WeatherAppProject

Overview

The WeatherAppProject is a Java-based application that provides weather information, including the current weather and a multi-day forecast. It retrieves data from the OpenWeather API and allows users to view temperature, humidity, wind speed, and weather descriptions. The application features a graphical user interface (GUI) implemented with Swing, allowing for an intuitive and user-friendly experience.

Key Features

• Current Weather and Forecast: Fetches real-time weather data and forecasts for a specified number of days.
• Unit Preferences: Allows users to switch between metric (°C, m/s) and imperial (°F, mph) units.
• Notifications: Provides alerts for high and low temperatures based on user-selected thresholds.
• Persistence: Saves user preferences (units and notifications) in a userPreferences.properties file, so they persist across sessions.

Prerequisites

• Java JDK: Ensure Java Development Kit (JDK) is installed (version 8 or higher).
• Gson Library: The gson-2.11.0.jar file should be in the lib directory.

Setup and Execution

Step 1: Compile the Code

To compile the code, open a terminal or command prompt, navigate to the project directory (WeatherAppProject), and run the following command based on your operating system.

On Windows

javac -cp "lib\gson-2.11.0.jar" -d bin src\*.java

On Linux/macOS

javac -cp "lib/gson-2.11.0.jar" -d bin src/*.java

This command compiles all .java files in the src folder and places the generated .class files in the bin folder.

Step 2: Run the Application

After compilation, you can run the WeatherSwingApp class from the bin directory, which serves as the entry point.

On Windows

java -cp "bin;lib\gson-2.11.0.jar" WeatherSwingApp

On Linux/macOS

java -cp "bin:lib/gson-2.11.0.jar" WeatherSwingApp

This command launches the application with a graphical interface.

Usage

1. Current Weather: Use the GUI to enter the city name and view current weather details.
2. Weather Forecast: Specify the city and number of days for forecast data through the interface.
3. Preferences: Update unit preferences (metric or imperial) and enable/disable notifications for high/low temperature alerts via the settings menu.

Notes

• The userPreferences.properties file in the resources folder saves the user’s preferences for units and notifications.
• Ensure to set your API key in the WeatherAPIManager class if you replace the code or API credentials.

Troubleshooting

• If you encounter compilation errors, ensure that the gson-2.11.0.jar file is in the lib folder and that the bin folder exists.
• Make sure to use the appropriate path separators (; for Windows, : for Linux/macOS) when specifying the classpath.