IDEs

We strongly encourage you to use an IDE to develop your project code. Although you could develop this project using only emacs and a java compiler and virtual machine, it is in your best interest to use an integrated development environment (IDE). An IDE allows you to write, compile, test, debug, and run your program without having to go to the command line (or a shell in emacs). A good IDE is one that helps you find compilation errors and allows you to debug your program by stepping through it line-by-line while displaying a print out of all local variables.

Many java IDEs are available. Try out a few and find out that works for you. Some potential IDEs include but are not limited to:

• Eclipse [http://www.eclipse.org/]
• JCreator [http://www.jcreator.com]
• Dr. Java [http://drjava.sourceforge.net/]
• jbuilder [http://www.borland.com/jbuilder/] (free but registration required)
• NetBeans [http://wwws.sun.com/software/sundev/jde/index.html]
• SunOne [www.sun.com/sunone/] (Community Edition is a free download from Sun)

Do a Google search to find the URLs to download these IDEs or look for them on the WAM machines (I have no idea which of these are installed on the UMD networksÖ I merely noted the popular IDEs that I have heard of). If you find another IDE which you like, post it to the newsgroup to earn class participation points and allow others to share in your wisdom at the same time.

While you are permitted to use any JAVA drawing facility you are comfortable with, a simple drawing package is available on the class web page. It is this package that will be most readily supported by the TA's should any problems arise. The package 'Canvas.java' provides a simple class which allows drawing of circles , squares, lines, captions, and other simple primitives in a java jframe. While this isn't being used in part 1, it will show up in the not to distant future so you may want to take a peak at it. A drawing package appropriate for the project can be downloaded from the class webpage.

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