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Overview of Java basics
What is Java?
Java syntax basics
1
ecommended books:
0 "Java Programming: from Problem Analysis to
Program Design", Malik & Nair, ½
ourse Technology ISBN 1997
0 "ore Java ½: Fundamentals" Horstmann and ornell,
The Sun Microsystems Press Java Series, ½½
0 or any other introductory Java text
0 applications, not applets
0 text output, not graphical
½
Applets vs applications
0 Java applets
0 a program embedded into a web page
0 download and run on user's browser (or applet viewer)
0 internet programming
0 Java applications
0 standalone programs ƛ Java is a fullyfledged programming
language
0 many Java class libraries for
0 GUI, graphics, networking
0 data structures
0 database connectivity
0 we will be writing applications in this module
First, a bit of backgroundƦ
0 1st Generation ± machine language
0 (raw machine code ± lots of binary 0100101010001000111)
0 2nd Generation ± assembly language
0 (mnemonic representation ± short series of chars to represent binary)
0 3rd Generation ± structured programming
0 (e.g. Pascal, C, C++, Java)
0 4th Generation ± application specific
0 (SQL, Mathematica, RPG II, PostScript)
0 5th Generation ± combining artificial intelligence
0 (best not mentioned«)
0 The aim is to have a programming language that is as close as possible to
natural speech ± a bit like in µStar Trek¶.
The Software risis
0 The ³software crisis´, recognized c.1969. - threatened
the progress of the computer industry.
0 People-time was and still is relatively expensive,
machine-time is now very, very cheap.
0 Programming was and still is very time intensive.
0 Products need support - this is probably more than ever
0 Software is complex; imagine creating a car with no
drawings, specifications or planning.
0 Amazingly, this is how a lot of the software in the past
was created (some of it still is)!
0 This situation had to end«
ù
Towards Structured Programming
0 As computer programs become larger and more complex, more errors are
introduced.
0 It has been estimated that there are 15 bugs in every 1000 lines of
commercial code.
0 Windows 2000 had 40 million lines of code!
0 Most bugs are caused by poor memory management.
0 Clearly there is a need for a structured programming language that helps in
reducing the number of errors and speeds development for programming
teams.
0 C
C++
Java
0 2unctional Programming
bject rientation
l
What is ObjectOriented code?
0 Procedural coding is just a list of instructions.
0 bject-oriented code has a lot of similarity with code from
other procedural languages.
0 Basically, a lot of the µwords¶ are the same but the way the
words are put together (the structure) is different.
0 bject-oriented coding does also contain lists of instructions
but these lists are bound to specific objects.
0 What an object actually represents is up to the programmer.
7
Simple Example
0 A car is an object (in the real world) and in our program we can
make a software object to represent it.
0 2undamentally, an object contains data and methods which can act
on that data.
0 The data we might want to have in our µsoftware¶ car could be
things like: body colour, engine size, current speed, whether it has
electric windows etc. Basically it¶s up to you.
0 The methods we might want our µcar¶ to have could be things like:
accelerate, brake, respray body, open passenger window etc. Again,
it¶s up to you.
0 Whatever you need your software car to model from the real world
object must be present in your code.
0 The syntax enables you to do this intuitively.
What technology does it replace?
0 Procedural programming (C, Visual Basic, 2ortran etc.)
0 In procedural programming, functions were the most
important part of the software.
0 Where and how the data was stored was secondary (at best).
0 Procedural code is process-oriented, code is data-
oriented.
0 In procedural programming, if your code is in error then it is
relatively easy to fix but incorrect data may be ÷ ÷ to
fix!
9
Java (why use it?)
u
0 W RA - Write nce, Run Anywhere (portable).
0 Security (can run ³untrusted´ code safely).
0 Robust memory management (opaque references, automatic garbage
collection)
0 Network-centric programming.
0 Multi-threaded (multiple simultaneous tasks).
0 Dynamic & extensible.
0 Classes stored in separate files
0 Loaded only when needed
0 Can dynamically extend itself to expand its functionality (even over a
network and the Internet!)
1
How does it help?
0 Large projects can be broken down into modules more easily.
0 Aids understanding.
0 Groupwork is easier.
0 Less chance of data corruption.
0 Aids reusability/extensibility.
0 Maintaining code is far easier.
0 Hides implementation details (just need to know what
methods to call but no need to understand how the methods
work to use them).
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Programming vs Puzzle Solving
0 With any programming language, there are concepts and some
terminology to learn.
0 It takes time for these things to sink into your brain.
0 Ô
0 Like driving a car, you cannot learn in a day and it takes practice with a
lot of trial and error.
0 This is normal. You can only learn by experience.
0 Programming is very similar to solving puzzles.
0 Solving any complex puzzle (Su Doku, Rubik¶s Cube, Mah-jong etc.)
requires you to think and trying out ideas until you finally (hopefully)
solve the puzzle.
0 The only difference is that with programming you have to translate your
ideas into code before you can test your solution.
1½
Applets
0 embed into web page using applet tag
0 <APPLET src = "myprogramclass" width = "1"
height = "1"> < /APPLET>
0 source code extends Java Applet class
0 has skeleton user interface
0 programmer can add code to be executed when
applet is initialised and painted
0 programmer can easily add GUI components
such as buttons, labels, textfields, scrollbarsƦ
and respond to their events
1
Example
applet
ManySpikes
0 set up label
and textfield in
init() method
0 draw the spikes
in the paint()
method
Java applications
0 standalone programs
0 not GUI by default
0 text input and output to a console
0 can add user interface components
0 execution always starts at a main() method
0 analogous to init() method of applet
1ù
A simple Java application
÷
corejavaonsole;
÷ Hello {
÷÷ ÷ main(String args[])
{
String name; // this declares the variable Ơnameơ
name = onsolereadString ("What is your name? ");
Systemoutprintln("Hello, " + name);
}
} /* end of program */
1
The Hello class and its method
0 name of class is same as name of file (which has
java extension)
0 body of class surrounded by { }
0 this class has one method called main
0 all Java applications must have a main method in one
of the classes
0 execution starts here
0 body of method within { }
0 all other statements end with semicolon
17
Java keywords
0 keywords appear in
0 reserved by Java for predefined purpose
0 donƞt use them for your own variable, attribute or
method names!
