During the installation process you may need an utility called WinZip, which is used for managing .zip files. Note that this software costs $29, but the free evaluation version is fully functional and does not expire.

The files that you will need to download are quite large (the Java SDK and Eclipse downloads are roughly 50 and 90 megabytes, respectively), and so it is necessary that you have a fast internet connection. For people that have slow connections (e.g., telephone modem), then we can provide a limited number of CD's with the required software. Please contact your TA.

Installation Process

Download Java (J2SE v 1.4.2_05 SDK):

(This is not needed for Mac OS X, since it is already built in.) For Windows and Linux, visit the web site:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

Then in the area that has the following header:

J2SE v 1.4.2_05 SDK includes the JVM technology

select Download J2SE SDK. (On Windows, you will need admin privileges.) Be careful that you do not confuse the JRE with SDK, you need the SDK. Once the download is complete, install java by clicking on the file you downloaded. This will lead you through the installation process.

Download Eclipse:

To download Eclipse visit the web page

http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/index.php

You may select any mirror site, e.g. "Main Eclipse Download Site". (Depending on the current internet traffic load, some mirror sites may be very busy, and you may want to experiment until finding one that provides good response time.)

There are several versions of Eclipse, and it is important you install the correct one. Check that the site has the latest version, in particular be sure you download the version with "Build Type" = "Latest Release" and "Build Name" = "3.0". If you do not see this, try another mirror site. Click on the "3.0" link, and this will take you to a page where you can select the version for your particular platform (e.g. "Windows" or "Linux"). Locate your platform and click the download link, e.g., (http). Save the resulting zip file in any directory of your choosing.

Install Eclipse:

Unlike most modern software products, Eclipse has not have a fancy installation procedure. To install it, simply extract the zip file in the directory where your programs are stored, e.g. C:\Program Files. This will create a directory named eclipse. The executable program file is located in this directory and is called "eclipse.exe". On Windows systems, it is a good idea to create a shortcut to this executable on your desktop. To do this, right-click on the "eclipse.exe" file and select "Send To → Desktop".

Initializing Eclipse:

Eclipse stores all its files in a directory called its "workspace". When Eclipse is run for the first time, it will ask you where you want the workspace to be placed. You can just use the default location (which will be in the directory where eclipse was installed). Some people find it more convenient to place the workspace somewhere in their "My Documents" directory, e.g. "My Documents\Eclipse".

After this, you should see the "Welcome to Eclipse 3.0" page. When you see this, you are ready to proceed to the next step.

Downloading Required Plug-ins:

Eclipse's functionality can be expanded by using plug-ins. For this course we need to download a few plugins (the course project management and Dr. Java are critical). In order to install these plug-ins, first launch Eclipse. Then follow the instructions provided in following the web site:

http://www.cs.umd.edu/~pugh/IntroProgramming/eclipseUpdate

After installing the new plug-ins, you will need to restart Eclipse. One way to check that you have succeeded in downloading the plug-ins is (after restarting Eclipse), select the menu items

Window → Open Perspective → Other

You should see "DrJava" on the list. (Note, this is different from "Java" and "Java Browsing", which may also be on the list.) If so, you are ready to go!