TRAINING & REFERENCE murach’s Java | programming Joel Murach Mike Muracu & Associates, INc. 4340 N. Knoll Ave. + Fresno, CA 93722 .com + murachbooks@murach.comAuthor: Joel Murach Editor: ‘Anne Boehm, Cover design: Zylka Design Production: Maria Pedroza David Books for Java programmers Murach’s Java Programming Murach’s Java Servlets and JSP Books for database programmers Murach’s Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Murach’s MySQL Murach’s SOL Server for Developers Books for web developers Murach's HTMLS and CSS: Murach’s JavaScript and DOM Scripting Murach’s PHP and MySQL Books for .NET programmers Murach's C# 2010 Murach's ASP.NET 4 Web Programming with C# 2010 Murach's ADO.NET 4 Database Programming with C# 2010 Murach’s Visual Basic 2010 Murach’s ASP.NET 4 Web Programming with VB 2010 Murach’s ADO.NET 4 Database Programming with VB 2010 Books for IBM mainframe programmers Murach’s 05/390 and /OS ICL Murach’s Mainframe COBOL Murach’s CICS for the COBOL Programmer DB2 for the COBOL Programmer, Part 1 © 2011, Mike Murach & Associates, Ine. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America 10987654321 ISBN; 978-1-890774-65-3,Contents Introduction Section 1 Essential Java skills Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans Chapter 2 Introduction to Java programming Chapter 3. How to work with data Chapter 4 How to code control statements Chapter 5 How to validate input data Chapter 6 How to test and debug an application Section 2 Object-oriented programming with Java Chapter 7 How to define and use classes Chapter 8 How to work with inheritance Chapter 9 How to work with interfaces Chapter 10 Other object-oriented programming skills Section 3 More Java skills Chapter 11 How to work with arrays Chapter 12 How to work with collections and generies Chapter 13. How to work with dates and strings Chapter 14 How to handle exceptions Section 4 GUI programming with Swing Chapter 15 How to develop a form Chapter 16 How to work with controls and handle events Chapter 17 How to develop and deploy applets Section 5 Data access programming with Java Chapter 18 How to work with text and binary files, Chapter 19 How to work with XML Chapter 20. How to work with a Derby database Chapter 21 How to use JDBC to work with a database Section 6 Advanced Java skills Chapter 22 How to work with threads Chapter 23. How to deploy an application Appendixes Appendix A How to set up your PC for this book Appendix B_ How to set up your Mac for this book xv AL 145 167 185 237 215 Bll 339 363 405 431 459 501 937 559) 613 645 617 117 751 ™ 71Expanded contents Sect Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans Introduction to Java. “Toolkits and platforms How Java compares to C++ and Ci Applications, applets, and serviets ‘The code for the console version ofthe Future Valve application. How Java compiles and interprets code Introduction to Java IDEs How to use NetBeans to work with existing projects... Intooduction to Java projects and the NetBeans IDE How to open, close, and delete a project How to compile and run a project How to use the Output window with a console application How to work with (wo oF more projects How to use NetBeans to develop new projects . How to create new projet How to set the Java version for «projec Howto work with va source code and files Howto use the code completion feature How to detect and correct syntax eors Chapter 2 Introduction to Java programming Basic coding skills, How to code statements How to code comments How to ereate identifiers How to declare a class and a main method How to work with numeric variables .. How to declare and initialize variables How to code assignment statements How to code arithmetic expressions How to work with string variables How to create a Sting object How to join and append strings, How to include special characters in How to use Java classes, objects, and methods How to create objects and call methods How to import Java classes How to use the API documentation to research Java classes How to use the console for input and output How to use the System out abject to print output tothe console How to use the Scanner elass to read input from the console Examples that get input from the console How to code simple control statements .. How to compare numeric variables How to compare sting variables How to code ifelse statements How to code while statementsChapter 3 Chapter 4 Expanded contents ‘Two illustrative applications Tae Invoice application The Test Score application How to test and debug an application How to test an application How to debug an application How to work with data Basic skills for working with data The cight primitive datatypes How to declare and initialize variables How to declare and initialize constants How to code assignment statements and arithmes How to use the shortcut assignment operators How to work withthe order of precedence: How to work with casting How to use Java classes for working with data types How to use the NumberFormat class How to use the Math class How to use the Integer and Double classes The formatted Invoice application The code for the application ‘A bug inthe arithmetic How to debug the application How to use the BigDe The constructors and methods How to use BigDecimal arithmetic expressions al class How to code control statements How to code Boolean expression How to compare primitive data types How to compare stings How to use the logical operators How to code if/else and switch statements How to code ifelse statements How to code switch statements ‘An enhanced version ofthe Invoice application How to code loops How to code while and do-while loops How to code for loops. Tne Future Value application How to code nested loops How to code break and con How to code break statements How to code continue statements How to code and call static methods .. How to code static methods How to call static methods The Future Value application with a static methodvi Expanded contents Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Section 2 Chapter 7 How to validate input data How to handle exceptions 146 How exceptions work 146 How to catch exceptions 8 ‘The Future Value application with exception handling 150 How to validate data. 152 How to prevent exceptions from being thrown 152 How to validate a single entry 154 How to use generic methods o validate an entry 156 The Future Value application with data validation 158 The console. 158 The code 160 How to test and debug an application Basic skills for testing and debugging ... 168 ‘Typical test phases 168 The three types of errors 168 Common Java errors 170 A simple way to trace code execution im How to use NetBeans to debug an application 174 How to set and remove breakpoints 174 How to step through code 176 How to inspect variables 176 How to inspect the stack trace 18 Object-oriented programming with Java How to define and use classes An introduction to classes How classes can be used to structuze an application How encapsulation works Tae relationship between a class and its objects How to code a class that defines an object... How to use NetBeans to create a new class “The code for the Product class How to code instance variables How to code constructors How to code methods How to overload methods How to use the this keyword How to use NetBeans to work with classes How to create and use an object How to create an object How to call the methods of an abject How primitive types and reference types are passed to @ method 212 A ProductDB class that creates a Product object ‘A ProductApp clas that uses @ Product abject How to code and use static fields and methods. How to code statie fields and methods How to call stati fields and methods How to code a static initialization block. ‘When to use static fields and methodsChapter 8 Chapter 9 Expanded contents ‘The Line Item application 224 The console 204 The class diagrams 224 The code for the classes 26 How to work with inheritance An introduction to inheritance How inheritance works How the Java API uses inheritance How the Odject class works How to use inheritance in your applications Basic skills for working with inheritance. How to create a superclass How to create a subclass How polymorphism works The Product application The console The ProductApp class The Product, Book, and Software classes. The ProductDB class More skills for working with inheritance... How to get information about an abjct’s type How to cast objects How to compare objects How to work with the abstract and How to work withthe abstract keyword How to work withthe final keyword al keywords. How to work with interfaces An introduction to interfaces A simple interface Interfaces compated to abstzact classes 218 Some interfaces of the Java API How to work with interfaces. How to code aa interface How to implement an interface How to inherit a class and implement an interface 286 How to use an interface as a parameter 288 How to use inheritance with interfaces 2 How to use NetBeans to work with interfaces A Product Maintenance application that uses interfaces The class diagram The console The DAOFactory class Tre ProductTexiFile class The ProductMainApp clase How to implement the Cloneable interface A Product class that implements the Cloneable interface A Lineltem class that implements the Cloneable interface viivil Expanded contents Chapter 10 Section 3 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Other object-oriented programming skills How to work with packages 312 ‘An introduction to packages 312 How to use NetBeans to work with packages. 314 How to use NetBeans to work with libraries 316 How to use javadoc to document a package. 318 How to ad javadoc comments to a class 318 How to use HTML and javadoc tags in javadoc comments 320 How to use NetBeans to generate documentation 322 How to view the documentation fora package 322 How to code classes that are closely related. 324 How to code more than ane clas per file 324 ‘An introduction to nested classes 326 How to work with enumerations 328 How to declare an enumeration 328 How to use an enumeration 328 How to enhance an enumeration 330 How to work with static imports. 330 More Java skills How to work with arrays Basic skills for working with arrays 340 How to create an array 340 How to assign values tothe clemeats of an array 342 How to use for loops with arrays 34 How to use enhanced for loops with arrays 346 More skills for working with arrays .. 348 The methods ofthe Arrays class 348 Code examples that work with the Arrays class 350 How to implement the Comparable interface 352 How to create a reference to an array 354 How to copy an array 354 How to work with two-dimensional arrays 356 How to work with rectangular arrays 356 How to work wit jagged arrays 358 How to work with collections and generics An introduction to Java collections ‘A comparison of arrays and collections 364 ‘An overview of the Java collection framework 366 {An introduction to generics 308 How to use the ArrayList class... 370 ‘The ArrayList class 310 Code examples that work with aray lists 372 ‘An Invoice application that uses an array list 374 ‘An overview of the Invoice application 374 The code for the Invoice class 36 The code for the InvoiceAgp class 318Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Expanded contents How to use the LinkedList class The LinkedList cass Code examples that work with linked lists ‘A class that uses a linked lis to implement a generic queue. An enhanced version of the Invoice application. ‘An overview of the enbanced Invoice application The code for the InvoiceApp class How to work with maps .. The HashMap and TreeMap classes Code examples that work with hash maps and tree maps How to work with legacy collections. ‘An introduction to legacy collection classes How to use an untyped collection How to use wrapper classes with untyped collections How to work with dates and strings How to work with dates and times How to use the GregorianCalendar class to set dates and times 405 How to use the Calendar and GregorianCalendar fields and 408 How to use the Date class 410 How to use the DateFormat class to format dates and times 412 ‘A DateUuils class that provides methods for handling dates 414 ‘An Invoice class that includes an invoice date 416 How to work with the Stri Constructors of the String class Code examples that create strings Methods of the String class Code examples that work with strings How to work with the StringBuilder class Constructors and methods ofthe StringBuilder class Code examples that work with the StringBuilder class 426 g class How to handle exce; An introduction to exceptions 432 The exception hierarchy 432 How exceptions are propagated 434 How to work with exceptions .. 436 How to use the ty statement 436 How to use the try-with-resourees statement 438 How to use the methods of an exception How to use a multi-catch block How to use the throws clause How to use the throw statement How to work with custom exception classes How to create your own exception lass How to use exception chaining How to work with assertions How to code assert statements How to enable and disable assertionsx Expanded contents Section 4 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 GUI programming with Swing How to develop a form An introduction to Swing .. The user interface for the Future Value Calculator application The inheritance hierarchy for Swing components How to design a form. How to create a projet for a GUI application How to add a form 10 a project How to add controls to a form How to set properties ‘Common properties for forms and controls How to add code to a form How to set the variable name fora control How to create an event handler fora control How to rename or remove an event handler How to enter the code fora form. ‘Common methods for controls How to display and center a form The code for the FutureValueFrame class How to validate Swing input data .. How to display error messages How to validate the data entered into a textfield ‘The SwingValidator class How to validate maltiple enties The Future Value application .. The user interface The code How to work with controls and handle events How to work with components How to work with text areas How to work with check boxes How to work with radio buttons How to work with combo boxes How to work with lists The Payment application ‘The user interface The code How to code low-level events A summary of low How to work with focus events How to work with keyboard events The Product Maintenance application The user interface The code wel events How to develop and deploy applets An introduction to applets ‘The Future Value Calculator applet A brief history of applets Applet security issues Tae inheritance hierarchy for applets Four methods of an applet 460 460 462 464 464 466 468 470 472 47 414 416 478 480 482 484 486 486 488 490 492 494 494 494 502 502 504 506 508 510 514 si4 sid 518 518 520 522 524 524 526 538 538 538 540 542 542Section 5 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Expanded contents How to develop applets .. 544 How to develop a panel for an applet 544 How to code an applet 546 How to test an applet withthe Applet Viewer 546 How to deploy applets 548, ‘A procedure for deploying an applet S48 How to create an HTML document for an applet 550 How to run an applet within a web browser 552 Data access programming with Java How to work with text and binary fi Introduction to directories and files .. A package for working with directories and files 560 Coil examples that work with dretories and files 562 Introduction to file input and output How files and streams work file VO example How to work with UO exceptions How to work with text files How to connect a character output steam to a file 510 How to write to a text file 572 How to connect a character input stream toa file 514 How to read from a text fle ‘An interface for working with file /O A class that works with atext file How to work with binary files. How to connect a binary output stream to a file How to write to a binary file How to connect a binary input stream to a file How to read from a binary fle ‘Two ways to work with binary strings How to work with random-access files How to connect toa random-access file How to read to and write from a random-access file 596 How to read and write ixed-length strings 598 A clas that works with a random-access file 600 How to work with XML Introduction to XML .. ‘An XML document XML tags, declarations, and comments XML elements XML attributes ‘An introduction to DTDs How to view and edit an XML file. How to view an XML file How to edit an XML file An introduction to three XML APIs. DoM SAX StAX xixii Expanded contents Chapter 20 Chapter 21 How to use StAX to work with XML. How to create an XMLStreamWriter object How to waite XML. How to create an XMLStreamReader abject How to read XML. ‘A class that works with an XML fle How to work with a Derby database How a relational database is organized .. How a table is organized How the tables ina database are related How the columns in database are defined How to use SQL to work with the data in a database How to query a single table How to join data from two oF more tables How to add, update, and delete data in a table An introduction to Derby ... ‘An overview of Derby How to configure your system to work with a Derby database How to use the ij tool to work with a Derby database .. How to start and stop the ij tool How to connect to and disconnect froma database How to ereate a database and connect to it How to run SQL statements How to run SQL scripts from the ij prompt How to run SQL scripts from the command prompt How to start and stop the Derby database server How to start the server How to stop the server How to learn more about Derby How to view the Derby documentation How to navigate throug the documentation How to use JDBC to work with databases An introduction to Java database drivers “The four driver types. How to add a database driver to a project How to use Java to connect to a database. How to load a database driver. How to connect to an embedded database How to disconnect from an embedded database How to connect to a networked database. How to use Java to work with a database How to return a result set How to move the cursor through a result set How to zeturn data from a result set How to modify data in a database. How to work with prepared statements ‘Two classes for working with databases A ulility clas for working with strings ‘A class that works with a database 626 626 628 630 632 636 646 646 648 650 652 652 654 656 658 658 660 662 662 662 664 664 666 668 670 670 670 672 on on 678 618 680 a2 682 684 686 688 690 690 692 694 696 698 700 700 702Section 6 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Expanded contents An introduction to working with metadata 708 How to work with metadata 708 How SQL data types map to Java data types no Advanced Java skills How to work with threads An introduction to threads How threads work 118 Typical uses for threads 718 Classes and interfaces for Working with threads 720 “The life eycle ofa thread m2 How to create threads... Constructors and methods of the Taread class mA How to create a thread by extending the Thread class 726 How to create a thread by implementing the Runnable interface 78 How to manipulate threads How to set a thread’s priority 0 How to interrupt a thread 72 How to synchronize threads How to create synchronized threads How to communicate among threads The Order Queue application The operation The classes The OrderQueueApp class The Order class The OrderTaker class The OrderHandler ciass The OrderQuuc class How to deploy an application An introduction to deployment How executable JAR files work How Java Web Start works How an installer program works How to use an executable JAR file How to create an executable JAR file How to deploy a GUI application How to deploy a console application How to use Java Web Start A procedure for using Java Web Start How to ereate a INLP file How to create an HTML document that launches an application 164 How to deploy an application toa remote web server 166 How to launch an application 168 How to fix a common problem 168 xiiiIntroduction Since its release in 1996, the Java language has established itself as one of the leading languages for object-oriented programming. Today, Java continues to be one of the most popular languages for application development, especially for web applications and for mobile applications like Android apps. And that’s going to continue for many years to come, for several reason First, developers can obtain Java and a wide variety of tools for working with Java for free. Second, Java code can run on any modern operating system. Third, Java’s development has been guided largely by the Java community, and Sun Microsystems released most of Java as open source software in 2007, As a result, the Java platform is able to evolve according to the needs of the programmers who use the language. Although Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2010, Oracle has committed itself to supporting Java and the Java community. Who this book is for ‘This book is for anyone who wants to lear the core features of the Java language. It works if you have no programming experience at all, It works if you have programming experience with another language. It works if you already know an older version of Java and you want to get up-to-speed with the latest version. And it works if you've already read three or four other Java books and still don’t know how to develop a real-world application, If you're completely new to programming, the prerequisites are minimal, ‘You just need to be familiar with the operation of the platform that you’re using. I, for example, you're developing programs using Windows on a PC, you should know how to use Windows to perform tasks like opening, s: printing, closing, copying, and deleting files. What version of Java this book supports This book is designed to work with the Java Platform, Standard Edition 7 (Java SE 7) or later. This edition of Java includes the Java Development Kit (IDK). For marketing reasons, Oracle sometimes refers to this version of the JDK as JDK 7. However, from a developer's point of view, this version of the JDK is commonly referred to as version 1,7XVI Introduction As you work with Java SE 7, please keep in mind that all Java versions are backwards-compatible. That means that everything in this book will also work with future versions of the JDK. What operating systems this book supports The Oracle web site provides the most current version of the IDK for the Windows, Linux, and Solaris operating systems. As this book goes to press, the Mac OS X operating system includes JDK 1.6, and there are some unofficial builds available for JDK 1.7. Before long, OS X will provide support for JDK 1.7. Until then, you can install an unofficial build as described in appendix B. Since most Java development today is done under Windows, this book uses Windows to illustrate any platform-dependent procedures. However, whenever possible, we describe these procedures for other operating systems too. For example, appendix B shows how to install the software for this book on Mac OS X. However, if you're using another platform such as Linux or Solaris, you may need to search the Internet for more information about performing these platform-dependent procedures. Fortunately, if you use NetBeans as described in this book, there are very few platform-dependent procedures. What IDE this book supports This book shows you how to use the NetBeans IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to code, test, and debug applications. Although there are other excellent IDEs for working with Java, we decided to present NetBeans because we think it's the best IDE for getting started with Java. I's intuitive, easy to use, available for free, and it runs on all operating systems. Even if you want to use another IDE such as Eclipse, we recommend that you use NetBeans to work with the applications presented in this book. Then, once you're done with this book, it should be easy for you to switch from NetBeans to another IDE. However, if you'd prefer to get started with another IDE right away, you can do that too. But first, you'll need to convert the NetBeans projects that are available from our web site so you can work with them in your preferred IDE. How to get the software you need You can download all of the software that you need for this book for free from the Internet, To make that easier for you, appendix A shows how to download and install the JDK as well as NetBeans on a PC. Similarly, appendix B shows how to download and install the JDK, NetBeans, and Derby on a Mac. That's all the software you need to start developing professional Java applications on your own.Introduction XVii What you'll learn in this book Unlike competing books, this one focuses on the practical features that you'll need for developing professional Java applications, Here’s a quick tour: In section 1, you'll quickly master the basics of the Java language. In chapter 1, you'll leam how to get started with NetBeans. In chapter 2, you'll learn how to write console applications that use the Scanner class to get input from the user. By the end of chapter 5, you’ll know how to code applications that use custom methods to validate user input so they won't crash, And in chapter 6, you'll earn how to use NetBeans to thoroughly test and debug your applications. In section 2, you'll learn how to use Java for object-oriented programming. In chapter 7, you'll learn how to create and use your own classes, which is the basis for developing applications that are easier to test, debug, and maintain, Then, in chapters 8 through 10, you'll learn how to develop more sophisticated classes that use inheritance, interfaces, packages, type-safe enumerations, and the factory pattern. In addition, you'll lear how to use the three-tiered architecture that’s the standard used by most professionals for designing and developing object-oriented, database applications. In section 3, you'll learn more of the core Java features that you'll use all the time, In chapters 11 through 14, for instance, you'll learn how to work with arrays, collections, dates, strings, and exceptions. Along the way, you'll learn how to use features such as enhanced for loops, typed collections, generics, and the StringBuilder class. You'll also lear how to use JDK 1.7 features such as the try-with-resources statement In section 4, you'll learn how to use a built-in tool provided by NetBeans to develop graphical user interfaces (GUIs). We highly recommend this approach for getting started with GUI programming, First, you'll lear how (o use Swing components to develop real-world GUI applications that handle events, validate data, and populate objects. Then, you'll learn how to develop applets, a special type of Java application that can be downloaded from the Internet and run within a web browser. Because storing data is critical to most applications, section 5 shows you how to store data in a file or database. In chapter 18, you'll learn how to work with text files and binary files, including random-access files. In chapter 19, you'll lean how to use an API known as StAX (the Streaming API for XML) that was introduced with IDK 1.6 to work with XML documents and files. In chapter 20, you'll learn how to work with the open- source Apache Derby database. And in chapter 21, you'll learn how to use IDBC to work with any database. In section 6, you'll learn some advanced Java skills. In chapter 22, you'll learn how to use threads so your applications can perform two or more tasks at the same time. Finally, in chapter 23, you'll learn how to deploy your finished applications using executable JAR files or Java Web Start.XVili Introduction Why you'll learn faster and better with this book How our downloadable Like all our books, this one has features that you won't find in competing books. That's why we believe that you'll learn faster and better with our book than with any other. Here are just three of those features. To help you develop applications at a professional level, this book presents complete, non-trivial applications. For example, chapter 16 presents a Product Maintenance application that uses presentation classes, business classes, and data access classes. You won't find complete, real-world applications like this in other Java books even though studying these types of applications is the best way to master Java development, All of the information in this book is presented in our unique paired-pages format, with the essential syntax, guidelines, and examples on the right page and the perspective and extra explanation on the left page. This helps you learn more while reading less, and it helps you quickly find the information that you need when you use this book for reference. The exercises at the end of each chapter give you a chance to try out what you've just learned. They guide you through the development of some of the book’s applications, and they challenge you to apply what you've learned in new ways. As a result, you'll gain valuable, hands-on experience in Java programming that will build both your skills and your confidence. les make learning easier To make learning easier, you can download the source code for all the applications presented in this book from our web site (www.murach.com). This source code includes the files and databases required by these applications. Then, you can view the complete code for these applications as you read each chapter; you can run these applications to see how they work; and you can copy portions of code for use in your own applications. You can also download the source code that you need for doing the exercises in this book. That way, you don’t have to start every exercise from scratch, This takes the busywork out of doing these exercises so you can get more practice in less time. For more information about these downloads, please see appendix A (Windows) and appendix B (Mac OS X).Introduction Support materials for trainers and instructors If you're a corporate trainer or a college instructor who would like to use this book for a course, we offer an Instructor's CD that includes: (1) a complete set of PowerPoint slides that you can use to review and reinforce the content of the book; (2) instructional objectives that describe the skills a student should have upon completion of each chapter; (3) the solutions to the exercises in this book; (4) projects that the students start from scratch; (5) solutions to those projects; and (6) test banks that measure mastery of those skills. ‘To learn more about this Instructor's CD and (o find out how to get it, please go to our web site at www.murach,com and click the Trainers link or Instructors link. Or, if you prefer, you can call Kelly at 1-800-221-5528 or send an email to kelly@murach.com. A companion book for web developers Since web programming is one of the primary uses of Java, we also offer a book on web programming called Murach’s Java Servlets and JSP. It shows you how to use Java servlets and JavaServer Pages as you develop professional web applications. As you read that book, you'll discover that Java web programming requires most of the skills that are presented in sections 1-3 of this book. That's why we sec this book as the perfect companion for Murach's Java Servlets and ISP. Please let us know how this book works for you ‘When we started the first edition of this book, our goals were (1) to teach you Java as quickly and easily as possible and (2) to teach you the practical Java concepts and skills that you need for developing real-world business applications. We've tried to improve on that with each subsequent edition, and as this fourth edition goes to press, we hope that the book is more effective than ever before. Many of the improvements have come from the feedback we've received from our readers, so if you have any comments about this book, we would appreciate hearing from you at murachbooks@murach.com ‘Thanks for buying this book. We hope you enjoy reading it, and we wish you great success with your Java programming. Joel Murach Anne Boehm Author Editor xixSection 1 Essential Java skills This section gets you started quickly with Java programming. First, chapter 1 introduces you to Java applications and shows you how to use NetBeans to work with Java projects. Then, chapter 2 introduces you to the basic skills that you need for developing Java applications. When you complete these chapters, you'll be able to write, test, and debug simple applications of your own. After that, chapter 3 presents the details for working with numeric data, Chapter 4 presents the details for coding control statements, Chapter 5 shows how to validate the data that’s entered by the user. And chapter 6 shows how to thoroughly test and debug an application. These are the essential skills that you'll use in almost every Java application that you develop. When you finish these chapters, you'll be able to write solid programs of your own. And you'll have the background that you need for learning how to develop object-oriented programs.1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans Before you can begin learning the Java language, you need to install Java. In addition, you need to choose an IDE or a text editor for working with Java, For this book, we recommend that you use the NetBeans IDE. Appendix A of this, book shows you how to install both Java and NetBeans on a Windows system, and appendix B shows you how to install them on a Macintosh OS X system. ‘Then, this chapter shows how to use the NetBeans IDE to create and work with a Java application. But first, this chapter presents some background information about Java. Introduction to Java .. 4 ‘Toolkits and platforms 4 4 6 How Java compares to C++ and C# Applications, applets, and servlets ‘The code for the console version of the Future Value application 8 How Fava compiles and interprets code 10 Introduction to Java IDEs 2 How to use NetBeans to work with e Introduction to Java projects and the NetBeans IDE. How to open, close, and delete project How to compile and rum a project How to use the Output window with a console application How to work with two or more projects How to use NetBeans to develop new projects. How to create a new project How to set the Java version for a project How to work with Java source code and files Tow to use the code completion feature How to detect and correct syntax errors, Perspective. ing projectsSection 1 Essential Java skills Introduction to Java In 1996, Sun Microsystems released a new programming language called Java, Although Oracle bought Sun in 2010, Java remains one of the most widely used object-oriented programming languages. Toolkits and platforms Figure 1-1 describes all major releases of Java starting with version 1.0 and ending with version 1.7. Throughout Java's history, the terms Java Development Kit (JDK) and Software Development Kit (SDK) have been used to describe the Java toolkit. In this book, we'll use the term JDK since it’s the most current and commonly used term. In addition, different numbering schemes have been used to indicate the version of Java, For example, Java 5.0 and Java 6 refer to ver- sions 1.5 and 1.6 of Java. In this book, we'll use the 1.x style of numbering sittce this numbering is used by the documentation for Java. With versions 1.2 through 1.5 of the JDK, the Standard Edition (SE) of Java was known as Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE), and the Enterprise Edition (EE) was known as the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE). Since version 1.6 of the JDK, the Standard Edition of Java has been known as Java SE, and the Enterprise Edition is known as Java EE. This book shows how to use Java SE 7, but it should also work for earlier and future versions of Java, That includes Java SE 8, which is scheduled for release in late 2012, How Java compares to C++ and C# ‘When Sun’s developers created Java, they tried to keep the syntax for Java similar to the syntax for C++ so it would be easy for C++ programmers to learn Java. In addition, they designed Java so its applications can be run on any computer platform. In contrast, C+ needs to have a specific compiler for each platform, Java was also designed to automatically handle many operations involving the creation and destruction of memory. This is a key reason why it's easier to develop programs and write bug-free code with Java than with C++ To provide these features, the developers of Java had to sacrifice some speed (or performance) when compared to C+. For many types of applications, however, Java’s relative slowness is not an issue. Microsoft's Visual C# language is similar to Java in many ways. Like Java, C# uses a syntax that’s similar to C++ and that automatically handles memory operations. However, in practice, C# code only runs on Windows. Because of that, C# is a good choice for developing applications for a Windows-only environment. However, Java is a better choice if you need to develop cross platform applications.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans: Java timeline 1996 January Sun releases Java Development Kit 1.0 (IDK 1.0). 1997 February Sun releases Java Development Kit 1.1 (IDK 1.1), 1998 December Sun releases the Java 2 Platform with version 1.2 of the Software Development Kit (SDK 1.2). 1999 August Sun releases Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE). December Sun releases Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (I2EE) 2000 May Sun releases J2SE with version 1.3 of the SDK. 2002 February Sun releases J2SE with version 1.4 of the SDK. 2004 September Sun teleases JOSE 5.0 with version 1.5 of the JDK. 2006 December Sun releases Java SE 6 with version 1.6 of the JDK. 2010 April Oracle buys Sun, 2011 July Oracle releases Java SE 7 with version 1,7 of the JDK. Operating systems supported by Java Windows (XP, Vista, 7) Linux Solaris Macintosh OS X Java compared to C++ and C# Syotax Java syntax is similar to CH and C# syntax. Platforms Compiled Java code can be run on any platform that has a Java interpreter. Similarly, compiled C# code (MSIL) can be run on any system that has the appropriate interpreter. Currenly, only Windows has an interpreter for MSIL. C++ code must be compiled once for each type of system that itis going to be run on, Speed (CH and C# run faster than Java, but Java is geting faster with each new version, Memory Both Java and C# handle most memory operations automatically, while C++ programmers must write code that manages memory, Description + Versions 1.2 through 1.4 of Java are called the Software Development Kit (SDR). + Versions 1.5 through 1.7 of Java are called the Java Development Kit (JDK). Note + Java SE 8 with version 1.8 of the JDK is expected to be released late in 2012, Figure 1-1 Introduction to JavaSection 1 Essential Java skills Applications, applets, and servlets Figure 1-2 describes the three types of programs that you can create with Java, First, you can use Java to create applications that run directly on your computer. These are also known as desktop applications. ‘When you create these desktop applications, you can use a graphical user interface (GUD to get user input and perform a calculation as shown at the top left of this figure. In chapter 15, you'll learn how to create these types of applica- tions. Until then, you'll lear how to create another type of desktop application known as a console application. This type of application runs in the console, or command prompt, that’s available from your operating system. An example of a console application is shown at the top right of this figure. One of the unique characteristics of Java is that you can use it to create a special type of web-based application known as an applet. For instance, this figure shows an applet that works the same way as the applications above it. The main difference between an application and an applet is that an applet can be stored in an HTML page and can run inside a Java-enabled browser. As a result, you can distribute applets via the Internet or an intranet. In chapter 17, you'll earn how to create and deploy applets. Although applets can be useful for creating a complex user interface within a browser, they have their limitations. First, you usually need to install a plug-in on each client machine, which isn’t ideal for some types of applications, Second, since an applet runs within a browser on the client, it's not ideal for working with resources that run on the server, such as enterprise databases. To provide access to enterprise databases, many developers use Java EE to create applications that are based on servlets. A servlet is a special type of Java application that runs on the server and can be called by a client, which is usually a web browser. This is also illustrated in this figure. Here, you can see that the servlet works much the same Way as the applet, The main difference is that the code for the application runs on the server. ‘When a web browser calls a servlet, the servlet performs its task and returns the result to the browser, typically in the form of an HTML page. For example, suppose a browser requests a servlet that displays all unprocessed invoices that are stored in a database. Then, when the servlet is executed, it reads data from the database, formats that data within an HTML page, and returns the HTML page to the browser. ‘When you create a servlet-based application like the one shown here, all the processing takes place on the server and only HTML is returned to the browser. That means that anyone with an Internet or intranet connection, a web browser, and adequate security clearance can access and run a servlet-based application. Because of that, you don’t need to install any special software on the client. To make it easy to store the results of a servlet within an HTML page, the Java EE specification provides for JavaServer Pages (JSPs). Most developers use ISPs together with servlets when developing server-side Java applications Although servlets and JSPs aren’t presented in this book, we cover this topic in a companion book, Murach’s Java Servlets and JSP. For more information about this book, please visit our web site at www.murach.com,A GUI application and a console application Moti Payront: ‘Yoarymerest Rat: unter of Years ture Vale: 7) Fate Va Calais [Lemons] [at Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans: BE Aarinisratar Coneand Prone FutuVaieapp B= LS Be Bt ew Hee @rc Tan ece erviet Dena @-c Lu tar tert [ite ach an noch ‘oar rest [ie fit Yew Hay, Govimele Teck Up Ae DD tpn meichsom riinrchi east <2 -) [89 P ike tah Arsen Pui ome Books | nia mrs nsincios|Caskomse Sic ay] The Future Value Calculator serviet ‘The Future Value Calculator applet ao Figure 1-2 Applications, applets, and servletsSection 1 Essential Java skills The code for the console version of the Future Value application To give you an idea of how the code for a Java application works, figure 1-3 presents the code for the console version of the Future Value application that you saw in figure 1-2 If you have experience with other programming languages, you may be able to understand much of this code already. If not, don't worry! You'll learn how all of this code works in the next few chapters, For now, here’s a brief explana- tion of this code Most of the code for this application is stored in a class named FutureValueApp. This class begins with an opening brace ({) and ends with a closing brace (}). Within this class, two methods are defined. These methods also begin with an opening brace and end with a closing brace, and they are indented to clearly show that they are contained within the class. The first method, named main, is the main method for the application. The code within this method is executed automatically when you run the application, In this case, the code displays the data the user sees on the console, accepts the data the user enters at the console, and calculates the future value. The second method is named calculateFutureValue. This method is called from the main method and calculates the future value based on the data the user entersChapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans: The code for the Future Value application import java.util. Scanne: import java. text .NumberFormat; public class FutureValueapp { public static void main(String[] args) { Systen.out.printin("\nWelcone to the Future Value Calculator\n"); Scanner gc = new Scanner (System. in); String choice = "y"; while (choice { squalsTgnorecase (*y")) // get the input from the user System.out.print ("Enter monthly investment double monthlyInvestment = sc.nextDouble() System.out.print ("Enter yearly interest rate: "); double interestRate = sc.nextDouble() System.out.print ("Enter number of year! int years = se.nextInt(); *) ”; // calculate the future value double monthlyInterestRate = interestRate/12/100; int monthe = years * 12; double futureValue = calculateFutureValue( monthlyInvestment, monthlyInterestRate, months) ; // format and display the result NumberFormat currency = NunberFormat .getCurrencyInatance(); System.out.printin(*Future value: on currency. format (futureValue) + "\n*); // see if the user wants to continue system.out.print (*Continue? (y/n): *); choice = sc.next (); system.out.printin (); } private static double calculateFutureValue (double monthlyInvestment, double monthlyInterestRate, int months) { double futurevalue = 0; for (int i = 1; i <= months; i¢+) futureValue = (futureValue + monthlyInvestment) * (1 + monthlytnterestate) ; return futureValue; Figure 1-3 The code for the console version of the Future Value application10 Section 1 Essential Java skills How Java compiles and interprets code When you develop a Java application, you create one or more classes. For each class, you write the Java statements that direct the operation of the class Thea, you use a Java tool (o translate the Java statements into instructions that can be run by the computer. This process is illustrated in figure 1-4 To start, you enter and edit the Java source code for a class. These are the Java statements like the ones you saw in figure 1-3 that tell the application what to do. Then, you use the Java compiler to compile the source code into a format known as Java bytecodes. At this point, the bytecodes can be run on any plat- form that has a Java interpreter to interpret (or translate) the Java bytecodes into code that can be understood by the underlying operating system, Since Java interpreters are available for all major operating systems, you can run Java on most platforms. This is what gives Java applications their platform independence. In contrast, C++ requires a specific compiler for each type of platform that its programs are going to run on, When a platform has a Java interpreter installed on it, it can be considered an implementation of a Java virtual machine (JVM). In addition, most modem web browsers can be Java enabled. This allows applets, which are bytecodes that are downloaded from the Internet or an intranet, to run within a web browser. To make this work, Sun developed (and Oracle now maintains) the Java Plug-in. This piece of software is similar to other browser plug-ins such as Apple QuickTime. It allows the browser to run the current version of the Java interpreter. You'll learn more about this in chapter 17.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans 14 How Java compiles and interprets code Java IDE or Text editor source code (“java files) Java compiler bytecodes lass files) Java virtual machine (vm) Java interpreter Operating system Description When you develop a Java application, you develop one or more classes. You can use a Java IDE or any text editor to create, edit, and save the source code for a Java class. Source code files have the java extension. The Java compiler translates Java source code into a platform-independent format known as Java bytecodes. Files that contain Java bytecodes have the class exten- sion. The Java interpreter executes Java bytecodes. Since Java interpreters exist for all ‘major operating systems, Java bytecodes can be run on most platforms. A Java interpreter is an implementation of a Java virtual machine (JVM), Most modern web browsers can be Java enabled. This lets applets run within these browsers. Oracle provides a tool known as the Java Plug-in that allows you to specify the version of the Java interpreter that you want to use Figure 1-4 How Java compiles and interprets code12 Section 1 Essential Java skills Introduction to Java IDEs To develop Java applications, you typically use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Although you can use a simple text editor, an IDE provides features that can make developing Java applications considerably easier. Figure 1-5 describes some of the features of the most popular IDEs Note that all of the IDEs listed in this figure are either free or have a free edition. That makes them particularly attractive to students as well as program- ‘mers who are learning on their own. Most of these IDEs also run on all modern operating systems. The first two IDEs listed in this figure, NetBeans and Eclipse, are arguably the two most popular Java IDEs. Both of these IDEs provide all of the features listed in this figure. For example, both of these IDEs help you complete your code and notify you of potential compile-time errors. They both automatically compile your code before you run it. And they both include a debugger that lets you perform standard debugging functions like setting breakpoints, stepping through code, and viewing the values of variables. The default installation of NetBeans also provides a feature for building graphical user interfaces (GUIs). To use this GUI builder, you can drag controls onto a form on the design surface. Then, you can move, size, and align the controls and set properties of the controls that determine how they look. As you do this, the code that displays the GUI is automatically generated. Finally, you can generate event handlers for the events that you want to handle and then write the code that handles these events On the other hand, the default installation of Eclipse does not provide a GUI builder. However, several free GUI builder plug-ins are available for Eclipse. These GUI builders provide features similar to the GUI builder that’s provided by NetBeans. The last three IDEs listed in this figure aren’t as popular as NetBeans and Eclipse. However, we have included them here to give you an idea of the wide range of IDE choices that are available for Java. In addition, other Java IDEs are available that aren't included here. For this book, we recommend using NetBeans because we think it’s more intuitive and easier to use than Eclipse, especially for beginners. Once you're done with this book, you can switch to whatever IDE you prefer. Fortunately, once you learn how to use one IDE, it’s fairly easy to learn to use another one.