Published by Adam Myatt on 05 May 2008 at 11:39 pm
Sun Distributes ‘100 NetBeans IDE Tips and Tricks’ Mini-Book at NetBeans Day 2008.
Throughout Sun’s CommunityOne 2008 (specifically the NetBeans track), they distributed the standard swag one might expect of this type of event (bags, hats, shirts, etc.). At the conclusion of NetBeans Day, they also distributed a new mini-book about NetBeans tips and tricks. Roughly 140 pages, the book was authored by Ruth Kusterer, a technical writer for Sun Microsystems based in the Czech Republic. The book covers 100 tips and tricks that were collected from NetBeans documentation, blogs, forums, and the NetBeans community.
The 100 NetBeans Tips and Tricks book includes the following:
Source Code Editing
Tip 1 : Out-Smart Search and Replace (1)
Tip 2 : Out-Smart Search and Replace (2)
Tip 3 : Bookmark Lines in the Editor
Tip 4 : Duplicate Lines
Tip 5 : Move Lines
Tip 6 : Switch Characters From Uppercase to Lowercase
Tip 7 : Auto-Format Source Code
Tip 8 : Toggle Commented Lines
Editor Insights
Tip 9 : Compare Two Files Line By Line
Tip 10 : Roll Back Changes in Files Not Under Version Control (Local History)
Tip 11 : Restore Deleted Files Not Under Version Control (Local History)
Tip 12 : Highlight a Method’s Exit Points
Tip 13 : Find Out Expected Method Parameters
Tip 14 : Tell an Identifier’s Properties From its Text Style
Tip 15 : Mark Occurrences of Identifiers
Navigation
Tip 16 : Navigate to Compile Errors
Tip 17 : Navigate to Pending Tasks
Tip 18 : Open a File in the Editor from the Command Line
Tip 19 : Open a Resource in the Editor
Tip 20 : Open a Type in the Editor
Tip 21 : Open a File From the Explorer
Tip 22 : Jump to Methods and Fields
Tip 23 : Jump to a Method’s Definition-and Back Again
Tip 24 : Close or Save Multiple Editor Windows
Tip 25 : Switch Tabs in the Editor
Tip 26 : Select Chunks of Code
Tip 27 : Select a File in the Explorer
Tip 28 : Navigate in the Editor With Keyboard Shortcuts
Projects
Tip 29 : Import Projects into the NetBeans IDE
Tip 30 : Export Projects From the NetBeans IDE
Tip 31 : Pass Runtime Arguments to an Application
Tip 32 : Save a Project Under a New Name
Tip 33 : Save a File Under a New Name
Tip 34 : Depend on Other Projects
Tip 35 : Add Libraries to a Project
Tip 36 : Open the Project Properties With a Shortcut
Tip 37 : Group Projects
Tip 38 : Stay Compatible with a Legacy JDK
Tip 39 : Compile for a Legacy Target JDK
Tip 40 : Create GroupLayout Forms for JDK 1.5 or JDK 6
Tip 41 : View Packages as Tree or List
Tip 42 : Work With Files Outside NetBeans Projects
Automate Tasks With Ant
Tip 43 : Customize the Build Process
Tip 44 : Create an Archive of Your Sources
Tip 45 : Package a Whole Project Into One Jar File Library
Tip 46 : Sweep End-of-Line Characters Automatically
Tip 47 : Protect Your Code With an Obfuscator
Tip 48 : Define Shortcuts for Ant Targets
GUI Builder
Tip 49 : Design GridBag Layouts Easily
Tip 50 : Add Multiple GUI Components to the Canvas
Tip 51 : Create Tabbed Panes
Tip 52 : Customize the Blue Guarded Blocks in GUI Builder Code
Tip 53 : Add Images to a GUI
Tip 54 : Prototype GUIs Rapidly
Tip 55 : Add Custom JavaBeans Components to a GUI Forms
Tip 56 : Add Custom JavaBeans Components to the Palette
Tip 57 : Duplicate Sets of GUI Components
Look and Feel
Tip 58 : Disable Antialiased Font Rendering in the Editor
Tip 59 : Change the Font Size
Tip 60 : Switch to a Different Look and Feel
Time Savers
Tip 61 : Code Faster with Automatic Code-Completion
Tip 62 : Expand Templates and Abbreviations for Common Code Snippets
Tip 63 : Define Custom Templates and Abbreviations for Common Code Snippets
Tip 64 : Restructure Source Code Safely (Refactoring)
Tip 65 : Generate Getters and Setters
