Hi I'm just starting in java and I have already hit a stumbling block, I have d/loaded and installed J2SE, I have typed the first app in notepad and when I run it in the dos prompt window in the c:\java or the c:\java\bin folder using
javac myfirstapp.java I get a 'bad command or file name' error message
running windows ME. I have searched but do not have a javac.exe file .. this I think is the error, can someone put me out of my misery
cheers Fred

Javac.exe must exist in the bin folder e.g. j2sdk1.4\bin\javac.exe. If you installed java correctly it must be there. To test that you have insalled Java correctly and set the necessary environment variables, open a commnad prompt and type java - version. This should display information about the version of java that you have installed. If it doesn't, then your install is wrong.

More likely your problem will be that you have not addded c:\j2sdk1.4\bin to the path. If you have already done this then try this: javac "myfirstapp.java".

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers

Martyn

Hi Martyn

I don't have the exe file, I have double checked, but the version number does come up - 1.4.2_03
I did add the path into autoexec.bat to point it to my java folder
I'm installing it again via the web so hopefully this time it installs correctly

thanks
fred

Fred,

The fact that you can determine the version number would infere that Java is installed OK. Have you done a search and located java.exe? Java.exe and javac.exe both reside in the same folder. Find one and you find the other. What objects do you have in the bin folder?

Cheers

Martyn

Hi Martyn

I have java.exe and javaw.exe but not javac.exe
I have a total of 58 objects in the bin

thanks

FRed

Fred,

You somehow appear to have a corrupt installation. My version of C:\j2sdk1.4.2_03\bin has only 28 objects in it! Your best bet would be to uninstall java, visit the Sun site and download the latest version of java and redo the installation.

Let me know how you get on.

By-the-way, there is a known issue with installing the java jre on Windows XP with service pack 1 and certain hotfixes applied. Java will still install but may stall at the end of installation, when it tries to install the plugin. If you have this problem let me know, as I have a couple of work-arounds.

Cheers

Martyn

I think I know what you problem is...when I first installed Java I got the same error as you. Basically you have to set the path in DOS to where the javac file is located otherwise DOS doesn't recognize it as a valid command. The link below explains exactly how to do this. Hope it helps you or anyone else having the same problem.

http://www.cs.colostate.edu/helpdocs/JavaPaths.html

-Mo