Essential Java 2 fast: How to develop applications and applets with Java 2 (Essential Series)

This book provides programmers with all the information they need to learn the latest release of Java 2 fast. Readers will learn how to create substantial Java programs, as well as how to use Java 2's new Abstract Windowing Toolkit, JavaBeans, Java Database Connectivity, and other significant enhancements in the programming environment. The book's quick no-nonsense approach will appeal to software developers, programmers, and web administrators who need to produce platform independent applications.

Why Java 2 is Special.- Introduction.- Is this book for you?- What you need to run Java 2.- How to use this book.- An object oriented approach.- Conventions.- An Object Oriented Application.- Introduction.- A first application.- What can go wrong?- How does the application work?- Classes and objects.- The main method.- What's new.- Running the application.- Using classes and objects.- Naming conventions.- The Java Language.- Introduction.- Applications and applets.- Comments.- Data types.- The integer data types.- The floating point data types.- The boolean data type.- The char data type.- The string data type.- Names in Java.- Declaring data.- Arithmetic in Java.- Assigning number variables.- Casting.- Assignment operators.- Using strings in Java.- Operator precedence.- Displaying information on the screen.- Branching and Looping.- Introduction.- If...else statements.- Logical operators.- Switch statements.- Block statements.- Looping.- For loops.- While loops.- Do...while loops.- The break statement.- Arrays.- Creating and Using Classes and Objects.- Introduction.- The account class.- The Display Details method.- The In Credit method.- The credit and debit method.- The main method.- Using constructors.- Encapsulating data.- Calling methods.- Command line arguments for applications.- Using Applets.- Introduction.- Writing applets.- The applet tag.- Key methods of the applet class.- The init method.- The start method.- The stop method.- The destroy method.- The paint method.- Command line arguments for applets.- The Graphics, Color and Font Classes.- Introduction.- The co-ordinate frame.- Importing classes.- The graphics class.- Drawing lines.- Drawing rectangles.- Drawing circles and ovals.- Drawing arcs.- Drawing polygons.- The colour class.- Creating colours.- Displaying text and changing fonts.- Displaying images.- Inheritance and Polymorphism.- A hierarchy of computer components.- Defining the Memory subclass.- Polymorphism.- The Mboard class.- Extending a subclass.- Class and instance variables.- Static methods.- Overloading methods.- Access control.- Interfaces.- Mouse and Keyboard events.- Introduction.- The Mouse Event class.- The Mouse Listener interface.- Which button was pressed?- The Mouse Adapter class.- The Mouse Motion Listener interface.- The Key Event class.- The Key Adapter class.- The Key Listener interface.- The AWT Components.- Introduction.- Event driven programming.- The awt classes.- The button class.- Handling events.- The label class.- The scrollbar class.- Handling scrollbar events.- The checkbox class.- The list class.- Multiple selection in list objects.- The Text Component class.- The Text Area class.- Using the Text Listener interface.- The Text Field class.- The Canvas class.- The Layout Managers.- Introduction.- The Flow Layout class.- The Border Layout class.- The Card Layout class.- The Grid Layout class.- The Grid Bag Layout class.- Windows, Dialogs and Menus.- Introduction.- The Container class.- The Frame class.- Creating an application which uses a frame.- The Window Listener interface.- Creating an applet which uses a frame.- The Menu Bar class.- The Dialog class.- The File Dialog class.- The Panel class.- The Swing Components.- Introduction.- Differences between Swing and awt.- The Swing components.- The Swing container classes.- The Abstract Button class.- The Swing and awt buttons.- Changing the look and feel.- The J Button class.- The J Toggle Button, J Radio Button and J Check Box classes.- Displaying text.- The J Label class.- The J Text Field class.- The J Text Area class.- The J List class.- The J Color Chooser class.- The J File Chooser class.- Java Exceptions.- Introduction.- The Exception class.- The try and catch clauses.- Throwing an exception.- Creating new exceptions.- Throwing without catching.- Writing Threaded Applications.- Introduction.- Pre-emptive scheduling.- The Runnable interface.- The Thread class.- Synchronizing threads.- The Thread class.- Creating animation.