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| <title>What's New in NetBeans IDE 4.0</title> |
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| <h1>What's New in NetBeans IDE 4.0</h1> |
| <div class="feedback-box"> |
| <a href="/about/contact_form.html?to=3&subject=Feedback:%20NetBeans%20IDE%204.0%Whats%20New%20in%2040">Feedback</a> |
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| |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 is a major feature release. The features listed below are introduced |
| in 4.0 since the previous release (3.6). The product has been completely overhauled to |
| allow you to develop and maintain your applications more |
| productively and efficiently than ever before. If you are a returning user, you will notice significant |
| enhancements in each area of your development cycle:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li><a href="#creating">Managing Source Code and Libraries</a></li> |
| <li><a href="#editing">Editing</a></li> |
| <li><a href="#buildingandrunning">Building, Running, and Debugging</a></li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>For detailed information about transitioning to NetBeans IDE 4.0, see the |
| <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Transitioning from NetBeans IDE 3.6 to 4.0 Beta Guide</a>. |
| </p> |
| <h2><a name="creating"></a>Managing Source Code and Libraries</h2> |
| |
| |
| <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> |
| <tbody> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="formatfontinjsp"></a><b>Projects</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/ProjectSystem3.png" title="Project System Screenshot 3"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/ProjectSystem3-mid.png" border="0" alt="Project System Screenshot 3" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/ProjectSystem2.png" title="Project System Screenshot 2"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/ProjectSystem2-mid.png" border="0" alt="Project System Screenshot 2" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/ProjectSystem1.png" title="Project System Screenshot 1"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/ProjectSystem1-mid.png" border="0" alt="Project System Screenshot 1" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| |
| <p>Projects have been completely redesigned in NetBeans IDE 4.0. Now, all application development takes place within a project. |
| A project is a group of source files together with the settings that you define to build, run, and debug them. |
| You can split applications that involve large code bases into several projects and |
| create compilation dependencies between them. Then, when you build one of the projects, all the other projects on the |
| compilation classpath are built as well. You can share projects using the built-in support for the version control systems |
| CVS, VSS, and PVCS.</p> |
| <p>Multiple projects can be open at the same time so that you can quickly and easily switch from one to another |
| and work on many projects simultaneously. When you open a project, you can view its logical structure in the |
| Projects window and its file structure |
| in the Files window. Menus and toolbar buttons are provided so that you can perform one-click actions such as |
| the following on a project:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/butt_build.png" width="16" height="16" alt="Build button"> Build</li> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/butt_run.png" width="16" height="16" alt="Run button"> Run</li> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/butt_debug.png" width="16" height="16" alt="Debug button"> Debug</li> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/butt_attach.png" width="16" height="16" alt="Attach debugger button"> Attach Debugger</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>In addition, you can perform these actions on single files too.</p> |
| |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="formatfontinjsp"></a><b>Project templates and wizards</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 includes project templates and wizards designed to support different types of project development. |
| For example, it contains a wizard to define a Java application project based on |
| a Java application project template.</p> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 comes with the following templates for creating projects from scratch:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/j2seProject.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="J2SE project icon"> Java |
| Application.</b> Template for creating a skeleton J2SE project with a main class.</li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/j2seProject.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="J2SE project icon"> Java |
| Class Library. </b>Template for creating a skeleton Java class library without a main class.</li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/webProjectIcon.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="standard web project icon"> Web |
| Application.</b> Template for creating a skeleton web application.</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>For more information about creating projects from scratch, see the |
| <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Quick Start Guide</a> |
| and the <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Quick Start Guide for Web Applications</a>. |
| </p> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 comes with the following templates for creating projects for your existing source files:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/j2seProject.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="J2SE project icon"> Java |
| Project with Existing Sources.</b> Template for creating a J2SE project based on your own Java sources. </li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/webProjectIcon.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="standard web project icon"> Web |
| Project with Existing Sources.</b> Template for creating a web project based on your own web and Java sources.</li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/freeform-project.png" width="16" height="16" alt="free-form project icon"> Java |
| Project with Existing Ant Script. </b> Template for creating a J2SE project based on your own Java sources, built using your own Ant build script.</li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/freeform-project.png" width="16" height="16" alt="free-form project icon"> Web |
| Project with Existing Ant Script. </b> Template for creating a web project based on your own web and Java sources, built using your own Ant build script.</li> |
| <p><b>Note:</b> You do not need to know Ant to be able to work with NetBeans IDE 4.0. Only advanced users who know what Ant is and |
| how to use it should use the Project with Existing Ant Script templates. For more information, see <a href="#antintegration">Ant Integration</a> below.</p> |
| </ul> |
| <p>When you use NetBeans IDE 4.0 to browse the folders in your system, folders that are valid projects are flagged with the <img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/projectFolder.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="Project folder icon"> icon.</p> |
| <p>For more information about importing and using your own source files, see the |
| <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Importing Existing Java Source Code Guide</a> |
| and the <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Importing Existing Web Applications Guide</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><b>Support for the Java™ 2 Micro Edition (J2ME™) MIDP 2.0 and CLDC 1.1 standards</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/mobility1.png" title="Moblity Screenshot 1"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/mobility1-mid.png" border="0" alt="Moblity Screenshot 1" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| <p>J2ME MIDP 2.0/CLDC 1.1 standard support in NetBeans IDE 4.0 lets you write, test, and debug applications for Java technology-enabled |
| mobile devices. NetBeans IDE 4.0 simplifies coding of these applications by providing templates for MIDlet and MIDlet suites and code |
| completion in the Source Editor for J2ME packages. In addition, you can integrate third-party emulators and create device |
| configurations for a robust testing environment.</p> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 support for the J2ME MIDP 2.0/CLDC 1.1 standards includes the following:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Integration with the J2ME Wireless Toolkit 2.2</li> |
| <li>Integration with other third-party emulator platforms</li> |
| <li>Integration of obfuscation and optimization support</li> |
| <li>Support for MIDP localization by enabling the integration of locale-specific components</li> |
| <li>Resolution of device fragmentation by enabling code development for device configurations</li> |
| <li>Over-the-Air (OTA) download testing</li> |
| <li>Several J2ME MIDP sample projects</li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| <p>For information on creating or importing J2ME MIDP applications, see the |
| <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Quick Start Guide</a> |
| and the <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Importing Existing J2ME MIDP Source Code Guide</a>. |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><b>Tag library templates and wizards</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 includes enhancements that simplify the creation of tag libraries. |
| You use wizards that are new in NetBeans IDE 4.0 to create tag handlers, |
| tag files, and tag library descriptors. Then, you develop tags either in the Java programming language |
| or in the syntax for the JavaServer Pages technology, or both.</p> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 comes with the following tag library templates:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/tags.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="TLD file icon"> Tag library descriptor. |
| </b> Template for creating a tag library descriptor in JSP2.0 syntax (for J2EE1.4 projects) or in JSP1.2 syntax (for J2EE1.3 projects).</li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/tag16.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="Tag file icon"> Tag file. |
| </b> Template for creating a tag file with sample code in either JSP or XML syntax.</li> |
| <li><b><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/class.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="Tag handler icon"> Tag handler. |
| </b> Template for creating a BodyTag handler or SimpleTag handler (JSP2.0) with sample Java source code.</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>For more information about creating and using tag libraries, see the |
| <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Tag Library Tutorial</a>. |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="createjavaobjects"></a><b>Bundled tools</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>NetBeans IDE 4.0 is bundled with several tools that enhance development, code |
| completion, and compilation needs:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/freeform-project.png" width="16" height="16" alt="free-form project icon"> Apache Ant</li> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/tomcat5instance.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="tomcat 5 instance project icon"> Tomcat Server</li> |
| <li>API classes and documentation for the Servlet and JSP APIs</li> |
| <li>JavaServer Pages Standard Tag Library (JSTL)</li> |
| |
| </ul> |
| <p>Apache Ant and Tomcat Server require no special set up and |
| can be used straight out-of-the-box. When you create a new project, |
| libraries appropriate to the project's type will automatically be |
| included in the project's classpath. Additionally, you can manually |
| include a library in a project's classpath.</p></td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| </tbody> |
| </table> |
| |
| <h2><a name="editing"></a>Editing</h2> |
| |
| |
| <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> |
| <tbody> |
| |
| <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> |
| <tbody> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="displaygraphicsinjava"></a><b>J2SE 5.0</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>J2SE 5.0 aims to ease development and improve the |
| scalability, performance, monitoring and manageability of your applications. |
| It is fully supported by NetBeans IDE 4.0. For example, you can use new J2SE 5.0 |
| language constructs |
| such as enums, generics and metadata annotations |
| to build and edit your applications. |
| Features such as error annotations (error underlying) and |
| code folding can be used with J2SE 5.0 sources and the Source Editor supports |
| code completion and syntax highlighting of J2SE 5.0 language keywords.</p> |
| <p>For information about J2SE 5.0, see |
| <a HREF="http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/">New Features and Enhancements J2SE 5.0</a>. |
| </p> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="displaygraphicsinjava"></a><b>Refactoring</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>Refactoring functionality has been integrated into the Source Editor. As a result, |
