Workspace Setup - MCMC Tutorials

Tutorial 1: Workspace Setup

Although Minecraft modding can be a wonderful and fun task, it is highly recommended to have a basic/intermediate understanding of Java and programming languages in general before you proceed in your modding journey. I recommend you find an online Java course and learn that, because otherwise you could leave yourself very confused.

So you want to start modding Minecraft? Awesome, you've come to the right place! The first thing you will need to do to mod Minecraft is download the Minecraft Forge MDK (Mod Development Kit) and Eclipse (an advanced text editor/Integrated Development Environment in which you can write your code). Let's start!

Go to the Minecraft Forge files and download the recommended MDK for Minecraft version 1.12.2.

Forge Recommended

When that has downloaded, extract the zipped file into a folder on the C drive in a place you are comfortable to code in. This will be the folder for your mod.

Next, open the command prompt. On Windows this is done by typing cmd into the search bar in the start menu. Once opened, type cd and then drag the extracted folder from your File Explorer into the command prompt window, which will copy the address in, and then press enter. This will navigate the directory for commands to be executed in, so that it sets our mod up in the correct folder.

Now run the command gradlew setupDecompWorkspace. This will setup the workspace for us to do our programming in.

When that is completed, and you receive a message similar to BUILD SUCCESSFUL, run the command gradlew eclipse. This will set up the mod for our IDE of choice - Eclipse.

IDE stands for Integrated Development Envrironment, which is just a fancy way of saying a text editor that tells you when you've done something wrong.

Speaking of Eclipse, we should probably go and get that installed. Head on over to the Eclipse download page and download the installer. The version of Eclipse you'll want to install in Eclipse is the one for Java developers, as seen below:

Forge Recommended

After you have gone through the installer, and got that all set up, you'll be wanting to actually open our mod in your brand new sparkling clean IDE. If you click File at the top bar in Eclipse there should be a Switch Workspace button. Hover over that, and then go to Other... at the bottom of the menu it opens up.

Forge Recommended

You will open a window, which will have a workspace text box, and a Browse button to the right of it. Click this button, and navigate to the folder where we set up our mod. Select the folder within there by the name of eclipse. This will be our workspace.

The first setup of our mod is complete! If you try to navigate through the project you should now have in Eclipse, you will find a Main class. Open this by double clicking, and you will be able to run it using the play button in a green circle in Eclipse's tool bar. If you go into the Mods button on the Minecraft menu after the game has loaded, it should display as Example Mod. Isn't that great?

Obviously we will want to expand upon this in the future, changing the name, adding blocks, items, dimensions, etc., but this is a start. See you next time!