Basic setup to get started with JSP development

Install Eclipse

Get eclipse here:
http:www.eclipse.org/downloads/download.php?file=/eclipse/downloads/drops/R-3.1.2-200601181600/eclipse-SDK-3.1.2-win32.zip

and install (unzip) it in c:\eclipse

Install Tomcat

Get tomcat here:
http:apache.tradebit.com/pub/tomcat/tomcat-5/v5.0.28/bin/jakarta-tomcat-5.0.28.exe

Run the installer, and install tomcat in c:\tomcat

Install a tomcat plugin for eclipse

We use the sysdeo plugin, there are many others

Go to http:www.sysdeo.com/eclipse/tomcatplugin
Download http:www.sysdeo.com/sysdeo/content/download/393/4930/file/tomcatPluginV31.zip
Unzip It inside c:/eclipse/plugins/

Configuring the plugin

Start eclipse
go in window/customize perspective/commands and check (enable) "Tomcat"

in eclipse go in window/preferences/tomcat
Choose your version of tomcat (ie: 5.x)
And set "Tomcat home" to where you installed tomcat (ie: c:\tomcat)

Creating a web project

Go to file/new/project then select java/tomcat project, define a oproject name (ie: test)

Testing a project

Now you should see the project in "package explorer"
expand it

Go to file/new/project then select java/tomcat project, define a oproject name (ie: test)

Now you should see the project in "package explorer"
expand it

Right click on th project and select new/other/web/JSP, choose a name (ie: index.jsp)
The index.jsp will open in eclipse

Modify it, for example add a line inside body as such:

Save the file

Click on the "start tomcat" icon in the eclipse menubar, so that it picks up this new project

Go see the results at http://127.0.0.1:8080/test/

Make some other changes to the JSP, see the results right away by refreshing the browser page.

Get a book and start testing the examples and playing with it.

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