Barry Burd, PhD Author of Beginning Programming with Java For Dummies Learn to: • Combine several smaller programs to create a bigger program • Work with new libraries, closure, parallel frameworks, and other new features • Create basic Java objects and reuse code • Handle exceptions and events Java ® 5th Edition Making Everything Easier! ™ Visit the companion website at www.dummies.com/go/ javafordummies5e for lots of code samples that you can use in your Java programs Open the book and find: • Definitions of the many terms you’ll encounter • The grammar of Java • How to save time by reusing code • All about if, for, switch, and while statements • An overview of object-oriented programming • Hints about handling exceptions • How to write Java applets • Ten ways to avoid mistakes Barry Burd, PhD, is a professor of mathematics and computer science at Drew University. He frequently contributes to various online technology resources, including JavaBoutique.com, and is the author of Ruby On Rails For Dummies and the previous edition of this book. $29.99 US / $35.99 CN / £21.99 UK ISBN 978-0-470-37173-2 Programming Languages/Java Go to Dummies.com ® for videos, step-by-step examples, how-to articles, or to shop! Jumpin’ Java! The bestselling Java beginner’s book is now fully updated for Java 7! Java, the object-oriented programming language that works on almost any computer, is what powers many of those cool multimedia applications. Thousands have learned Java programming from previous editions of this book — now it’s your turn! Whether you’re new to programming or already know a little Visual Basic or C++, you’ll be doing Java in a jiffy. • The Java scoop — get an overview of Java, the enhancements in Java 7, and the software tools you need • Building blocks — learn to work with Java classes and methods and add comments • Get loopy — understand the value of variables and learn to control program flow with loops or decision-making statements • Class it up — explore classes and objects, constructors, and subclasses, and see how to reuse your code • A click ahead — experiment with variables and methods, use arrays and collections to juggle values, and create programs that respond to mouse clicks Java ® Burd 5th Edition www.it-ebooks.info Start with FREE Cheat Sheets Cheat Sheets include • Checklists • Charts • Common Instructions • And Other Good Stuff! Get Smart at Dummies.com Dummies.com makes your life easier with 1,000s of answers on everything from removing wallpaper to using the latest version of Windows. 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To get information on all our Dummies apps, visit the following: www.Dummies.com/go/mobile from your computer. www.Dummies.com/go/iphone/apps from your phone. www.it-ebooks.info Java ® FOR DUMmIES ‰ 5TH EDITION 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd i01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd i 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd ii01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd ii 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info by Barry Burd Java ® FOR DUMmIES ‰ 5TH EDITION 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd iii01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd iii 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info Java ® For Dummies ® , 5th Edition Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http:// www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its af liates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle America, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. 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If you have purchased a version of this book that did not include media that is referenced by or accom- panies a standard print version, you may request this media by visiting http://booksupport.wiley. com. For more information about Wiley products, visit us www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Control Number: 2011932274 ISBN: 978-0-470-37173-2 (pbk); ISBN: 978-1-118-12830-5 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-118-12831-2 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-118-12832-9 (ebk) Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd iv01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd iv 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info About the Author Barry Burd received an M.S. degree in Computer Science at Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Illinois. As a teaching assistant in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, he was elected ve times to the university-wide List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students. Since 1980, Dr. Burd has been a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. When he’s not lecturing at Drew University, Dr. Burd leads training courses for profes- sional programmers in business and industry. He has lectured at conferences in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He is the author of several articles and books, including Android Application Development All-in-One For Dummies and Beginning Programming with Java For Dummies, both from Wiley Publishing, Inc. Dr. Burd lives in Madison, New Jersey, with his wife and two children. In his spare time, he enjoys being a workaholic. 