• Syllabus
• Got Java? (Download it here)
• Before Beginning
        Class policies on late assignments, incompletes, etc
• Textbook Resources - Big Java, Second Edition
        Programs, Answers to Exercises, Bug List, and Help with IDE's
• Unit 1 - Introduction
• Unit 2 - Using an Existing Class
• Unit 3 - Implementing ("Creating") a Class
• Unit 4 - Fundamental Data Types, Reading User Input, and More
• Unit 5 - Style and Documentation Standards for Java Programs
• Unit 6 - Decision-Making
• Unit 7 - Iteration (i.e., Repetition)
• Unit 8 - Designing Classes
• Unit 9 - Intro to Java's ArrayList Class
• Unit 10 - Data Files
• Additional files - including all programming assignments - will be posted throughout the semester...

Got Java?

   Java 2 Software (Essential) - 51.33 MB

Also known as the Java 2 Development Kit (JDK), from Sun Microsystems (freeware)

1. After you follow the link above, make sure you scroll down and click the Download button to the right of the heading "JDK 5.0 Update 12"
   
   • Make sure you get the JDK and not the JRE!
   • Do not click the "Get the JDK Download" link at the top of the page!

2. Click the Windows Offline Installation, Multi-language link to begin the download (unless you are running Linux)

   Java Documentation (Strongly Recommended) - 44.05 MB

Also from Sun, the official Java 2 Language Documentation, in HTML format

Follow the link above, scroll down to the heading "J2SE 5.0 Documentation "and click the Download button

   Java Integrated Development Environments (Choose One!)

JCreator 3.50 - 2.19 MB - The Limited Edition (LE) is free

NetBeans 5.5.1 - 53.7 MB (freeware from Sun Microsystems)

Eclipse 3.2.2 - 121 MB (freeware)

Note: You must install the Java 2 software (above) before installing any of the IDE's

Before Beginning (Class policies, etc)

   How to be Successful in This Class

A word to the wise...

   Class Policies

Official class rules regarding late assignments, makeup tests, partial credit, etc., and School of Computer Science policy on Incompletes and Academic Honesty

Textbook Resources - Big Java, Second Edition

    Source Code for Programs in the Textbook (Zip files)

[Ch. 1] [Ch. 2] [Ch. 3] [Ch. 4] [Ch. 5] [Ch. 6] [Ch. 7] [Ch. 8] [Ch. 16]

    Answers to Exercises (Word docs)

[Ch. 1] [Ch. 2] [Ch. 3] [Ch. 4] [Ch. 5] [Ch. 6] [Ch. 7] [Ch. 8] [Ch. 9] [Ch. 16]

    Bug List - Author's list of all known errors in the book

    Help with IDE's

How to use all major Java IDE's, including NetBeans, Eclipse, and JCreator

    Big Java - Link to the home page for the book

Unit 1 - Introduction

   Brief History of Programming Languages

Machine Languages, Assembly Languages, High-Level Languages, and the role of the compiler

   Errors

Syntax Errors, Exceptions, and Logic Errors

   Hello.java

Traditional first program shows basic Java program layout with a public class definition and main method. Also shows an output statement with a string literal (i.e., "constant")

   Ground Rules for Java Programs

As shown in Hello.java, some basic rules for all Java programs

   Using the JCreator IDE

How to create, save, compile, and execute Java programs using JCreator, and how to print the program listing (i.e., the "source" code) and the program output. Also covers important lab security procedures

   Data Representation

The ASCII and Unicode character sets

   Assignment #1

Creating, Compiling, Debugging, and Executing a Java Program

   ChangeMakerTester.java

"Test" class to be used with this assignment

   Intro to Strings and Java Output

String literals and concatenation, escape sequences, and PrintStream class methods print and println for output

Unit 2 - Using an Existing Class

   OOP Terminology and Concepts

Classes, objects, methods, instance variables, class interface vs. class implementation, and more

   Intro to Variables

Introduction to variables and data types. Includes rules for naming variables and how to declare variables with or without initial values

   The Assignment Statement

Syntax and semantics (meaning) of Java's assignment statement

   Objects, Classes, and Methods

Basic concepts and terms including classes, objects, methods, method parameters, methods that return a value vs. methods that do not, and how to call them

   Hello2.java

Declaring String object-variables, creating String objects, and assigning the objects to the object-variables (aka: making a variable "point to" an object)

   MethodCalls.java

Shows how to call methods that return a value - using String class methods length and replace - and those that do not - e.g., println. Also shows variable declarations and assignment statements

   More on the String Class

Declaring String object-variables, creating String objects, and String class methods indexOf and substring

