Community

I am in a community college which has purchased a site liscense of Text Pad and installed it along with the Java SDK onto the classroom computers. However when we try to compile any code, the tools are not availible; as if Java was not installed. As far as I can tell the problem stems from the fact that the registry of the computer was locked down to prevent unauthorized programs from being installed, which in turn prevents any reading of the registry.

Are there any ways to manually point TextPad to the SDK location?

Create a new tool by hand and see if that works. (Alt-Q-P) Select Tools in the tree.
Add Program and find the javac.exe located in c:\java\bin\javac.exe
Use $File as parameters
$FileDir as initial folder
Check Capture Output and Sound Alert.
Reg Exp as output = ^\(\(\(.[^:]\)\|\([A-Za-z]:\)\)[^:]+\):\([0-9]+\):
Registers file:1 Line:4

Otherwise, are you able to compile Java fine from a command prompt?

Yes we are able to compile from the command line, I'll try that workaround tomorrow, thanks for the help.

I did try to add a tool by hand, but the options tree does not contain a tools section and I cannot find any other posts on adding them

Configure -> Preferences or Alt-Q, P
If you have no tools currently set up, the tree will show the expansion symbol (+) but clicking it will have no affect. You must actually select the Tools option.


Hit the Add button.

Select Program and then navigate your directory structure until you locate the javac.exe file.


Hit Apply and that will make an entry in the Tools subtree.

Expand the tree if need be to see the entry.


I believe the settings have been documented elsewhere in the forums for what the settings should be for these tools. It might be just as easy to install TP on a machine where you have root privileges and add the Java SDK tools there (removing tools is quite easy).

Additionally, you can search for forums on how to rename the tools (not as intuitive as one would think).

The preferences menu has no tools option unfortunately, the menu ends at Spelling.
Doubly unfortunate is the inability to move to unlocked machines. We're using these in a programming class and can't switch computers, all of the machines in the classroom are locked down to prevent students from installing programs.

Ahhhhh, I didn't realize you couldn't even see the tools option. Well,colour me stumped on this one.

Would it be possible to access the machines as an adminstrator and install the tools? The registry should stay locked but the tools might be enabled? Just a thought.

Oh, and my reference to installing on a non-locked down machine was just so you had a reference to the settings for the java tools.