Computer Games as Art, Culture, and Technology - Lab Section
University Studies 12, Course Code: 87655
Quarter: Fall Quarter 2007

Java API - http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/

Ucigame Home Page - http://www.ucigame.org/

How To Install the Java Development Kit (JDK)
These instructions are for Windows. If there's enough demand, I'll post instructions for Mac OS, too.

1. Go to http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp.

2. Click Download for "JDK Update 3" (should be the first option listed).

3. Accept the license agreement (under the red text that says "Required" near the top).

4. Download the first option, the one under Windows Platform that says Windows Offline Installation, Multi-language. The file should be called jdk-6u3-windows-i586-p.exe, and it should be ~65 MB. Save this file somewhere convenient, like your desktop.

5. Run the file you downloaded by double-clicking on it. Accept the installation defaults. The installation can take a while to finish. If it tells you that there is a public JRE of that version already installed, you can tell it not to reinstall.

6. Test it. Open a command prompt by going to Start -> Run... -> cmd. Type "javac -version" and hit enter. It should respond with something like "javac: 1.6.0_03" and possible a long list of usage instructions. If this works, you're done. Work through Lab 1 to make sure everything is OK.

If you get get an error "'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file" when you run "javac -version", you'll have to edit the PATH environment variable, as described below.

1. Open the Control Panel.

2. Go to the Classic View and open System.

3. Go to advanced settings. In Windows XP, this is under the Advanced tab. In Vista, this is as text in the area to the left of the icons.

4. Click on Environment Variables.

5. In the lower pane labeled "System Variables" find PATH (not CLASSPATH, but PATH). Click on it, then click Edit.

6. Go to the end of the text for Variable Value. Add the following: ";C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_03\bin". (Note: This is the value only if you accepted the defaults and you do not have a different version of Java. You can double check by opening Windows Explorer, going to C:\Program Files\Java and seeing what the name of the jdk folder is.) Click OK to save the value for PATH. Click OK to close Environment Variables. Click OK to close system.

7. Open a new command prompt (if your one from before is still open, close it and open a new one). Redo step 6 of the above installation. If you still get errors, reread these instructions and make sure you've followed the steps properly. If that doesn't work, feel free to stop by office hours or email me. If you email me, please be very specific, don't just say, "it doesn't work," because then I won't be able to help you. The more details the better.