Table of Contents

Preface 1. Getting and Installing the IDE Platforms and Requirements Getting and Installing a JDK Which IDE Distribution? Installing Binary Distributions Building the IDE from Source (Simple Builds) Running the IDE Updating the IDE Automatically You're Now Running NetBeans 2. Concepts and Paradigms NetBeans and the Java Abstract Model of Computing Explorer Creating Packages and Classes Services Workspaces Project Management Object Browser Summary 3. Working with the Source Editor Why Learn a New Editor? Opening the Source Editor Context Menus Closing the Source Editor Code Completion Editor Colorings Shortcuts Word Matching Indentation Engines and Code Formatting Automatic Edits Other Editor Functionality A Simple Example 4. Debugging Debugger Types Breakpoint Types Adding and Removing Breakpoints Setting Watches Starting the Debugger The Debugger Window The Variables View Remote Debugging in NetBeans 5. Compilation and Execution Services Using Custom Compilation and Execution Services Associating Services with Java Files Building with Ant 6. Customizing the Environment The Setup Wizard The ToolsAEOptions Dialog Configuring Toolbars Configuring Menus Configuring Editors Command Line Options Modules 7. Using Source Control (CVS) What Is CVS? The How, When, and Why of CVS in NetBeans Mounting CVS Sources Exploring Versioned Sources Common CVS Operations Unexpected results Uncommon CVS Operations Mounting a Generic Versioning System One Final Tip 8. GUI Building Creating a GUI Frame or Panel Adding Components to a GUI Container Configuring Components Building Menus Changing a Container's Layout Working with Borders Accessibility Copying a Source Object The Connection Wizard The GridBagLayout Customizer Adding Event Handlers Using the Code Generation Properties Working Around Code Generation Containers Within Containers Building Complex GUIs 9. JavaBeans Why Should I Make Beans? Creating JavaBeans Component Palette 10. Using Javadoc Javadoc Support in NetBeans Mounting Javadocs The Javadoc Search Tool Creating Javadoc 11. Working with XML Installing XML Support Overview XML Editors Beyond Editing XML Generating Java Classes 12. Developing Web Applications Why the IDE Supports Web Application Development How the IDE Provides Web Application Support Creating a Web Application Working with JSP and HTML Files Advanced Web Applications Features Packaging and Deploying Web Applications 13. Extending NetBeans What's Different About NetBeans? The Core and the Open APIs NetBeans for Bean Counters Getting and Installing the Open APIs Support Module Life Is Change Source Code for the Examples 14. Understanding the NetBeans APIs Design Philosophy of NetBeans User-Level Customization Modules-Overview Interacting with the IDE 15. The Open APIs APIs versus Core versus Modules Service Provider Interfaces and Client APIs Overview of the APIs and Their Purposes Modules, JARs, and Class Loaders Threading, Deadlocks, and How to Avoid Them 16. Developing Modules-the New Module Wizard The HelloWorld Module 17. Internals of the Running IDE The Activated Node(s) Cookies A Peek under the Hood Touring NetBeans with the Bean Browser Data Objects, Nodes, and Cookies Filesystems and the Repository Services Lookup Options UI Components Localization Wizards Jumping-off Places Special Folders in the System Filesystem 18. Creating the QuickPanel Module Abstractions Covered in This Chapter Creating the Project Files Drop-Down FilterNode-Filtering Which Children of a Node Are Displayed Creating the Methods Drop-Down Improving the Methods Drop-Down Creating the Module A Little Homework 19. A Mail-Based Filesystem Building a Mail Reader in the NetBeans Paradigm Implementing MailFileSystem Using bstractFileSystem and JavaMail Creating Folder Objects for ttachments Using FileSystem.Status Annotations to Mark Unread Messages BeanInfo-Displaying Filesystem Properties Using the Wizard Framework to Set Up Mail Accounts 20. Creating the User Interface for the Mail Client Creating a DataLoader for Messages Creating a Threaded Mail View Using Filter Nodes Creating a Mail Workspace 21. Score File Support Overview-Functionality to be Implemented Creating the Minicomposer Module Creating a UniFileLoader and MultiDataObject for *.score Files Creating an Editor Support for Scores Creating a Fixed ExecCookie to Play Scores Creating a Simple Template 22. Creating a Structural View of the Score Creating a ScoreCookie to Represent a Sequence of Notes Creating a ScoreSupport Lifecycle of the Score An OpenSupport Indicating Parse Errors on the Node 23. Compiling Scores Creating the Compilers Creating and Using the Compiler Cookie Displaying an Out-of-Date Badge on Score Icons 24. Executing Scores Creating the .au Player Executor Creating Player Configuration Support Creating a SystemOption for the Default Executor 25. Better Score Support in the Explorer The Clip Length Property Representing Notes as Subnodes Using Children.Keys Permitting Subnodes to Be Renamed or Deleted Permitting Subnodes to Be Added Making Read/Write Properties on Subnodes Reordering Subnodes Data Transfer-Cut, Copy, and Paste of Notes and Sequences 26. Tuning Modules for Performance & Memory Footprint Startup Performance vs. Runtime Performance Operating Principles Techniques 27. Producing Modules (Packaging & Distribution) Versioning Upgrading User Settings Bundling Extension Libraries Internationalization and Accessibility JavaHelp-Writing and Distributing Supporting User-Level Java APIs Creating the Module JAR File Within the IDE Creating a Build Script Using Ant Producing the .nbm File Publishing Using the Update Center Using Errormanager to Log Problems Testing 28. Building Your Distribution of NetBeans Do You Need Your Own Distribution? Licensing Selecting a Baseline Getting the Sources Customizing the Build Process Adding Modules to a "Stock" Distribution Creating Preconfigured Settings Branding A. A Tour of Existing Modules B. Useful Utility Classes C. Resources D. Future Plans E. Working with Open Source and NetBeans F. Additional Modules and Where to Find Them Index

About the Author

Jack J. Woehr is an independent consultant specializing in building and mentoring programming teams at high technology startup ventures. His practice over the past two decades has ranged from microcode to mainframes. Jack is also a Contributing Editor for Dr. Dobb's Journal http://www.ddj.com, one of the world's most popular programming magazines. His website is http://www.softwoehr.com. Vaughn Spurlin began his programming career in 1967 on the physically largest computer ever built, the SAGE system's house-sized AN/FSQ-7. A freelance consultant since 1975, he worked with a wide range of computer hardware and languages, including several early personal computers before they were known as such. Vaughn currently writes technical articles about Sun ONE Studio and develops training materials for Sun. Simeon Greene currently lives with his wife Nikki in Philadelphia PA, but is originally from the sunny island republic of Trinidad and Tobago. In the pursuit of money, education and all else that corrupts, he left his island paradise and currently works as a developer for Hewlett-Packard. Although he misses tropical breezes and an idyllic lifestyle, he enjoys being a software developer and the opportunity to work with interesting technical people like those on the NetBeans project. Besides technology, Simeon also enjoys poetry, classical literature, travel and underground hip-hop - of course. Jesse Glick has worked on NetBeans since January 1999 in several capacities, including developing NetBeans core software, editing API documentation, and providing assistance for integrators. He joined Sun with the acquisition of NetBeans in the fall of 1999. He has spoken twice at JavaOne on NetBeans module development. Tim Boudreau is a native of Massachusetts who has worked in the IT industry as a developer, writer, graphic artist on and off since the age of twelve. Following a hiatus as a literary theory major and musician, he returned to the world of computers at the age of 23 in response to the marvelous career opportunities for a student of literature during a recession, and the clamour of the IT world for his return. In the spring of 1999, he moved to the Czech Republic to work for a small company called NetBeans, which was soon to be acquired by Sun Microsystems, where he still lives and works. Tim can be found at most times perched with an underpowered laptop, deep in ascetic concentration in his monastic quarters high in the towers of Sun Microsystems in Prague. He is occasionally led outside, blinking in the twilight, to belt out blues tunes in smoky bars, on the advice of his physicians and Sun Microsystems' "Great Place to Work" program.

Reviews

"This book is not just the definitive guide, it's the only book on the subject that I know of... The conclusion is that if you are planning to use NetBeans in one of its many forms then investing in a copy of this book is common sense." - Ian Elliot, VSJ, July/August 2003 This book is really an end-to-end tutorial and reference book for using and expanding NetBeans. If like me you only use NetBeans this book is still a bargain.I struggled for a while with creating a Bean, two nights of reading the Beans tutorial and I'd cracked it. There is so much that NetBeans does for you, wizards that make jobs easier and maintenance easy. I've missed most of them and have only found them and NetBeans real power by reading sections of this book. If you've got NetBeans then get this book" - James Gordon, NetBeans: The Definitive Guide - Cvu, August 2003