Setting Up Eclipse with Java 1.6 on Windows

Set the PATH variable if you want to be able to conveniently run the JDK executables (javac.exe, java.exe, javadoc.exe, etc.) from any directory without having to type the full path of the command. If you don't set the PATH variable, you need to specify the full path to the executable every time you run it, such as:

   C:> "\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_<version>\bin\javac" MyClass.java

To set the PATH permanently, add the full path of the jdk1.6.0_<version>\bin directory to the PATH variable. Typically this full path looks something like C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_<version>\bin, where <version> is a two-digit number. Set the PATH as follows, according to whether you are on Microsoft Windows NT, XP, 98, 2000, or ME.

Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, and XP - To set the PATH permanently:

1. Choose Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click System. On Microsoft Windows NT, select the Environment tab; on Microsoft Windows XP and 2000 select the Advanced tab and then Environment Variables. Look for "Path" in the User Variables and System Variables. If you're not sure where to add the path, add it to the right end of the "Path" in the User Variables. A typical value for PATH is:

      C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_<version>\bin 
   

   Where <version> is the latest version number. For example, if you downloaded jdk1.6.0_02, then the value to add to the path is:

      C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_02\bin 

                                                                                             Capitalization doesn't matter. Click "Set", "OK" or "Apply".

   The PATH can be a series of directories separated by semi-colons (;). Microsoft Windows looks for programs in the PATH directories in order, from left to right. You should only have one bin directory for a JDK in the path at a time (those following the first are ignored), so if one is already present, you can update it to jdk1.6.0_<version>\bin.

2. The new path takes effect in each new Command Prompt window you open after setting the PATH variable.

Microsoft Windows 98 - To set the PATH permanently, open the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and add or change the PATH statement as follows:

1. Start the system editor. Choose "Start", "Run" and enter sysedit, then click OK. The system editor starts up with several windows showing. Go to the window that is displaying AUTOEXEC.BAT

2. Look for the PATH statement. (If you don't have one, add one.) If you're not sure where to add the path, add it to the right end of the PATH. For example, in the following PATH statement, we have added the bin directory at the right end:

      PATH C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;"C:\PROGRAM FILES\JAVA\JDK1.6.0_<version>\BIN" 
   

   Capitalization doesn't matter. The PATH can be a series of directories separated by semi-colons (;). Microsoft Windows searches for programs in the PATH directories in order, from left to right. You should only have one bin directory for a JDK in the path at a time (those following the first are ignored), so if one is already present, you can update it to jdk1.6.0_<version>.

3. To make the path take effect in the current Command Prompt window, execute the following:

      C:> c:\autoexec.bat
   
       

   To find out the current value of your PATH, to see if it took effect, at the command prompt, type:

      C:> path
   
       

Microsoft Windows ME - To set the PATH permanently:

From the start menu, choose programs, accessories, system tools, and system information. This brings up a window titled "Microsoft Help and Support". From here, choose the tools menu, then select the system configuration utility. Click the environment tab, select PATH and press the edit button. Now add the JDK to your path as described in step b above. After you've added the location of the JDK to your PATH, save the changes and reboot your machine when prompted.

Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, and XP - To set the CLASSPATH:

1. Choose Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click System. On Microsoft Windows NT, select the Environment tab; on Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP select the Advanced tab and then Environment Variables. Look for "classpath" in the User Variables and System Variables, then click Edit. If no classpath variable exists, create it by clicking New and adding "classpath" to the User Variables. A typical value for CLASSPATH is:

      .;..
   

   The '.' represents your current directory, allowing you to compile and run code in your current directory (as shown in the command line of your command window). The '..' represents the folder above the current directory. Together, the '.' and '..' cover most situations where you need to compile and run programs. The semi-colon ';' separates these entries. The CLASSPATH can contain multiple directories separated by semi-colons. 
   

   Click "Set", "OK" or "Apply".
2. The new classpath takes effect in each new Command Prompt window you open after setting the CLASSPATH variable. 

Microsoft Windows 98 - To set the CLASSPATH permanently, open the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and add or change the CLASSPATH statement as follows:

1. Start the system editor. Choose "Start", "Run" and enter sysedit, then click OK. The system editor starts up with several windows showing. Go to the window that is displaying AUTOEXEC.BAT

2. Look for the CLASSPATH statement. (If you don't have one, add one.) The classpath should contain a '.' and a '..'. If you're not sure where to add them, put them at the right end of the CLASSPATH. For example, in the following CLASSPATH statement, we have added the '.' and '..' directories at the right end:

      CLASSPATH C:\someFolder\someClasses.jar;..;.
   

   The '.' represents your current directory, allowing you to compile and run code in your current directory (as shown in the command line of your command window). The '..' represents the folder above the current directory. Together, the '.' and '..' cover most situations where you need to compile and run programs. The semi-colon ';' separates these entries. The CLASSPATH can contain multiple directories separated by semi-colons.

3. To make the classpath take effect in the current Command Prompt window, execute the following:

      C:> c:\autoexec.bat

   To find out the current value of your CLASSPATH, to see if it took effect, at the command prompt, type:

      C:> classpath
       

Microsoft Windows ME - To set the CLASSPATH permanently:

From the start menu, choose programs, accessories, system tools, and system information. This brings up a window titled "Microsoft Help and Support". From here, choose the tools menu, then select the system configuration utility. Click the environment tab, select CLASSPATH and press the edit button. Now add '.' and '..' to your path as described in step b above. Then save the changes and reboot your machine when prompted.

1. Go to Start >> Run... then type cmd and click OK.
2. Type cd \ and press Enter.
3. The bottom line should read C:\>
4. Type mkdir test and press Enter to create a new directory for your testing.
5. Type cd testand press Enter to enter the directory. The bottom line of the command window should read  C:\test>

public class MyTestApplication {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

    System.out.println("Hello World!");
  }
}

   C:\test\MyTestApplication.java

C:\test>javac MyTestApplication.java

C:\test>

C:\test>javac MyTestApplication.java
'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\test>

C:\test>echo %path%
C:\Perl\bin\;c:\programfiles\imagemagick;C:\texmf\miktex\bin;C:\WINDOWS\system32
;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Contr
ol Panel;C:\Program Files\SecureCRT\;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_02\bin

C:\test>

C:\test>javac MyTestApplication.java
error: cannot read: MyTestApplication.java
1 error

C:\test>

C:\test>echo %classpath%
.;..;C:\someFolder\someClasses.jar

C:\test>

C:\test>dir
 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is 3C4D-5998

 Directory of C:\test

29/01/2006  08:28 PM    <DIR>          .
29/01/2006  08:28 PM    <DIR>          ..
29/01/2006  08:28 PM               440 MyTestApplication.class
29/01/2006  08:20 PM               129 MyTestApplication.java
               2 File(s)            569 bytes
               2 Dir(s)  59,076,796,416 bytes free

C:\test>

C:\test>java MyTestApplication
Hello World!

C:\test>

C:\>java MyTestApplication
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: MyTestApplication

C:\>

1. Download Eclipse from the Eclipse downloads page.
2. Click the link next to "Download now".
3. If possible, choose a mirror close to your location (e.g. Portland, if you are in Vancouver).
4. Wait for your download to finish. This may take some time: the installer is a large file (>100MB).
5. Unzip the downloaded file to C:\Program Files. Again, this may take some time.
6. In C:\Program Files\eclipse, right-click on eclipse.exe and select Create Shortcut. Rename the shortcut to eclipse and drag it to your Desktop. Then close the eclipse folder.
7. On the Desktop, double-click on the eclipse shortcut to start the program.
8. A Workspace Launcher dialog will appear. Select "Use this as the default and do not ask again" and click OK.
9. Eclipse will start up. Either explore the Overview, Tutorials, etc. or close the Welcome page by clicking on the white X to reveal the Java perspective, where you will do your programming.

1. Set the default installed JRE to Java 1.6 (this tells Eclipse which libraries to use):
   
• Open the Eclipse Preferences Pane (Window -> Preferences) and go to the Java >> Installed JREs subpane.
• Check the JRE 1.6.0_<version> as the default (where <version> is a two digit number representing the version number that you downloaded and installed)
• Click OK to save the settings.
  
2. Set the Java compiler to Java 1.6 (this tells Eclipse which compiler to use):
   
• In Eclipse Preferences Pane go to Java >> Compiler >> Compliance Level
  
• Select "6.0".
• Click OK to save the settings.
  

1. In the Java Perspective, right-click in Eclipse's Package Explorer window and select New >> Project....
2. Select Java Project and Next.
3. Name the project whatever you like (e.g. 'test'). For now the other options do not matter; just click on Finish.
4. In the Package Explorer window, right-click on the test package and select New >> Class.
5. Name the class MyTestApplication. For now the other options do not matter; just click on Finish.
6. Delete everything in the editor that appears. Copy the following into the editor:

public class MyTestApplication {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

    System.out.println("Hello World!");
  }
}