java basics using a play in a theatre as comparison.
www.roxie.org/books/bleeding/

Java basics programming course, language used seems not to technical, very accessable.
www.javacommerce.com/tutorial/javanotes/contents.html
math.hws.edu/javanotes/

"Thinking in Java" by Bruce Eckel, free e-book
www.mindview.net/Books/TIJ/

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Books, so many out there, this one seems to get the idea of how to teach Java to newcomers.
www.johnsmiley.com/mybooks/0072131896/0072131896.htm
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0072131896/ref%3Dnosim/professorsmileys/002-8687375-1937615
The style of the book some people absolutely love and others (primarily hotshot programmers with lots of experience) hate. The book is written as if you are participating in an actual classroom---many people, particularly those learning on their own or in an Independent study setting find comforting.

You can always have a look at amazon or ebay, plenty of books available second hand for 15 - 30 pounds. The danger is you get a technical explanation. Make sure any book you buy was written for beginning programmers, not existing developers.

[Datapunter]

LAST UPDATE : 29 july 2004

Will give an overview of the course contents here.
This may change as i go along but it gives you a idea.


Preparation: Lists all the things to do to prepare for the course. Like what software to download.

Lesson 1 - Designing your application

1.1 The functional design.
1.2 The technical design.
Assignment 1.1

Lesson 2 - Learning the language, a few calculations

2.1 Object Oriented Programming
2.2 Variables
2.3 Operators
2.4 Control flow statements
2.5 Example program
2.6 Using a program editor.
2.7 Adding comments to your program.
Assignment 2.1 ( Lesson21.java )
Assignment 2.2 ( Lesson22.java )
Assignment 2.3 ( Lesson23.java )

Lesson 3 - Learning the language, a bit more about objects.

3.1 Scoreboard object
3.2 Scoreboard object, state
3.3 Scoreboard object, method
3.4 Printing text to the screen
Assignment 3.1 ( Lesson31.java )
Assignment 3.2 ( Lesson32.java )
Assignment 3.3 ( Lesson33.java )
Assignment 3.4 ( Lesson34.java )

Lesson 4 - Learning the language, completing the basics.

4.1 Object Oriented Programming
4.2 Variables
4.3 Operators
4.4 Control Flow Statements
4.5 Generating Random numbers
Assignment 4.1 ( Lesson41.java )
Assignment 4.2 ( Lesson42.java )
Assignment 4.3 ( Lesson43.java )
Assignment 4.4 ( Lesson44.java )
Assignment 4.5 ( Lesson45.java )

Lesson 5 - Learning the language, arrays, arguments and user questions.

5.1 Array's
Assignment 5.1 ( Lesson51.java )
Assignment 5.2 ( Lesson52.java )
Assignment 5.3 ( Lesson53.java )
Assignment 5.4 ( Lesson54.java )
5.2 Passing arguments
Assignment 5.5 ( Lesson55.java )
5.3 Asking the user questions

Lesson 6 - Learning the language, a matter of text.

6.1 Text objects
6.2 Object: String
6.3 Object: StringBuffer
6.4 Text example program
6.5 Numbers are not text and text is not numbers
Assignments 6.1 ( Lesson61.java )
Assignments 6.2 ( Lesson62.java )
Assignments 6.3 ( Lesson63.java )

Lesson 7 - Learning the language, reading from and writing to files

7.1 Reading from a file
7.2 Writing to a file
7.3 Buffered streams
Assignments 7.1 ( Lesson71.java )
Assignments 7.2 ( Lesson72.java )
Assignments 7.3 ( Lesson73.java )

Lesson 8 - Our first application , a systems calculator.

8.1 Functional design Systems Calculator
8.2 Technical design Systems Calculator
8.3 Programming design thoughts
8.4 Completing Object Oriented programming
Assignments 8.1 ( Lesson81.java )
Assignments 8.2 ( Lesson82.java )
Assignments 8.3 ( Lesson83.java )
Assignments 8.4 ( Lesson84.java )
Assignments 8.5 ( Lesson85.java )

Lesson 9 - Reading a web site

9.1 HTML
9.2 URL ( Uniform Resource Locator, or web address )
9.3 Examining or researching a web page
9.4 Reading a web page in JAVA

Lesson 10 - bits and pieces.

