About the Book

Whether a complete newbie to creating pluggable Java desktop software with the NetBeans Platform or interested in refreshing your knowledge and filling in the gaps, this is for you! The main themes of the book are modules, file systems, windows, nodes, and actions... and everything in between. Start your modular development process with the best set of texts and exercises available today.

For background on this book, read this interview with the authors, published on jaxenter.com.

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- Introduction
- Foreword
- Preface
- Updates
  - Update 1: March 26, 2014
  - Update 2: April 30, 2014
  - Update 3: May 30, 2014
  - Update 4: June 26, 2014
  - Update 5: July 29, 2014
  - Update 6: August 30, 2014
- Guide
- Application
- Get Started
Part 1: Core
- Chapter 1: NetBeans Platform
  - 1.1 Concepts
    - 1.1.1 Modularity
    - 1.1.2 Abstraction
    - 1.1.3 Lifecycle Management
    - 1.1.4 Pluggability, Service Infrastructure, and File System
    - 1.1.5 Data-Oriented GUI Components
    - 1.1.6 Standards
    - 1.1.7 Tools, APIs, and Community
  - 1.2 Get Started
    - 1.2.1 Creation
    - 1.2.2 Deployment
    - 1.2.3 Commands
    - 1.2.4 Properties
    - 1.2.5 Features
      - 1.2.5.1 Plugin Manager
      - 1.2.5.2 Favorites Window
      - 1.2.5.3 User Utilities
      - 1.2.5.4 Image Editor
      - 1.2.5.5 XML Editor
      - 1.2.5.6 IDE Defaults
      - 1.2.5.7 Apple Application Menu
    - 1.2.6 Branding
    - 1.2.7 Configuration File
    - 1.2.8 Distribution
- Chapter 2: Module System
  - 2.1 Concepts
    - 2.1.1 Definition
    - 2.1.2 Benefits
      - 2.1.2.1 Developers
      - 2.1.2.2 Users
      - 2.1.2.3 Revenues
    - 2.1.3 Characteristics
      - 2.1.3.1 Deployment Format
      - 2.1.3.2 Uniqueness
      - 2.1.3.3 Versioning
      - 2.1.3.4 Exposed Interfaces
      - 2.1.3.5 Declarative Dependencies
      - 2.1.3.6 Activation Type
      - 2.1.3.7 Lifecycle
    - 2.1.4 Manifest
      - 2.1.4.1 General
      - 2.1.4.2 Dependencies
      - 2.1.4.3 Services
      - 2.1.4.4 Visibility
    - 2.1.5 Modularity
  - 2.2 Get Started
    - 2.2.1 Creation
    - 2.2.2 Commands
    - 2.2.3 Properties
    - 2.2.4 Templates
    - 2.2.5 Dependencies
    - 2.2.6 Versioning
    - 2.2.7 Lifecycle
    - 2.2.8 Distribution
      - 2.2.8.1 Pull
      - 2.2.8.2 Push
- Chapter 3: File System
  - 3.1 Concepts
    - 3.1.1 Creating and Working with Arbitrary Objects
    - 3.1.2 Presentation of Arbitrary Objects
    - 3.1.3 Hierarchical Namespaces
    - 3.1.4 Merging Multiple Namespaces
    - 3.1.5 System FileSystem
      - 3.1.5.1 Listening to Changes in the System FileSystem
      - 3.1.5.2 Module Layers
      - 3.1.5.3 Read/Write
    - 3.1.6 FileObject
    - 3.1.7 Object
    - 3.1.8 Factories
    - 3.1.9 Access
      - 3.1.9.1 Root
      - 3.1.9.2 Folder
      - 3.1.9.3 Object
      - 3.1.9.4 Attribute
    - 3.1.10 DataObject
  - 3.2 Get Started
    - 3.2.1 Basic
      - 3.2.1.1 Application
      - 3.2.1.2 Provider
      - 3.2.1.3 Consumer
    - 3.2.2 Advanced
      - 3.2.2.1 Provider
      - 3.2.2.2 Consumer
- Chapter 4: Lookup
  - 4.1 Concepts
    - 4.1.1 Service Registry: Lookup.getDefault()
      - 4.1.1.1 ServiceLoader
      - 4.1.1.2 Lookup
      - 4.1.1.3 @ServiceProvider
      - 4.1.1.4 Services Folder
      - 4.1.1.5 Requiring and Providing Services
    - 4.1.2 Global Lookup: Utilities.actionsGlobalContext()
      - 4.1.2.1 Context Global Provider
    - 4.1.3 Local Lookup: Object.getLookup()
    - 4.1.4 Merged Lookup: ProxyLookup
    - 4.1.5 Dynamic Lookup
    - 4.1.6 Central Lookup: CentralLookup.getDefault()
  - 4.2 Get Started
    - 4.2.1 Service Registry
      - 4.2.1.1 Application
      - 4.2.1.2 API
      - 4.2.1.3 Implementation
      - 4.2.1.4 Usage
    - 4.2.2 Global Lookup
    - 4.2.3 Local Lookup
Part 2: GUI
- Chapter 5: Action System
  - 5.1 Concepts
    - 5.1.1 Basics
      - 5.1.1.1 Registration
      - 5.1.1.2 Presenters
        
