Installing JDK in Windows 7

[sam johnston]

Hey all at Java Ranch,

I apologize in advance for my noobish question but here it goes

I am quite new to java and I have been reading my intro book and I ran into a hitch I installed the latest version of the JDK and when through the setup wizard and the process went without a hitch. Now I wish to compile and run my first java program I oped up cmd and told it to go to C:\Program Files (x86)\java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin\javac to my first program and It cannot find the javac program and no matter how many different methods I use to tell it to start the javac my computer cannot find the program any ideas?

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Sam,
Welcome to JavaRanch!

Do you see a file named "javac" in C:\Program Files (x86)\java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin? If so, can you post the command you are running? Or a few of them since you tried different things.

[sam johnston]

Yeah I see the file there

What I have been doing is C:\Program Files (x86)\java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin\javac Program Files (x86)\java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin\javac and "C:\Program Files (x86)\java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin\javac" the last one actually worked but then I ran into trouble with it finding the .java program I wanted it to compile is there a method where I can make it where I can just issue the javac command then the directory of the .java file I saw that it could be done but I was unable to get it to work correctly and I was wondering if it was a problem with the installation or the fact that im using a 64 bit version of windows?

[Wouter Oet]

Are you sure you installed the JDK and not the JRE? Because you need the JDK.

Edit: to late

[David Newton]

Set your path.

[Janeice DelVecchio]

Why did you install the 32 bit JDK with a 64 bit OS? You might consider uninstalling and reinstalling.

And, yes, I agree with David. You need to set your path. Right click my computer, select properties, select advanced system settings, and click the button that says "environment variables". Add a semicolon and the full directory name to the bin folder inside your JDK install to the PATH textbox.

[sam johnston]

Ok I reinstalled JDK (I feel quite dumb for not looking for the 64 bit installer) and I went to set the path and I entered ;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin and still when I type javac into cmd windows still cannot find the command

[Janeice DelVecchio]

Did you add it to both the system and user variables? You only need it in the system, but I've seen people put it in both.

Did you reboot?

[sam johnston]

Yea I added it in both and restarted and still nothing

[Janeice DelVecchio]

Alright.... when you try to compile, your command prompt is in the directory of the java file?

That is to say your command looks like this:

 C:\Users\Janeice\Documents\Java>javac HelloWorld.java  

What, exactly is in the "system variables / PATH" textbox? If windows is "not recognized command or filename" you might have a typo... copy and paste that entire textbox here

[Pushkar Choudhary]

Can you post here the exact error that you are getting when you try to compile a class?

[sam johnston]

Its just the 'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command

[sam johnston]

in the system variable path I have

   ;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_18\bin\ 

[Janeice DelVecchio]

you have no other paths? Most people have paths to the root and the windows folder... get rid of the semicolon.

[sam johnston]

My goodness we have success!!@!!1!!!
Thanks all who helped in this simple process gone wrong!
Now if I get anywhere in java programing everyone who helped will be able to say they had a part in the magic

[Janeice DelVecchio]

You'll be back

[Pushkar Choudhary]

sam johnston wrote:My goodness we have success!!@!!1!!!

Good to see that. And have a good time learning Java!

[sam johnston]

So true you are! Im trying to compile my second app and I get a error saying an exception in the tread "main and a long list of where the eroor is and then it says it cannot find the class

[Janeice DelVecchio]

sam johnston wrote:So true you are! Im trying to compile my second app and I get a error saying an exception in the tread "main and a long list of where the eroor is and then it says it cannot find the class

Looks like you get to start a new thread!