Tools we will be using
Software for the course is to be developed using the Eclipse Integrated Development Environment, using the Java platform. We use additional plugins and or libraries with Eclipse. A working Eclipse and a Java Development Kit (JDK) are required to participate in the course. You can read through the following sections or go straight to checking and installing what your current system has installed using the links below.
- Check Java JDK version and Install Java if needed (TBD make anchor)
- Install Eclipse Kepler (TBD make Anchor)
Creating your Environment
Verify that you have Java installed, JDK 7 or above. Please note a JDK is not a JRE. The JDK includes a compiler and the JRE. The JRE is a VM for the runtime environment. You can build Java applications with the JDK and run java applications with the JRE. To verify Java on windows go to the control panel and see if you can see a Java Icon. The version information is under the advanced tab. On a Mac put Java preferences into Spotlight and launch that application to see what versions you have. The javac command should work in a terminal window. You can also enter javac into spotlight and see if is found.
Install Java
A Java SDK also known as the Java Development Kit(JDK) is required to use Eclipse. The JRE is often already installed on machines. The JRE is not sufficient. You can see if you have a JDK that meets the version requirement by going to the Control Panel and looking at the installed applications. On Windows 7 go to “Programs and Features” and see if you have something that looks like a version of Java that is an SDK that comes from Oracle and is installed. See Image.
You can install the following version of java on your machine if you don’t have one. There are few options to select take the defaults and make your own choices on the optional third party software. When prompted to install optional software you can skip it unless you have to use it for some reason.
It may not be enabled. There is no 32bit Java for the Mac recent versions of OS/X and going forward there will no 32 bit implementations.
Install Eclipse
We will be using the Eclipse Kepler Release, Eclipse IDE for Java Developers.
Windows Pre Requisites (At least 1 GB of memory )
- Windows XP, 7 or 8 Vista is not recommended
- An installed JDK at version 7 or above
32 and 64 bit zip files with Eclipse Kepler
Download the 64 bit version if you have a 64 bit OS, or else download a 32 bit version. Eclipse is a zip file install. They don’t make an installer. Unzip it to your favorite location, or use the preferred location for DPS C:\ , the root drive of your system which is usually C:\. There are some good directions for installing Eclipse at wiki.eclipse.org scroll down to the area about installing Eclipse. If you are having trouble install the 7zip suggested in the Wikipedia download directions.
Mac users
- OS X 10.5 or above
- 2 GB or memory
32 and 64 bit tar files with Eclipse
- eclipse-java-kepler-R-macosx-cocoa-x86_64.tar
- eclipse-java-kepler-R-macosx-cocoa.tar (Would not use unless you have are OSX 10.5 or lower)
Mac users can select the 32/64 bit version and install it in a local directoy typically your home directory or some other convention you have.