Running the Program

Once you have got a clean compilation, followed by a clean linkage, you can finally try "running" or "executing" your program.

Remember: just because you have got to this stage does not guarantee that the program is "correct". It simply means that the remaining problems are of such a kind that the program is still "legal" - it is still executable - but it just doesn't do what you intended. There almost certainly will be remaining problems of this kind!

You can run the program by dropping down the Run menu and selecting the Run menu item.

The IDE window should be automatically (though temporarily) cleared so that it can be used and controlled by the program. More technically, the window is being switched to display the so-called User Screen.

If the program is working correctly, it should display the message prompting for input of the relevant data. Enter suitable test numbers (separated by spaces). Press the Enter key. The program should then print out the results - and terminate! There is a slight problem here. As soon as the program exits or terminates, the IDE will automatically switch away from the User Screen, back to the normal IDE display. This happens very quickly - so that you will not have time to see whether the program has printed any result at all (never mind the correct result).

However, you can redisplay the User Screen, even when the program is no longer running. Simply drop down the Window menu. Select the User Screen menu item. The User Screen will then be temporarily redisplayed. This allows you to check the program output. Pressing any key (or clicking the mouse button) will then cause the display to revert to the normal IDE display.