Attach the Java Source Code

Question

I cannot for the life of me attach the java source code to eclipse so I can see the inner workings of the language. Not even something as simple as the String Class.

when I run java -version this is what I have:

java version "1.6.0_14" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_14-b08) Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 14.0-b16, mixed mode, sharing) 

I am downloading the java souce from: http://download.java.net/jdk6/source/

And in eclipse when I attach it It says:

The JAR file "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\jdk-6u14-fcs-src-b08-jrl-21_may_2009.jar"  has no source attachment. 

What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Normally, if you have installed the JDK6u14, eclipse should detect it and declare it automatically in its "installed JRE" list.

If not, you can add that JDK through "Windows/Preferences": Java > Installed JREs:

Just point to the root directory of your JDK installation: it should include the sources of the JDK (src.zip), automatically detected and attached to rt.jar by eclipse.

Answer 2

You don't necessarily need to add the source, but you rather may need to remove a JRE that does not have the source attached.

On looking at the "installed JRE's" I saw that my JDK was setup properly with source, but the default JRE on the machine had no sources. Eclipse was defaulting to that when looking for source.

I just used the remove button to expel the JRE, leaving my JDK. I then hit F3 and the source was there. Yeah!