I'm new to Java and can't get javac command working

Question

Ok first of all hello ( i'm new to the forum ), second i'm reading a book about Java and im trying to compile a sample code from the book, but javac command gained life and it's against me. So the book i'm reading is Sams Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days (YAY), and the code i want to compile is an application that works with another bit of code that mimics what a robot could do inside a volcano. So the Volcano program code is the following ( i'll post the robot code at the end of the post):
1: class VolcanoApp {
2: public static void main(String[] arguments) {
3: VolcanoRobot dante = new VolcanoRobot();
4: dante.status = ?exploring?;
5: dante.speed = 2;
6: dante.temperature = 510;
7:
8: dante.showAttributes();
9: System.out.println(?Increasing speed to 3.?);
10: dante.speed = 3;
11: dante.showAttributes();
12: System.out.println(?Changing temperature to 670.?);
13: dante.temperature = 670;
14: dante.showAttributes();
15: System.out.println(?Checking the temperature.?);
16: dante.checkTemperature();
17: dante.showAttributes();
18: }
19: }
Ignore the numbers they are used for explaining stuff in the book, and i din't copy the indentation.
So what i do is that i creat a file with notepad ( no fancy stuff only plain old notepad ) and i copy this code, remove the numbers and make the indents.
After that i save as .txt file with the apropriate name ( i know it's case sensitive ). After that i open command prompt and write:
javac VolcanoApp.java
And it tells me that "javac is not recognized as an internal or external command operable program or batch file".
I managed to solve that by going to the control panel and by adding to the system variables for my user in the path variable this :
;C:\JAVAJDK\bin
( C:\JAVAJDK is where JDK is installed)
And then i modified the system variables like this:
In the CLASSPATH i entered this .;%JAVA_HOME%\lib\tools.jar
In JAVA_HOME i entered this C:\JAVAJDK
Setting the variables like this made the javac error go away but now when i write in command line
javac VolcanoApp.java
It gives me this error
javac: file not found : VolcanoApp.java
Usage: javac options source files
use -help for a list of possible options
And then i read that i can drop my java file directly in the javac file. So i did.
When i drop my VolcanoApp.java in the javac file it open a command line window and writes a bunch of stuff in like a milisecond and shuts down. And no file is created.
I wanted to know what was writen in that window so i did it again and took a print screen and pasted it on paint ( it writed so much text that i only got a little bit but enough to see what hapend)
I read it and in the print screen it said it had 15 errors ( so far ) and then it point the errors with little arrows and there were characters that weren't present in the original code.
What hapend the compiler added wierd letters?
SO, my real question is, how the heck do i get javac working and compiling stuff properly?
Plz help i'm getting mad at this! ; (
And the code for the "robot":
1: class VolcanoRobot {
2: String status;
3: int speed;
4: float temperature;
5:
6: void checkTemperature() {
7: if (temperature > 660) {
8: status = ?returning home?;
9: speed = 5;
10: }
11: }
12:
13: void showAttributes() {
14: System.out.println(?Status: ? + status);
15: System.out.println(?Speed: ? + speed);
16: System.out.println(?Temperature: ? + temperature);
17: }
18: }
Again no indents and ignore the numbers. In the book it only said to compile the VolcanoApp.java , and not the VolcanoRobot.java
Edit:
I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit.
Edited by: BBlop on Dec 13, 2009 11:29 AM

Answer 1

guess what it says java file. So yes i'm sure. Sarcasm. Not the best way to encourage a total stranger to help you. Then there's
Sorry if i wasn't more clear but was that response needed?No it wasn't needed, but I'm not the one asking for help so I have the luxury of not worrying too much about it. It's extremely frustrating trying to drag relevant information out of someone, and makes one less inclined to bother.
Anyways, there's still nothing in this thread that actually explicitly says "there is a file called VolcanoApp.java in the directory where I'm running javac from" and I really can't be bothered banging my head against the wall any longer. You've made a silly mistake, or a false assumption. We all do it from time to time. My advice is, take a break, go for a walk and re-visit this in a while. You'll probably spot the mistake right away.