Unit 6 T5 - IDEs Integrated Development Environments

Objectives

• Explain the role of an IDE in writing program code

and the common functions IDEs provide including:

• Code editors

• Run-time environment

• Translators

• Error diagnostics

• Auto-completion

• Auto-correction

• Prettyprint

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Starter

• The simplest way to edit the source code to

programs is to use a text editor such as Notepad

• What problems are there with using such a simple text editor?

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Starter

• There are many problems that such a simple text

editor has, including:

• No line numbers

• No syntax highlighting (colour coding of different parts

of code)

• No ability to run code directly inside the editor

• No assistance in debugging code

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

IDEs

• IDEs are Integrated Development Environments

• They have a number of tools and features that help

programmers when they are programming

• Commonly used IDEs include Visual Studio (for C#,

VB and other languages), Eclipse (for Java and
many more) and IDLE (for Python)

• What features do IDEs provide?

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

IDEs

• The following screenshot

shows some of the
features of an IDE

• Explain what each of

these features mean

Syntax highlighting

Line numbers

Code folding

Breakpoints

Variable watching

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Code editors

• The editor provided in an IDE contains additional

facilities to a basic text editor, such as:

• Line numbers

• Syntax highlighting

• Prettyprint

• Auto-completion

• Auto-correction

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Line numbers

• Line numbers allow a programmer to clearly see

each new line of code

• When errors are found, the line number that they occur on will

also be stated

• In some IDEs, parts of the program that the programmer

doesn’t need to see can be folded

Notice the line numbers change
where the code has been folded

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Syntax highlighting

• Syntax highlighting is where the colour of the text

changes to show different parts of the program

• What do each of the colours mean below?

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Syntax highlighting

Booleans (false, true), Keywords (while, not, if, else)

Type conversions (str, int)

Strings – e.g. "Are you higher or lower in age? "

All other operators, variables and functions names

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Prettyprint

• Prettyprint applies indentation and formatting to code

• This makes it easier for other programmers to read

• It also makes code consistent across different programmers

Class Main
{

public static void main(String[] args)
{

system.out.println("Sum of 5 and 10");
int firstNum = 5;
int secondNum = 10;
int sum = first + second;
system.out.println("Sum: " + sum);

}

}

Class Main{public static void
main(String[]
args){system.out.println("Sum of
5 and 10"); int firstNum = 5; int
secondNum = 10; int sum = first +
second; system.out.println("Sum:
" + sum);}}

Prettyprint

Original code

Code after Prettyprint

Multiple Choice

Which feature of an IDE Code editors is this describing?

When errors are found, the location that they occur on will also be stated

• Auto-completion

• Prettyprint

• Syntax highlighting

• Line numbers

• Auto-correction

Multiple Choice

Which feature of an IDE Code editors is this describing?

is where the colour of the text changes to show different parts of the program

• Auto-completion

• Prettyprint

• Syntax highlighting

• Line numbers

• Auto-correction

Multiple Choice

Which feature of an IDE Code editors is this describing?

is where it applies indentation and formatting to code

• Auto-completion

• Prettyprint

• Syntax highlighting

• Line numbers

• Auto-correction

Multiple Choice

Which feature of an IDE Code editors is this describing?

helps you save typing time by trying to finish your code for you.

• Auto-completion

• Prettyprint

• Syntax highlighting

• Line numbers

• Auto-correction

Multiple Choice

Which feature of an IDE Code editors is this describing?

uses your keyboard dictionary to spellcheck words as you type, automatically correcting misspelled words for you.

• Auto-completion

• Prettyprint

• Syntax highlighting

• Line numbers

• Auto-correction

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Error diagnostics

• Error diagnostics help a programmer to find where

they have made a mistake

• Errors are identified along with the line number that they

occur on

• The code may be

underlined or highlighted
to show the error

• This program is

written C#

• With the help of the error

diagnostics fix the two
errors shown

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Error diagnostics

• The errors show that:

• A bracket needs to be added to the end of line 16

• The variable oldstAge in line 13 doesn’t exist. The

programmer should use
oldestAge which they
created in line 11

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Debugging code

• Breakpoints are set by the programmer so that the

IDE stops the program mid-way through running

• The programmer can the step through code line by line

• They can watch

variables as
they change

• The breakpoint was

set to line 18

• What do the

variables contain
at this point?

