Installing Eclipse
We will be using the Eclipse
software and some plugins for writing, compiling, and testing programming
assignments this semester.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Every student will have access to Eclipse through
their WAM class accounts, which we will provide in class. If you are planning to
work at home, however, we highly recommend you install the Eclipse environment
in your computer. (Accessing the Eclipse remotely through the campus network is
theoretically possible, but extremely slow.)
During the installation process
you may need an utility called
WinZip, which is used for managing .zip files.
Note that this software costs $29, but the free evaluation version is fully
functional and does not expire.
The files that you will need to
download are quite large (the Java SDK and Eclipse downloads are roughly 50 and
90 megabytes, respectively), and so it is necessary that you have a fast
internet connection. For people that have slow connections (e.g., telephone
modem), then we can provide a limited number of CD's with the required software.
Please contact your TA.
Installation Process
Download Java (J2SE v 1.4.2_05 SDK):
(This is not needed for Mac OS X, since it is already built in.) For
Windows and Linux, visit the web site:
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html
Then in the area that has the following header:
J2SE v
1.4.2_05 SDK includes
the JVM technology
select Download J2SE SDK. (On Windows, you will need admin
privileges.) Be careful that you do not confuse the JRE with SDK, you need
the SDK. Once the download is complete, install java by clicking on the file
you downloaded. This will lead you through the installation process.
Download Eclipse:
To download Eclipse visit the web page
http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/index.php
You may select any mirror site, e.g. "Main Eclipse Download Site".
(Depending on the current internet traffic load, some mirror sites may be
very busy, and you may want to experiment until finding one that provides
good response time.)
There are several versions of Eclipse, and it is important you install
the correct one. Check that the site has the latest version, in particular
be sure you download the version with "Build Type" = "Latest Release" and
"Build Name" = "3.0". If you do not see this, try another mirror site. Click
on the"3.0" link, and this will take you to a page where you can
select the version for your particular platform (e.g. "Windows" or "Linux").
Locate your platform and click the download link, e.g., (http). Save
the resulting zip file in any directory of your choosing.
Install Eclipse:
Unlike most modern software products, Eclipse has not have a fancy
installation procedure. To install it, simply extract the zip file in the
directory where your programs are stored, e.g. C:\Program Files. This
will create a directory named eclipse. The executable program file is
located in this directory and is called "eclipse.exe". On Windows systems,
it is a good idea to create a shortcut to this executable on your desktop.
To do this, right-click on the "eclipse.exe" file and select "Send To →
Desktop".
Initializing Eclipse:
Eclipse stores all its files in a directory called its "workspace". When
Eclipse is run for the first time, it will ask you where you want the
workspace to be placed. You can just use the default location (which will be
in the directory where eclipse was installed). Some people find it more
convenient to place the workspace somewhere in their "My Documents"
directory, e.g. "My Documents\Eclipse".
After this, you should see the "Welcome to Eclipse 3.0" page.
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