   Accessor and Mutator Methods

Also known as "get" and "set" methods, accessor methods return the value of an instance variable and mutator methods change the value of an instance variable

   Constructing Objects

Declaring object variables, creating objects using the new operator, objects vs. object references, the null reference, and throwing a NullPointerException

   FunWithRectangles.java

Everything you need to know to use an existing class! Shows variable declarations, assignment statements, creating objects, and calling accessor and mutator methods for those objects

   Assignment #2

Using an Existing Class: Creating and Manipulating Objects

   The Assignment Operator and Object Variables

Assigning one object variable to another

   AssignmentDemo.java

Shows what happens when you assign one object variable to another

   Assignment #3 - Using an Existing Class: Accessor and Mutator Methods

Balloon.java - Class to be used with this assignment
Balloon.html - HTML "help" pages for Balloon class

Unit 3 - Implementing ("Creating") Classes

   Implementing ("Defining") Methods

What we need to know to begin writing our own methods

   Class Constructors

A constructor is a special method that is called automatically whenever an object is created via the new operator

   Parameters and Arguments

When a method is called, the parameters in the method heading receive the values of the corresponding arguments in the method call. This is how information is passed into a method

   Instance Variables, Parameter Variables, and Local Variables

The scope, lifetime, and initial value of a variable depends on how the variable is used (i.e, where it is declared)

   BankAccountTest.java

The BankAccount class provides examples of instance variables, a class constructor, and accessor and mutator methods

   Method Overloading

Overloading class constructors allows creation of objects with different numbers of initial values specified
Balloon2.java (Class with overloaded constructors)
OverloadedConstructors.java (Test class for Balloon2 class)

   Assignment #4 - Creating a Class

Unit 4 - Fundamental Data Types, Reading User Input, and More

   Java's "Primitive" Types

The so-called "primitive" types are the exception to the "Everything in Java is an Object" rule, as they are implemented differently. Although 6 different numeric types are available, there is generally no reason to use any other than int and double

   Java Arithmetic

The arithmetic operators and operator precedence. Also, integer division and modulus ("mod")

   PizzaCalculatorTest.java

Shows arithmetic expressions and assignment statements

   Mixed-Type Expressions

When an arithmetic operation involves operands of two different types, the result is "promoted" to the higher type...

   Type Conversions (aka: Type "Casting")

"Narrowing" vs. "Widening" type conversions and implicit and explicit type conversions explained. Also, how to use an explicit type cast to avoid integer division

   Math Class Methods

A table summarizing some of the more useful methods of Java's Math class

   PythagorasTest.java

Shows how to call the static Math class methods, using sqrt and pow

   Using the Scanner Class for Interactive Input

Basics of interactive input and introduction to the new Java 1.5 Scanner class

   InputDemo.java

Demonstrates Scanner methods next(), nextInt(), and nextDouble()

   Defined Constants

Using defined (aka: "symbolic") constants helps make our programs easier to understand and modify

   Align.java

A class to format output. Right-align, left-align, or center-align data in a field of a specified width, with floating-point numbers optionally rounded to a specified number of decimal places or formatted as currency

   Align.html

HTML "help" pages for the Align class. These are generated by the javadoc utility program, using the Java "documentation comments" in the Align class

   Implicit and Explicit Method Parameters and this

Every non-static method is automatically passed one implicit parameter, which is the object for which the method was called. The reference to the implicit parameter is this

   BankAccountTest2.java

Demonstrates objects passed implicitly and explicitly, this, and calling one method of a class from another

   Shadowing

If a method has a parameter variable or local variable with the same name as an instance variable, then the instance variable is "shadowed" or "hidden" by the parameter or local variable and cannot be accessed in that method. We can use this to guard against accidental shadowing

Unit 5 - Style and Documentation Standards for Java Programs

   Programming Style

Conventions for creating programs that are easy to read

   Java "Documentation Comments"

When a class contains special Java "documentation comments" the javadoc utility program can create a neat set of HTML "help" pages that explain the purpose of the class, what methods are available, and how to call each method. This is very helpful to programmers who need to use classes created by others

   Using the javadoc Utility Program

How to use the javadoc utility to automatically generate HTML "help" pages for your classes. These pages will have the same format as the official Java Language Documentation from Sun Microsystems

   Internal Documentation

Internal documentation consists of comments - included in your Java code - that explain what you are doing and how you are doing it. This is a necessity in the real world where programmers may be called upon to debug or modify code written by others

Unit 6 - Decision-Making (aka: "Selection" or "Conditional Execution")

   Relational Operators and Expressions

A relational expression compares two quantities for one of 6 possible relationships

