Using NetBeans^TM IDE 4.0

Your Guide to Getting Work Done in NetBeans IDE

Welcome to the Using NetBeans^TM IDE 4.0 guide. This guide is designed to give you a more detailed introduction to the IDE than available in the Quick Start tutorials. The main aspects of the IDE are explored in detail.

This guide is geared mostly to newcomers to NetBeans IDE 4.0, whether they are new to using IDEs or experienced IDE users that are switching over from a different IDE. However, readers of this guide are assumed to have at least a basic understanding of the Java programming language and related technologies.

Using NetBeans IDE 4.0 covers the following topics:

• Setting Up Projects
  • Basic IDE Concepts
  • Projects
  • Ant
  • Creating a Project
  • Setting the Main Project
  • Setting the Target JDK in a Project
  • Managing a Project's Classpath
  • Managing Dependencies Between Projects
• Creating and Editing Java Source Code
  • Creating Java Files
    • GUI Templates and Java Templates
  • Editing Java Files in the Source Editor
    • Using Abbreviations, Word Matching, and Code Completion
    • Configuring Code Completion
    • Refactoring
    • Adding Fields, Bean Properties, and Event Listeners
    • Working With Import Statements
    • Search and Selection Tools
    • Formatting Java Source Code
  • Navigating Between Documents
  • Configuring the Editor
• Building Applications
  • Building Projects, Packages, and Files
  • Fixing Compilation Errors
  • Customizing the Build Process
  • Regular Expressions for Filtering Output Files
• Deploying Applications
  • Running Projects and Files
  • Customizing Runtime Options
  • Setting the Runtime Classpath
  • Setting the Main Class and Runtime Arguments
  • Setting JVM Arguments
• Debugging Applications
  • Basic Debugging
    • Starting a Debugging Session
    • Debugger Windows
    • Stepping Through Your Code
  • Working With Breakpoints
    • Setting a Breakpoint
    • Setting Conditions for Breakpoint
    • Customizing the Output for a Breakpoint
    • Breakpoint Types
  • Setting Watches
• Developing Web Applications
  • Building Web Applications
  • Customizing the Build Process
  • Running Web Applications
  • Customizing Runtime Options
• Connecting to Databases
  • Getting Your Resources
    • Download and Start a SQL Database Server
    • Download a JDBC driver
  • Using the Database Explorer
    • Access the Database Explorer
    • Make the Database Driver Available to the IDE
    • Create the Database
    • Create the Table
    • Populate the Table
  • Connecting to a Database from a Web Application
  • Connect Directly from a JSP Page
  • Connect Using a Tomcat Connection Pool
  • Troubleshooting
• Using Ant Scripts in the IDE
  • Ant Scripts in the IDE
    • Build Files in Standard Projects
    • Installing Ant Documentation
  • Editing an Ant Script
  • Customizing Ant Scripts in Standard Projects
  • Editing an Ant Script's Properties
  • Customizing Property Files in Standard Projects
  • Running an Ant Script
  • Writing Custom Ant Targets
  • Mapping Custom Ant Targets to Project Commands
  • Writing Custom Ant Tasks
  • Including Custom Ant Tasks in an Ant Script's Classpath
    • Build Scripts With an Explicit Classpath
    • Adding Binaries to Ant's Classpath in the IDE
• Configuring the IDE
• Setting IDE Default Settings
  • Configuring IDE Startup Switches
  • Configuring General Java Settings
  • Working with Unknown File Types
• Enabling and Disabling IDE Functionality
  • Disabling Modules
  • Installing New Modules from the Update Center
• Boosting NetBeans Performance
  • Tuning JVM Switches for Performance
• Quick Reference
  • Window Navigation Shortcuts
  • Project Tasks
  • VCS Tasks
  • Configuring Tasks
  • Source Editor Tasks
  • Abbreviations for Java Files
  • Abbreviations for JSP and Servlet Files
  • Abbreviations for XML and DTD Files
  • Building Tasks
  • Running J2SE Application Tasks
  • Running Web Application Tasks
  • Debugging Tasks
  • JUnit Tasks