# java compiler



## 27 houdini's (Apr 6, 2005)

looking for a nice java compiler for stoopid people like me (for dummies, easy interface, kinda dreamweaver like), freeware if possible. anyone got a suggestion?


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## Viro (Apr 6, 2005)

If you are learning Java, just use a text editor like SubEthaEdit or even the TextEdit that comes with OS X. It's way easier to use than something like Eclipse or Netbeans.

For the Java compiler itself (if you don't know the difference between an IDE and a compiler, no offense but it means you need a good tutorial) just install the Developer Tools that should have come on one of the Panther CDs or you can even download it from Apple's site. You just need to sign up as a developer (FREE) and you can download the latest version of XCode.

A good tutorial on Java can be found at the official Java tutorial. A good book on Java that called Thinking in Java can be downloaded for free.


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## davidbrit2 (Apr 6, 2005)

Yeah, if you want to compile Java programs, it can be as simple as writing the source code in a text editor, and compiling it using the "javac" command with the Terminal (assuming you've got the developer tools installed).

If you want a fancier environment, there are a number of good choices available. I usually go with Apple's Xcode, which supports quite a few different languages and APIs. For Java programming, BlueJ, NetBeans, and Eclipse are also fairly popular from what I understand.

But remember that Java is a full-blown programming language, and not just a multimedia authoring tool, so finding an IDE that behaves like Dreamweaver is highly unlikely. However, Xcode works with Interface Builder, so if you write Java applications using Cocoa, you can use the nice WYSIWYG editor to design your interface. The actual programming is still all you, though.


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## Viro (Apr 6, 2005)

On a not quite so related note, can I use interface builder to build Swing apps? Or is that only for Cocoa apps?


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## davidbrit2 (Apr 6, 2005)

Interface Builder only supports creating NIB files for your serialized interface, which are in turn only supported by the Cocoa API. You can probably find some kind of nice Java-based Swing interface design application though, seeing as the library has been around for a while now.


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## Viro (Apr 7, 2005)

Swing interface designers currently all suck. Seriously, the only way to get a good UI in Swing at the moment is to hand code the UI. IB is a real God send, as it makes designing usable interfaces really easy. Drag and drop and *with* UI guidelines.

Shame no one has ported that over to Swing.


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## 27 houdini's (Apr 15, 2005)

ok, so i got xcode installed and upgraded. but what now? Where to start?
Lets say i wrote some code in simpletext, then what?


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## Viro (Apr 15, 2005)

Get a good book?


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## davidbrit2 (Apr 15, 2005)

I'd recommend going to http://developer.apple.com and reading the following document:

Developing Cocoa Java Applications: A Tutorial

It walks you through building a simple currency converter in Java using Xcode and Interface Builder. Once you've done that, you might have a better idea of what you know, and what you need to know.


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## Krevinek (Apr 29, 2005)

davidbrit2 said:
			
		

> Interface Builder only supports creating NIB files for your serialized interface, which are in turn only supported by the Cocoa API. You can probably find some kind of nice Java-based Swing interface design application though, seeing as the library has been around for a while now.



Well, not so, Carbon has NIB support as well. I have used the NIB support myself in a bit of experimentation in Carbon. However, Java with Cocoa bindings /can/ use NIBs, but it would then be MacOS X specific.


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## davidbrit2 (Apr 29, 2005)

Ah yes, very true. I sometimes forget about that, because who would want to develop an OS X app from scratch in Carbon anyway? ;-)


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## Lycander (Apr 29, 2005)

Are you poking fun at me david?


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## davidbrit2 (Apr 29, 2005)

No, just at the general notion of Carbon. Heh. I always saw it as more of a transitional API for migrating OS 9 apps to OS X compatibility. I'd personally go with Cocoa when developing something from scratch, unless I were already intimately familiar with Carbon (which I'm not), and had some intense deadline bearing down on me (which I don't).


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## Lycander (Apr 29, 2005)

You're also forgetting Carbon's role for companies to port software to OSX. Without Carbon, Alias would not have ported Maya.


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## Krevinek (May 2, 2005)

That and when you look at it, not everything is best written in Cocoa. It is a great RAD environment, but when you just want a MacOS-friendly CLI app, Carbon is usually what you get linked into.


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