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd v01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd v 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd vi01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd vi 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info Dedication for Jennie, Sam, and Harriet, Jennie and Benjamin, Katie and Abram, and Basheva 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd vii01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd vii 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd viii01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd viii 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info [...]... I created just for comments and questions about this book, is JavaForDummies@allmy code.com And don’t forget — for the latest updates, visit this book’s website The sites’ main address is www.allmycode.com/JavaForDummies, but you can also get there by visiting www .dummies. com/go/javafordummies5e www.it-ebooks.info 03_9780470371732-intro.indd 7 7/6/11 6:57 PM 8 Java For Dummies, 5th Edition www.it-ebooks.info... PM 2 Java For Dummies, 5th Edition Conventions Used in This Book Almost every technical book starts with a little typeface legend, and Java For Dummies, 5th Edition, is no exception What follows is a brief explanation of the typefaces used in this book: ✓ New terms are set in italics ✓ If you need to type something that’s mixed in with the regular text, the characters you type appear in bold For example:... Java Find Its Files 379 Chapter 18: Ten Websites for Java 381 This Book’s Website 381 The Horse’s Mouth 381 Finding News, Reviews, and Sample Code 382 Looking for Java Jobs 382 Everyone’s Favorite Sites 382 Index 383 www.it-ebooks.info 02_9780470371732-ftoc.indd xix 7/6/11 6:57 PM xx Java For Dummies, 5th Edition. .. deeper by reading Part IV Part V: The Part of Tens The Part of Tens is a little Java candy store In the Part of Tens, you can find lists — lists of tips for avoiding mistakes, for finding resources, and for all kinds of interesting goodies www.it-ebooks.info 03_9780470371732-intro.indd 5 7/6/11 6:57 PM 6 Java For Dummies, 5th Edition Icons Used in This Book If you could watch me write this book, you’d... programs for a living, start with Chapters 2, 3, and 4 but just skim Chapters 5 and 6 ✓ If you write C++ programs for a living, glance at Chapters 2 and 3, skim Chapters 4 through 6, and start reading seriously in Chapter 7 (Java is a bit different from C++ in the way it handles classes and objects.) ✓ If you write Java programs for a living, come to my house and help me write Java For Dummies, 6th Edition. .. What is a Java virtual machine? 28 Developing Software 33 What is an Integrated Development Environment? 35 www.it-ebooks.info 02_9780470371732-ftoc.indd xiii 7/6/11 6:57 PM xiv Java For Dummies, 5th Edition Chapter 3: Using the Basic Building Blocks 39 Speaking the Java Language 39 The grammar and the common names 40 The words in a Java program... ava is good stuff I’ve been using it for years I like Java because it’s very orderly Almost everything follows simple rules The rules can seem intimidating at times, but this book is here to help you figure them out So, if you want to use Java and want an alternative to the traditional techie, softcover book, sit down, relax, and start reading Java For Dummies, 5th Edition How to Use This Book I wish... number of command line arguments 271 www.it-ebooks.info 02_9780470371732-ftoc.indd xvii 7/6/11 6:57 PM xviii Java For Dummies, 5th Edition Using Java Collections 272 Collection classes to the rescue 273 Using an ArrayList 274 Using generics (hot stuff!) 277 Testing for the presence of more data 278 Chapter 12: Looking Good When Things Take Unexpected Turns 281... any of those books that explain object-oriented programming in vague, general terms? I’m very proud to say that Java For Dummies, 5th Edition, isn’t like that In this book, I illustrate each concept with a simpleyet-concrete program example Part IV: Savvy Java Techniques If you’ve tasted some Java and want more, you can find what you need in this part of the book This part’s chapters are devoted to details... ecome acquainted with Java Find out what Java is all about and whether you do (or don’t) want to use Java If you’ve heard things about Java and aren’t sure what they mean, the material in this part can help you If you’re staring at your computer, wondering how you’re going to get a Java program running, this part has the information that you need Maybe you’ve told people that you’re a Java expert, and now . Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies. com, Making. Burd Java ® FOR DUMmIES ‰ 5TH EDITION 01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd iii01_9780470371732-ffirs.indd iii 7/6/11 6:57 PM7/6/11 6:57 PM www.it-ebooks.info Java ®