Software Downloads

SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS

General Info | Firefox | Windows/Linux | Macs | Common Problems

General Information:

Please check back later after we have resolved some inconsistencies in our instructions and what is available.
Thank you

We use the Eclipse v3.6 Integrated Development Environment (aka: Eclipse IDE, or simply Eclipse) for writing, compiling and testing Java programs in CS302 (and subsequent CS courses). Both Eclipse and Java are available for FREE and have versions for all popular computing platforms (e.g., Windows, Mac, Linux).

We strongly encourage students to install Eclipse and Java on your computers making it possible for you to practice programming at your convenience. This practice is invalueable for learning the Java language and improving your programming skills. (We also encourage students to get practice programming by signing up for CodeLab.)

If you choose to install Eclipse and Java, you are agreeing to backup your work! Losing your work because your computer crashes or having trouble with your computer are not acceptable excuses for not getting an assignment done on time. You'll also need to be responsible for correctly installing and configuring this software. The vast majority of students do not have problems with this, but we make no guarantee that all students will be able to do so.

If you're not confident about downloading, installing and configuring software then you might try to get help from a friend or a classmate. You are also welcome to ask lab consultants for help during scheduled hours to install this software, but note they are not able to be a system administrator for other issues with your computer. If you are having problems with your computer, you can always complete your course work using a lab computer instead.

The CS department provides instructional lab computers with Eclipse and Java installed for students to do their lab work, their programming assignments, and to practice Java programming. Doing the work on a lab computer has the benefit that your work is automatically backed up each night.

Installation of Firefox:

We strongly recommend that you install the Firefox web browser. It's a free program like Eclipse and Java, and it is needed to use the CS302 web form. You you can get it from here. Click on the download link for the operating system and language of your choice.

Installation on Windows/Linux Machines:

  1. Install Java 6
    1. Download Java SE (Standard Edition). Scroll down past "Java SE 7" until you see "Java SE 6 Update 30". Click on the "Download" button under the label JDK. In the new "Java SE Downloads" page that appears, click on the radial button to "Accept License Agreement" and then search for the appropriate platform. Most windows users should select "jdk-6u30-windows-i586.exe". You might need to save the file if a dialog box appears. Note this file is quite large so a fast connection to the Internet is essential.
    2. Double-click on the previously downloaded file and follow the installation instructions. We strongly recommended that you accept all defaults during the installation process to prevent configuration problems later.
  2. Install Eclipse 3.6 (Note that it does not include Java 6)
    1. Download Eclipse 3.6.2. Scroll down to the section labeled "Eclipse SDK" and in that section search for the appropriate platform. Most Windows users should use "eclipse-SDK-3.6.2-win32.zip" (should be the first item). Click on the "(http)" in the Download column to go to the appropriate Eclipse downloads page. In the new page, click on the icon that looks like a green arrow pointing down at a line. Save the file to begin downloading.
    2. Note that Eclipse doesn't have an installation process like Java. Simply unzip the previously downloaded file and you're ready to go. In the folder named "eclipse", double click on the big blue dot to launch Eclipse. You might also want to create a shortcut on the desktop to simplify the launching of Eclipse.
  3. Verify Eclipse is working by doing the Eclipse Tutorial and see the common problems listed below.

Installation on Macs:

  1. Install Java 6
    1. If you plan on using a Mac with Java 6 you should be using OS X 10.5.10 or greater. Last we checked, Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) was the latest release.
    2. If you are using OS X 10.5.X, you must update Java by following the instructions at Java for Mac OS X 10.5 update 10. Downloading this update will fix the NoClassDefFoundError thrown by Eclipse and ensures that the programming assignments that use graphics will work on your computer. This update is not necessary if you are running a newer version (e.g., Snow Leopard, Lion).
  2. Install Eclipse 3.6 (Note that it does not include Java 6)
    1. Download Eclipse 3.6.2. Scroll down to the section labeled "Eclipse SDK" and in that section search for the appropriate Mac OSX platform. Most Mac users should use "eclipse-SDK-3.6.2-macosx-cocoa.tar.gz" (should be 5th from the bottom. Click on the "(http)" in the Download column. Click on "download" at the bottom of the next page that appears, which takes you to the appropriate Eclipse downloads page. In the new page, click on the icon that looks like a green arrow pointing down at a line. Save the file to begin downloading.
    2. Note that Eclipse doesn't have an installation process like Java. Double click on the previously downloaded file to untar it, and then you're ready to go. In the folder named "eclipse", double click on the big blue dot to launch Eclipse. You might also want to create a shortcut on the desktop to simplify the launching of Eclipse.
  3. Verify Eclipse is working by doing the Eclipse Tutorial and see the common problems listed below.

Common Problems: