Java Swing Programming Environments

These links were assembled to help students figure out what programming environments are available for Java Swing. Swing is a set of Java classes that can be used to build graphical user interfaces. Newer versions of some of these software packages have become available since this document was prepared.

Solaris: Java 2 Platform Standard Edition v1.4 for Solaris is the programming platform supported by the department. All of your projects should run on Solaris machines in 100 Deschutes using this environment. If you can figure out how to set up and maintain the development environments, you may use other platforms for development. For CIS 443/543, Fall 2003, make sure that your submitted java code is compatible with at least one version of the J2SDK from 1.4.0 through 1.4.2. The J2SDK 1.4.2 is available to be downlaoded from Java 2 Platform Standard Edition v1.4.2 Downloads cobundled with the NetBeans IDE 3.5.1 for the Solaris Windows & Linux platforms.; NetBeans IDE (integrated development environment) is a powerful editing, compiling and debugging environment. This NetBeansIDE for Java QuickStart should help you get started. Be sure to study the NetBeansIDE Debugger QuickStart as well.

Sun provides good Java documentation on-line. The Java Tutorial is useful for learning Java and Swing. Of special interest for this class, see the pages in the tutorial for Creating a GUI with JFC/Swing, and the Quick Start Guide to Swing (but don't expect the learning process to be quick). When you are programming in Java, you will find the Java 2 API Specification indispensable.

Forte4j (Forte for Java) is an IDE available on departmental servers. Though it has been renamed "SUN ONE Studio" by the Sun, the department still has it installed as Forte4j. The following QuickStarts are available online:
Forte for Java IDE for Solaris QuickStart
Forte for Java GUI Editor QuickStart
Forte for Java Debugger QuickStart

CodeWarrior IDE for Solaris is available as of April, 2001. This might be a good way to write and debug your code, as long as you verify your code works with the command line compiler and virtual machine, but one author of this web page found CodeWarrior for Solaris to be buggy.
Windows: If you have a Windows machine, there are several possible programming environments that you can explore. Two environments available for Windows are Java 2 SDK with NetBeans as above and the other is the Metrowerks CodeWarrior.; Metrowerks CodeWarrior, Professional Edition 6.0 claims to offer full support for JDK 1.2 and Swing. My experience with CodeWarrior (both on the Macintosh and Windows machines) is that it is a powerful and relatively easy-to-use Integrated Programming Environment (IDE), with a powerful debugger. CodeWarrior should be available at the UofO bookstore at educational pricing. CodeWarrior requires a minimum of 32 meg of RAM, 120 meg of hard drive space, and a CD-ROM drive. There is evidently a 30-day trial version available at this web site.

Microsoft does not evidently support Java 2 Standard Edition or Swing with any of their Java products.
Macintosh: The Mac OS X Java Runtime Environment includes a full implementation of Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) 1.3.1. This slightly older version of Java would likely be adequate for class assignments, but be sure to test your work on the Solaris machines in 100 Deschutes before submitting.

Please send suggested updates to this web page to hornof@cs.uoregon.edu .

A. Hornof, I. Kaur - 10/9/03