2.4.2.1. Downloading the JDK¶

Download the Java 11-LTS JDK from https://adoptium.net/temurin/releases/?version=11&os=any&arch=any&package=jdk. We recommend downloading the .msi if you are on Windows or the .pkg if you are on Mac. Once you have downloaded the installer, run it to install Java 11 on your system. Make note of the path Java 11 is installed to, as you will need it later.

2.4.2.2. Configuring the Eclipse JRE¶

Once you have installed Java 11, you will need to configure Eclipse to use Java 11 as the default JRE. To do this, open Eclipse and navigate to Window --> Preferences. In the window that comes up, in the column on the left, click on Java --> Installed JREs. You should see a window like this:

If the newly installed JRE is already listed, you can select it and set it as the default JRE by clicking on the Default button. Hit Apply and Close to close the Preferences window.

If the JRE is not listed, you will need to add it manually. Click on the Add button. In the window that comes up, select Standard VM and click Next. In the next window, click on Directory and navigate to the location where you installed Java 11. Select the folder that contains the JDK (it should be something like OpenJDK 11.0.26 or Temurin-11) and click OK. You should now see the JDK listed in the Installed JREs window. Select it and click OK to close the Preferences window. You should now be able to create and run Java projects using Java 11.

You will then be taken back to the Preferences window where you should see the JDK you just added in the list of installed JREs. Select the JDK you just added and click on the Default button. This will set the JDK you just added as the default JRE for Eclipse. Hit Apply and Close to close the Preferences window.

2.4.2.3. Setting the Compiler Compliance Level¶

Once you have set the default JRE, you will need to set the default compiler compliance level to Java 11. To do this, in the Preferences window, click on Java --> Compiler and the first line will be Compiler compliance level. Set this to 11. You should see a window like this:

Click on Apply and Close to close the Preferences window.

2.4.3.1. Installing the Plug-in¶

Open Eclipse, and in the tool bar at the top of the screen, go to Help --> Install New Software. The following window will come up:

In the Work With text box, paste this link: https://web-cat.org/eclstats

• Next, click Add. A dialog box will pop up with two text boxes.

• Make sure the above URL is in the box labeled Location, and put in a sensible name (like “Web-CAT plugin”) in the box labeled Name.

• Once that’s done, click Add.

This is what the window should look like now:

• Check the boxes next to Web-CAT Electronic Assignments Feature and Web-CAT Java Development Extras, and click Next.

• It will then tell you about files that it plans to install. Click Next.

• Accept the terms of the license agreement, and click ‘Finish’.

The install will start now.

This might take some time depending on your internet connection. Probably at least once it pause and warn you that you are about to install software with unsigned content.

If this is your first time installing the plugin, then You are likely to get a window titled Trust Authorities that looks like:

When it does this, select the checkbox next to ‘https://web-cat.org/’ and click the Trust Selected button.

At some point while downloading the plugin files, you might get another window titled Trust Artifacts that looks like:

If so, click Select All and click the Trust Selected button. The install will continue. Restart Eclipse when prompted to complete the process.

2.4.3.2. Final Setup¶

Once you have the plug-in installed, you need to set it up to be able to communicate with Web-CAT:

• Go to Window --> Preferences (Eclipse --> Preferences on Mac).

• In the window that comes up, in the column on the left, click on Web-CAT Assignments. You should see this window:

Put in the following information:

• Submission Definition URL: https://web-cat.cs.vt.edu/Web-CAT/WebObjects/Web-CAT.woa/wa/assignments/eclipse?institution=VT

• Email: Your VT email address (PID@vt.edu).

• Username: Your PID.

• You can leave Outgoing SMTP Mail Server blank.

• In the Download URL field, enter: https://courses.cs.vt.edu/cs3114/Summer25/assignments.xml

• Click on Apply and Close to complete the process.

2.4.5.1. Eclipse Formatter¶

Download this file: vtcsstylefixed.xml (Right click and Save-As). Then install it into Eclipse, as described below.

Once it is installed, press CTRL-SHIFT-F (Windows) or COMMAND-SHIFT-F (Mac) within Eclipse to format your code.

To install:

Mac:

Eclipse->Preferences->Java->Code Style->Formatter->import the above file, then click okay.

Windows:

Window->Preferences->Java->Code Style->Formatter->import the above file, then click okay.

2.4.5.2. Checkstyle Formatter¶

Download this file: checkstyle.xml (Right click and Save-As). Then install it into Eclipse, as described below.

Once it is installed, right click on a file, or on the default package to check your entire project, and select Checkstyle --> Check Code with Checkstyle. If necessary, you can also right click on a file, or on the default package, to clear the checkstyle errors, and select Checkstyle --> Clear Checkstyle Errors.

To install:

Mac:

Eclipse->Preferences->Checkstyle and click New and then External Configuration File and name it Web-CAT, then click Browse... and select the above file then click OK. In the list, select the Web-CAT configuration and click Set as Default. Finally, click Apply and Close.

Windows:

Window->Preferences->Checkstyle and click New and then External Configuration File and name it Web-CAT, then click Browse... and select the above file then click OK. In the list, select the Web-CAT configuration and click Set as Default. Finally, click Apply and Close.