The simplest program...the fundamentals for a beginner

[Joza]

Hi guys! First post..

So I've been learning Java now for a while using Stanford's free Programming Methodology course. It's great in conjunction with the recommended book, but I feel that a few basics have been missed.

I want to start from scratch and get the basics right (I've a physics degree, so that's how my head operates!).

I want to write a simple program that puts a dialog box on the screen saying "Hello!". I have the Eclipse IDE but I could just write this in a text file right?

From what I've seen so far, it could go like this:

import java.awt.Dialog;

public class HelloDialog {

public static void main(String [] args) {

Dialog myDialog = new Dialog("Hello!");
myDialog.show(); // This will make it visible on the screen?
}
}

This is then saved as a file called HelloDialog.java.

The header public static main(String [] args) I have been told is needed by all programs. I've tried compiling this but it never works.
What are the fundamental errors I am making here? How does the simplest program like this work from the ground up, without extending a pre-existing class?

Thanks guys!

[Norm]

it never works.

There are so many ways for a program to not work. Which one is your problem? If you'd post a description or the error message that would help.

One problem I see is that the main method is not correctly coded if you expect the java program to find it and call it when you start execution of your class. If must have a return type of void.

The tutorial can be helpful:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutori...ava/index.html

[Joza]

I forgot about void, I've put it in now, thanks.

Here is the error message:

DialogOutput.java:7: cannot find symbol
symbol : constructor Dialog(java.lang.String)
location: class java.awt.Dialog
Dialog myDialog = new Dialog("Welcome!");
^
Note: DialogOutput.java uses or overrides a deprecated API.
Note: Recompile with -Xlint:deprecation for details.
1 error

[Fubarable]

Check the Java API for the Dialog class to see what constructors are allowed. You can't use one that just holds a String parameter.

[JosAH]

The Dialog class doesn't have a constructor that takes a single String argument. Also, the Dialog class is an old AWT class, nowadays the JDialog class is usedd instead (it's a Swing component). Read the API documentation first before you try to start coding.

kind regards,

Jos

edit: way too late ...