APS101: Java links

Mac OS X users

Java is installed on your Mac, but make sure you have Java 5.0 (aka Java 1.5).

You need DrJava. Download the Mac OS X App (the "Current Stable Releasee").

Windows users

You need two things: a Java compiler such as J2SE version 1.5, and DrJava.

Other operating systems

You need two things: a Java compiler such as J2SE v 5.0, and DrJava.

A common DrJava problem: finding tools.jar

Question:

I downloaded the Java JDK and DrJava. When it came to actually running DrJava, the following window kept popping up even though somehow DrJava still managed to run without me finding the file:

Compiler not found. The file you chose did not appear to contain the compiler. Would you like to pick again? The compiler is generally located in 'tools.jar', in 'lib' subdirectory under your JDK installation director. (If you say 'No', DrJava will be unable to compile programs.).

Answer:

First, make sure you installed the Java JDK, not the JRE. (See above.)

Now you need to find a file called "tools.jar". If you're using Windows, then when you installed the JDK, you probably put it in "Program Files". The name of the Java folder is probably something like "j2jdk1.5.0"; look inside that for a directory called "lib", and inside "lib" look for "tools.jar".

Java

Here are some general Java resources, including documentation.

Java Software (some of it free)