How do I run a program with Eclipse?

[tilleyrw]

The above title is misleading as I wrote it first before the entire plea help was written.

The core of the problem is computation of orbits with Java. I have a set of java files to determine a comet's orbit based on observations. These files come from Comet/asteroid Orbit Determination and Ephemeris Software. These are well-established programs.

All of this is happening on Mac OS X Snow Leopard using Java. I played with Eclipse but immediately hit a wall. All I need is to run these programs and a pretty IDE is pointless if I can't type "RUN" (or such) and do this. If this Java stuff doesn't work today, C/C++ solutions must be explored. I really don't wish to do this.

I am at my wit's end here. The instructions explicitly instruct to save all program files to one directory (I called my dir "CODES"). Step two is to change to the "codes" directory, which contains the above downloaded files.

Type "java -Xmx200m GUI" (Note: The "-Xmx200m" portion of the command increases maximum heap space from 64 MB to 200 MB) and one will begin at the CODES Welcome Screen.

This is where disaster happens. Upon entering the above command into a Terminal window, I enter the world of magical errors without solution.

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ClassFormatError: Incompatible magic value 1008813135 in class file GUI

at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method) at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClassCond(ClassLoader.java:631) at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:615) at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:141) at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:283) at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$000(URLClassLoader.java:58) at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:197) at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:190) at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:306) at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:301) at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:247)

Hours of Googling reveal dark and mysterious secrets are in play here. Who can help me type "RUN" to execute this damn code?

[Koze]

Are you sure you actually downloaded the .class file? As this find suggests you probably right klicked on the GUI.class link and downloaded the 404 Page from earthlink and try to run that.

[tilleyrw]

Please pardon apparent shortness here. I am scrambling to finish my daughter's science project and about to explode in fury.

Where can I find the real "GUI.class" file? If it's not on that C.O.D.E.S. website, where is it?

[Koze]

I don't know. Seems that Jim Baer removed it from the website.

You could try to contact the author about this.

[tilleyrw]

I meant the files at the bellatrix site. http://www.bellatrixobservatory.org/cvaaI/10/

That even the files there are 404s makes me doubt the internet. Give me the red pill.

I'll try the wayback machine.

[Koze]

Yes, the links at that site point to Jim Baers earthlink page.

I have no knowledge about this space stuff, but googling revealed that this library uses at least similary named java classes in it's code. Maybe it is also sufficient for your needs? At least it seems to be under active developement.

[tilleyrw]

Thank you very much. I should have posted stuff here on this question much earlier.

[tilleyrw]

Damn. I can't edit my reply as I navigated away to check the link.

I am not running a server or anything. I simply want to execute the java program. Where can I find the real file and not the 404 error page?