Moving To Java, Advice? in Off Topic

ID:180991
 
Jan 4 2012, 3:32 pm
So I've decided to move on to Java to start making games for Android and whatever else I decide to work on. Was wondering if anyone has experience with Java? I'd like advice and links to places that give good tutorials, explanations, references, and whatnot. I'll still play with DM, but I want to move on to something stronger and better. :)
#1 Jan 4 2012, 4:26 pm
look up "the new Boston Java" on youtube it should bring you to a guy with good code tutorials about Java, c, and a lot more
#2 Jan 4 2012, 6:45 pm
In response to Zelda123 (#1)
Zelda123 wrote:
look up "the new Boston Java" on youtube it should bring you to a guy with good code tutorials about Java, c, and a lot more

Yeah I know of Thenewboston. I go to his website and stuff as well, thenewboston.com.
#3 Jan 4 2012, 7:45 pm
#4 Jan 4 2012, 10:00 pm
In response to DivineTraveller (#3)
Time to update java and your bookmarks with SE 6 or the recently released SE 7
#5 Jan 4 2012, 10:02 pm
In response to BrickSquadron (#4)
To be honest, that's just what came up on google. I have a neat plugin for chrome that does api searching for me.
#6 Jan 4 2012, 11:03 pm
Ganing wrote:
So I've decided to move on to Java to start making games for Android and whatever else I decide to work on. Was wondering if anyone has experience with Java? I'd like advice and links to places that give good tutorials, explanations, references, and whatnot. I'll still play with DM, but I want to move on to something stronger and better. :)

I still work in Java. Java is a great language. If you're doing 2d work and don't need acceleration, just use the built-in J2D (getting a window, and a graphics object, and drawing to a off screen buffer, then flipping). Otherwise, look into LWJGL for accelerated 2d and 3d graphics (minecraft uses LWJGL).

I would read the entire API straight up. When you start to code things like singletons, you're gonna be lost unless you know every nook and cranny of the language... (true singleton's in java are actually kinda tricky).
#7 Jan 5 2012, 2:35 am
In response to BrickSquadron (#4)
BrickSquadron wrote:
Time to update java and your bookmarks with SE 6 or the recently released SE 7

So like.. I know this is nooby of me, but how exactly do I follow this? lol
#8 Jan 6 2012, 1:51 am
In response to Ganing (#7)
Developing for Android, you'll be best off going with the Froyo set of Android OS, as all Android after it are backwards compatible, and this would give you the largest userbase(22% still use Froyo).

Froyo doesn't support Java 7, so if you use this tutorial(I do suggest it), you'll have to change the compiler set to 1.6(Project>Properties>Compiler, in Eclipse).
http://www.vogella.de/android.html

And if you intend on creating games, the best freeware engine to use is AndEngine. Allows multiple game-types, simplifies interfacing with the Android's screen functions, etc.
http://www.andengine.org/forums/tutorials/ eclipse-andengine-and-helloworld-t380.html
will show you how to get started with AndEngine and Eclipse, while
http://www.andengine.org/forums/tutorials/ mimminito-s-tutorial-list-t417.html
will give you some more tutorials to help get you started.

Also, you're not meant to follow the Java docs. You search for what you need so you know how to implement functions correctly. It's similar to F1 while in DreamMaker.
#9 Jan 6 2012, 4:18 pm
In response to FIREking (#6)
Reading the entire API would be ... rather silly, I must note. It's much akin to reading the DM Reference in it's entirely and assuming by doing so, you'll understand the language concepts at work. Only with Java, as you can see, the standard API is much larger, making that an even bigger waste of time.

What is handy, is to have an awareness of what Java's standard API offers.

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/ package-summary.html Most of the stuff here is naturally quite handy, and has the benefit of not needing to import, as java.lang.* is automatically imported by default.

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/util/ package-summary.html Collections pretty well under-pin all but the most simple of Java applications, so an understanding of the interfaces available here, and the performance differences between their implementing classes is great. This is usually an on-going process I find, so I wouldn't sweat not knowing every inch of this area so long as you are prepared to read up as and when you need something.

I could go on, but it's really a case of just getting good with google to dig up a few basic tutorials as and when your task demands it.

As for singletons, they are .... not tricky, or hugely relevant to the OP .... or even good practice most of the time.
#10 Jan 6 2012, 5:55 pm
In response to Stephen001 (#9)
Cool. Thanks guys for all the links and whatnot. They are very much appreciated. I have bookmarked them all in an effort to move away from the simpleness of DM into a whole new region of programming. I now realize that the API is like the DM reference. So I know I will use it a lot lol. I've got 3 people on Youtube I'm looking at for tutorials. thenewboston for Java tutorials, cornboyzandroid for the XML, Java, C, and OpenGL stuff that deals with Android, as well as mybringback for more stuff to practice with. I'm hoping I'll be able to get this stuff down within a year. I plan on taking a Java programming class next semester (Fall) to learn more and make sure I'm not missing too much.

Will learning Java and XML help me at all with DM? I'd imagine it would, but I've already notice the huge difference between Java and DM since Java has a main class? Still getting the termo down and whatnot.
#11 Jan 6 2012, 6:37 pm
In response to Ganing (#10)
The benefit Java will bring back to you in DM is mostly in understanding, understanding the benefits of object-oriented programming a little better. Sometimes you use it without thinking in DM (which is a plus, shows it's intuitive) but get stumped completely when doing the same thing with say ... datums.
#12 Jan 7 2012, 4:00 pm
In response to Stephen001 (#11)
DM is also useful for prototypes and proof of concept. If you can do it in DM, you can do it in Java.