Running the MBS Case Study with Eclipse 3.0

Cay S. Horstmann

Note: This document is now rather outdated. For an updated version, please see http://webclass.superquest.net/apjava/Eclipse/eclipse_3_1_MBCS_Setup.pdf

Background

Eclipse is a popular integrated development environment for Java programming. You may find this Eclipse tutorial helpful, particularly if you use Big Java or Java Concepts.

The Marine Biology Simulation Case Study is used in the AP Computer Science exam. Its purpose is to give students an opportunity to study a program of significant complexity, and to provide a shared background for exam questions.

This note explains how to run the MBS Case Study in the Eclipse environment.

File Preparation

• Download the file JavaMBS.zip.
• Unzip the file. If you unzip it in c:\, the data are saved in the c:\JavaMBS subdirectory. (Under Linux, use something like /home/yourname/JavaMBS. In the following, I assume that you can set up a directory structure that works for your environment.

Eclipse Preparation

You will create a special Eclipse project whose sole purpose is to be the basis of other projects. This initial step greatly reduces the tedium of configuring the source and JAR files for each MBS project.

• Start Eclipse
• Select File -> New Project
  
• Select Java
• Click Next
• Supply the Project name MBSLibs
• Uncheck the Use default checkbox
  
• Set the directory to "c:\JavaMBS\Code". (Change the directory name as appropriate for your installation. The screen shot below shows the Linux directory /home/cay/JavaMBS/Code.)
  
• Click Next
• Click on the Source tab
• Select MBSLibs/DynamicPopulation
  
• Click on Remove
• Click on the Libraries tab
  
• Click the Add JARs button.
• Add both mbsbb.jar and mbsgui.jar
  
• Click on the Order and Export tab
• Check mbsbb.jar, mbsgui.jar.
  
• Click Finish

Making a MBS Project

Follow these steps for each new project that you want to run. You would make a new project

• for running each of the simple demos (SimpleMBSDemo1.java, SimpleMBSDemo2.java)
• for experimenting with the GUI program (MBSGUI.java)
• whenever you make a change to some of the files (e.g. to change Fish.java)

Here are the steps required to make a new project.

• Select File -> New Project
• Select Java
  
• Click Next
• Supply a Project name such as simple1. If you are happy with the default directory, you can leave the Use Default checked. Otherwise, uncheck it, and specify your own directory. It will be created for you if it doesn't exist.
  
• Click Next
• Click on the Projects tab
• Check MBSLibs
  
• Click on Finish
• Select File -> Import
• Select File System
  
• Click Next
• In the From directory field, type c:\JavaMBS\Code
• In the window to the left and below, click on the Code label, but do not check the check box
• In the right hand side pane, select those files that you need for your project. You will need the class with the main method (such as SimpleMBSDemo1.java, SimpleMBSDemo2.java, MBSGUI.java) and any classes that you intend to modify (such as Fish.java in later stages of the case study).
  
• Click on Finish
• Compile your project: Project -> Rebuild All. (Ignore any error messages that you get regarding the Fish class in the
• In the Package Explorer window, open up the project until you see the class with the main method (such as SimpleMBSDemo1)
  
• Run your project: Run -> Run As -> Java Application
  
• Congratulations! Your project is running.