Thread: Newbie Question

Hey everyone,

I am rather new to Java and the technical details of programming in general. I do have a strong conceptual understanding and know and understand what most of the objects, types, api's, are and how they should be used. What I don't know is how to actually use any of it.

I would like to start small and I'm seemingly having trouble finding an example/tutorial of this nature:

I would like to write a small program that
1: Can read and search a text file, returning any exact and similar matches
2: The text file would (or if better, access/excel) would have four columns: x-coord, y-coord, exitType, name
3: Using a JavaFX simple GUI I'd like to be able to enter a name (or part of one) and a listbox return a list of similar or exact matches
4: Upon clicking the name in the list box you are provided with the name, x-coord, y-coord, and exitType

I think part of my problem is stemming from the fact that there is so many different implementations/types of Java available and I find tutorials from all over the place (some similar) that don't just seem to be using SE/FX. I do have some experience in C/C++/VB and using Access/Excel fuctions/methods/forms if that makes any difference. I think I could actually do it in VB/C# pretty easily but I'd prefer to use Java because I am interested in learning it.

Beyond this question, if someone could point me to a solid website dealing with modern implementations of Java SE/FX it would be highly appreciated. I tend to be finding really dated sites with examples/tutorials.

Originally Posted by mmazur

... I do have a strong conceptual understanding and know and understand what most of the objects, types, api's, are and how they should be used. What I don't know is how to actually use any of it. ...

How would you write it in VB or C#? Draw up you algorithm and pseudocode. Work out from there using java SE/FX as needed. When you hit a problem post a question with the relevant code.

Well, I would essentially be in the same spot with VB/C#. I just have more experience working with MS forms because of the fact that even Finance majors have to take some of the intro C.S. classes; but, it has been a while since I even did that. I was more hoping that by describing what I am trying to do I could be directed in the direction of either 1) a similar tutorial/example, or 2) some one could kind of help me with a road map on what I should be trying to learn to complete this specific idea.

I know that it is against the ToS to post a complete project - especially for homework situations - but this is something I am just trying to do for fun to help out the players of a long running MUD. This is a link to essentially what I am trying to model http://firan.legendary.org/index.php/Directions I know the question would then be why not use/update that? Well, mainly because I thought this would be fun but also I'd like to add some functionality to it piece-by-piece as I learn.

Thank you so far for the help.

If you have never used java start out with the Hello World. Then write Hello World to a file. Then read the file and print the text to the screen.
If you want SE/FX tutorials, hit up a search engine and you will have several. As far as good ones, that really boils down to what works for you.
For your project it sounds like you need to develop your algorithm to solve your problem, then put the algorithm in pseudocode. Once you have that part down, it will be much easier to translate to java