| you can make sweeping modifications to pieces of code without affecting their functionality. |
| You can use refactoring to do the following in NetBeans IDE 4.0: |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/Refactoring2.png" title="Refactoring Screenshot 2"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/Refactoring2_mid.png" border="0" alt="Refactoring Screenshot 2" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/Refactoring1.png" title="Refactoring Screenshot 1"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/Refactoring1_mid.png" border="0" alt="Refactoring Screenshot 1" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li>Rename packages, classes, methods, and fields</li> |
| <li>Move classes from package to package</li> |
| <li>Encapsulate fields generates 'get' and 'set' methods and replaces the usage of |
| the original fields with these methods</li> |
| <li>Change method parameters </li> |
| <li>Find references, declarations, and usages of classes and their members</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>Note that the Generate R/W Property |
| command has been removed, since the Encapsulate Fields command includes the same functionality.</p> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><b>Code completion</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> <p>Code completion and syntax highlighting have been enhanced to include |
| the following: |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/taglib2.png" title="Refactoring Screenshot 2"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/taglib2-mid.png" border="0" alt="Refactoring Screenshot 2" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/taglib1.png" title="Refactoring Screenshot 1"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/taglib1-mid.png" border="0" alt="Refactoring Screenshot 1" style="float:right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/tags.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="TLD file icon"> Tag library descriptors conforming to the JSP2.0 or JSP1.2 specification</li> |
| <li><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/tag16.gif" width="16" height="16" alt="Tag file icon"> Tag files in JSP syntax</li> |
| </ul> |
| Customizers are no longer supported for tag library descriptors and tag handlers, because you can now use |
| code completion in the Source Editor to edit their attributes, properties, and behavior. |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><b>Import management</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>You manage external references in a Java source file by right-clicking in the Source Editor |
| and choosing Fix Imports from the contextual menu. |
| Import statements that are needed by your code are added, unused import statements are removed, |
| and unresolved identifiers are fixed. This menu item replaces the Import Management Tool.</p> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><b>Windowing system</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <a href="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/Outline.png" title="Windowing System"><img src="../../../images_www/screenshots/4.0/Outline_mid.png" border="0" alt="Windowing System" style="float: right;" hspace="6"></a> |
| Editing flexibility in NetBeans IDE 4.0 has been enhanced as follows: |
| <ul> |
| <li>Sliding auto-hide windows.</li> |
| <li>Multiple views per form object. You can easily switch |
| between different views of a single form object. As a result, |
| there is no need to open a new window per view because |
| you can see both the source view and the form view within the same tab of |
| the Form Editor.</li> |
| <li>Visual alignment with Aqua LookAndFeel on MacOS X.</li> |
| </ul> |
| </tr> |
| |
| </tbody> |
| </table> |
| |
| <h2><a name="buildingandrunning"></a>Building, Running, and Debugging</h2> |
| |
| <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> |
| <tbody> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="antintegration"></a><b>Ant integration</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>Apache Ant is the leading Java-based build tool used to standardize and automate |
| build and run environments for development. NetBeans IDE 4.0 builds its project infrastructure |
| directly on top of Ant. It stores all of the information |
| about your project in an Ant script, a properties file, and a few XML configuration files. |
| This means that you can build and run your projects outside of the IDE exactly the |
| same as inside the IDE.</p> |
| <p> You don't need to perform any special setup activities, because NetBeans |
| IDE 4.0 provides the following straight out-of-the-box:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Apache Ant as a build engine</li> |
| <li>Project metadata as Ant build scripts</li> |
| <li>Ability to build applications outside of the IDE using Ant</li> |
| <li>Fully integrated support for unit testing (JUnit) of Java applications</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>Beginning users don't have to know Ant to use the system, but the full |
| power of Ant is accessible to advanced Ant users. These users can customize |
| a project's build script or use their own to build a project.</p> |
| <p>For more information about writing and customizing Ant build scripts, see the |
| <a HREF="https://netbeans.org/kb/archive/index.html">Advanced Free-Form Project Configuration Guide</a>. |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="testing"></a><b>JSP compilation</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>As in NetBeans IDE 3.5, you can <i>compile</i> JSP files. In NetBeans IDE 3.6, you could only |
| <i>validate</i> JSP files. The Validate action prevented you from being able to translate the JSP code into a servlet. |
| Therefore, the Validate action did not discover syntax errors that occur at translation time or runtime. |
| This is now possible again.</p> |
| |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td valign="top" width="15%"><a name="testing"></a><b>JUnit testing</b></td> |
| <td valign="top"> |
| <p>Projects in NetBeans IDE 4.0 come with built-in support |
| for generating, developing and running unit tests using JUnit, |
| the de facto standard in Java code testing. You can |
| maintain a separate classpath for building |
| and running JUnit tests, regardless of whether you set it in your own Ant build script |
| or in NetBeans IDE 4.0.</p> |
| |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| </tbody> |
| </table> |
| |
| </body> |
| </html> |
