Release Notes

NetBeans IDE 3.1

New Features

New Features

This release incorporates many new features since the NetBeans IDE 3.0 release.

Ant Integration Module

This module makes it very convenient to work with ant buildfiles inside the IDE. You can easily and visually create and edit the buildfile and run the build. Using this module, you can even build the whole NetBeans IDE from within itself.

Ant is a Java-based build tool, developed by the Jakarta project - see http://jakarta.apache.org/. Jayme Edwards contributed this module.

Scripting Module

Using the scripting module, you can run code written in scripting languages directly inside the IDE. This module is designed in a way that allows for plugging in a new scripting engine with very little effort. Several scripting engines with licenses compatible with the Sun Public License will be bundled with the IDE.

Cross-Directory Compiler

A cross-directory compiling functionality has been merged into the Java module to allow you to direct the compiler to send .class files to a different directory than the source (replicates javac's -d option).

Form Editor Enhancements

Opening a form in non-visual mode. Now it is possible to open only the java file without the Form Editor. This feature was requested to enable making changes only in non-GUI Java code and prevent needless changes in regenerated GUI code (thus avoiding confusing the user and version control systems).
Property editors for JList and JComboBox. These editors allow easy editing of content of JList and JComboBox components directly in form editor, without writing any code.
The most important and frequently-used properties ("preferred" in the JavaBeans spec) are now accessible on a new tab in the Component Inspector. You no longer need to go through a long list of rarely-used properties to find the common properties you want to set.
Many bugs have been fixed, including bugs that inhibited use of some features (for example, using JSplitPane, JInternalFrame or JTable, installing beans, using events and event handlers, using Form Connection property editor etc.).

Source Editor Enhancements

HTML and JSP code completion.
New Java indentation engine.

CVS Module Enhancements

Revision Explorer added to make it easier to work with different versions of one file (diff, merges, open old version, version info).
New wizard and customizer, added action CVS settings which opens up the Customizer.
New Import And Checkout command added for convenience.
It is now possible to turn on input of additional options to all CVS commands by setting "Ask for advanced options" property of the filesystem.
Internal caching changed to download files statuses asynchronously, which will speedup working with the filesystem and resolve compilation problems.
Faster refresh after relative mount point change.
Export command added.
Files get status [Locally Modified] when saved.
Commit reasons recorded in a file that contains template from rcsinfo.

JSP Module Enhancements

Version 1.1 of the JSP specification and 2.2 of the Servlet specification now supported, enabling richer syntax and features such as support for JSP tag libraries and XML-based configuration files.
Jakarta Tomcat is now used for compiling and running JSPs.
The JSP editor has code completion (for HTML, JSP code, and Java code).
New Content language, Scripting language, and Encoding properties.
JSP execution properties have been redesigned (most have disappeared since XML-based deployment descriptors are now used).
In Tools | Options | JSP, the user interface for setting web browsers has changed.
In Tools | Options | JSP, new switches for compiling error pages and pages referenced by <jsp:include> and <jsp:forward>.

I18N Module Enhancements

the user can customize code which the IDE generates to replace the string literals in java source code

Properties Module Enhancements

Properties module: In table view of bundles: - Highlighted keys and values of properties according it's editor settings. - Shadowed value cell for not existing property in the specified locale column. - Undo/Redo on table view. - Search capability in editor-like way on table. (Working on keystrokes Ctrl-F, F3, Shift-3, Alt-Shift-H).

Other Changes

Convert To Text command available on the contextual menu for objects with no extension or no extension recognized by the IDE, thus allowing text editing of these files in the IDE.
Menus rearranged and many items renamed; mnemonics added.
When creating a Java class from the New From Templates wizard, you can customize the superclass and interfaces, override inherited methods, and add new fields.
An Override Methods command is available on the contextual menu for class nodes.
File | Add Filesystem menu item and dialog box added.
The JavaHelp viewer now uses the standard viewer implementation, which enables printing of help pages.
Welcome screen added.
Variables tab added to the Debugger Window - shows local/instance/static variables for current thread.
New keyboard shortcuts added and the shortcut for Execute changed to F6.
Renaming a package causes the ide to prompt user whether it should update package statements in sources in that package
Improvements in code generation (better indentation) and thread safety
Performance improvements in the parser engine.
Improvements in Java connection detection and firing events.
Improved Copy-Cut/Paste behavior on both Java Elements and Java files.
The user interface for the Auto Comment Tool has been changed to make it easier to edit Javadoc comments (contributed by Mauro Botelho).
Explorer notices class <-> interface change in the source text (the node was not updated in CE1).
Interface synchronization is triggered by changes done in Explorer, customizers, or Open API calls from other modules.
The popup menu item Generate BeanInfo is now called BeanInfo Editor.
The BeanInfo editor now also generates method descriptors (in addition to the already existing descriptors for properties and event sources).
If you check the option Generate Firing Methods in New Event Source and then you decide to delete the event source, a modal dialog appears asking you whether to delete the firing methods.
Images reloaded when changed externally.
Created group objects can be saved as templates (fixed bug).
URL can be set when creating web bookmarks (bug fix).