How do I compile things?

(hopefully this is the right place, title of the forum looks like it fits this problem…)

Okay, I was contemplating trying to do some simple coding in things like Java (haven’t done in a couple years, only took like an intro class to it once) and was wondering, back when I did it on Windows there was some program we used that was able to compile the code, I can’t remember where I left that program and the .exe probably wouldn’t work well, was just wondering if anyone could give a simple explanation as to where to find something to compile with, or if it’s simpler to explain how to compile it some other way.

I’m guessing the easiest way for you to get started would be to download one of the IDE’s (Integrated Development Environment) that handle Java. Netbeans and Eclipse are popular choices.
An IDE will let you write code, compile and run from within it, but there is always the option of using any old text editor and the command line.

Something in between using a powerful IDE as eclipse or netbeans and a texteditor are the programs BlueJ and Greenfoot.

Never thought I’d recommend them to anyone though, as I utterly detested both and was absolutely ecstatic when the lessons finally moved on to an IDE of your own choice.

Though BlueJ and Greenfoot are indeed ‘user friendly’ as in, they easily allow you to test small script… but they severly lack options.
It wont suggest which packages you should import (mmh packages isn’ the right word is it?) so you’ll have to do that all manually.

That bad, huh? I’ve never tried them, myself. :slight_smile:

I’d recommend KDevelop (assuming the original poster is using KDE, of course). It should be included on the DVD. It will let you play with C, C++ and a host of other languages.

Let’s say having to learn some slightly different coding standard and no support for search and replace might get on ones nerves and the ctrl+z ( a feature I use A LOT ) is limited to one change. Like in windows notepad…
As far as preferences for an IDE go I’m quite fond of Eclipse.

You’ve got to be kidding.

When I started programming a million years ago, I was doing ASM. The standard approach was to use processor macros and directives in the code that would repeat a certain line so many times, or build an incremented table, that sort of thing.

While everyone else was using the clunkiest editors available, I was using a full-blown wordprocessor. I could use search and replace, repeat and tricks like that. If I needed a table, I could set it up fast as lightning. My code was longer, but it was also more readable. All I had to do was make sure I saved in plain-text ASCII, but I was running rings around everyone else. They thought I was a wizard. :slight_smile:

The reason why I recommended KDevelop, by the way, even though it’s really bloated, is because it’s great for a newbie. Choose KDevelop, choose the basic C compiler, and everything you need is automagically installed by Yast. You’re ready to start tinkering from the git-go.

I should re-read what I type
There is a basic find and replace, one line, no regular expressions, on file at a time. (Search is only one file at a time to >.<)

If boot time is anything to judge an IDE’s bloat by then kdevelop is nothing compared to eclipse :wink:

javac in comand line for java
google installing software from tar.gz for thing like firefox ect>:)

On a semi-related note, how come since going to OS 11.1 I can’t get perl to display any more? My Apache server is up and and running, and I checked mime.types to be certain it knew what to do with .pl. HTML displays correctly, but .pl pages open up asking me what I want to do with the file?? These same pl apps were running under 10.2??

:frowning: