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<!DOCTYPE api-answers PUBLIC "-//NetBeans//DTD Arch Answers//EN" "../../nbbuild/antsrc/org/netbeans/nbbuild/Arch.dtd" [
<!ENTITY api-questions SYSTEM "../../nbbuild/antsrc/org/netbeans/nbbuild/Arch-api-questions.xml">
]>
<api-answers
question-version="1.12"
author="jrechtacek@netbeans.org"
>
&api-questions;
<!--
<question id="arch-what">
What is this project good for?
<hint>
Please provide here a few lines describing the project,
what problem it should solve, provide links to documentation,
specifications, etc.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="arch-what">
The
<api
type="export" name="ExplorerAPI" group="java" category="official"
url="@org-openide-explorer@/org/openide/explorer/doc-files/api.html"
/>
is build around Explorer - solely a user-interface device: it has no particular knowledge
of the structure of the IDE. Rather, it provides the physical user interface for
the Node hierarchy, as described in the
<api
type="import" name="NodesAPI" group="java" category="official"
url="@org-openide-nodes@/org/openide/nodes/doc-files/api.html"
/>.
A given Explorer instance will be some visual component (such as a Swing panel)
displaying some representation of a subtree of the complete Node hierarchy;
the topmost node being displayed is said to be the root of the Explorer.
Be careful not to confuse the root of a particular Explorer instance, which is
selected according to what the user wishes to see, with the root(s) of
the entire Node hierarchy, which generally are fixed.
</answer>
<answer id="arch-usecases">
<p>
<a onclick="target='_blank'" href="https://leanpub.com/nbp4beginners">
<img src="http://wiki.apidesign.org/images/0/03/NetBeansPlatformForBeginners.jpg"
style="float: right"
width="60" height="70" alt="Cover of NetBeans Platform for Beginners book"/>
</a>
For general overview of the concepts related to <a href="@org-openide-nodes@/overview-summary.html">nodes</a> and explorers,
together with code samples, see chapter 7,
of <a onclick="target='_blank'" href="https://leanpub.com/nbp4beginners">NetBeans Platform for Beginners</a>
by Jason Wexbridge and Walter Nyland.
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="compat-i18n">
Is your module correctly internationalized?
<hint>
Correct internationalization means that it obeys instuctions
at <a href="http://www.netbeans.org/devhome/docs/i18n/index.html">
NetBeans I18N pages</a>.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="compat-i18n">
The module is fully internationalized.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="compat-standards">
Does the module implement or define any standards? Is the
implementation exact or does it deviate somehow?
</question>
-->
<answer id="compat-standards">
The explorer does not implement any standards.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="compat-version">
Can your module coexist with earlier and future
versions of itself? Can you correctly read all old settings? Will future
versions be able to read your current settings? Can you read
or politely ignore settings stored by a future version?
<hint>
Very helpful for reading settings is to store version number
there, so future versions can decide whether how to read/convert
the settings and older versions can ignore the new ones.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="compat-version">
The only serializable object that might be part of some settings
is <a href="@org-openide-explorer@/org/openide/explorer/ExplorerManager.html">ExplorerManager</a>
which serialization is backward compatible.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="dep-jre">
Which version of JRE do you need (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, etc.)?
<hint>
It is expected that if your module runs on 1.x that it will run
on 1.x+1 if no, state that please. Also describe here cases where
you run different code on different versions of JRE and why.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="dep-jre">
Runs on JDK1.3 and higher.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="dep-jrejdk">
Do you require the JDK or is the JRE enough?
</question>
-->
<answer id="dep-jrejdk">
JRE is enough.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="dep-nb">
What other NetBeans projects does this one depend on?
<hint>
If you want, describe such projects as imported API using
the <code>&lt;api name="identification" type="import or export" category="stable" url="where is the description" /&gt;</code>
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="dep-nb">
The project needs <a href="#java-NodesAPI">Nodes API</a> and
<api
type="import" group="java" name="UtilitiesAPI" category="official"
url="@org-openide-util-ui@/org/openide/util/doc-files/api.html"
/>
which are essential for it to run. Beyond that it uses runtime
checks for presence of other APIs (PENDING) to use their
features for backward compatibility.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="dep-non-nb">
What other projects outside NetBeans does this one depend on?
<hint>
Some non-NetBeans projects are packaged as NetBeans modules
(see <a href="http://libs.netbeans.org">libraries</a>) and
it is prefered to use this approach when more modules may
depend on such third-party library.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="dep-non-nb">
No other dependencies.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="dep-platform">
On which platforms does your module run? Does it run in the same
way on each?
<hint>
If your module is using JNI or deals with special differences of
OSes like filesystems, etc. please describe here what they are.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="dep-platform">
The module is platform independent.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="deploy-jar">
Do you deploy just module JAR file(s) or other files as well?
<hint>
If your module consists of just one module JAR file, just confirm that.
If it uses more than one JAR, describe where they are located, how
they refer to each other.
If it consist of module JAR(s) and other files, please describe
what is their purpose, why other files are necessary. Please
make sure that installation/deinstallation leaves the system
in state as it was before installation.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="deploy-jar">
Right now the module is part of <code>openide.jar</code>.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="deploy-nbm">
Can you deploy an NBM via the Update Center?
<hint>
If not why?
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="deploy-nbm">
The whole openide.jar and core.jar can be updated as nbm file.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="deploy-packages">
Are packages of your module made inaccessible by not declaring them
public?
<hint>
NetBeans module system allows restriction of access rights to
public classes of your module from other modules. This prevents
unwanted dependencies of others on your code and should be used
whenever possible (<a href="http://www.netbeans.org/download/apis/org/openide/doc-files/upgrade.html#3.4-public-packages">
public packages
</a>).
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="deploy-packages">
Both packages (<code>org.openide.explorer</code> and <code>org.openide.explorer.view</code>) are
part of API, so there is no need to make them unaccessible.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="deploy-shared">
Do you need to be installed in the shared location only, or in the user directory only,
or can your module be installed anywhere?
<hint>
Installation location shall not matter, if it does explain why.
Consider also whether <code>InstalledFileLocator</code> can help.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="deploy-shared">
As part of openide.jar it needs to be in shared location.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-classloader">
Does your code create its own class loader(s)?
<hint>
A bit unusual. Please explain why and what for.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-classloader">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-component">
Is execution of your code influenced by any (string) property
of any of your components?
<hint>
Often <code>JComponent.getClientProperty</code>, <code>Action.getValue</code>
or <code>PropertyDescriptor.getValue</code>, etc. are used to influence
a behaviour of some code. This of course forms an interface that should
be documented. Also if one depends on some interface that an object
implements (<code>component instanceof Runnable</code>) that forms an
API as well.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-component">
<api type="export" group="systemproperty" name="org.openide.explorer.VisualizerNode.prefetchCount" category="private">
Setting this property to integer number controls prefetching of nodes
when VisualizerChildren are constructed (prefetchCount = 0 disables
prefetching).
The prefetching should eliminate "bounce" effect (see #144718) in lazy
implementation which is caused by the fact that there exist keys without
nodes. In such case "dummy" nodes are created and remove event is fired.
This undesirable effect is eliminated by prefetching selected number of
nodes so "dummy" nodes are detected and removed in advance before any
visualization occurs.
</api>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-introspection">
Does your module use any kind of runtime type informations (instanceof,
work with java.lang.Class, etc.)?
<hint>
Check for cases when you have an object of type A and you also
expect it to (possibly) be of type B and do some special action. That
should be documented. The same applies on operations in meta-level
(Class.isInstance(...), Class.isAssignableFrom(...), etc.).
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-introspection">
Also <code>TreeTableView</code> offers sort by the values of explored properties if type
of value implements <code>Comparable</code> interface, it's based on semi-private API
<api group="java" name="TreeTableViewSortingAPI" type="export" category="friend"/>.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-privateaccess">
Are you aware of any other parts of the system calling some of
your methods by reflection?
<hint>
If so, describe the "contract" as an API. Likely private or friend one, but
still API and consider rewrite of it.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-privateaccess">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-process">
Do you execute an external process from your module? How do you ensure
that the result is the same on different platforms? Do you parse output?
Do you depend on result code?
<hint>
If you feed an input, parse the output please declare that as an API.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-process">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-property">
Is execution of your code influenced by any environment or
Java system (<code>System.getProperty</code>) property?
<hint>
If there is a property that can change the behaviour of your
code, somebody will likely use it. You should describe what it does
and the stability category of this API. You may use
<pre>
&lt;property name="id" category="private" &gt;
description of the property, where it is used, what it influence, etc.
&lt;/property&gt;
</pre>
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-property">
<api name="netbeans.dnd.enabled" group="systemproperty" category="private" type="export" url="">
Checks by Drag &amp; Drop support for views. True is regard as default
(no matter what jdk's version). False value disallows Drag &amp; Drop in
all views.
</api>
<api name="customDelete" group="property" category="devel" type="export">
Nodes returing Boolean.TRUE from getValue(&quot;customDelete&quot;) are assumed to
provide their own confirmation dialog for delete action and explorer will not show
default one when they are deleted.
</api>
<api name="slowRename" group="property" category="devel" type="export">
Nodes returing Boolean.TRUE from getValue(&quot;slowRename&quot;) are expected
to have potentially slow implemenation of <code>setName</code>. Explorer views
rather process in-place rename in background for such nodes.
</api>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-reflection">
Does your code use Java Reflection to execute other code?
<hint>
This usually indicates a missing or unsufficient API in the other
part of the system. If the other side is not aware of your dependency
this contract can be easily broken.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-reflection">
Yes, <code>TreeView</code> calls via reflection to openide's Window System API
and to Actions API to allow use Explorer API as standalone library.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="format-clipboard">
Which data flavors (if any) does your code read from or insert to
the clipboard?
</question>
-->
<answer id="format-clipboard">
The module servers as a bridge between nodes and the clipboard. It takes what
Nodes provide
(<a href="@org-openide-nodes@/org/openide/nodes/Node.html#clipboardCopy--">Node.clipboardCopy</a>,
<a href="@org-openide-nodes@/org/openide/nodes/Node.html#clipboardCut--">Node.clipboardCut</a>) and
inserts them into clipboard (as part of Copy/Cut action) and also retrive the
content of clipboard and pases it to
<a href="@org-openide-nodes@/org/openide/nodes/Node.html#getPasteTypes-java.awt.datatransfer.Transferable-">Node.getPasteTypes(Transferable)</a>)
during paste action.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="format-dnd">
Which protocols (if any) does your code understand during Drag &amp; Drop?
</question>
-->
<answer id="format-dnd">
Same formats as during clipboard access.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="format-types">
Which protocols and file formats (if any) does your module read or write on disk,
or transmit or receive over the network?
</question>
-->
<answer id="format-types">
None.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="lookup-lookup">
Does your module use <code>org.openide.util.Lookup</code>
to find any components to communicate with? Which ones?
<hint>
Please describe the interfaces you are searching for, where
are defined, whether you are searching for just one or more of them,
if the order is important, etc. Also clasify the stability of such
API contract.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="lookup-lookup">
Yes, it does. There is searched for <code>java.awt.datatransfer.Clipboard.class</code>
(to obtain clipboard for cut/cope/paste operations),
for <code>org.openide.actions.ActionManager</code> (to process an action in separate
thread) and for registry of all top components.
A presence these object are not forced, system can work w/o them.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="lookup-register">
Do you register anything into lookup for other code to find?
<hint>
Do you register using layer file or using <code>META-INF/services</code>?
Who is supposed to find your component?
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="lookup-register">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="lookup-remove">
Do you remove entries of other modules from lookup?
<hint>
Why? Of course, that is possible, but it can be dangerous. Is the module
your are masking resource from aware of what you are doing?
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="lookup-remove">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-exit">
Does your module run any code on exit?
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-exit">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-huge_dialogs">
Does your module contain any dialogs or wizards with a large number of
GUI controls such as combo boxes, lists, trees, or text areas?
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-huge_dialogs">
No, only the small dialogs, e.g. Rename, Navigator, etc.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-limit">
Are there any hardcoded or practical limits in the number or size of
elements your code can handle?
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-limit">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-mem">
How much memory does your component consume? Estimate
with a relation to the number of windows, etc.
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-mem">
No answer
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-menus">
Does your module use dynamically updated context menus, or
context-sensitive actions with complicated enablement logic?
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-menus">
No answer
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-progress">
Does your module execute any long-running tasks?
<hint>Typically they are tasks like connecting over
network, computing huge amount of data, compilation.
Such communication should be done asynchronously (for example
using <code>RequestProcessor</code>), definitively it should
not block AWT thread.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-progress">
No answer
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-scale">
Which external criteria influence the performance of your
program (size of file in editor, number of files in menu,
in source directory, etc.) and how well your code scales?
Please include some estimates.
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-scale">
No answer
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-startup">
Does your module run any code on startup?
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-startup">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-wakeup">
Does any piece of your code wake up periodically and do something
even when the system is otherwise idle (no user interaction)?
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-wakeup">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="resources-file">
Does your module use <code>java.io.File</code> directly?
<hint>
NetBeans provide a logical wrapper over plain files called
<code>org.openide.filesystems.FileObject</code> that
provides uniform access to such resources and is the prefered
way that should be used. But of course there can be situations when
this is not suitable.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="resources-file">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="resources-layer">
Does your module provide own layer? Does it create any files or
folders in it? What it is trying to communicate by that and with which
components?
<hint>
NetBeans allows automatic and declarative installation of resources
by module layers. Module register files into appropriate places
and other components use that information to perform their task
(build menu, toolbar, window layout, list of templates, set of
options, etc.).
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="resources-layer">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="resources-mask">
Does your module mask/hide/override any resources provided by other modules in
their layers?
<hint>
If you mask a file provided by another module, you probably depend
on that and do not want the other module to (for example) change
the file's name. That module shall thus make that file available as an API
of some stability category.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="resources-mask">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="resources-read">
Does your module read any resources from layers? For what purpose?
<hint>
As this is some kind of intermodule dependency, it is a kind of API.
Please describe it and clasify according to
<a href="http://openide.netbeans.org/tutorial/api-design.html#categories">
common stability categories</a>.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="resources-read">
No.
</answer>
<!--
<question id="arch-overall" when="init">
Describe the overall architecture.
<hint>
What will be API for
<a href="http://openide.netbeans.org/tutorial/api-design.html#design.apiandspi" shape="rect">
clients and what support API</a>?
What parts will be pluggable?
How will plug-ins be registered? Please use <code>&lt;api type="export"/&gt;</code>
to describe your general APIs and specify their
<a href="http://openide.netbeans.org/tutorial/api-design.html#category-private" shape="rect">
stability categories</a>.
If possible please provide simple diagrams.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="arch-overall">
<p>
Provides Swing UI components that render
provided <a href="@org-openide-nodes@/overview-summary.html">node hierarchy</a>
in different ways (as a <a href="@TOP@org/openide/explorer/view/BeanTreeView.html">tree</a>,
<a href="@TOP@org/openide/explorer/view/ListView.html">list</a>,
<a href="@TOP@org/openide/explorer/view/IconView.html">icons</a>,
<a href="@TOP@org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/PropertySheetView.html">set of properties</a>
and many other).
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="arch-quality" when="init">
How will the <a href="http://www.netbeans.org/community/guidelines/q-evangelism.html" shape="rect">quality</a>
of your code be tested and
how are future regressions going to be prevented?
<hint>
What kind of testing do
you want to use? How much functionality, in which areas,
should be covered by the tests? How you find out that your
project was successful?
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="arch-quality">
<p>
XXX no answer for arch-quality
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="arch-time" when="init">
What are the time estimates of the work?
<hint>
Please express your estimates of how long the design, implementation,
stabilization are likely to last. How many people will be needed to
implement this and what is the expected milestone by which the work should be
ready?
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="arch-time">
<p>
XXX no answer for arch-time
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="arch-where" when="impl">
Where one can find sources for your module?
<hint>
Please provide link to the Hg web client at
http://hg.netbeans.org/
or just use tag defaultanswer generate='here'
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="arch-where">
<defaultanswer generate='here' />
</answer>
<!--
<question id="compat-deprecation" when="init">
How the introduction of your project influences functionality
provided by previous version of the product?
