Learn Java with JBuilder 6 (Paperback)

~ John Zukowski (Author)
Key Phrases: project properties, archive builder, bean info, Applet Wizard, Cancel Help Figure, Application Wizard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Perfect for the beginning Java developer, Learn Java with JBuilder 6 provides a winning and approachable tour of Java using JBuilder 6 by employing a hands-on approach to language basics and simple component development.

Most every Java book in existence relies on the free command-line Java compiler shipped with Sun's Java 2 SDK. This text bucks the trend with a focus on using the power of JBuilder to create simple applets and applications. Beginning with setting up the JBuilder tool, the author uses its wizards and code editors to jump-start this introductory tutorial. Twenty-one chapters (called "skills") highlight particular JBuilder tasks, like using the wizards to create basic applets (and applications). One section of note here provides a nicely digestible tour of Java language basics. Early chapters also give you the basics of drawing and file I/O APIs.

Basic applets that do simple animations and provide simple user interfaces with Swing components are the rule here. A sequence of several chapters dig into the details of creating (and consuming) custom JavaBeans for clients. (While this is arguably an old-fashioned approach to learning Java, as client-side JavaBeans have been eclipsed by server-side Java over the past few years, the benefit of this approach is that newbies will begin to code with reusable components early on.) Subsequent chapters look at adding bean persistence (using serialization APIs), property editors, and other more advanced features with beans.

Later chapters extend the range of options for basic Java programmers with a look at deployment, menus, and toolbars. This text circles back to the JBuilder environment with sections on customizing the IDE, like creating custom code templates and other productivity boosters. Final sections look at JBuilder 6 features for the enterprise, notably built-in UML support and EJB wizards.

Overall, the author's accessible presentation style and hands-on focus on using JBuilder's wizards to do more, more quickly, will help put basic Java programming into reach for a wide range of readers seeking to tackle this popular programming language for the first time. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Introductory tutorial for Java using the JBuilder 6 IDE; installing and registering JBuilder 6; tour of basic IDE features (including project, applet, and application wizards); tutorial to basic Java syntax (data types, strings, classes, variables, and methods); exception handling; basic applet programming (including animation, sound, and multithreading support); basic Swing controls for user interface programming; layout managers (including XYLayout); basic drawing techniques using the Java2D APIs; file I/O APIs explained; tutorial for client-side JavaBeans, built-in beans, and the JBuilder Component Palette; creating custom beans (with properties, methods, and events); using bean introspection and custom property editors; serialization and bean persistence; Java deployment with JAR files; menu support (plus using the built-in dialog boxes for choosing colors and fonts); using toolbars; internationalization (including resource bundling); customizing the JBuilder environment (with project defaults and code templates); using code obfuscation; debugging multithreaded programs (the JBuilder debugger); introduction to JBuilder Professional and Enterprise features (including UML support and EJB wizards).

Product Description

<p><i>Learn Java with JBuilder 6</i> teaches you how to become a productive JBuilder developer using the latest version of the most popular Java IDE: JBuilder 6. Master teacher and Java programmer John Zukowski uses bite-size examples to introduce the Java programming language and the core Java libraries. Learn to use many of the JBuilder wizards and JBuilder's JavaBeans Express to automatically generate the development framework, which allows you to concentrate on filling in the business logic. Learn how to build and how to connect JavaBean components in JBuilder's drag-and-drop development environment. Master the Model-View-Controller architecture found in Swing's GUI components to build complex user interfaces. Learn about multithreading and how to debug multithreaded programs, and much more! </p>

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Product Details

• Paperback: 650 pages
• Publisher: Apress (March 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893115984
• ISBN-13: 978-1893115989
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,354,326 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to JBuilder 6, June 15, 2002

By	Chung Yeung Choi (Flushing, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This book give you a pretty good introduction to JBuilder 6 and assumed you are pretty new to Java as well.

I found this book explains Java Bean in very detail under Jbuilder 6 environment,and it spends 1/3 of the book about this. If you like to learn Java Bean under JBuilder, this book is for you.

Besides Java Bean, the debugging multithreaded programs (the JBuilder debugger) chapter give you a good knowledge for how to debug Java program in Jbuilder.

However, I have one complain about the chapter
"Introduction Builder Professional and Enterprise features (including UML support and EJB wizards)"
I understand it is a introduction level chapter, but I expect there is at least one CODE example to show how to do the Hello world EJB under JBuilder. However, this book does not...

I would like to give 5 stars to this book, but the EJB chapter makes me to deduct 1 star from it.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Way too hard for beginner, March 23, 2004

By	M. H Shamp (Columbia Falls, MT United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I got this book at the same time I ordered Sam's Teach Yourself Java 1.2 in 21 days. Sam's book arrived first and I read about 200 pages of it with no problems. Then I started reading this book and by the time I got to page 100 I was totally lost - that's with the stuff I already learned from Sam's book. The book starts out being super beginner-friendly. It gives a detailed instruction on how to install the JBuilder 6, to the point that it even shows you the screen shot how how to click the "Accept" button when presented with the software agreement. Unfortunately, that's where the friendliness all ends.

The biggest problem I see is to teach Java with the Enterprise version of JBuilder 6. Even if you write the simplest code such as Hello World, JBuilder 6 automatically add about two pages of advanced codes for you, none of which is understandable by the book's brief explanations. But even if I try the source code in the "black box" style, it still doesn't work because the book doesn't give the whole code of any program. It just gives you bits to add to the pages of stuff JBuilder 6 does for you. My problem is, the book doesn't say where to put the bits, and when I try to put it somewhere I think best, the program won't compile, and debugging explanations are way too hard just because everything is so advanced. I felt like a baby learning to walk but was put in a plane's cockpit being taught how to fly.

The book doesn't really mean to teach anybody Java. In the first few chapters it covered the basic Java concepts with incredible speed and almost no examples. It is definitely in a bad hurry to get to Java Beans, where it dwelled for the longest time.

Another problem I experienced is the JBuilder 6 that came with the book is supposed to be a 30 day trial for the Enterprise version that is supposed to turn into the personal verion afterwards. Well, mine didn't. After 30 days, it just said "license expired" and refused to open no matter what I did. To make it worse, both the author and the publisher are very careful to make sure you can't contact them for anything, unlike Sam's book.

I since learned Java successfully with Sam's book Teach yourself Java 1.2 in 21 days complete compiler edition, which is also sold on amazon.com. It includes JBuilder 2 is old but very easy to use and doesn't pack your source code with any stuff, so what you type in is what you get, and one click on the run button and everything runs great. I am sure the experts will find the Enterprise version better, but for me, it is just way too hard. I recommend Sam's book instead of this one.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good beginners book., January 24, 2003

By	Ravichandran M. Kaushika "Ravi." (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

Overall calue=4(well written and a good book). The book is well structured for a beginner for Java and a Java IDE such as Jbuilder.

Instructional value of the book: 5 stars.
the instructions of this book are well structured and provides easy steps for the user to accomplish the things mentioned in the text book.

Reference value of the book:3
This book is a beginners book and soon will not be useful for experienced users of Jbuilder.

This book is a well done book that teaches Java to a beginner like me and also the nuances of the Jbuilder tool. The chapters are organized in a structured fashion.

It also teaches the users how ot develop simple applets using the tool and the use of Swing and AWT. The book delves into some advanced topics such as multi threading, and menu creation in the later portions of the book.

The author is a well respected Java respected and an authority in Java; the book is an excellent book and I would like thank the author for providing readers like me with a great book to learn Java and Jbuilder.