I am just getting into linux and I want to start programing and making programs. I know how to program in java but I want to make programs that I can install on other computers and use without having to install a compiler or anything on that. Basically what I want to do is like a .exe in windows but for linux. Im trying to understand linux and im having a tough time with . Can someone please HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!

quick ref for making and running a java prog:

or any favorite editor ya got

create the code in java

exit the editor (after saving it ofcourse)

compile it
(now here is the triky part in linux it depends on your distro if its in there or not ya can always install your distro specific sdk)

run it

some langs allow you just to chmod the source and make it executable, I think java can too. If not,your ide (i reccomend eclipse) should have settings to make a package to be installed.

I use izpack on linux and nullsoft on Windows. You can also create rpm , deb and tgz packages but it is not easy...

Hi, radar5000 -

There are different kinds of "executables" on Linux, just like there are under Windows. If you want to make a binary ".exe" under Windows, you'd need a "compiler". Visual Studio popular under Windows. Similarly, you'd need a compiler under Linux. "Gcc" is a popular choice for Linux C/C++ compiler.

Windows recognizes ".exe" files by their suffix (.exe). Linux, on the other hand, recognizes a file as "executable" by its *file permissions*. Even if you had a valid Linux ".exe", you'd need to set its permissions, using the command "chmod +rx MYFILE" (where "MYFILE" is the name of your program). You generally don't have to worry about "chmod": the GCC compiler takes care of this automatically for you.

Here's a somewhat dated - but still useful - tutorial on GCC:
http://www.bigwebmaster.com/General/Howtos/GCC-HOWTO/

Another kind of executable is an "interpreted script". Windows has ".bat" files. It also has .cmd, .vbs, and lots of other "script" formats. The Linux equivalent of a .bat file is a "shell script". Again: you don't need any special suffix, but you *do* need to "chmod +rx FILENAME", and it does need to be written in a special language. The default shell in Linux is "bash":

Here's a tutorial on bash:
http://www.hypexr.org/bash_tutorial.php

Finally, you can run a Java program on Linux just as you can on Windows - all you need to do is install the Java runtime someplace.

'Hope that helps .. PSM

You can use forehead or classworld to launch jars from command line. See syntax for desktop files and bash scripts.

Quick and Dirty overview:

(as root) $ chmod 755 <file>
makes a file executable. BE CAREFUL!!! ANY file can be made executable, and WILL be loaded into the CPU even if it's not supposed to be!

gcc <file>
compiles a C source file

g++ <file>
compiles a C++ source file

for more info on all of these, read the man pages. Type man <command> into your terminal to read the manpages.

CAUTION: the manpages for gcc and g++ are ultra-long. Gloss over them, or read my tutorial at http://lordsauronthegreat.googlepage...e-fileprograms

I only know how to do single-file programs right now, but I'm learning how to do it with multiple files (slowly... but surely).

HTH.

http://www.gnu.org/manual/manual.html

check out gcc and make first..

Thanks for all of the suggestions. They will help. If any body has something else to add please do.
Thanks