Rutgers Computer Science
Java Workshops
Next Presentation :
Web Apps with Tomcat
Time To Be Announced
in the CoRE Auditorium on the first floor
This is the companion website for the Java and Java Tools (Eclipse, Tomcat, etc..) workshop presentations given by the LCSR. Here is where you will find the presentations that were used during the workshops, podcasts of the presentation for you to download (Coming Soon) and listen to at your leisure and also some mpegs (Coming Soon), links and other java related stuff.
Descriptions for what each presentation covers are below so you can decide at what level they become beneficial to you. They can stand on their own so a student well versed in simple Java topics can attend the Tomcat workshop and get going right from there. More workshops and topics will be covered depending on what faculty determines needs are and feedback from YOU, the Rutgers students who use them, so let us know what you want to see!
Remember to check out http://remus.rutgers.edu/freestuff. It's a webpage devoted to outfitting your Windows PC with all the software you need to function here at Rutgers and it's all freeware! Install walk-throughs are included for Java, Eclipse, Tomcat and lots of other apps too...
Presentation Descriptions
Java
For the beginner. A brief history of computer languages is given so the student understands a little bit about interpreting versus compiling. Then we discuss the history of the Java programming language itself and the reasons behind some of its features. We then move on to the main course. We find, download and install a Java JDK that we get from Sun Microsystems Java website. We discuss JREs versus JDKs, where to install on your hard drive, and some other pointers. When we have gotten through the install the student is shown how to use a DOS prompt window to test if the install was done properly and how to run a simple text editor from the shell. We then create a "Hello World" program and show the student how to run it. These demos are done live and in person and we entertain questions during the process so everything is clear.
Good for those just getting started or those looking for a quick refresher. The presentation lasts roughly one half hour to forty minutes with questions afterwards.
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Eclipse
We introduce the student to Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) by showing them Eclipse. Eclipse is free for the user to download and is becoming the de-facto IDE for Java development around the world. Developed by IBM and used for development by companies such as Google, eclipse is definitely a tool you want to know about. We start by describing just what an IDE is, looking at some older IDEs and then, as we did with Java, finding, downloading and installing Eclipse. Pointers and tips are dropped along the way, and once Eclipse is installed properly we created a "Hello World" program inside the IDEs environment and contrast it to the command line process we went through when we only had the Java compiler and a text editor. We discuss workspaces, perspectives and other Eclipse specific terminology and what it means. We mention, but do not go in-depth, subjects like debugging, plug-ins (using, not developing them) and resource management.
Most programmers use an IDE and we gently ease the student into using Eclipse with simple examples. We remove the initial trepidation a user might have by explaining in layman's terms what to do and how to do it. Time well spent as far as getting a simple start and then building from there. This presentation lasts one half hour to forty minutes with questions afterwards.
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Tomcat
COMING IN MARCH 2007
Developing web apps with Tomcat, Servlets, JSP, and the Eclipse Sysdeo plugin made EASY!
In the near future...
ANT, CVS, Eclipse Plugins, JDBC with Oracle, EJBs, Web Services
If you can think of a Java related topic you'd like to see then send me mail!
Links to the Presentations
Meeting Notes and Questions
September 13th, 2006
Java and Eclipse presentations given in CoRE Auditorium. Links to Presentations are above. Merely right-click and select save-as
September 27th, 2006
Java and Eclipse done for the second time in CoRE Auditorium.
Answers to some of the post presentation Q&A
1. Where can someone find a decent C++ IDE?
I have heard mixed things about the CDT for eclipse, but something decent can probably be found here...
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Devtools/ides.html
2. How do I easily add a second .java file to my Java Project in Eclipse?
The key here is to think of a second file as a second "class". We compartmentalize in Java by keeping code in different classes and having multiple classes in the same package. By thinking about the situation in this fashion the answer becomes simple. Right click the project, select new and then select new class. Type in the name of your file and eclipse will incorporate it into the project for you. Make sure there is not a "main" method in this second file because then all hell is going to break loose, but after that you can keep code in as many different "class" files as you like.
3. How do I add another directory to my classpath?
Under "Project" in the menu bar select "Properties". Click on "Java Build Path" and select the "Libraries" tab. Click the "Add Class Folder" button and add your folder. Now Eclipse will look in this directory for any *.class files you might need in your code.
January 25th, 2007
Java presented for the first time this semester. This semester, instead of being pressed for time, we split the Java and Eclipse presentations in order to let them breath a bit. The Java presentation alone lasted for roughly 45 minutes so we think we made the right choice. I have edited the Java presentation and a link to the new and improved version is above.
February 1st, 2007
Eclipse is presented for the first time this semester. Some good Q&A happened at the end of the presentation, here's a few...
"Can I find an IDE that runs natively (object code compiled for that OS) in LINUX?"
The answer is yes and it's eclipse! You can compile eclipse to run natively on your system using GCJ, a Java compiler from GNU. You can also find other IDEs from the link to linuxmafia page above.
"I have memory problems in eclipse. Can I force garbage collection as it pertains to memory management?"
The answer, oddly enough, is no. You can ask for garbage collection from your JVM, but nothing is guaranteed. Here's a quote from the Java 2 Certification study guide from Kathy Sierra of Javaranch that says it all...
"In reality, it is possible only to suggest to the JVM that it perform garbage collection. However, there are no guarantees that the JVM will actually remove all of the unused objects from memory."
Welcome to the strange world of Java. There are legitimate reasons for this odd situation, but finding them is left as an exercise for the curious web surfer.
Thanks to all who attended and thanks for the thoughtful questions and feedback!
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Lars Sorensen Undergrad Systems / Programming / Instructional Support / Lead Guitar CoRE Rm 215 - 732.445.6430 x0581 biglars@cs.rutgers.edu |
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