JMU CS Wiki

Eclipse requires Java. If you are going to use Eclipse to write programs in a language other than Java, you need only install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). If you are going to use Java to develop programs written in Java then you must install the Java Development Kit (JDK).

The current version of Eclipse has an installer . First, click on the appropriate link for your operating system.(If you don't know whether you have a 32 bit or 64 bit operating system choose “32 bit” or search the WWW to learn how to find out whether your OS is 32 bit or 64 bit. Note that the bit-width of the JDK Java and Eclipse must match.) Then, save the file to your local file system. Finally, follow the installation instructions . For programming courses that use Java (e.g., CS149/159/345) you should install the “Eclipse IDE for Java Developers” package.

(If you prefer, you can install Eclipse manually using the packages at eclipse.org . First select your operating system from the drop-down box.Next, click on either the “32 bit” or “64 bit” link of the appropriate package. For programming courses that use Java (e.g., CS149/159/345) you should download the “Eclipse IDE for Java Developers”. Save the file to your local filesystem and then “unpackage” it.)

Since you may customize Eclipse differently for different courses, you should make a workspace for each course. To do so, click on File-Select Workspace.

If your course has a formatter, you should install it. (Note: You can use one formatter for all of your projects or you can use different formatters for different projects. If you need to use a different formatter for different projects, you will need to customize each project individually.)

1. If you have not already done so, download the formatter to an appropriate location on your local file system.
2. If you have not already done so, start Eclipse.
3. Click on Preferences (which will either be under Window or Eclipse depending on your OS)
4. Expand the appropriate “Language” (e.g., “Java”), expand “Code Style” and select “Formatter”.
5. Click on Import… and navigate to the .xml file you downloaded.
6. Click on Open.
7. Select the appropriate “Active profile”.
8. Click on Apply and Close.

If your course has a checks configuration file for Checkstyle, you should install the Checkstyle Plugin and then load the checks configuration file. (Note: You can use one checks configuration file for all of your projects or you can use different configurations for different projects. If you need to use a different different configuration for different projects, you will need to customize each project individually.)

1. If you have not already done so, download the checks configuration file to an appropriate location on your local file system.
2. If you have not already done so, start Eclipse.
3. If you have not already done so, install the Checkstyle plugin .
4. Click on Preferences (which will either be under Window or Eclipse depending on your OS).
5. Click on “Checkstyle”.
6. Click on New….
7. Select “External Configuration File”, click on Browse…, and navigate to the .xml file you downloaded.
8. Enter a “Name” (e.g., “CS999StyleGuide”).
9. Click on OK.
10. Select the appropriate configuration file.
11. Click on Set as Default.
12. Click on Apply and Close.

If your course has a custom code template, you should install it. (Note: You can use one template for all of your projects or you can use different templates for different projects. If you need to use a different template for different projects, you will need to customize each project individually.)

1. If you have not already done so, download the code template an appropriate location on your local file system.
2. If you have not already done so, start Eclipse.
3. Click on Preferences (which will either be under Window or Eclipse depending on your OS)
4. Expand the appropriate “Language” (e.g., “Java”), expand “Code Style” and select “Code Templates”.
5. Click on Import… and navigate to the .xml file you downloaded.
6. Click on OK.
7. Click on OK.