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Variables

• ageGuessed = false

• oldestAge = 120

• youngestAge = 0

• currentGuess = 60

• correct = null (it hasn’t yet been assigned a value)

• args = {string[0]}

These are arguments
sent to the program
when it is called

Reorder

Reorder the following

• Error diagnostics help a programmer to find where they have made a mistake. Errors are

• identified along with the line number that they occur on. The code may be underlined or

• highlighted to show the error. Debugging breakpoints are set by the programmer so that the

• IDE stops the program mid-way through running. The programmer can the step through

• code line by line. They can watch variables as they change value.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Run-time environment

• The run-time environment allows a programmer to

test their program while it is running

• If the program crashes the run-time environment can see

what happened and give useful information to
the programmer

• The run-time environment also means the libraries

that come with the programming language will be
available to the programmer to use

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Translators

• IDEs will contain the necessary translators to run

and test the code

• The IDE may compile the code or

interpret it by running it line by line
– this is very helpful when
debugging the code

• If the language is a compiled

program, what actually happens
when the ‘run’ program is
pressed in the IDE?

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Translators

• For compiled languages, when the ‘run’ button is

pressed the IDE will:

• Compile the code in a temporary folder

• Run the code

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Auto-completion and correction

• Auto-completion gives the programmer suggestions

for variable names and keywords as they type

• This may improve the speed that a programmer writes code

• Tabs, brackets and braces may also be added automatically

to the code to save the programmer time

• Some IDEs have auto-correction which fixes

mistakes such as those
made in keywords

• Some programmers may not

like these tools as they could
introduce a mistake to their
code without them realising

Multiple Select

Which of the following are referring to Translators

• means the libraries that come with the programming language will be available to the programmer to use

• allows a programmer to test their program while it is running

• If the language is a compiled program, what actually happens when the ‘run’ program is pressed in the IDE?

• The IDE may compile the code or interpret it by running it line by line – this is very helpful when debugging the code

• Compile the code in a temporary folder

Multiple Select

Which of the following are referring to the Run-time environment

• means the libraries that come with the programming language will be available to the programmer to use

• allows a programmer to test their program while it is running

• If the language is a compiled program, what actually happens when the ‘run’ program is pressed in the IDE?

• The IDE may compile the code or interpret it by running it line by line – this is very helpful when debugging the code

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Plenary

• With a partner, take it in turns to explain each of the

following terms related to IDEs:

• Code editor

• Run-time environment

• Translators

• Error diagnostics

• Auto-completion

• Auto-correction

• Prettyprint

Match

Match the following

• Code editor

• Run-time environment

• Translators

• Error diagnostics

• Auto-completion

Use to write and edit programming code

The facility of the IDE that allows programs to be run

Compilers and interpreters

A list of errors along with the line number in which they were detected

A drop-down list of choices that will complete keywords or variables

• Use to write and edit programming code

• The facility of the IDE that allows programs to be run

• Compilers and interpreters

• A list of errors along with the line number in which they were detected

• A drop-down list of choices that will complete keywords or variables

Match

Match the following

• Code editor

• Prettyprint

• Auto-correction

• Error diagnostics

• Run-time environment

Use to write and edit programming code

Altering indentation and formatting to make code easier to read

Correcting minor typing errors

A list of errors along with the line number in which they were detected

The facility of the IDE that allows programs to be run

• Use to write and edit programming code

• Altering indentation and formatting to make code easier to read

• Correcting minor typing errors

• A list of errors along with the line number in which they were detected

• The facility of the IDE that allows programs to be run

IDEs

Unit 6 Software

Worksheet 5

• Now complete Task 1 and Task 2 on Worksheet 5