# Java compiler/IDE



## jms_gears1 (Mar 15, 2010)

Does anyone know of a good Java compiler? 
Ive been searching around on google, and have found several, however I want to get opinions of the programmers on which i should use.

Im running on windows 7.

thanks in advance.


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## r_517 (Mar 15, 2010)

i use Eclipse


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 15, 2010)

r_517 said:


> i use Eclipse



Does that cost anything?


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## Neo63 (Mar 16, 2010)

I've only tried NetBeans a few times. I use this stupid thing from my school called Ready To Program... we had to use its IO package so now I don't know standard IO  I'm more comfortable with python than java


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## Googlrr (Mar 16, 2010)

I've heard good things about netbeans, but I never felt like trying it personally. I stuck to some crappy JCreator program.


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## Sherwood (Mar 16, 2010)

Eclipse is the best IDE. Or a compiler? Here's a very simple one, you have to change your classpath and download the latest version of Java JDK,

```
@echo off
title Compiler
"C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_11\bin\javac.exe"  -d ./bin ./server/*.java
pause
```

In this case i have the 11 version of JDK, if you downloaded it and say it was 15, it would be:


```
@echo off
title Compiler
"C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_15\bin\javac.exe"  -d ./bin ./server/*.java
pause
```

It's a very simple compiler but it works very well.


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## Stefan (Mar 16, 2010)

That's not a compiler, that's a batch file calling a compiler (javac = java compiler).


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

Neo63 said:


> I've only tried NetBeans


With NetBeans i went to install it and it said no compatible JDK was found.

What exactly is a JDK.


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## r_517 (Mar 16, 2010)

u can find jdk here: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp

NetBeans is also an excellent one (though only tried for several times)


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## Stefan (Mar 16, 2010)

jms_gears1 said:


> What exactly is a JDK.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JDK


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

r_517 said:


> u can find jdk here: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
> 
> NetBeans is also an excellent one (though only tried for several times)



DLd it its still having the same issue


StefanPochmann said:


> jms_gears1 said:
> 
> 
> > What exactly is a JDK.
> ...



of course lol. I Should have looked. Thanks =D


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## StachuK1992 (Mar 16, 2010)

JCreator, unless you want a bloated IDE, in which case, get Eclipse.
Both are free.

I like JCreator.


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

For some reason i cant install the JDK on my computer...


it keeps giving me this error: *Error 1606.Could not access network location %APPDATA%\.*


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## r_517 (Mar 16, 2010)

jms_gears1 said:


> For some reason i cant install the JDK on my computer...
> 
> 
> it keeps giving me this error: *Error 1606.Could not access network location %APPDATA%\.*



never see that before. anyway check this: http://support.microsoft.com/search/default.aspx?query=1606

hopefully it will work.

ps: always install JDK first before installing Netbeans/Eclipse etc


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## keyboarddrummer (Mar 16, 2010)

I use Eclipse. I think it installs the JDK with it. I like it since it is easy to use and there are many community add-ons that you can use with it (Google's Android SDK and GWT and probably others have Eclipse extensions). I tried NetBeans once or twice for GUI and didn't really like it.

EDIT:


r_517 said:


> ps: always install JDK first before installing Netbeans/Eclipse etc



I guess it doesn't.


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## spdqbr (Mar 16, 2010)

For a big project an IDE like Eclipse (What I use at work), Netbeans, or IntelliJ (What a few co-workers use at work) is probably going to help.

For little, one off, programs a code editor like JGrasp or Geany (never tried JCreator) is enough. In fact I learned on JGrasp because it's quick, fairly lightweight, and you don't have the learning curve and overhead of Eclipse-like "projects."

As Stefan pointed out, if you have downloaded the standard JDK, it includes the standard java compiler, javac. There are quite a few 3rd party compilers available, but I would suggest that if you're just starting out and still learning things like what a compiler _is_ you should probably stick with the standard compiler for now.


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## Neo63 (Mar 16, 2010)

hmm I think I got the same problem as jms, NetBeans said no JDK was found. I tried Eclipse before and got the same problem


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

spdqbr said:


> For a big project an IDE like Eclipse (What I use at work), Netbeans, or IntelliJ (What a few co-workers use at work) is probably going to help.
> 
> For little, one off, programs a code editor like JGrasp or Geany (never tried JCreator) is enough. In fact I learned on JGrasp because it's quick, fairly lightweight, and you don't have the learning curve and overhead of Eclipse-like "projects."
> 
> As Stefan pointed out, if you have downloaded the standard JDK, it includes the standard java compiler, javac. There are quite a few 3rd party compilers available, but I would suggest that if you're just starting out and still learning things like what a compiler _is_ you should probably stick with the standard compiler for now.


I know what a compiler is and i have had some previous experience (albeit very limited) programming experience. Mostly within Microsoft visual studios. And so im trying to stop using Microsoft crutches, and learning how to really program, and learn other languages.


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## r_517 (Mar 16, 2010)

Neo63 said:


> hmm I think I got the same problem as jms, NetBeans said no JDK was found. I tried Eclipse before and got the same problem



i once met with the same problem. just google for it! i remember i changed the CLASSPATH, JAVA_HOME and some other values manually and then it works


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## spdqbr (Mar 16, 2010)

jms_gears1 said:


> spdqbr said:
> 
> 
> > For a big project an IDE like Eclipse (What I use at work), Netbeans, or IntelliJ (What a few co-workers use at work) is probably going to help.
> ...




No offence meant, some people sounded like they were a bit confused about it. As for your appdata issue when installing the jdk, what's the output if you open a cmd prompt and type

```
echo %APPDATA%
```
I think on vista this should spit back out "C:\Users\[your user name]\AppData\Roaming" if it's anything else you may need to set a system variable called APPDATA that points to this folder. Don't know why it wouldn't be set up already though.


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

spdqbr said:


> jms_gears1 said:
> 
> 
> > spdqbr said:
> ...


Im on 7, and thats exactly what it says.


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## Lars Petrus (Mar 16, 2010)

You probably want to use Eclipse. It's free and should solve all your problems, including many you don't know you have yet. I use Intellij, which I believe is a bit better, but it costs real money, even for students.

Programming Java without an IDE is a horribly bad idea.


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## moogra (Mar 16, 2010)

I use eclipse, but I like the Netbeans GUI builder. Both eclipse and netbeans have great features.

Regarding jcreator, I've used it before and it's not as "fun" as eclipse and netbeans


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

I installed eclipse, so far i like it D
thanks Mr. Petrus


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## Vifs (Mar 16, 2010)

I use Eclipse in school, I find it a really good IDE, does pretty much everything you need.


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 16, 2010)

Now i need to wrap my head around Java


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## jms_gears1 (Mar 20, 2010)

What exactly, is the difference in
ActionListener 
and an
ItemListener
?


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## Stefan (Mar 21, 2010)

One listens for ActionEvents, the other for ItemEvents. You can see it in the API documentation.


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## r_517 (Mar 21, 2010)

check it for all ur questions about API: http://java.sun.com/javase/7/docs/api/


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