Target Audience

This course covers all major aspects of client / server programming with Java. It is essentially a condensed version of courses EC21 (Java Primer), EC22 (Java Programming) and EC31 (Java Servlet Programming) and is aimed at highly competent programmers who have detailed knowledge of similar programming techniques using C++.

Pre-requisites

It is stressed that due to the condensed agenda for this course, students must have a strong working knowledge of C++.

Course Objectives

The aim of this course is to give experienced C++ students a fully rounded general knowledge of client / server programming with Java providing not just basic skills but moving onto more advanced topics including Collections, Threads, I/O, Servlets and JavaServer Pages. During the course the student will write many applications, classes, servlets and JSPs ensuring that the statements taught are fully understood and practical experience is gained. On completion of this course the student will be able to:

•     understand the fundamental language differences between C++ and Java
•     Take advantage of and understand Interfaces
•     Use the Collections Framework (both Java 1.1 and Java 1.2 implementations)
•     Create and handle Exceptions
•     Use the Java Input/Output classes
•     Understand and use Serialization to achieve persistence
•     Understand multi-threading and synchronization and use the various techniques available to create separate threads
•     Write Servlets that interact with HTTP clients
•     Understanding servlet multi-threading issues / pitfalls, session tracking and JavaBean manipulation.
•     Write Applications/Servlets that manipulate records in a Database using JDBC
•     Code effective JavaServer Pages using Model, View, Controller design pattern methodologies.

Course Environment

Development will be performed using:

•     the Java Development Kit (JDK) plus a text editor
•     JBuilder
•     NetBeans
•     Rational Application Developer
•     Websphere Studio Application Developer
•     Eclipse

Course Details

INTRODUCTION TO JAVA

What is Java?

The Java Programming Language

The Java Platform, Java installation - Path requirements

What Can Java Do?

Overview of the many subjects covered by Java

Advantages of using Java

Creating a java class

Running Simple Applications

A simple first example - The "Hello World" Application

THE JAVA / C++ DIFFERENCES

Variables

Usage Types, Data Types, Literal Values, Naming Standards, Scope, Initialisation, Constants, Escape Characters

Arrays & Multi-Dimentional Arrays

Strings

Strings are objects!, Concatenation, Testing for String equality, Manipulation

Creating & Manipulating Objects, Calling Methods, Passing Arguments and Method Overloading, Returning Values from Methods

Constructors, Static Code

Inheritance - Extending a Class

What does a Subclass Inherit?

PACKAGES

Packages, Using Package Members, Importing

THE INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT (if applicable)

Introduction to the IDE

A tour of the Workbench

Creating Projects

Importing and exporting

Working With Java

Fixing Problems, Creating new Classes and Interfaces

The Java Editor

Editing code and elements, Content/Code Assist, Code Formatter

Running and Debugging apps

ACCESSIBILITY MODIFIERS

Public or Private?!

Declaration Parameters

Class, Variable , Method

CASTING AND DATA CONVERSION

Literal Values, Implicit & Explicit Casting, Casting With Operators

Casting Objects, Narrowing & Widening

Data Type Conversion, Numeric Formatting

OBJECTS, METHODS AND CLASSES

Abstract Classes and Methods

Interfaces

Defining an Interface, Implementing an Interface

Inner Classes

Using an Inner Class to Implement an Adapter, Anonymous Inner Classes

The Garbage Collector - Cleaning up Unused Objects

Finalization

COLLECTIONS

Collection Interfaces And Implementations

Summary Of Collection Implementations

Lists: ArrayList, Vector, LinkedList

Maps: HashMap, Hashtable, TreeMap, LinkedHashMap

Sets: HashSet, TreeSet, LinkedHashSet

Iterator And Enumeration

Other Collections: Stacks, Properties

Sorting Objects

The Comparable Interface, Comparators

More ways to Sort Objects:

      java.util.Collections, java.util.Arrays

Collections Method Reference

THREADS & SYNCHRONIZATION

What is a Thread?

