This document discusses environment variables important for Java development, including PATH and CLASSPATH. It provides instructions for setting these variables in Microsoft Windows Vista. The PATH tells the system where to find executables, while CLASSPATH specifies where to find user-defined Java classes and packages. The steps provided guide the user to the advanced system settings to edit the PATH and CLASSPATH variables, specifying the locations of the Java JDK bin folder for PATH and the working directory and code directory for CLASSPATH.

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JDK Environment Variables

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JDK Environment Variables
Environment Variables
•Environment variables are a set of dynamic values that can affect the way processes
behave on a computer. [1]

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JDK Environment Variables
PATH
•PATH is an environment variable listing a set of paths to directories where
executables may be found. [2]

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JDK Environment Variables
CLASSPATH
•CLASSPATH is an environment variable that tells the Java Virtual Machine where to
look for user-defined classes and packages in Java programs. [3]

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JDK Environment Variables
Setting the PATH and CLASSPATH in Microsoft Windows Vista
•Step 1: Click Start → Control Panel → System and Maintenance → System.

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JDK Environment Variables
Setting the PATH and CLASSPATH in Microsoft Windows Vista
•Step 2: Select Advanced system settings.

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JDK Environment Variables
Setting the PATH and CLASSPATH in Microsoft Windows Vista
•Step 3: On the Advanced tab of the System Properties window, select Environment
Variables.

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JDK Environment Variables
Setting the PATH
•Step 4a: Update your system PATH by selecting it in the
System variables list and clicking Edit. If the PATH variable
does not exit, create a new one via New.
Append the location of the bin folder of your JDK
installation to PATH in System variables. A typical value for
the location is below.
C:Program FilesJavajdk1.6.0_<version>bin.
The PATH environment variable is a series of directories
separated by semi-colons (;) and is not case sensitive.
Microsoft Windows looks for programs in the PATH
directories in order, from left to right.
You should only have one bin directory for a JDK in the path
at a time.
If you are not sure where to add the path, append it to the
right end of the PATH.
The new path takes effect in each new command window
you open after setting the PATH variable.

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JDK Environment Variables
Setting the CLASSPATH
•Step 4b: Update your user CLASSPATH by selecting it in the
User variables list and clicking Edit. If the CLASSPATH
variable does not exit, create a new one via New.
Append the working directory (if it is not listed) and the
directory of the code for the textbook. An example entry is
below.
.; C:COP3530eprogs
The symbol “.” signifies the working directory.
The changes take effect in each new command window you
open after setting the CLASSPATH variable.

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JDK Environment Variables
Setting the PATH and CLASSPATH in Microsoft Windows
•Step 5: Test your settings.
Open a command prompt and go to the directory of the code for the texbook. Enter the
dataStructures directory, then run the commands below at the prompt.
javac ArrayLinearList.java
java dataStructures.ArrayLinearList
The desired output is below.
Initial size is 0
The list is empty
List size is 4
The list is [1, 2, 4, 6]
The index of 4 is 2
3 not found
Element at 0 is 1
Element at 3 is 6
2 removed
The list is [1, 4, 6]
6 removed
The list is [1, 4]
The list is not empty

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JDK Environment Variables
References
•[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_variable
•[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_(computing)
•[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classpath_(Java)