2.2. Installing the Distribution

2.2.1. Requirements

The tools of XJBC requires a Java-runtime environment (JRE) of version 1.x, or greater. There is no need for a Java compiler, therefore the Java software development environment (JDK), isn't necessary to use XJBC.

Additionally you need to have an XML parser and serializer, like Aelfred available. A copy of Aelfred is included in the distribution of XJBC. You may use other parser/serializers like Xerces or Crimson as well, if you may see fit. XJBC has been tested with both, so chances are high that XJBC will be working with them on your machine.

If these requirements are met, you are ready to install the XJBC tools and documentations on your machine. What you have to do is:

as described in the following sections.

2.2.2. Download the distribution

The distribution of XJBC is hosted by tangentum technologies. You may get it from there, or go directly to the download.

The distribution consists of the libraries containing the implementation of XJBC and the documents describing it. A copy of the license and an archive of the sources are also included. Please read the license carefully and use the software and documentation in accordance to it.

2.2.3. Install the distribution

After you've downloaded one of the archives of the XJBC distribution, you may unpack it using the corresponding tools as described on the download page.

Each archive contains a directory called xjbc-X.Y/ which includes the whole distribution. X stands for the major version, and Y for the minor version of the distribution. If you have already installed an earlier distribution of XJBC on your machine, you may savely unpack the new distribution in the parent directory of the earlier distribution without disturbing the earlier one.

Unpacking the distribution in a directory of your choice gives a directory called xjbc-X.Y/ which contains the following files and directories:

To use the assembler and/or disassembler of XJBC anytime on the command-line, please include the files contained in the bin/ directory and corresponding to the operating system of your machine into the executable path.

• On Windows you may simply add the directory parent-directory\xjbc-X.Y\bin to the PATH, where "parent-directory" is the parent directory of the directory where the XJBC distribution is installed.

• On Unix/Linux you may add links to the files xml2jbc and jbc2xml in the bin/ directory of your XJBC installation to the directories where executables are found by the shell. As an example this may be /usr/local/bin. Please make sure that you have the necessary rights to access the directory. and to edit both files to point to the correct directory of the XJBC installation.

• If your are using an other operating system like Mac OS, please follow the conventions necessary to make a shell script or batch file start the Java Virtual Machine with the corresponding name of the class. Please see the scripts provided in the bin/ directory of your XJBC installation.

2.2.4. Testing the installation

To test your installation simply execute the assembler with the option to get help:

$ xml2jbc -h

If you get a usage description, everything is fine, and you are now ready to assemble the first XJBC program: "Hello World!".