sigh....anyways now that i have everything up and running, i have created the .java file for my first small program

/*
This is a simple java program.

Call this file Example.java.
*/
Class Example {
// A Java program begins with a call to main().
public static void main(String args[]) [
System.out.println("Java drives the web.");
}
}


i have called it as it says Example.java

now to compile it, i go to command window and type
javac Example.java
and it comes out with an error, but doesn't specify what i did wrong.
i get error:cannot read:Example.java
1 error


well i am at a loss again, and i hate to bother everyone but i am a persistant lil bugger, and i plan on learning jova gosh darn!

You need to specify the path to where your example.java file is located. For example:
javac c:/example.java

It would be helpful if you put your code inside code tags so that all of the indentation is preserved, which in turn makes it easier to read.



There is also a typo in there. You have a square bracket after (String args[]). The bracket should be replaced with a {.

It's not really a bother to help. There is a bit of a learning curve, and it is helpful to have someone walk you through some of the basics.

thanks for help again, but dang i have treid almost everything (if i did everything i wouldda got it already)
to get it to work. i have specified it all the way down to
C:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Java\Example.java
and C:\Example.java and so on, anyways it keeps coming up with that same error, and i am woundering, on the left side of the cmd prompt it says
C:\Documents and Settings\user>
is it maybe just looking in this area or something? can it be more general like just C:\ i don't know what i am doing wrong, its frustrating.

Put it in your C: directory (just to make it more simple). Then you can type in java c:/example.java. Notice the foreward slash. If you have corrected the square bracket, it is going to give you a classDefNotFound error. Your code is not quite right yet.

EDIT: Doh.. never mind the comment about the slash. You are on a Windows kit, so it makes no difference which slash you use.

thanks again, that worked out, i moved it to C, and corrected the bracket, i ran the compiler and it works, i even saw the class file in the directory, but like u said when i try to run it came up with the classDefNotFound error.
well now that i'm on my way i shall go hunting for what i need to fix in da code. thanks again

Let me know what you did to correct the problem. It may help someone else down the road....

alright i figured it out ,in the command propt you have to switch it to the directory to where u stored your .class file

this was whta i put into prompt
cd c:\java
C:\Java> java Example
and it worked. i am on my way now. thank you!