Chapter 1:

Creating
Java Programs
 Objectives
• Define basic programming terminology
• Compare procedural and object-oriented
programming
• Describe the features of the Java programming
language
• Analyze a Java application that produces console
output

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 Objectives (cont’d.)
• Compile a Java class and correct syntax errors
• Run a Java application and correct logic errors
• Add comments to a Java class
• Create a Java application that produces GUI output
• Find help

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 Learning Programming
Terminology
• Computer program
– A set of written instructions that tells the computer what
to do
• Machine language
– The most basic circuitry-level language
– A low-level programming language

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 Learning Programming
Terminology (cont’d.)
• High-level programming language
– Allows you to use a vocabulary of reasonable terms
• Syntax
– A specific set of rules for the language
• Program statements
– Similar to English sentences
– Commands to carry out program tasks

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 Learning Programming
Terminology (cont’d.)
• Compiler or interpreter
– Translates language statements into machine code
• Syntax error
– Misuse of language rules
– A misspelled programming language word
• Debugging
– Freeing program of all errors
• Logic errors
– Also called semantic errors
– Incorrect order or procedure
– The program may run but provide inaccurate output

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 Comparing Procedural and Object-
Oriented Programming Concepts
• Procedural programming
– Sets of operations executed in sequence
– Variables
• Named computer memory locations that hold values
– Procedures
• Individual operations grouped into logical units
• Object-oriented programs
– Create classes
• Blueprints for an object
– Create objects from classes
– Create applications

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 Features of the Java Programming
Language
• Java
– Developed by Sun Microsystems
– An object-oriented language
– General-purpose
– Advantages
• Security features
• Architecturally neutral

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 Features of the Java Programming
Language (cont’d.)
• Java (cont’d.)
– Can be run on a wide variety of computers
– Does not execute instructions on the computer directly
– Runs on a hypothetical computer known as a Java Virtual
Machine (JVM)
• Source code
– Programming statements written in high-level
programming language

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 Features of the Java Programming
Language (cont’d.)
• Development environment
– A set of tools used to write programs
• Bytecode
– Statements saved in a file
– A binary program into which the Java compiler converts
source code
• Java interpreter
– Checks bytecode and communicates with the operating
system
– Executes bytecode instructions line by line within the Java
Virtual Machine
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 Java Program Types
• Applets
– Programs embedded in a Web page
• Java applications
– Called Java stand-alone programs
– Console applications
• Support character output
– Windowed applications
• Menus
• Toolbars
• Dialog boxes

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 Analyzing a Java Application that
Produces Console Output
• Even the simplest Java application involves a fair
amount of confusing syntax
• Print “First Java application” on the screen

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 Analyzing a Java Application that
Produces Console Output (cont’d.)

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 Understanding the Statement
that Produces the Output
• Literal string
– Will appear in output exactly as entered
– Written between double quotation marks
• Arguments
– Pieces of information passed to a method
• Method
– Requires information to perform its task
• System class
– Refers to the standard output device for a system

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 Understanding the First Class
(cont’d.)
• Requirements for identifiers (cont’d.)
– Can only contain:
• Letters
• Digits
• Underscores
• Dollar signs
– Cannot be a Java reserved keyword
– Cannot be true, false, or null
• Access specifier
– Defines how a class can be accessed

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 Understanding the First Class
(cont’d.)

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 Understanding the First Class
(cont’d.)

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 Indent Style
• Use whitespace to organize code and improve
readability
• For every opening curly brace ( { ) in a Java program,
there must be a corresponding closing curly brace
(})
• Placement of the opening and closing curly braces is
not important to the compiler
• Allman style used in text

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 Understanding the main()
Method
• static
– A reserved keyword
– Means the method is accessible and usable even though
no objects of the class exist
• void
– Use in the main() method header
– Does not indicate the main() method is empty
– Indicates the main() method does not return a value
when called
– Does not mean that main() doesn’t produce output

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 Understanding the main()
Method (cont’d.)

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 Understanding the main()
Method (cont’d.)

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 Compiling a Java Class and
Correcting Syntax Errors
• Compiling a Java class
– Compile the source code into bytecode
– Translate the bytecode into executable statements
• Using a Java interpreter
– Type javac First.java
• Compilation outcomes
– javac is an unrecognized command
– Program language error messages
– No messages indicating successful completion

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 Compiling a Java Class and
Correcting Syntax Errors (cont’d.)
• Reasons for error messages
– Misspelled the command javac
– A misspelled filename
– Not within the correct subfolder or subdirectory on the
command line
– Improper installation of Java

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 Correcting Logical Errors
• Logic error
– The syntax is correct but incorrect results were produced
when executed
• Run-time error
– Not detected until execution
– Often difficult to find and resolve

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 Adding Comments to a Java Class
• Program comments
– Nonexecuting statements added to a program for
documentation
– Use to leave notes for yourself or others
– Include the author, date, and class’s name or function
• Comment out a statement
– Turn it into a comment
– The compiler does not translate, and the JVM does not
execute its command

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 Adding Comments to a Java Class
(cont’d.)
• Types of Java comments
– Line comments
• Start with two forward slashes (//)
• Continue to the end of the current line
• Do not require an ending symbol
– Block comments
• Start with a forward slash and an asterisk (/*)
• End with an asterisk and a forward slash (*/)

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 Adding Comments to a Java Class
(cont’d.)
• Types of Java comments (cont’d.)
– Javadoc comments
• A special case of block comments
• Begin with a slash and two asterisks (/**)
• End with an asterisk and a forward slash (*/)
• Use to generate documentation

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 Adding Comments to a Java Class
(cont’d.)

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