10.1 Being responsible about accessing Web sites
10.2 Error handling
10.3 Running programs unattended
10.4 Sending yourself email
10.5 Where do you go from here ?
10.6 Final thoughts

Applications : an odds comparison program


If there is a descent interest shown i may write these in the future :
Bonus lesson 1 : running a program unattended using timers
Bonus lesson 2 : sending yourself an email

[BillyHills]

Data,
the link you gave gives you the option of windows 2000 or XP, i have win98, is this still ok? or am i on the wrong link.
Cheers,

[Datapunter]

which link is that exactly ?

if you mean this one, to download the SDK kit, there is only one windows option.
java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

And here is a full overview of supported platforms.
java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/system-configurations.html

Don't think you can go wrong with windows 98, i'm on it myself.

[Datapunter]

The classroom is filling up nicely, 20 people at the moment and plenty room left .

I've noticed that quite a few ROOKIE's have signed up, and some of you are a bit worried that the course may be over your head . Well don't .

Let me clarify my intentions a bit. I am commited that everybody completes the course succesfully. But what does this mean ? Well it does not mean that all of you end up being hot shot programmers 8) . It means that you get something that is of practical use to you. If, at the end of the course, you can take one of the programs we will write during the course, and make small modifications to suit your personal interest, i consider your participation successful . If you can take it to a hot shot programmer level then that would be absolutely great, but nobody expects this of you .

So basically whatever level you participate at is exactly right for you . And there's nothing to worry about,
so relax have fun.

[Winrew]

Right ill be first to ask a stupid question....Configure your computer....Struggling with this bit:o

Downloaded the programme the other day,i was hoping someone else would ask so i didnt look a muppet.....

Gulp :banghead glad i aint the only one :o

[Datapunter]

winrew : no such thing as a stupid question mate, only thing stupid would be to have a question and not ask it !

And very observant of you. I mixed up JE with SDK. Originally the post said CJ2JE1.4.2_04\bin\; when that should be CJ2SDK1.4.2_04\bin\; Sorry.

This is what my autoexec.bat file looks like. What you need to change or add to your's are the parts in bold. If that doesn't do the trick can you make your question a bit more specific ?

cautoexec.bat

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SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET CTSYN=CWINDOWS
CPROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM

REM ******** BTCCDROM DEVICE DRIVER *******************
rem - By Windows Setup - CWINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /V
mode con codepage prepare=((850) CWINDOWS\COMMAND\ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850

SET CLASSPATH=CJAVA\;

SET PATH=%PATH%;CJ2SDK1.4.2_04\bin\;

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Hi Winrew

thanks mate
i knew you wouldn't let me down
i wanted to ask the very same question
now i don't have to

ralphie

[Winrew]

No problem Ralphie ...im sure i will post many more questions before we finish.....:o

[Datapunter]

Anyone not getting HelloWorld up and running give us a
shout

[Winrew]

Just got the P.C back from the shop
Twenty pound lighter in the pocket:o Thought i had sorted it out but the bloody thing just kept booting up and booting up and booting up........Made a right balls up of it:o
Could i make a suggestion.....Scholars / Rookies , Possibley one called Dipsticks......


If at first.....etc.........

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winrew, have a look at the problems and solutions below, if that does not do it let me know and we shedule a chat session to sort it out. Same for everyone else. There are so many Windows versions around with so many settings its very difficult to find a general solution.

And there is no dipstick class the only dipstick is the guy who first designed this whole window crap system, Gates somebody...

[muppet77]

can't get prog to run datapunter.
on ME, don't know what's going on.
saved file in notepad in a folder called JAVA on C drive
in msdos typed instructions but it says bad command or filename???????

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Muppet, problem here was your editor automatically add the extention .txt to any file it creates. So you get:

HelloWorldApp.java.txt

and we want that without the .txt
A solution would be to disable the setting in Windows that hides the file extentions and then rename the file.

Or simply download the HelloWorldApp.java from the link further in this thread. Right click on it and use SAVE TARGET AS to save it on you computer.

[tipstar]

this is what I get when I press SET



Microsoft(R) Windows 98
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1999.

C >SET
TMP=C WINDOWS
TEMP=C WINDOWS
PROMPT=$p$g
winbootdir=C WINDOWS
COMSPEC=C WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
PATH=C WINDOWS;C WINDOWS\COMMAND;C J2SDK1.4.2_04\BIN\;
CLASSPATH=C JAVA\;
windir=C WINDOWS
BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 P330

C >

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This is fine, the problem we had here was that there was a file in the C: \WINDOWS directory called JAVA.EXE . Since this is earlier in the PATH it is found before the JAVA.EXE we downloaded in the C: \J2SDK1.4.2_04\BIN\ directory.

