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ui
User Interface Corner

This is the home page for anything related to design of NetBeans UI. Here, you can find all user interface specifications, usability studies and other resources realted to UI.
Graphic Repository
The Graphic Repository contains all graphic material related to NetBeans IDE like splashscreens, list of icons and another UI elements.		 UI design Resources
This section contains links, articles and other NetBeans related materials, which doesn't fit into below listed categories.
NetBeans 4.1

NetBeans IDE 4.1 adds support for developing applications for the J2EE 1.4 Platform and their deployment to the Sun Java™ System Application Server Platform Edition 8 2005Q1. For information about J2EE development features in NetBeans IDE, see j2ee.netbeans.org. In this release users can browse and configure project classpath using Libraries node in the Project View, use automatically generated Debug and Compile Single File actions for projects with existing build scripts, set up projects with multiple source roots or easily browse and navigate around their classes using naviagtor component.
Updated: 6.6.2005
UI Specifications

Code Navigator
Navigator allows users easy to orientate in java source code as well as to perform some basic actions. [2005/1/14]

JUnit Tests (release F)
User Interface Specification for JUnit Test module in Promo Release F. [2005/5/11]

Refactoring menus
Refactoring menus are now restructured and contains items and action, which are modifying the Project. [2005/4/22]

Alert Messages in the Status-line
This UI Specification describes look of the Alert messages in the Editor statusbar. [2005/3/18]

Find Dialog in the Editor
New loopk and functionality of the Find dialog. [2005/1/24]

Editor - Highlighting the Active Line
The new color specification for the highlighting/selection color in the code Editor. This UI Specification also describes the rules and reasons for using colors in an UI. [2005/3/14]

Glyph Gutter and the Foldingbar
This UI Spec. describes the new look of the Glyph gutter, the new color scheme used for the gutter and Folding bar. [2005/3/25]

J2EE Server Management
Server Manager, Add Server Wizard, Server Properties, Runtime Window. [2005/4/26]

Enterprise Application Project
New Project Wizard, Project Window, Project Properties, Icons... [2005/4/25]

EJB Module Project
New Project Wizard, Project Window (overview), Project Properties. [2005/4/25]

EJB Components and Web Services
New File Wizards, Project Window (detailed), Source Editor, Web Services Registry. [2005/4/25]

Web Application Project
New Project Wizard, Project Window, Project Properties, New File Wizard. [2005/4/25]

Build System UI Spec - Promotion E
Build System UI Spec specifies GUI elements of the new build system that are common to all project types. [2005/1/14]

J2SE Project Type UI Spec - Promotion E
J2SE Project Type UI Spec specifies GUI elements for specialized manipulation with J2SE Project Type. This specification is an extension of the Build System UI Spec document, which should be read prior to this one. [2005/4/8]

 Freeform Project Type UI Spec - Promotion E
Freeform Project Type UI Spec specifies GUI elements for specialized manipulation with Freeform Project Type. The Freeform project type represents a user project based on existing custom Ant build script and existing sources in a freeform project and build structure. This specification is an extension of the Build System UI Spec document, which should be read prior to this one. [2005/3/18]

Autoupdate wizard UI spec
The AutoUpdate module is configured to check the content of Update Centers after some period of time. Users have complained that the Connecting dialog is intrusive and makes some users to disable this functionality... [2005/3/15]

VCS UI Spec
This document is a user interface specification of Version Control System (VCS) functionality in NetBeans IDE. [2005/5/12]

Freeform EJB Module Project
New Project Wizard, Project Properties. [2005/4/25]

Freeform Web Module Project
...contains Freeform Java Project UI Spec. [2005/3/18]

EJB Module Editor
General Look&Feel, View: General , View: CMP Relationships, View: XML. [2005/4/25]

Session Bean Editor
This is a specification of a Session EJB section of the EJB Module Editor. [2005/4/25]

Entity Bean Editor [2005/4/25]

Message Bean Editor [2005/4/25]



Usability Reports

Refactoring usability study report
The usability study was focused on observing the first hour experience when using refactoring features included in NetBeans IDE.

JMX Support UI Specification Review
The JMX API brings standardisation to management and monitoring of components. This is a review of the JMX Support UI specification.

JMX Support UI Specification Review II
This is a review of the JMX Module (version 13 April 2005).
NetBeans 4.0

The main themes for this release are coding productivity enhancements and new project system based on Apach Ant. This release will also include Web Application Development Improvements, J2SE 1.5 Support, Debugger Improvements, etc.
UI Specifications

J2SE project type
Specifies GUI elements for specialized manipulation with J2SE Project Type.

Build System
Specifies GUI elements of the new build system, which are common to all project types.

Favorites window
Describes that the Favorites window allows the user to create files and folders outside of a project context.

Source editor related actions
The intention of this specification is to revise all editor actions and their occurence throughout the main menus.

JDK 1.5 support (Generics, Metadata, Enums, Varargs)
This document introduces several extensions to the Java programming language.

Freeform project type
Specifies GUI elements for specialized manipulation with Freeform Project Type.