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans. 18 Popular Java IDEs NetBeans _A free, open-source IDE that runs on most modern operating systems. Eclipse A free, open-source IDE that runs on most modern operating systems Intell IDEA The Community Edition of this IDE is a free, open-source IDE that runs on most modern operating systems, SCreator LE The Lite Edition (LE) of this IDE is free, but the code is not open- souree, and it only runs on Windows. Bluel ‘A free IDE that’s designed for teaching Java to first-year students and runs on most modem operating systems, Features provided by most IDEs + A code editor with code completion and error detection. + Automatic compilation of classes when you run the application. + A debugger that lets you set breakpoints, step through code, and view the values of active variables. * A GUI builder that lets you create graphical user interfaces by dragging controls onto a form, setting properties, and writing code that handles the events that are triggered when a user interacts with the form. Description + To develop Java applications, you typically use an Integrated Development Envi- ronment (IDE) like those listed above. All of these IDEs are either free or have free editions, Figure 1-5 Introduction to Java IDEs14 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to use NetBeans to work with existing projects Now that you have some background information about Java, you're ready to start working with existing NetBeans projects. In particular, you're ready to earn how to open and run any of the applications for this book. You can download these applications from our web site as described in appendix A (Windows) or appendix B (Mac OS X). Introduction to Java projects and the NetBeans IDE Figure 1-6 shows the NetBeans IDE with an open Java project. In NetBeans, a project is a folder that contains all the files for an application. In this example, the project is named ch02_Invoice. In the Projects window, you can see that the folder for the ch02_Invoice project contains two subfolders. The first one, named Source Packages, contains the source files for the application. The second one, named Libraries, contains the Java libraries that are used by the application. In this case, the application uses just the JDK 1.7 libraries, but you can add others, Within the Source Packages folder, the source files can be organized into packages. In this case, no package was specified for the project, so the default package is used. When you develop simple applications like the one shown here, that’s usually acceptable. For more complex applications, though, you'll ‘want (o use two or more packages as shown in chapter 10. The application shown here consists of a single source file named InvoiceApp.java. You can see part of this file in the NetBeans code editor. You'll learn more about working with this code editor later in this chapter. For now, I just want to point out that this file defines a single class. Because this class contains the main method for the application, it’s called the main class. When you run an application, the main method in the main class is executed by defaultChapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans 15: NetBeans with a Java project open Cate am = ==) [AMES OC woe - TBD EO a aaa [9 B-B-\USSRF es iaale eles i | 3) | ee omega y 3 i. ‘i aceite a Lerwes ‘ fa eeeoas : 4-nan(scsnet} es) li i Rt ee ee amc mannci I z ie (amoral 3s i) Description * A NetBeans project consists of a top-level folder that contains the subfolders and files for an application. + The Source Packages subfolder contains the java files that make up the project, These files define classes that are later compiled into class files, © By default, a project consists of a single class that contains the main method. The main method is the starting point for the application, and the class that contains it is called the main class. + The java files that make up a project can be organized into one or more packages. If you don’t specify a package for the main class when you create a project, it’s stored in the default package. + The Libraries subfolder contains the libraries that are available to your project. ‘These libraries contain the Java classes that you can use in your projects. By default, you can use the classes in the JDK libraries. + The folders, files, and libraries that make up a Java project arc listed in the Projects window. If this window isn’t visible, you can display it by using the Window->Projects command. Then, you can expand and collapse the nodes in this window by clicking on the plus and minus signs. * You can display and work with the source code in a java file in the code editor window. For details, see figure 1-11. Figure 1-6 Introduction to Java projects and the NetBeans IDE16 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to open, close, and delete a project To open a project in NetBeans, you use the Open Project dialog box shown in figure 1-7. This dialog box lets you navigate to the folder that contains the project you want to open. In this figure, for example, the Open Project dialog box shows all of the existing NetBeans projects in this folder: €:\murach\java\netbeans\book_apps To clearly indicate when a folder contains a Java project, the Open Project dialog box displays a sinall coffee cup icon to the left of the folder name. Then, you select the project you want to open and click the Open Project button. ‘When you're done working with a project, you can close it to remove it from the Projects window. To do that, you can use one of the techniques de- scribed in this figure. You can also delete a project if you decide that you no longer want to work with it in NetBeans. Before the project is deleted, NetBeans will prompt you to confirm the deletion. Then, by default, NetBeans deletes all of the files for the project except for the source files. That way, you can work with those files outside of NetBeans if you want to. If you want to delete the source files as well, you can select the “Also Delete Sources” option in the dialog box that's displayed. How to compile and run a project Figure 1-7 also describes how to compile and run a project. An easy way to run a project is to press F6, Then, if the project has been modified since the last time it was compiled, NetBeans automatically compiles the project and runs the ‘main method in the main class. If you want to compile a project without running it, you can use the Build command as described in this figure. You can also use the Clean and Build command to compile the project and remove any files that are no longer needed. This sometimes helps to get a project to work correctly after you have copied, moved, or renamed some of its files.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans. 17 The dialog box for opening a project Doar eat: 00k see oo Poet: (02 ance | Open atin Prt (S801 Iooeeforeated (pcos Fares Soot rmresvetvehoe Bev invce 05 Fratton (605 Frardevedston Sos pare ‘Seer retin eer mod moet Flerane: [Gruachipvaetearsback aps nvoce esotom: rarer How to open, close, and delete a project + To open a project, click the Open Project button in the toolbar or select the File->Open Project command. Then, use the Open Project dialog box that’s displayed to locate and. select the project and click the Open Project button, + You can also open a project by using the File->Open Recent Project command and then selecting the project from the list that’s displayed, + To close a project, right-click on the project in the Projects window and select the Close command, or select the project and then use the File->Close Project command, + To delete a project, right-click on the project in the Projects window and select the Delete command. When you do, you'll have the option of deleting just the files that NetBeans uses to manage the project or deleting all the folders and files for the project. How to compile and run a project * Torun a project, press F6, use the Run>Run Project command, or click the Run Project button in the toolbar. When you num a project, NetBeans automatically compiles it. As a result, you usually don’t need to compile a project separately. + To compile a project without running it, you can right-click on the project in the Projects window and select the Build command, # To delete all compiled files for a project and compile them again, you can right-click on the project and select the Clean and Build command. This removes files that are no longer needed and compiles the entire project Mac OS X note ‘+ To enable right-clicking with Mac OS X, you can edit the system preferences for the mouse. Figure 1-7 Basic skils for working with existing projects18 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to use the Output window with a console applica‘ ‘When you run a console application in NetBeans, any data that’s written to the console is displayed in the Output window. In addition, The Output window can accept input. This is illustrated in figure 1-8. The project shown in this figure is for a simple application that accepts a subtotal. Then, this application calculates and displays the discount percent, discount amount, and invoice total based on that subtotal. You'll see the code for this application in the next chapter. For now, just focus on the data in the Output window. Here, the application started by displaying a welcome message. Then, it displayed a prompt indicating that I should enter a subtotal. In response, I typed “100” and pressed Enter. When I did, the application displayed the calculations and then asked me if I wanted to continue. At this point, the application is still running, and I can enter “y” to perform another calculation or “n” to end the application ‘When you're learning Java, it’s common to create applications that use the console to display output and get input. Because of that, the first three sections of this book teach you Java using console applications. Then, section 4 of this book will teach you how to create modem applications with graphical user interfaces.