Software Downloads

SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS

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

General Information:

We use Java 7 and Eclipse for Java Developers (Juno) 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 invaluable 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 be responsible for backing up your own 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 4.2 and Java 7 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 of Eclipse 4.2 on Windows/Linux/Mac Machines:

  1. Go to Eclipse IDE for Java Developers.
  2. Select your platform (win/mac/linux and 32 or 64bit)
  3. Select one of the available download sites.
  4. Wait for download to complete.
  5. Find your downloaded file and click to open and start extracting the files.
  6. Double-click to extract all of the files.
  7. I was able to ignore the file name size is too long error (we won't use that add-on).
  8. Launch the Eclipse program to launch Eclipse IDE.
  9. Follow the instructions found on the Eclipse web site and try the Eclipse tutorial (Link to tutorial can be found on course Menu).

    10. Note: Some students have also had to install the JRE on Windows machines. Google "JRE" and download and follow those instructions to install the Java 7 version on your home computer before launching Eclipse.

    1. Install Java SE 7u11
      1. Download the latest version of the Java SE. 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 "jdk7-u40-windows-i586.exe" or "jdk7-u40-windows-x64.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.
  10. Verify Eclipse is working by doing the Eclipse Tutorial and see the common problems listed below.

Installation on Macs:

These instructions have not been confirmed for the new release.

  1. Install Java (may be unnecessary, if Mac OSX install includes Java as we think it does)
    1. If you plan on using a Mac 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 (We believe that this now includes Java)
    1. Download Eclipse. 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: