Application Tutorial

[Natrix]

Hello!

We started working with Java this year in school. Our professor is amazing but he only tells us some stuff and I want to learn faster and more, more and more!

I tried to go through the application tutorial that is on the Sun webpages (Dive Log application) but I encountered a problem and the code somehow won't work for me.

I wonder if there is any other similar tutorials or "newbie projects" that I could get my hands on so I can learn Java. I think that actualy making an application that needs a lot of work is the best way to learn.

We already did some interesting stuff like trying to make a screensaver with combining a rotation, bounce (from the screeens edges), growing and shrinking rotation etc. of a JFrame. We also started drawing stuff with Applets (like polynoms)... so I think I already know some stuff but that is not even close to what I want to know.

If you know how to go on from here please tell me :).

[Fubarable]

So you've gone through the standard Sun Java tutorial already and are looking for more, is that as I understand what this post is about?

[Natrix]

Actualy I tried to but it didn't get me far. As I typed all the code till the first supposebly working test of GUI already set-up it failed on loads of stuff. Some methods were also reported deprachated (probably miss-typed that). So I kinda lost the will to continue there. I did try copying all the code and thouht that I miss tpyed some of the stuff but even the copy-paste didn't work so I quit working on it and turned my attention to our seemingly unimportant tasks we got in school.

But the second part you got right, I do want more tutorials. I would be very thankful if you point me in the right direction :).

[emceenugget]

if you're following tutorials using deprecated methods, don't worry about it. just remember that there's probably something else out there that you should use instead, which would then make a good exercise to change yourself.

anyways, since your first try is already failing, don't move onto something else. figure out what's wrong by adding it bits of code at a time. also, learn how to decipher the messages the compiler tells you. they're confusing at first, but after you see them a hundred times, you can quickly spot what you did wrong, or at least where you should be focusing.

[Natrix]

Well I think I wouldnt just go do something else but in this case it is the official Sun Java tutorial with copy pasted code.. thats what got me to step away. If it were some randomly written online tutorial I would try milions of things but it somehow got to me that the official things aren't working and maybe I should do something else.

I also found out that you can actualy ignore those deprecated stuff.

I might give it another try but it took like 4 hours to get to the first compile GUI test. I will try to find the files and give it another run then ask about the problems I face.

It will take some time though (its 0.20 am :p).

[Fubarable]

I also found out that you can actualy ignore those deprecated stuff.

You can, but it's at your own risk. Java may get rid of those methods in the future, and if you keep in the habit of using them, you could be painting yourself in a corner.

[Natrix]

Apparently I dont have any files from that tutorial left.
So do you think it would be smart to try and do it again or maybe go do something else that can teach me more?

[Fubarable]

It's smart to seek out any and all sources of information that you can. Myself when I started Java 3 yrs ago (my son was learning it at the time), I used the Sun tutorials and bought some second-hand books through Amazon -- basically learning on the cheap. The books weren't up to date on the latest version of Java, but I figured I'd get what I could out of the books and then use the tutorials to get the latest.

[Natrix]

I definately like the idea but I do go to school which takes up to 70% of my free time. Reading books is somehow hard in that spare time I have left. I will however try to get some second-hand books and maybe do small steps every day.

Can you recommend any tutorials from Sun?

[Fubarable]

I know what you mean about lack of spare time. As for which tutorials, I recommend all of them. You should peruse The Really Big Index and find spots that you're weak on and study them.

[Natrix]

This Index is awesome. I guess I have much to do. Thanks for now, if I get stuck somewhere or need extra explanation on something I will ask. :)