UI design of refactoring features
Defines UI and behaviour for specific refactoring features. [2004/6/22]

Surround With
Surround With feature should allow to surround statements easily.

NetBeans 4.0 debugger changes - user's view
Contains description of new features and UI changes planned for NB4.0 debugger modules.

New icons in the main ToolBar
Introduces the new concept of dynamical Toolbar. [2004/5/14]

VCS - BuilSys adoption
This document describes supported scenarios/workflow also limitation and restrictions. [2004/4/28]

Build system and project type guideline
Provides meaningful guidelines for all of the Java Development tools built on top of NEtBeans.

Build system integration user view
Specifies how the Form Editor should work with the new build system.

Sliding windows (Auto Hide) in the new WS Design Specification
Contains specifications about sliding windows behaviour and design. [2005/1/20]

New design of Multiview replacing old TAB logic Design Specification
Defines design nad behaviour for Multiview, specifies how to display different views on one source file by these Multiview. [2004/6/4]

 Task management enhancements
Describes the user interface design of the improvements to the Task Management. [2005/3/24]

Javadoc AutoComment
The users would benefit from autogeneration of the JavaDoc comment skeleton to boost the productivity.

Smart selection
How to increase the user's productivity.

UI Framework for new features based on MDR
Describes basic UI framework for Metadata Repository (MDR). [2003/10/13]

Module I18N
Describes Internationalization Wizard.

Module Utilities, part Search
Describes module Utilities, Search.

Module JUnit
Module JUnit Describes module JUnit.

JUnit - Creating Tests from Contextual Menu
Defines the new UI for creating JUnit tests directly using contextual menu (updated in relation to release E) [2005/1/19]



Usability Reports

OOBE usability study report
The usability study was focused on observing the OOBE & first hour experience in NetBeans IDE.

WS usability study report
The usability study was focused on observing the first hour experience when using Window system features (Sliding window and Multiview).

Refactoring usability study report
The usability study was focused on observing the first hour experience when using refactoring features included in NetBeans IDE.

Build system usability study report
The study was focused on observing the first hour experience when using NetBeans IDE based on new build system with J2SE project type.

WebApps project usability study report
The study was focused on observing the first hour experience when using NetBeans IDE based on new build system with WebApps project type.
NetBeans 3.6

In this release, there are some improvements such as: Window Navigation, Appearence and Look&Feel, Editor Improvements, Web/J2EE Development, Ant Support, Version Control Integration, Help System Improvements and many other changes.
UI Specifications

Task List integration
About integration of existing Task list to official distribution. [2004/1/9]

Smart Paste feature
About "Smart Paste" action in Source editor (for copying code from other places, e.g. from outside of the IDE). [2003/1/7]

VCS Outputs
Describes how the outputs would be presented in the new windowing system.

Smart brackets
About the IDE which would insert a closing bracket each time when opening bracket is typed.

Shortcut for implemeting/overriding methods
This feature invokes short list of all the methods that are candidates for implementation or overriding in edited class. [2003/11/24]

Error tooltips
This error tooltip will be added so that when the user hovers over the erroneous code in the editor the error tooltip is shown. [2003/11/13]

Print to html
Describes the ability to print any file in the editor to an html file. [2003/11/12]

Smart Enter inside String
About inserting a new line (the source code remains in a consistent state).

Java Class Wizard
Introduces with the intention of helping novice or inexperienced users get started creating Java classes. [2003/11/11]

Start new line and Split line actions
Describes two simple keyboard actions: Start New Line, Split Line, which are useful variations of the Insert newline action.

Select document node in Explorer
Defines behavior of an action which allows the user to select the node in explorer corresponding to a document open in the document area.

Code Folding
Allows to collapse (hide) and expand certain parts of the document.

 PS-customizer
Experimental look of a Customizer button.

Prototype
Design comparison of a Boolean property in the new Property Sheet.

New design of Multiview replacing old TAB logic Design Specification
Defines design nad behaviour for Multiview, specifies how to display different views on one source file by these Multiview. [2004/6/4]

XP L&F and design for new Window system
This document contains specification of all new WS. [2003/12/22]

Polished design of Classic L&F; for new Window system
This document is about betterment and polish Classic L&F style for new Windowing System of Netbeans. [2003/12/12]

Window system
Defines basic window system elements, their behavior, appearance and interaction with user.



Usability Reports

NetBeans Project Manager Prototype II
This study tested the NetBeans project system, using participants who were a mix of developers with NetBeans/S1S experience and those with other IDE or tool background.

NetBeans Project Manager Prototype
The usability study was focused on observing the first hour experience when using Window system features (Sliding window and Multiview).

Mobile Application Development - NetBeans Results
This study tested module for Mobile Application development, using participants with Java experience.

Debugging With NetBeans
This study tested module for C/C++ and Fortran debugging.

CVS/NetBeans Usability Test
This test was designed to detect usability issues that pertained to the integration of two source control suites with the IDE: CVS and TeamWare.
UI Specifications and Reports for earlier versions of NetBeans could be found in our archive.
[ Archive - UI Specifications ] [ Archive - Usability Reports ]