0 ÷
0 visibility could be
÷
0 ÷
0 the main method belongs to the Hello class, and
not an instance (object) of the class
0 ÷
0 method does not return a value
1
omments
0 important for documentation!!!!
0 ignored by compiler
// single line (or part of line)
/* multiple line comments go here
everything between the marks
is ignored */
0 useful to Ɲcomment outƞ suspect code or make notes
/**
* These are used by the javadoc utility to create HTML
* documentation files automatically.
*/
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ariables and data types
0 name is a variable of type String
0 we have to declare variables before we use
them
0 unlike , variables can be declared anywhere
within block
0 use meaningful names numberOfBricks
0 start with lower case
0 capitalise first letter of subsequent words
½
Data types
0 ÷ byte integer (whole number)
0 range ½17 to +½17
0 ? byte floating point number
0 decimal points, numbers outside range of ÷
0 byte floating point number
0 1ù decimal digits (float has 7) so bigger precision
and range
0
½ byte letter
0 |
÷ string of letters
0 true or false (not 1 or )
½1
onsole input
0 data input is difficult in Java
0 methods for input in the library class
corejavaonsole
0 we have to ÷
corejavaonsole to use it
0 each book has its own methods for input!
0 Malik and Nair "Java programming" book uses raw Java
which is difficult to read
½½
onsole methods
0 general form:
my ariable = onsolereadType("Put a prompt
here");
0 onsolereadString("prompt")
0 onsolereadInt("prompt")
0 onsolereadDouble("prompt")
0 onsolereadWord("prompt")
0 gives error message if wrong type is input
0 Handy!
½
System output
0 Java provides print methods in the class
Systemout (donƞt need to import)
0 println(name);
0 prints out what is stored in name, then goes to a
new line
0 print(name);
0 prints out what is stored in name, but does not
start a new line
0 print("My name is " + name);
0 put text in quotes
0 use + to print more than one item
½
Methods in Java
0 methods break down large problems into
smaller ones
0 your program may call the same method
many times
0 saves writing and maintaining same code
0 methods take parameters
0 information needed to do their job
0 methods can return a value
0 must specify type of value returned
½ù
Example method
signature
÷÷÷addNums(÷num1, ÷num½)
{
÷answer = num1 + num½;
answer;
}
body
½
Method signature
visibility [static] returnType methodName(parameterList)
0 visibility:
0 ÷
0 accessible to other objects and classes
0
0 accessible to classes which inherit from this one
0
÷
0 ÷ keyword:
0 use when method belongs to class as whole
0 not object of the class
½7
Method signature
visibility [static] returnType methodName(parameterList)
0 return type:
0 specifies type of information returned
0 can be a simple type
0 ÷, ? , ,
, String,
0 or a class
0 if nothing returned, use keyword ÷
0 method name:
0 use meaningful name which describes what method does!
½
Method signature
visibility [static] returnType methodName(parameterList)
0 parameter list:
0 information needed by method
0 pairs of type name
0 examples:
addNums(÷ num1, ÷ num½)
drawPerson( isBald, String name, ÷numEarrings)
0 use empty brackets if method has no parameters
printHeadings()
½9
Method body
signature
÷÷÷addNums(÷num1, ÷num½)
{
÷answer = num1 + num½;
answer;
}
body
Method body
0 use curly brackets to enclose method body
0 all your code goes in here
0 write it so the method does what you intended
0 last line should return a value of appropriate type
0 must match type in method header
0 nothing is executed after
statement
0 if method returns ÷ can omit
statement
0 method will automatically return at closing
1
alling a method
0 methods will not run unless called from elsewhere
0 a statement in main() method could call another
method
0 this method could call a third method
0 class methods are called with the form:
lassNamemethodName(parameters);
0 omit lassName if called in same class
0 method name and parameters must match the
method signature
0 if the method returns a value, it can be stored in a
variable or passed to another method
½
alling methods
÷÷ ÷ main(String args[])
{
÷ input;
input = onsolereadInt("Number? ");
Systemoutprint("Your number plus is ");
Systemoutprintln(addNums(input, ));
}
alling methods
0 the previous example uses four methods
0 from class onsole:
÷÷÷ readInt(String prompt)
0 store returned integer in variable input
0 from Systemout:
÷ ÷ print(String s)
÷ ÷ println(÷ x)
0 no returned value (void)
alling methods
0 from class JavaTest:
÷÷÷addNums(÷num1, ÷num½)
0 pass returned integer to println() method
0 gets printed to screen
0 could also store it in another variable
÷answer = addNums(input, );
ù
Summary
0 reviewed Java basics
0 applications vs applets
0 class declaration, main method
0 Java keywords
0 comments
0 data types, variables
0 input and output
0 writing and using methods
0 Tutorial
0 write a calculator application which takes input
from the user, calls methods and output answers
eading
0 Malik and Nair
0 hapter 1 ( eview)
0 An overview of omputers and Programming
Languages
0 hapter ½
0 Basic Elements of Java
0 skip sections on Arithmetic Operators,
Expressions, Type onversion, The class String
0 remember the book does not use onsole
methods for input
0 hapter 7
0 section on "UserDefined Methods" only
7