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans 19 An application that uses the Output window for input and output Cxiee eae ao) B-\VSSMFesiaseuies eet nner re Description + When you run an application that prints data to the console, that data is displayed in the Output window. + When you run an application that requests input from the console, the Output window pauses to accept the input, Then, you can click in the Output window, type the input, and press the Enter key. + In addition to displaying output and accepting input, the Output window can display other information, For example, it can display messages when the applica tion is compiled, and it can display errors that are encountered when an application is run. Figure 1-8 How to use the Output window with a console application20 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to work with two or more projects Up to this point, I've shown you how to work with a single project in NetBeans. However, NetBeans lets you open and work with two or more projects at the same time. If, for example, you want to run some of the projects from the download for this book before you start creating your own projects, you can open those projects in NetBeans at the same time. You'll get a chance to do that in the first exercise for this chapter. Figure 1-9 presents the skills for working with two or more projects. To start, you can run a project by selecting it in the Projects window and then using the techniques you leamed in figure 1-7. Alternatively, you can set one of the projects as the main project using one of the techniques in this figure. When you do that, NetBeans identifies the project by boldfacing it in the Projects window. Then, that project is run automatically when you use one of the standard tech- niques for running a project, To run a project other than the main project, you have to right-click on the project or the file that contains the main method for the project and select the Run or Run File commandChapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans. 24 NetBeans with two open projects Cam nae tana . == JT BP B-O- = ‘hile (2noLog-equalotgnorecase(“!")) Description + NetBeans lets you open and work with two or more projects at the same time. + When you work with two or more projects, you can set one project as the main project. To do that, right-click on the project and select Set as Main Project. Or, when you open the project, select the Open as Main Project option. * After you set a main project, you can run that project by pressing F6, by using the Run Run Main Project command, or by clicking the Run Main Project button in the toolbar. The Run Main Project command and toolbar button replace the Run Project command and toolbar button when a main project is set. «Torun a project other than the main project, right-click on the project and select the Run command, or right-click on the file that contains the main method you want to run and select the Run File command. * Ifyou don’t set a main project, you can run any project by selecting that project in he Projects window and then using standard techniques. Figure 1-9 How to work with two or more projects22 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to use NetBeans to develop new projects Now that you know how to work with existing Java projects in NetBeans, you're ready to learn how to develop new Java projects. That’s what you'll learn in the remainder of this chapter. How to create a new project Figure 1-10 presents the dialog boxes for creating a Java application. You use the New Project dialog box to choose the type of project you want to create. In most cases, you'll create a Java Application project as shown here. Then, when you click the Next button, NetBeans displays a New Java Application dialog box like the second one in this figure. The New Java Application dialog box lets you enter a name and location for the project. In this figure, for example, the project name is “ch01_Test” and it will be stored in this folder: €:\murach\java\netbeans\book_apps If you install the source code for this book as described in the appendix, all of the applications presented in this book will be stored within this folder. By default, when you create a Java application in NetBeans, NetBeans generates a main class with a main method. If that’s not what you want, you can remove the check mark from the “Create Main Class” option. In most cases, though, you'll leave this option checked. Then, you can enter a name for the main class and, optionally, the package that contains it, For the project in this figure, for example, NetBeans suggested ch01_test.ch01_Test, where “ch01_test” is the name of the package and “ch01_Test” is the name of the class. In this figure, I deleted the package name, and I changed the name of the class to TestApp. As a result, NetBeans created a project named ch01_Test that contains a main class named TestApp. Because I didn’t specify a package name, this class is stored in the default package. Like the Open Project dialog box you saw in figure 1-7, the New Java Application dialog box includes an option that determines if the new project is set as the main project, If you know that you want a project set as the main project when you create it, you should select this option. Otherwise, you can set ‘the main project later using the technique you learned in figure 1-9. ‘When this dialog box is complete, you can click the Finish button to create the project and the class that contains the main method. Then, NetBeans creates a folder that corresponds with the project name, and it creates some additional files that it uses to configure the project.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans The dialog boxes for creating a new project Foes [gp saltaien [jp wacutey [S Sanam srmsoves [ mareremrope | i | fees, peta — (rate ane Srv Sf aplctoe a Frc E opt Yu anagram ds ‘roe Stes on DE generated ANEBuld Seton sec I a | se ame and Location Prsectanes [603 en 1 Djentsaten [Surchyneairebst or | enfoeen gure jpebansbock eee Ta 1 cee cae Tevet Petar Pont @roeeraerareneysaarsert ene Description + To create a new project, use the File->New Project command or click the New Project button in the toolbar to display the New Project dialog box. Then, select a project type, click the Next button and complete the dialog box that’s displayed. + To create a Java Application project, enter the project name and location and the name you want to use for the main class. You can also enter the name of the package that will contain the main class, but that’s not necessary. Figure 1-10 How to create a new project 2324 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to set the Java version for a project In some cases, you'll want to change the version of Java that a project uses. For example, you might want the project to run on computers with earlier versions of Java. Then, you can use the Project Properties dialog box in figure 1-11 to change the version for the project. To use an earlier version of Java, you start by displaying the Sources category. Then, you select the version you want to use from the Source/Binary Format drop-down list. In this figure, I selected JDK 6. As a result, any lan- guage features that were added after Java 6 won't be available to the project. In addition, the bytecodes that are generated by the compiler for the project will run under Java 6 and later versions. Although setting the Source/Binary Format option will keep you from using language features that were added with a later version of Java, it won't keep you from using features of the IDK libraries for later versions. In many cases, that’s not a problem. If you want to be sure that you don’t use any of the new features, though, you should change the Java platform that’s used by the project. To do that, just select the JDK version from the Java Platform drop-down list in the Libraries category of the Project Properties dialog box. ‘Note that the Java Platform drop-down list only includes the versions you have installed on your computer. Before you can select a different version, then, you may have to install it as described in the appendix A (Windows) or appen- dix B (Mac OS X). After you do that, you can click the Manage Platforms button to the right of the Java Platform drop-down list to display a dialog box that lets you add the version you installed. You might also want to change the Java version for a project if a newer version becomes available and you want to use some of the features of that version. After you install the new version, you can use the JDK libraries for that version in a project by selecting the JDK from the Java Platform drop-down list In addition, if you want to use the new language features of that version and you don’t need the project to run under earlier versions of Java, you can select the new IDK from the Source/Binary Format drop-down list Note that to use a newer version, you must set the Java Platform option first. Otherwise, that JDK won't be available in the Source/Binary Format listChapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans: The Project Properties dialog box (Chaetrapeie ata Ta anaes (Crater da Tet =I Peptic meadinaetensbak BOs Tat os eaten anaes strane Fates Description The Project Properties dialog box lets you set various properties that affect the project. To display this dialog box, right-click on the project in the Projects window and select the Properties command. To set the version of the Java language and compiled bytecodes the project uses, select the version from the Source/Binary Format drop-down list in the Sources category. Then, the compiled bytecodes for the project will run under this version of Java and later. In addition, the project can only use language features for the specified version of Java To set the version of the JDK libraries that are available to the project, select the version from the Java Platform drop-down list in the Libraries category. Then, your project can only use the features that are available from that version of the JDK libraries. For this to work, the version of the JDK you want to use must be installed on your system, To be sure that the JDK libraries are compatible with the language features and bytecodes, select the same version of the JDK from the Java Platform and the Source/Binary Format drop-down lists. Figure 1-11 How to set the Java version for a project << oo na a ST > tna ‘Sheen on 2526 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to work with Java source code and files When you create a new project that contains a class with a main method, the class is typically opened in a new code editor window as shown in figure 1-12. To make it easier to for you to recognize the Java syntax, the code editor uses different colors for different language elements. In addition, NetBeans provides standard File and Edit menus and keystroke shortcuts that let you save and edit the source code. For example, you can press Ctrl+S to save your source code, and you can use standard commands to cut, copy, and paste code. When you create a project with a main class, NetBeans generates some code for you. In this figure, for example, NetBeans generated the code that declares the class, the code that declares the main method, and comments that describe the class and method. Although you can delete or modify the class and method declarations, you won't usually do that, However, you may want to delete or modify some or all of the comments, Ifthe source code you want to work with isn’t displayed in a code editor window, you can use the Projects window to navigate to the java file and then double-click on it to open it in a code editor window. In this figure, for example, you can see the TestApp,java file in the Projects window. Notice that this file is stored in the default package of the Source Packages folder, since no package was specified when the project was created. You can also rename or delete a java file from the Projects window. To do that, just right-click on the file and select the appropriate command, If you rename a file, NetBeans automatically changes both the name of the .java file and the name of the class. Since the name of the .java file must match the name of the class, this is usually what you want.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans. 27 Net Bean’s code editor with the starting source code for a project (© 20 ex Neen SS FEES OE Geiom 7 BD i @- coon BO QCM Pe siaaieuias i116) Description + To open a .java file in the code editor, double-click on it in the Projects window. Then, you can use normal editing techniques to work with the source code. + To collapse the code for a method or comment, click the minus sign (-) to its left. Then, a plus sign (+) appears to the left of the method or comment, and you can click the plus sign to display the code again. + To save the source code fora file, use the File>Save command (Curl+S) or click the Save All Files button in the toolbar. This automatically compiles the file so it doesn’t have to be compiled when the project is run. + To rename a file, right-click on it, select the Refactor->Rename command, and enter the new name in the resulting dialog box. © To delete a file, you can right-click on it, select the Delete command, and confirm the deletion in the resulting dialog box. Figure 1-12 How to work with Java source code and files,28 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to use the code completion feature Figure 1-13 shows how to use the code completion feature. This feature prevents you from making typing mistakes, and it allows you to discover what ficlds and methods are available from various classes and objects. In this figure, for example, I started to enter a statement that prints text to the console. First, I entered “sys” and pressed Ctrl+Spacebar (both keys at the same time). This displayed a list with the System class as the only option, Then, I pressed the Enter key to automatically enter the rest of the class name ‘Next, I typed a period. This displayed a list of fields and methods available from the System class. Then, I used the arrow keys to select the field named out and pressed the Enter key to automatically enter that field name. Finally, I typed another period, This displayed a long list of method names. Then, I typed “pr” to scroll down the list to the methods that start with “pr”, and Tused the arrow keys to select one of the println methods as shown in the figure. At this point, I could press Enter to have NetBeans enter the method into the editor for me. When you use code completion, it automatically enters opening and closing parentheses and arguments whenever they're needed. In this figure, for example, you can see that the printin method that I’ve selected is followed by a set of parentheses that contains a string argument, When I inserted this method into the code editor, the parentheses and arguments were inserted and the argument was highlighted so I could enter a value for it. The code completion feature can also make it easy for you to enter values for string variables. If you type a quotation mark to identify a string value, the code completion feature automatically enters both opening and closing quota tion marks and places the cursor between the two, At this point, you can enter the text for the string. If you experiment with the code completion feature, you'll quickly see when it helps you enter code more quickly and when it makes sense to enter the code yourself. In addition, you'll see that it helps you understand the kinds of fields and methods that are available to the various classes and objects that you're working with. This will make more sense as you learn about object- oriented programming in Java beginning in the next chapter.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans The code editor with a code completion list Cate ao BEES OE cero 9 TW DO 7 as] reowme =] SG-B-QSoR Pee aeu lie teczz.. |B eet TT eee Description + You can use the code completion feature to help you enter the names of classes and objects and select from the methods and fields that are available for a class or object. + To activate the code completion feature for entering a class or object name, press Cirl+Spacebar after entering one or more letters of the class or object name. Then, a list of all the classes and objects that start with those letters is displayed. + To activate the code completion feature for a method or field of a class or object, enter a period after a class or object name. Then, a list of all the methods and fields for that class or object is displayed. + To insert an item from a code completion list, select the item and then press the Enter key. If the item requires parentheses, they’re added automatically. Ifthe item requires one or more arguments, default values are added for those arguments and the first argument is highlighted so you can enter its value. Then, you can press the ‘Tab key and enter the values for any remaining arguments. + Ifyou enter the opening quote for a string value, the code completion feature automatically adds the closing quote and places the cursor between the two quotes so you can enter a value. Figure 1-13 How to use the code completion feature prime acne ©) wl fOreist tims 2) = 2930 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to detect and correct syntax errors In NetBeans, a syntax error is caused by a statement that won't compile. As you enter {ext into the code editor, NetBeans displays syntax errors whenever it detects them. In figure 1-14, for example, NetBeans displays an error that indicates that a semicolon needs to be entered to complete the statement. This error is marked with a red icon to the left of the statement. In addition, the statement that contains the error is marked with a wavy red underline. If you position the mouse cursor over the red error icon or over the statement itself, NetBeans displays a description of the error. In this figure, for example, the description indicates that NetBeans expects a semicolon at the end of the statement. As a result, you can fix the error by typing the semicolon.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans 34 The code editor with an error displayed Ver Se Rehr at he Pile Tem To We He (SHES 96 woe IT HDG: ki Testroesava | < BS-S-\US5RPstiagieuias ten ons Description + NetBeans often detects syntax errors as you enter code into the code editor. + When NetBeans detects a syntax error, it displays a red error icon to the left of the statement in error and it places a red wavy line under the statement. + To get more information about a syntax error, you can position the mouse pointer over the error icon. Or, you can move the cursor to the line that contains the error and press Alt+Enter. Figure 1-14 How to detect and correct syntax errors32 Section 1 Essential Java skills Perspective In this chapter, you were introduced to Java, and you learned how to use NetBeans to create and run a Java application. With that as background, you're ready to learn how to write your own Java applications. But first, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with NetBeans by doing the exercises at the end of this chapter. Summary You use the Java Development Kit (JDK) to develop Java applications. This used to be called the Sofiware Development Kit (SDK) for Java. * Aso version 6, the Standard Edition (SE) of Java is called Java SE. In older versions, it was called the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE). You can use Java SE to create applications (also known as desktop applications) that run on your computer and a special type of Internet-based application known as an applet. © A desktop application can use a graphical user interface (GUD or a console to display output and get user input. Applications that use a console to interact with the user are known as console applications ‘© You can use the Enterprise Edition (EB) of Java, which is known as Java BE, to create server-side applications using servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSPS). ‘© The Java compiler translates source code into a platform-independent format known as Java bytecodes. Any machine that has a Java interpreter installed on it can be considered an implementation of a Java virtual machine (JVM). + An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) such as NetBeans can make working with Java easier. + In NetBeans, a project is a folder that contains all ofthe files that make up an application. ‘+ Java code is stored in classes. To organize multiple classes, you can store them in packages, + The main class of an application is the class that contains the main method, which is the starting point of the application + If an application prints text to the console, NetBeans displays the text in the Output window. NetBeans also allows you to enter input into the Output window. ‘+ When multiple projects are open, NetBeans identifies the main project by boldfacing its name in the Projects window. You can use the NetBeans code editor to enter and edit code. As you enter code, you can use the code completion feature to help you enter the names of classes and objects and select from fields and methods.Chapter 1 How to get started with Java and NetBeans. 88 Before you do the exercises for this chapter Before you do any of the exercises in this book, you need to install the JDK and NetBeans. In addition, you need to install the source code for this book from our web site (www.murach.com), See appendix A (Windows) or appendix B (Mac OS X) for details. Exercise 1-1 Use NetBeans to open and run two projects This exercise guides you through the process of using NetBeans to open and run two console applications. Open and run the Invoice application 1. Start NetBeans. When the Start Page is displayed, review the information on its tabs. Then, close this page. 2. Open the project named ch01_ex1_Invoice. The project should be stored in this directory ¢:\murach\java\netbeana\ex_starte 3. Open the InvoiceApp java file in the code editor and review its code to get an idea of how this application works. 4, Press Fé to run the application. Enter a subtotal when you're prompted, and then enter “n” when you're asked if you want to continue. Open and run the Test Score application 5. Open the project named ch01_ex2_TestScore. When you do, make sure to select the “Open as Main Project” option, Then, open the TestScoreApp java file in the code editor and review its code. 6. Click the Run Project button in the toolbar to run the application. Enter one or more grades when you're prompted, and enter 999 to end the application. Set the main project and run the applications again 7. Set the Invoice application as the main project. Then, press F6 to run this application. When you're done, end the application. 8. Right-click on the Test Score application and select the Run command to run this application. When you're done, end the application. 9. Close both projects.34 Section 1 Essential Java skills xercise 1-2. Use NetBeans to develop an application This exercise guides you through the process of using NetBeans to enter, save, compile, and run a simple application. Enter the source code and run the application 1, Start NetBeans if it isn’t already open. 2. Select the File->New Project command from the NetBeans menu system. Then, use the resulting dialog boxes to create a Java Application project named ch01_Test that contains a main class named TestApp. Store the project in this directory: c:\murach\java\netbeans\ex_starts 3. Modify the generated code for the TestApp class so it looks like this (type carefully and use the same capitalization): public class Testapp { public static void main(String{] args) { System. out.printin( "This Java application has run successfully. d } 4, Press F6 to compile and run the application. This should display “This Java application has run successfully.” in the Output window. Use the code completion feature 5. Enter the statement that starts with System.out again, right after the first statement. This time, type “sys” and then press Ctrl+Spacebar. Then, use the code completion feature to select the System class, and complete the statement 6. Enter this statement a third time, right after the second statement. This time, type System, enter a period, and select out from the list that’s displayed. Then, enter another period, select printin(String x), and complete the statement. You should now have the same statement three times in a row. 7. Run the application again to see that the message is displayed three times in a row in the Output window: Introduce and correct a syntax error 8. In the code editor window, delete the semicolon at the end of the first println statement, and NetBeans will display an error icon to the left of the statement. 9. Correct the error, and NetBeans will remove the error icon. 10. Use the File->Save command (Ctrl+S) to save the changes.2 Introduction to Java programming Now that you know the basic skills for using NetBeans (o work with Java projects, the quickest and best way to learn Java programming is to do Java programming. That's why this chapter shows you how to write complete Java programs that get input from a user, make calculatior and display output. ‘When you finish this chapter, you should be able to write comparable programs of your own. Basic coding skills How to code satements How to code comments How to create identifiers How to declare a class and a main method. How to work with numeric variables .. How to declare and initialize variables How to code assignment statements How to code arithmetic expressions How to work with string variables How to create a String object How to join and append stings How to include special character in strings, How to use Java classes, objects, and methods How to create objects and call methods How to impart Java classes How to use the APT documentation to research Java classes How to use the console for input and output How to use the System out object to print output tothe console 56 How to use the Scanner class to read input from the console 58 Examples that get input from the console 60 How to code simple control statements .. How to compare numeri variables How to compate sting variables How to code itelse statements 4 How to code while statements ‘Two illustrative applications rhe Invoice application rhe Test Score application How to test and debug an application... How to test an application How to debug an application Perspective.36 Section 1 Essential Java skills Basic coding skills This chapter starts by introducing you to some basic coding skills. You'll use these skills for every Java program you develop. How to code statements The statements in a Java program direct the operation of the program. When you code a statement, you can start it anywhere in a coding line, you can con- tinue it from one line to another, and you can code one or more spaces anywhere a single space is valid. In the first example in figure 2-1, the lines that aren't shaded are statements, To end most statements, you use a semicolon, But when a statement requires a set of braces {}, it ends with the right brace. Then, the statements within the braces are referred to as a block of code. For example, the InvoiceApp class and the main method shown in this figure both contain a block of code. To make a program easier to read, you should use indentation and spacing to align statements and blocks of code. This is illustrated by the program in this figure and by all of the programs and examples in this book, How to code comments Comments are used in Java programs to document what the program does and what specific blocks and lines of code do. Since the Java compiler ignores comments, you can include them anywhere in a program without affecting your code. In the first example in figure 2-1, the comments are shaded, A single-line comment is typically used to describe one or more lines of code. This type of comment starts with two slashes (//) that tell the compiler to ignore all characters until the end of the current line, In the first example in this figure, you can see four single-line comments that are used to describe groups of statements. The other comment is coded after a statement. This type of comment is sometimes referred to as an end-of-line comment. The second example in this figure shows how to code a block comment. This type of comment is typically used to document information that applies to a block of code, This information can include the author's name, program comple- tion date, the purpose of the code, the files used by the code, and so on. Although many programmers sprinkle their code with comments, that shouldn't be necessary if you write code that’s easy to read and understand. Instead, you should use comments only to clarify code that’s difficult to under- stand. In this figure, for example, an experienced Java programmer wouldn't need any of the single-line comments, One problem with comments is that they may not accurately represent what the code does, This often happens when a programmer changes the code, but doesn’t change the comments that go along with it. Then, it’s even harder to understand the code because the comments are misleading. So if you change the code that you've written comments for, be sure to change the comments tooChapter 2 Introduction to Java Programming 37 An application consists of statements and comments import java.util. scanne: public class Invoiceapp { public static void main(string{] args) { // display a welcome message System.out.printin ("Welcome to the Invoice Total Calculator") ; systen.out.printin(); // print a blank line // get the input from the user Scanner sc = new Scanner (Systen. in); system.out.print ("Enter subtotal: "); double subtotal = sc.nextDouble() ; // calculate the discount amount and total double discountPercent = .2; double discountAmount = subtotal * discountPercent; double invoiceTotal = subtotal - discountAmount; // format and display the result String message = "Discount percent: * + discountPercent + *\n" + "Discount amount: * + discountAmount + *\n" + “Invoice total: "+ invoiceTotal + *\a"; system.out.printin (message) ; } } A block comment that could be coded at the start of a program i + Author: J. Murach * Purpose: This progran uses the console to get a subtotel fron the user, : and it calculates the discount amount and total and displays chen. v Description + Java statements direct the operations of a program, while comments are used to help document what the program does. + You can start a statement at any point in a line and continue the statement from one line to the next. To make a program easier to read, you should use indentation and extra spaces to align statements and parts of statements, + Most statements end with a semicolon, But when a statement requires a set of braces { }, the statement ends with the right brace. Then, the code within the braces can be referred (0 as a block of code. + To code a single-line comment, type II followed by the comment. You can code a single-line comment on a line by itself or after a statement, A comment that’s coded after a statement is sometimes called an end-of-line comment. * To code a block comment, type /* at the start of the block and */ at the end. You can also code asterisks to identify the lines in the block, but that isn’t necessary. Figure 2-1 How to code statements and comments38 Section 1 Essential Java skills How to create identifiers As you code a Java program, you need to create and use identifiers. These are the names in the program that you define. In each program, for example, you need to create an identifier for the name of the program and for the vari- ables that are used by the program. Figure 2-2 shows you how to create identifiers. In brief, you must start each identifier with a letter, underscore, or dollar sign. After that first character, you can use any combination of letters, underscores, dollar signs, or digits. Since Java is case-sensitive, you need to be careful when you create and use identifiers. If, for example, you define an identifier as CustomerAddress, you can’t refer to it later as Customeraddress. That's a common coding error. When you create an identifier, you should try to make the name both ‘meaningful and easy to remember, To make a name meaningful, you should use as many characters as you need, so it’s easy for other programmers to read and understand your code. For instance, netPrice is more meaningful than nPrice, and nPrice is more meaningful than np. To make a name easy to remember, you should avoid abbreviations. If, for example, you use nwCst as an identifier, you may have difficulty remembering whether it was nCust, nwCust, or nwCst later on, If you code the name as newCustomer, though, you won"t have any trouble remembering what it was. Yes, you type more characters when you create identifiers that are meaningful and easy to remember, but that will be more than justified by the time you'll save when you test, debug, and maintain the program, For some common identifiers, though, programmers typically use just one or two lowercase letters. For instance, they often use the letters i,j, and k to identify counter variables. You'll see examples of this later in this chapter. Notice that you can’t create an identifier that is the same as one of the Java keywords. These 50 keywords arc reserved by the Java language and are the basis for that language. To help you identify keywords in your code, Java IDEs display these keywords in a different color than the rest of the Java code, For example, NetBeans displays keywords in blue. As you progress through this book, you'll leam how to use almost all of these keywords.Chapter 2 Introduction to Java Programming 39 Valid identifiers Invoiceapp Sordertotal =i Invoice orderTotal x Invoiceapp2 Tnput_string TITLE subtotal _get_total MONTHS_PER_YEAR AiscountPercent §_s4_Valid The rules for naming an identifier Start each identifier with a letter, underscore, or dollar sign. Use letters, dollar signs, underscores, or digits for subsequent characters. Use up to 255 characters Don't use Java keywords. Keywords boolean if interface class true char else package volatile false byte final fitch while throws float private ca return native void Protected break throw implements short public default = try import double static for catch synchronized int new continue finally comet eng this @o transient goto abateact super extends instanceof auld Description An identifier is any name that you create in a Java program. These can be the names of classes, methods, variables, and so on, A keyword is a word that’s reserved by the Java language. As a result, you can't use keywords as identifiers. When you refer to an identifier, be sure to use the correct uppercase and lowercase letters because Java is a case-sensitive language. Figure 2-2 How to create identifiers,Section 1 Essential Java skills How to declare a class and a main method In the last chapter, you learned that if you use NetBeans to create a project, it can generate a main class with a main method for the project. Although you saw the code for four different classes and three different main methods in chapter 1, figure 2-3 now presents the syntax for declaring any class or main method. Even if you use NetBeans, you should be familiar with this syntax. To code a class, you begin with a class declaration, In the syntax for declar- ing a class, the boldfaced words are Java keywords, and the words that aren't boldfaced represent code that the programmer supplies. The bar (|) in this syntax ‘means that you have a choice between the two items that the bar separates. In this case, the bar means that you can start the declaration with the public keyword or the private keyword. The public and private keywords are access modifiers that control the scope of a class. Usually, a class is declared public, which means that other classes can access it. Later in this book, you'll leam when and how to use private classes. After the public keyword and the class keyword, you code the name of the class using the basic rules for creating an identifier. When you do, it’s a common coding convention to start every word within a class name with a capital letter and to use letters and digits only. We also recommend that you use a noun or a noun that’s preceded by one or more adjectives for your class names. After the class name, the syntax summary shows a left brace, the statements that make up the class, and a right brace. It’s a good coding practice, though, to type your ending brace right afier you type the starting brace to prevent missing braces. When you use NetBeans, the ending brace is automatically added after you type the starting brace and then press the Enter key. The two InvoiceApp classes in this figure show how a class works, Notice that the only difference between the two classes is where the opening braces for the class and the block of code within the class are placed. Although cither technique is acceptable, we've chosen to use the first technique for this book whenever possible. Within a class, you code one or more methods, which are pieces of code that perform the actions of the application (they're similar to functions in some programming languages). As you know, the main method is a special kind of method that's automatically executed when the class that contains itis run. All Java programs contain a main method that starts the program. To code a main method, you begin by coding a main method declaration within the class declaration as shown in the two InvoiceApp classes in this figure. Although I won't describe this declaration, you should know that all main method declarations are coded exactly as shown, You'll learn more about the keywords used by this declaration later in this book. To make the structure of the main method clear, it’s indented and its starting and ending braces are aligned so it's easy to see where the method begins and ends. Then, between the braces, you can see the one statement that this main method performs. This statement displays a message to the user, and you'll learn more about it later in this chapter.