Creating Threads

Method 1 - Extending the Thread Class

Method 2 - Implementing the Runnable Interface

Controlling Threads

Thread Priority, Terminating Threads, Daemon Threads, Thread Synchronization

Applet Animation and Threads

Animation Flickering, Double Buffering to avoid flickering

Using an Inner Class to Handle Multiple Threads

ERROR HANDLING

Java Exceptions

Runtime and Checked Exceptions, Try / Catch Processing, The Finally Block

Passing Exceptions up the Stack

The throws statement

Creating new Exceptions

The Throw Statement, Error and Exception Classes, User Defined Exceptions

JAVA I/O

The Java I/O API

The File class, Input and Output Streams, Readers and Writers

Reading from System Input, Reading from Files, Standard Output Stream - System.out

Types of I/O classes

Buffering input/output, ByteArrays, CharArrays, DataStreams

Serialization - Persistence of Objects

DATABASE ACCESS

What is JDBC?

What alternatives are there? JDBC vs SQLJ

How does JDBC work?

JDBC Drivers and the JDBC API, Statements & Prepared Statements

Working with data

Accessing data - Working with Result Sets

Handling Warnings, Errors and NULL Values

Scalability Issues

Transaction Control and Isolation Levels

Configuring and using DataSources (using JNDI)

SQLJ

SQLJ Programming - Development Cycle using DB2

SQLJ Cursor Techniques

SERVLETS

Servlet Overview

Servlet vs CGI Advantages

The Java Servlet API

Servlet Life Cycle

Multi-threading issues / pitfalls

What Servlets Are

Non-Http Servlets - Implementing the Servlet Interface

Non-Http Servlets - Extending the GenericServlet class

Http Servlets - Extending the HttpServlet class

What Servlets do

HTML Get and Post Requests & Catering for both

Getting data to Servlets - the HttpRequest Object

Sending HTML back to the client - the HttpResponse Object

Using the Data sent to a Servlet

Form Validation

Data Validation

Servlet Security

Restricting Servlet Access

Error Handling

Server Error Codes

Server Side Includes

Extra HTML tags

Servlets can invoke other servlets

Dispatching a Resource from within a Servlet

USING THE IDE TO CODE SERVLETS

Creating Servlets

Testing Web Applications

Using the WebSphere test environment

ACCESSING DATABASES VIA SERVLETS

Servlets, JDBC and Connection Pooling

DataSource Definitions and Getting Database Connections via a DataSource

DATA SCOPE / PERSISTENCE

Variable Scope & Protection

Instance variables are shared!

Thread Safety - Synchronized Code

What is Request Scope?

Storing Objects for the lifetime of the Request

What is Session Scope?

Storing Objects for the lifetime of the Session

Session Tracking using Cookies, URL Rewriting, HiddenFields

Session Tracking API

Session Creation and Lookup, Storing and Retrieving Session API Information, Lifecycle, session tracking without Cookie support

Session Binding

What is Application Scope?

Sharing Data between different Servlets

JAVASERVER PAGES

JSP Overview

The Problem with Servlets - Why use JSPs?

How JSP Pages Are Executed

Writing a JavaServer Page

JSP Tags, Directive Tags, Scripting Tags & Scriptlets, Action Tags

JSP Pre-Defined Objects

Including Static and Dynamic Content

Forwarding execution to Servlets, JSP’s or HTML pages.

JSP Initialisation and Cleanup

USING THE IDE FOR JSP DEVELOPMENT

Testing JSPs

Testing and Debugging JSPs

JSP DESIGN PATTERNS

MVC Architecture

Where are JSPs used?

JSP Design Patterns

Stand alone JSPs, JSPs calling Servlets, JSPs accessing JavaBeans

Getting data from HTML Forms to JSPs

Handling HTML Forms

JavaBeans

Using JavaBeans

Form / Bean / JSP Interaction

Accessing JavaBeans from JSPs - JavaBean Tags

Getting Data from the Bean to the JSP Page

Variable and JavaBean Scopes

JSP Variable Scopes

JavaBean Scopes

Moving around!

Invoking a JSP from a Servlet

Passing Objects from Servlet to JSP

Passing JavaBeans from Servlet to JSP

Error Handling

The JSP Error Page

Full Shopping Cart Example

Course Format

Practical sessions make up a large part of the course, allowing delegates to demonstrate and reinforce the lectures given. During these sessions the delegate will build a simple but complete application. Examples are used extensively, ranging from simple code 'snippets' to full applications with complete ‘real world’ functionality. These are supplied at the start of the course and it is encouraged that the delegates execute and ‘experiment’ with these under the instructor’s guidance as they are introduced. These examples are available to take away, along with the delegate’s own work. The comprehensive Student Guide supplied is fully indexed serving as a useful reference tool long after the course has finished. Delegates will also be able to access a free help-line with technical questions relating to topics covered on the course.