Java Primer / Programming Workshop

Course Objectives
The aim of this Course is to give students a fully rounded general knowledge of programming with Java providing not just basic skills but moving onto more advanced topics including Collections, Threads, I/O and Networking. During the Course the student will write many applications, classes and applets ensuring that the statements taught are fully understood and practical experience is gained. On completion of this Course the student will be able to:

• use the major concepts of a modern, block-structured, high-level language, such as control flow, method calls and modular programming
• structure programs using classes and other essential object-oriented features
• take advantage of and understand Interfaces
• use the Collections Framework (both Java 1.1 and Java 1.2 implementations)
• create and handle Exceptions
• use the Java Input/Output classes
• understand and use Serialization to achieve persistence
• understand multi-threading and synchronization and use the various techniques available to create separate threads

Course Details
INTRODUCTION TO JAVA
What is Java?
The Java Programming Language
The Java Platform, Java installation - Path requirements
What Can Java Do?
Overview of the many subjects covered by Java
Advantages of using Java
Creating a java class
Running Simple Applications
A simple first example - The "Hello World" Application
OBJECT-ORIENTED CONCEPTS
An introduction to Objects
What is an Object?, Encapsulation
Communicating between objects
What are Messages?, the benefits of Messages
Classes
What are Classes?, Objects vs. Classes, instantiation, the benefits of Classes
Inheritance
What is Inheritance?, the benefits of Inheritance
THE JAVA LANGUAGE
Variables
Usage Types, Data Types, Literal Values, Naming Standards, Scope, Initialisation, Constants, Escape Characters
Arrays & Multi-Dimentional Arrays
Strings
Strings are objects!, Concatenation, Testing for String equality, Manipulation
Operators
Arithmetic, Unary, Relational, Conditional, Bitwise, Assignment, Expressions
Primitive Casting & Data Type Conversion
Control Flow Statements
if-else, switch, For, While, Do-while, break and continue, Labeled Loops
The return Statement
Passing Arguments to JAVA Programs
OBJECTS, METHODS AND CLASSES
Introduction to Classes and Objects
Methods, Applications & Object Code
Creating & Manipulating Objects, Calling Methods, Passing Arguments and Method Overloading, Returning Values from Methods
Constructors, Static Code
Inheritance - Extending a Class
What does a Subclass Inherit?
Abstract Classes and Methods
Interfaces
Defining an Interface, Implementing an Interface
Inner Classes
Using an Inner Class to Implement an Adapter, Anonymous Inner Classes
The Garbage Collector - Cleaning up Unused Objects
Finalization
PACKAGES
Packages, Using Package Members, Importing
ACCESSIBILITY MODIFIERS
Public or Private?!
Declaration Parameters
Class, Variable , Method
CASTING
Literal Values, Implicit & Explicit Casting, Casting With Operators
Casting Objects, Narrowing & Widening
CONVERSION, FORMATTING AND PRECISION
Data Type Conversion, Wrapper Classes
Decimal Precision
Numeric Formatting, Date Formatting
THE INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
The Workbench
Perspectives, Views, Toolbars, Editors
Importing and exporting, Searching
Rearranging Views, Fast Views
Working With Java
Working with buildpaths and classpaths
Fixing Problems, Creating new Classes and Interfaces
The Java Editor
Editing code and elements, Content/Code Assist, Code Formatter
Managing Imports, Local History, Refactoring
Other Views
The Type Hierarchy, Using the Outline View
Running and Debugging apps
THE RAD 6.0 DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT (if applicable)
The Workbench
Perspectives, Views, Toolbars, Editors
Importing and exporting, Searching
Rearranging Views, Fast Views
Working With Java
Working with buildpaths and classpaths
Fixing Problems, Creating new Classes and Interfaces
The Java Editor
Editing code and elements, Content/Code Assist, Code Formatter
Managing Imports, Local History, Refactoring
Other Views
The Type Hierarchy, Using the Outline View
Running and Debugging apps
COLLECTIONS
Java 1.1 Collections
Vectors, Stacks, Enumeration, Dictionaries and Hashtables
Properties
Java 1.2 Collections Framework
The Need for a New Framework, Collection Interfaces and Implementations
Iterators
Sets - HashSet, TreeSet
Lists - ArrayList, LinkedList
Maps - HashMap, TreeMap
THREADS & SYNCHRONIZATION
What is a Thread?
Creating Threads
Method 1 - Extending the Thread Class
Method 2 - Implementing the Runnable Interface
Controlling Threads
Thread Priority, Terminating Threads, Daemon Threads, Thread Synchronization
Applet Animation and Threads
Animation Flickering, Double Buffering to avoid flickering
Using an Inner Class to Handle Multiple Threads
ERROR HANDLING
Java Exceptions
Runtime and Checked Exceptions, Try / Catch Processing, The Finally Block
Passing Exceptions up the Stack
The throws statement
Creating new Exceptions
The Throw Statement, Error and Exception Classes, User Defined Exceptions
JAVA I/O
The Java I/O API
The File class, Input and Output Streams, Readers and Writers
Reading from System Input, Reading from Files
Standard Output Stream - System.out
Types of I/O classes
Buffering input/output, ByteArrays, CharArrays, DataStreams
Serialization - Persistence of Objects
Course Environment Development will be performed using:

• the Java Development Kit (JDK) plus a text editor
• JBuilder
• NetBeans
• Websphere Studio Application Developer
• Rational Application Developer
• Eclipse

Course Format: Practical sessions make up a large part of the course, allowing delegates to demonstrate and reinforce the lectures given. During these sessions the delegate will build a simple but complete application. Examples are used extensively, ranging from simple code 'snippets' to full applications with complete 'real world' functionality. These are supplied at the start of the course and it is encouraged that the delegates execute and 'experiment' with these under the instructor's guidance as they are introduced. These examples are available to take away, along with the delegate's own work. The comprehensive Student Guide supplied is fully indexed serving as a useful reference tool long after the course has finished. Delegates will also be able to access a free help-line with technical questions relating to topics covered on the course.