Hello there people This message is for the developers of the POI system, any mailing administrators and for anyone else who cant get their POI running.
I have been browsing the mailing list archives and can find many questions similar to mine, however am having trouble actually tracking down an answer. I am using netbeans 4.1 and would like to use the following jars, as their API makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. They are: "poi-2.5.1-final-20040804.jar" "poi-contrib-2.5.1-final-20040804.jar" "poi-scratchpad-2.5.1-final-20040804.jar" Most of the suggested solutions are simply to visit the following link: http://jakarta.apache.org/site/idedevelopers.html .which is nice . free feedback is always much appreciated. However, fact is many people in my situation are still left with some jars that are not being recognized. I (like most of the other message authors I have been inspecting, am a recent college graduate) and have been taught a lot about java in school .. but absolutely NOTHNG about adding these jar files . or setting environment variables. Thus the link solution only provides more confusion and makes us feel stupid (Granted setting environment variables is easy, but people like me are still in that: "lets only use what we've learned in school because we don't have enough experience to rely on teaching ourselves" phase .. sad but it's a reality) Thus, in conclusion, I would like to complement the developers of the POI Library and would love to get started with it. I know It would definitely help me to be "taught" how to install these jar files .. or do whatever needs to be done to gain their functionality. Furthermore, (and I feel awkward saying this . but it needs to be said) I would like to point out that many of the users in my situation are used to being spoon-fed answers via their college professors. Thus they may come into this mailing list with questions similar to those they would ask in class ... and become frustrated when they don't receive answers on a silver platter. Furthermore, I know this is a mailing list ... and not a seminar or class. Thus I know that it is not your responsibility to spoon-feed us. However, people like us will become frustrated, aggravated and simply give up when we find the tools we need but cant figure out how to use them. Trying to devise our own "workarounds" is like trying to reinvent the wheel. Your time and effort in developing POI should be recognized and people should implement applications with POI under the hood. Its sad to say that I was about to give up on it (and I'm probably not the only one) Ok enough drama, I'll ask a specific question now. Referring to the "How To Build POI" document, there are two sections; Installing ANT, and Running the Build (Question 1) Installing ANT. I was told that because I am using netBeans 4.1, that I can skip this part . is this correct? (Note that I have copies of the "extra jar files" that the document talks about) junit xerces jdepend xalan (Question 2) Running the Build. The document says "On the first run the ant build system will download all the jars ." How would I get this "run" to happen? ..or do I even need to have it happen given that I'm using netBeans? (Question 3) Using the POI Jars. What do I need to do to use these files? Any information would be greatly appreciated. -Curt PS. Please forgive the bitter flavor of this email. It's only a reflection of how frustrated I am in trying to get the jars to work for me. I have downloaded them last week and have been searching for a solution ever since. PPS. Also I would like to note that just like any of us I also hate being asked "stupid" questions, an I apologize for asking what I am precieving is a stupid question . and although I see them as far from stupid . once I have the answer .. I'll probably see them the way others do. I know there is a simple answer . and would love to know what it is. Thank you for your time and consideration. Super final PPPS. Once I can get this thing to work . I would be more than happy to contribute something to a tutorial or whatever to not only aid others in my situation .. but to keep the mailing lists free of similar subsequent questions. But again, I would need to be told specifically what, how, where and when to contribute.
