I Am A Noob.

[stillyslalom]

Hello everybody,
Since our lead (and currently only) programmer is also our team captain, he doesn't really do any coding besides making sure there aren't any bugs in the FRC-provided code... I'd like to take a larger role in programming so he can focus on bigger things, but I have virtually no experience. Our school offers no comp sci classes other than 'How To Run Excel and Word', so I will be starting from scratch.
I ventured into C++ briefly, then learned that the AP Comp Sci test (which I'd like to study independently for and hopefully do well on) tests Java skills.
What's the best route for me to learn Java?

[lusterlink]

-Stillyslalom

The way I learned java was through the independent study of online free tutorials. Then again, I already had some programming experience, yet it looks like you have some in C++ too. If you are studying for the AP Comp Sci Test, it might be a good idea to buy an AP prep book for the test and learn from that. You could always use online tutorials to supplement the AP prep book.

Another idea that just occurred to me: I'm located close to a local community college. I know that our community college offers introductory classes in Java, perhaps a community college located close to you might be of some value.

[stillyslalom]

I've been looking through Rhoads' tutorial (posted on this board), it looks like there are many similarities between C++ and Java. I think I'll stick to the online tutorials; I've had good luck with them so far.

[Robby Unruh]

I taught myself Java through a book my mentor gave me one of the first days of the build season: Java 24 Hours. It wasn't the best book, but it gave me a pretty good introduction in to programming. I hate reading PDF files and websites online to learn... it just feels so weird. Good luck learning, though!

[Ether]

Originally Posted by stillyslalom

What's the best route for me to learn Java?

Sun's Java tutorials are excellent:
http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/

Also available in hardcopy book form.

~

[Robototes2412]

Honestly, the best way to learn how to program is to hack at the examples.

If the robot shins you, it shins you (and you feel pain), but you learn more from failure than success.

[kawalla]

Well there are a bunch of online places to learn I mean my team's lead programmer doesn't do much coding because he is too busy playing minecraft the entire time. So I've essentially replaced him with this forum

Now if someone has a great way I can get our lead programmer to stop playing minecraft so he can do some actual work please tell me

[ProgrammerMatt]

Hello, i just started programing in java for the first time, Learning actuall java wont help as much, we have been learning by reading source codes.
If you would like some help i can show you some drive code, solenoid triggering, joystick(get buttons and axis), and camera code if you need it.

Programmer Matt,
Gus robotics, team228.org

[wdell]

Originally Posted by ProgrammerMatt

Hello, i just started programing in java for the first time, Learning actuall java wont help as much, we have been learning by reading source codes.
If you would like some help i can show you some drive code, solenoid triggering, joystick(get buttons and axis), and camera code if you need it.

Programmer Matt,
Gus robotics, team228.org

And you can have anything I've got so far: manual drive, driver station and dashboard, and a class that watches the buttons on the joystick to see if one is pressed. Others, but those classes aren't really complete.

[mwtidd]

Originally Posted by stillyslalom

Hello everybody,
Since our lead (and currently only) programmer is also our team captain, he doesn't really do any coding besides making sure there aren't any bugs in the FRC-provided code... I'd like to take a larger role in programming so he can focus on bigger things, but I have virtually no experience. Our school offers no comp sci classes other than 'How To Run Excel and Word', so I will be starting from scratch.
I ventured into C++ briefly, then learned that the AP Comp Sci test (which I'd like to study independently for and hopefully do well on) tests Java skills.
What's the best route for me to learn Java?

If you email me I'll invite you to my dropbox and you can check out my adk. It contains and requires you to implement abstract classes, interfaces, and classes. Also it has video tutorials. I think it acts as a good introduction to the uses of each.
(mwtidd@gmail.com)