Setting up JDK on you computer: So You Can Begin Java Programming

This entry is part 1 of 47 in the series Java

-by Travis

If you watched the first Java programming video, and you aren’t getting the desired outcome in your command prompt, most likely you don’t have the Java Development Kit loaded.  This is a quick tutorial on how to get you caught up to par .  If you didn’t have that problem, you can skip this tutorial.  Basically, the javac means Java complier, which translates what we type/read in java to something that the computer can understand, I like to call that language computerish.  I’m also just typing some stuff so this ad to the left won’t ruin the layout of this tutorial, but that should be enough text, Let’s get started..

 

 

 

• Go to google.com
• Search “Java JDK”
• Most likely click the first link (which should be a download page: here is the current site: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html)
• There should be four options to download (Java Platform JDK, JDK + JavaFX Bundle, JDK+ Java Beans, and JDK+ Java EE Bundle)  any of those options are fine to download, to follow along with this tutorial, just download the Java Platform JDK.
• Install just like any other program, with all the default settings (Click next a bunch of times, read Term&Conditions, etc.)
• Click the Start Button (yes this is tutorial for Windows) and go to My Computer
• Click on the main harddrive (for most it is C:)
• Click on the Program Files folder> Open up the folder called Java
• Click on the version of Java you downloaded (something like jdk1.6.0_12)
• Open the bin folder
• Inside the bin Folder look for the File called javac, and right-click on it and go to Properties
• A new window should pop up giving the properties of the javac, there should be an attribute called Location.  Find the and copy the path (example: “C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_ 12\bin”
• Now we have the Path Location, so Click the start button again and right-click on the “Computer” and open up the “Properties”.
• In the left side bar look for “Advanced system settings” and open that up (Click Continue)
• Towards the bottom of the popup, Click “Environment Variables…”
• Set up a new  User variable by clicking the top most “New..” button (under the “User variables for xxxxx”)
• for the Variable name, type: Path
• and for the Variable value, paste your Location of the javac, for example:     C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_ 12\bin
• Click OK on all three popups and close your System settings panel as well.
• open up the command prompt again (Click start and type “cmd” in the search, press enter)
• Type “javac” in the command prompt and your problems should be solved

Hope that helps, and look forward to developing some applications/games with you guys.

 

Peace,

-Trav

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