<hint>
If you are planning to deprecate/remove/change any existing APIs,
list them here accompanied with the reason explaining why you
are doing so.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="compat-deprecation">
<p>
XXX no answer for compat-deprecation
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="deploy-dependencies" when="final">
What do other modules need to do to declare a dependency on this one,
in addition to or instead of the normal module dependency declaration
(e.g. tokens to require)?
<hint>
Provide a sample of the actual lines you would add to a module manifest
to declare a dependency, for example OpenIDE-Module-Requires: some.token.
If other modules should not depend on this module, or should just use a
simple regular module dependency, you can just answer "nothing". If you
intentionally expose a semistable API to clients using implementation
dependencies, you should mention that here (but there is no need to give
an example of usage).
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="deploy-dependencies">
<p>
XXX no answer for deploy-dependencies
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-ant-tasks" when="impl">
Do you define or register any ant tasks that other can use?
<hint>
If you provide an ant task that users can use, you need to be very
careful about its syntax and behaviour, as it most likely forms an
API for end users and as there is a lot of end users, their reaction
when such API gets broken can be pretty strong.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-ant-tasks">
<p>
XXX no answer for exec-ant-tasks
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="exec-threading" when="init">
What threading models, if any, does your module adhere to? How the
project behaves with respect to threading?
<hint>
Is your API threadsafe? Can it be accessed from any threads or
just from some dedicated ones? Any special relation to AWT and
its Event Dispatch thread? Also
if your module calls foreign APIs which have a specific threading model,
indicate how you comply with the requirements for multithreaded access
(synchronization, mutexes, etc.) applicable to those APIs.
If your module defines any APIs, or has complex internal structures
that might be used from multiple threads, declare how you protect
data against concurrent access, race conditions, deadlocks, etc.,
and whether such rules are enforced by runtime warnings, errors, assertions, etc.
Examples: a class might be non-thread-safe (like Java Collections); might
be fully thread-safe (internal locking); might require access through a mutex
(and may or may not automatically acquire that mutex on behalf of a client method);
might be able to run only in the event queue; etc.
Also describe when any events are fired: synchronously, asynchronously, etc.
Ideas: <a href="http://core.netbeans.org/proposals/threading/index.html#recommendations" shape="rect">Threading Recommendations</a> (in progress)
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="exec-threading">
<p>
XXX no answer for exec-threading
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="perf-spi" when="init">
How the performance of the plugged in code will be enforced?
<hint>
If you allow foreign code to be plugged into your own module, how
do you enforce that it will behave correctly and quickly and will not
negatively influence the performance of your own module?
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="perf-spi">
<p>
XXX no answer for perf-spi
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="resources-preferences" when="final">
Does your module uses preferences via Preferences API? Does your module use NbPreferences or
or regular JDK Preferences ? Does it read, write or both ?
Does it share preferences with other modules ? If so, then why ?
<hint>
You may use
&lt;api type="export" group="preferences"
name="preference node name" category="private"&gt;
description of individual keys, where it is used, what it
influences, whether the module reads/write it, etc.
&lt;/api&gt;
Due to XML ID restrictions, rather than /org/netbeans/modules/foo give the "name" as org.netbeans.modules.foo.
Note that if you use NbPreferences this name will then be the same as the code name base of the module.
</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="resources-preferences">
<p>
XXX no answer for resources-preferences
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="security-grant" when="final">
Does your code grant additional rights to some other code?
<hint>Avoid using a class loader that adds extra
permissions to loaded code unless really necessary.
Also note that your API implementation
can also expose unneeded permissions to enemy code by
calling AccessController.doPrivileged().</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="security-grant">
<p>
XXX no answer for security-grant
</p>
</answer>
<!--
<question id="security-policy" when="final">
Does your functionality require modifications to the standard policy file?
<hint>Your code might pass control to third-party code not
coming from trusted domains. This could be code downloaded over the
network or code coming from libraries that are not bundled
with NetBeans. Which permissions need to be granted to which domains?</hint>
</question>
-->
<answer id="security-policy">
<p>
XXX no answer for security-policy
</p>
</answer>
</api-answers>