The JAVA command to run the HelloWorld program did not work and i suspect it was because
C: \WINDOWS\JAVA.EXE was an old version. Renaming JAVA.EXE in JAVAOLD.EXE in the C: \WINDOWS directory solved that.

You could also put the C: \J2SDK1.4.2_04\BIN\ directory at the beginning of the PATH

PATH=c J2SDK1.4.2_04\BIN\;C WINDOWS;C WINDOWS\COMMAND;

[Gilward Kukel]

Now type this line to compile your program:

c: \java\JAVAC HelloWorldApp.java

Now you want to run your program so type:

c: \java\JAVA HelloWorldApp

I think there is a mistake here.
It should be:

Now type this line to compile your program:

JAVAC HelloWorldApp.java

Now you want to run your program so type:

JAVA HelloWorldApp

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yes, you have to be in the C: \JAVA directory before you give the command, so what you see is this :

c: \java>

and then you type the command

c: \java>JAVAC HelloWorldApp.java

thanks Gilward.

[Datapunter]

if your editor adds a .txt extention or .doc and you cannot manage to rename it try downloading from here.
Use the right mouse button and then SAVE TARGET AS

mars.walagata.com/w/datapunter/HelloWorldApp.java

[muppet77]

SET PATH=C WINDOWS;C WINDOWS\COMMAND;C: \J2SDK1.4.2_04\BIN\;
SET windir=C WINDOWS
SET winbootdir=C WINDOWS
SET COMSPEC=C WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
SET PROMPT=$p$g
SET TEMP=C WINDOWS\TEMP
SET TMP=C WINDOWS\TEMP
CLASSPATH=C: \JAVA\;


Muppet problem here is you have a space between C: and \
this is because i first did that to get rid of the emoticons you see. Have corrected the previous threads but the space should not be there.

Hi Data,

I have not introduce myself yet as I wanted to make sure I could at least do this first step with too much trouble However I am using XP pro and it seems that I do not have a autoexec.bat ?? The nearest is autoexec.nt in which the first lines are

@echo off

REM AUTOEXEC.BAT is not used to initialize the MS-DOS environment.
REM AUTOEXEC.NT is used to initialize the MS-DOS environment unless a
REM different startup file is specified in an application's PIF.

Does this make any sense to you ? Or am I being thick

Once I get this sorted I will put down my details.

Ian

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Hi Ian, the answer to your question is in the question itself, it actually says its using autoexec.nt.

These are the installation notes for Windows ( including XP )
java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/install-windows.html

In there in found this :
Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, and XP - To set the PATH permanently:


Choose Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click System. On Microsoft Windows NT, select the Environment tab; on Microsoft Windows 2000 select the Advanced tab and then Environment Variables. Look for "Path" in the User Variables and System Variables. If you're not sure where to add the path, add it to the right end of the "Path" in the User Variables. A typical value for PATH is:
Cj2sdk1.4.2_version\bin

Capitalization doesn't matter. Click "Set", "OK" or "Apply".
The PATH can be a series of directories separated by semi-colons (. Microsoft Windows looks for programs in the PATH directories in order, from left to right. You should only have one bin directory for a Java SDK in the path at a time (those following the first are ignored), so if one is already present, you can update it to j2sdk1.4.2_version\bin.


The new path takes effect in each new Command Prompt window you open after setting the PATH variable.

Don't worry, you're not thick, just an average Windows user

[Datapunter]

Anyone else looking in through the window ,

step right in guy's ( and gals ) , everybody's welcome , just stick youre name at the end of the Introduction thread and join the gang .

Hi Datapunter

The Dipsticks class sounds ok for me
please sir can i sit next to Winrew

got a problem Datapunter
I already had Internet Download Manager installed on my computer. I had purchased this because i was sick of Freeserve breaking my connection after say 1 hour of downloading and then having to start it again from the beginning.
Anyway I turned this off
and installed the Sun Downloader
started to download j2SE v 1.4.2_04
yes it downloaded for an hour then Freeserve cut me off again.
have now uninstalled the Sun Downloader.
turned the Internet Download Manager back on and it has downloaded it and installed it ok.
but the problem is i don't know where it has installed it to.
how do i find that out DOH
I have Windows XP Professional but only installed it last week.

Also where the hell has settings gone on Windows XP click start but don't see settings . They were there on ME .

ralphie out of his depth already.

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pick one : :banghead :o


it should be in c: \j2sdk1.2.4_04\ thats default, just use a windows file browser to check.

And there must be a Settings after Start, there is with other people on XP pro.