   The if Statement

Syntax and execution of the single-alternative and two-alternative forms of the if statement

   PayMaster1.java

Demonstrates the single-alternative if statement

   PayMaster2.java

The two-alternative if statement

   "Nested" if Statements

An if statement may be "nested" inside the "if branch" or "else branch" of another if statement. In the "if" branch, this leads to more complex conditions. In the "else" branch, multiple alternatives

   Boolean Operators and Expressions

Boolean operators !, &&, and ||, operator precedence, truth tables, and DeMorgan's Laws

   LeapYearTester.java

Demonstrates all things boolean: operators, variables, assignment statements, and a boolean method

   LeapYearTester2.java

Shows a method with multiple return statements

   Testing Strings for Equality

To test Strings for equality we cannot use the "==" operator. Instead, we use the equals() method

   Assignment #5

Decision-Making

Unit 7 - Iteration (aka: "Repetition" or "Looping")

   The while Statement

Syntax and execution of Java's while loop. Loop control variables and loop "necessities"

   InvestmentTester.java

CH's Investment class uses a while loop to compute the number of years it takes for an investment to double in value. Also shows an accumulator

   DataSetTester.java

DataSet class computes average and maximum of a set of data values. Driver class DataSetTester uses a while loop to read and process data until end-of-file

   DataSetTester2.java

Version 2 of the DataSetTester class is unchanged except for the prompts to the user. Shows that multiple data values may be placed in the input buffer at the same time, and that data remain in the buffer until extracted by a Scanner method

   The for Statement

Java's for loop is a count-controlled while loop, used when you can determine in advance the exact number of iterations to be done

   GaussTester.java

Gauss class uses a for statement to compute sum of integers from 1 to n, where n is entered by the user

   Assignment #6

Repetition and Decision-Making

   TemperatureConverter.java

Uses a for statement to print a table of Fahrenheit temperatures and their Celsius equivalents

   The do-while Statement

The "do-while" loop is a post-test loop. Also, when to use each type of loop

   PrimeMinister.java

Finds and prints the first N prime numbers, where N is entered by the user. Demonstrates the conditional loops (while and do-while). Also, private "utility" methods and String class method length

   TableTester.java

Uses nested for statements to print multiplication tables

   Random Numbers

Java's Random class makes it easy to generate random numbers - floating-point numbers, integers, and integers within a specified range

   EOFTest.java

Nested while loops. The outer loop uses Scanner methods hasNext() and nextLine() to read lines of text until end-of-file. The inner loop uses hasNext() and next() to extract each "token" from each input line

Unit 8 - Designing Classes

   Object-Oriented Analysis and Design

Where object-oriented programs come from

   Some Class and Program Design Guidelines

Cohesion good, coupling bad! (Side effects bad, too!)

   Static "Class" Variables and Static Methods

What they are, why we need them, how they are used

   StaticDemo.java

Demonstrates everything you need to know about static variables and methods

   ParamPasser.java

In Java, all method parameters are passed "by value". This program shows this to be true for primitive-type parameters

   ParamPasser2.java

This program shows that object variables (which store object references ) are also passed by value. This means that although you can't make an object parameter point to a different object, you can modify the object to which it points

Unit 9 - ArrayLists

   Intro to ArrayLists

Array and ArrayList concepts and terminology, advantages of list processing, when to use an ArrayList, list items and list indices, basics of list processing, ArrayList methods, "overflowing the bounds" of a list, and Java 1.5's "generic" ArrayLists

   ArrayLists and Primitive Types

Explains how Java 1.5 makes it easy to use ArrayLists of primitives types via autoboxing and autounboxing

   ArrayListIntro.java

Shows the very basics of list processing: using a for statement to traverse a list, and ArrayList methods add(), size(), and get()

   ArrayLists of Objects - a Complete Example

[BankAccount.java] [Bank.java] [BankTester.java]

BankAccount objects have an account number and a balance that can be modified by deposits and withdrawals

The Bank class has an instance variable that is an ArrayList-of-BankAccount, which maintains a list of accounts (i.e., BankAccount objects), and methods that return the total on deposit in all accounts, the account number of the account with the largest balance, and the number of accounts that contain a minimum balance or more. There is also a search method, where the user enters an account number and the balance of the corresponding account is returned

The test class creates a Bank object and several BankAccount objects which are added to the list, and then calls the methods of the Bank class

   DataListTester.java - ArrayLists of Primitive Types

The DataList class creates a list of integers, and has methods to add an int to a list, return the average and maximum value, and print a table of the values and their deviations from the average

   Assignment #7

ArrayList Processing