# update robocode **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780 "2013-07-29T03:11:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/1 "2013-07-29T03:11:18Z")
I want my son to get into programming. I have described robocode to him and he seemed really interested. I tried to download it and had the same trouble I had years ago. [URL=“[Why can't I install ROBOCODE? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=585142)”] Anyway, I have read ALL the info regarding PATH’s etc. (If you have anything to add, PLEASE, I would appreciate it), but I wonder if there is a newer version of robocode that I can use as a programming intro for my son. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/2 "2013-07-29T11:11:46Z")
I know nothing about Robocode, but since no one else has replied: The newest version is a month old. You can find this out from their website. In fact, for almost any application you want to download, you can find out what the latest version is by visiting their website. ---
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/3 "2013-07-29T23:27:10Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > I know nothing about Robocode, but since no one else has replied: > > The newest version is a month old. You can find this out from their website. In fact, for almost any application you want to download, you can find out what the latest version is by visiting their website. Right. Robocode does not work on my computer. Are there any similar programs out there? ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/4 "2013-07-30T00:28:50Z")
> [@blood63](#): > > Robocode does not work on my computer. Judging by [the previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=585142), it seems Java isn’t making its way to your path. (The path is basically a list of places Windows will look in to find programs to run from a command prompt; if Java isn’t on here, it will not know what “java” means.) I assume you already have Java installed and have successfully run the Robocode setup thing. Have you tried [following the steps to update your path](http://robowiki.net/wiki/Robocode/System_Requirements#PATH_must_be_set)? If not, do that, then try following the advice in the previous thread to run robocode.jar. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/5 "2013-07-30T00:34:25Z")
Damn, missed the edit window. If all this installing and path variable junk has got you down, there are a few learn-to-code type things available right in a web browser these days. [Codecademy](http://www.codecademy.com/) is a popular one ([Mayor Bloomberg is evidently a fan](https://twitter.com/MikeBloomberg/status/154999795159805952)), but I have no personal experience with it and so cannot offer a recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/6 "2013-07-30T01:46:18Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > Judging by [the previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=585142), it seems Java isn’t making its way to your path. (The path is basically a list of places Windows will look in to find programs to run from a command prompt; if Java isn’t on here, it will not know what “java” means.) I assume you already have Java installed and have successfully run the Robocode setup thing. Have you tried [following the steps to update your path](http://robowiki.net/wiki/Robocode/System_Requirements#PATH_must_be_set)? If not, do that, then try following the advice in the previous thread to run robocode.jar. I have followed those instructions but it made no difference. I did not delete any other info in the path, I just added the Java location separated by a semicolon. Should I have deleted the other paths? Thanks for your help and for the programming website which I am going to check out. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/7 "2013-07-30T01:49:22Z")
> [@blood63](#): > > I have followed those instructions but it made no difference. I did not delete any other info in the path, I just added the Java location separated by a semicolon. > Should I have deleted the other paths? No, do not delete any of the stuff that is already there. Two things: Does the Java portion end in a /bin? (It should.) And if you copy and paste the Java portion into the location bar of an Explorer window, does it take you to a directory containing a file called java.exe? ---
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/8 "2013-07-30T02:08:03Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > No, do not delete any of the stuff that is already there. > > Two things: Does the Java portion end in a /bin? (It should.) And if you copy and paste the Java portion into the location bar of an Explorer window, does it take you to a directory containing a file called java.exe? Yes to both of those. Here is the entire variable value under path %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0:C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin AND AS I PASTE THAT IN, I SEE THE MISTAKE!!! DO YOU SEE IT? THANKS ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/9 "2013-07-30T02:20:06Z")
> [@blood63](#): > > AND AS I PASTE THAT IN, I SEE THE MISTAKE!!! DO YOU SEE IT? 🙂 I program computers for a living and shit like that will catch me off-guard all the time. Sometimes all it takes is someone asking the right question and your brain flips a switch (like when looking at those pictures that can be interpreted as either a vase or two faces) and you see that little, tiny, humongously important error. (The frankly dreadful UI for changing system variables in Windows does not help, either.) Glad you have it sorted! ---
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-robocode/664780/10 "2013-07-30T02:35:59Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > 🙂 I program computers for a living and shit like that will catch me off-guard all the time. Sometimes all it takes is someone asking the right question and your brain flips a switch (like when looking at those pictures that can be interpreted as either a vase or two faces) and you see that little, tiny, humongously important error. (The frankly dreadful UI for changing system variables in Windows does not help, either.) > > Glad you have it sorted! Refusing to wear my glasses doesn’t help.