Tip 66 : Finding the Missing Symbols
Tip 67 : Catch Exceptions
Tip 68 : Implement Abstract Methods
Tip 69 : Override Methods
Tip 70 : Customize Automatic Code Formatting
Tip 71 : Auto-Complete Any String (Hippie Expand)
Tip 72 : Make Code-Completion Case (In)sensitive
Tip 73 : Close the Line With a Semicolon
Tip 74 : Track User Tasks
Tip 75 : Improve the IDE’s Speed
Space Savers
Tip 76 : Fold Away Custom Blocks of Code
Tip 77 : Save Space in the Projects Window
Tip 78 : Save Space in the Navigator Window (NetBeans 5.5)
Tip 79 : Save Space in the Editor Area
Tip 80 : Iconify and Maximize Editor Windows
Tip 81 : Rearrange Editor Windows
Tip 82 : Clone and Split Editor Windows
Tip 83 : Detach Editor Windows from the IDE
Keyboard
Tip 84 : Print a Custom Keyboard Shortcut Card
Tip 85 : Stay Sane With Switching Keyboards
Documentation and Help
Tip 86 : Document Your Code With Javadoc
Tip 87 : Generate Javadoc For Your Project
Tip 88 : Integrate NetBeans API Javadoc and Sources into the Editor
Advanced and Miscellaneous
Tip 89 : Set Default Extensions for File Types
Tip 90 : Find Paths to the IDE’s Resource Bundles
Tip 91 : Share a Project Live with a Remote Colleague
Tip 92 : Blog About Source Code in Style
The NetBeans IDE 6.1 Installer
Tip 93 : Strip Glassfish/Tomcat from the Web & Java EE Installer
Tip 94 : Convert a NetBeans Installer for Windows to Linux
Tip 95 : Turn a Full Installer into a Java SE, C/C++, Ruby, or UML Pack Installer
Tip 96 : Turn a Full Installer into a NetBeans IDE Mobility Pack Installer
Tip 97 : (Un)Install the NetBeans IDE Silently
Tip 98 : (Un)Install the NetBeans IDE Without Disk Space Check
Tip 99 : Install Multiple Instances of the Same NetBeans Pack
Tip 100 : Specify the JDK That the NetBeans IDE Runs On
5 Responses to “Sun Distributes ‘100 NetBeans IDE Tips and Tricks’ Mini-Book at NetBeans Day 2008.”
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mols on 15 May 2008 at %I:%M %p #
what if i wanna get a copy? if there is a softcopy , please let me know. if not, then how can i get it ? i’m a fan of netbeans since 5.1 and i’d like to know more practically about it… thank you
Adam Myatt on 15 May 2008 at %I:%M %p #
I’m not aware of any soft copies. I also don’t think the hard copy is widely available on any book sites. Try asking the author, Ruth Kusterer. The link to her blog is in the article above.
sgwong on 22 May 2008 at %I:%M %p #
Can you show me tip for tips #71 & #72?
Tip 71 : Auto-Complete Any String (Hippie Expand)
Tip 72 : Make Code-Completion Case (In)sensitive
What is both tips about? I am really annoying with keep on typing control-space for auto complete. I want the auto complete turn on all the time so that every key stroke will trigger the auto complete.
The best auto complete I use is the auto complete from Vim, it will search all the variable you already declare or it will search for the file system name or any string you had type from the current file or other file which you included without the need to type control-space. I also using Visual Studio which also show the auto complete with the Visual Assist add-on.
Can I do that with netbean also?
Adam Myatt on 29 May 2008 at %I:%M %p #
Tip # 71 (Hippie Expand) is discussed in detail here at Gregg Sporar’s blog : http://weblogs.java.net/blog/gsporar/archive/2008/02/hidden_hippie.html
Tip # 72 (case insensitive code completion) - select Tools > Options > Editor. Check or unCheck the ‘Case Sensitive Code Completion checkbox. You no longer have to use Camel Case for proper code completion (like in NetBeans 5.5). Discussed here in Roumen’s blog : http://blogs.sun.com/roumen/entry/netbeans_quick_tip_25_insensitive
sgwong on 24 Jun 2008 at %I:%M %p #
Thanks for the reply. Tip #71 is really helpful for me.