        5.1.1.2.1 Menu
        
        5.1.1.2.2 Toolbar
        
        5.1.1.2.3 Custom Presenter
        
        5.1.1.2.4 Keyboard Shortcut
        
        5.1.1.2.5 Mnemonic
      - 5.1.1.3 Hiding
      - 5.1.1.4 Reordering
      - 5.1.1.5 Enablement
    - 5.1.2 Advanced
      - 5.1.2.1 Complex Enablement
      - 5.1.2.2 Callback Actions
        
        5.1.2.2.1 Using Existing Keys
        
        5.1.2.2.2 Creating Custom Keys
      - 5.1.2.3 Toolbar Configuration
  - 5.2 Get Started
    - 5.2.1 Application
    - 5.2.2 Wizard
    - 5.2.3 No Wizard
    - 5.2.4 Enablement
    - 5.2.5 Porting
- Chapter 6: Window System
  - 6.1 Concepts
    - 6.1.1 Benefits
      - 6.1.1.1 Plumbing
      - 6.1.1.2 Multiple Windows
      - 6.1.1.3 Logical Window Management
      - 6.1.1.4 Window State
      - 6.1.1.5 Selection Management
        
        6.1.1.5.1 Lookup
        
        6.1.1.5.2 Activated Nodes
      - 6.1.1.6 API vs. Implementation
    - 6.1.2 Basics
      - 6.1.2.1 Description
      - 6.1.2.2 Registration
      - 6.1.2.3 Open Action
      - 6.1.2.4 Lifecycle
      - 6.1.2.5 Non-Declarative TopComponents
      - 6.1.2.6 Dock
      - 6.1.2.7 Undo
      - 6.1.2.8 Lookup
        
        6.1.2.8.1 Save Action
        
        6.1.2.8.2 Save All Action
        
        6.1.2.8.3 Zoom Action
        
        6.1.2.8.4 Miscellaneous
    - 6.1.3 Advanced
      - 6.1.3.1 Persistence
      - 6.1.3.2 Mode
      - 6.1.3.3 Group
      - 6.1.3.4 Role
      - 6.1.3.5 Validation
      - 6.1.3.6 Tab
      - 6.1.3.7 Busy
  - 6.2 Get Started
    - 6.2.1 Application
    - 6.2.2 Wizard
    - 6.2.3 No Wizard
    - 6.2.4 Functionality
    - 6.2.5 Porting
- Chapter 7: Nodes and Explorers
  - 7.1 Concepts
    - 7.1.1 Node
      - 7.1.1.1 BeanNode
      - 7.1.1.2 DataNode
      - 7.1.1.3 FilterNode
      - 7.1.1.4 AbstractNode
    - 7.1.2 Children
      - 7.1.2.1 Simple
      - 7.1.2.2 Complex
    - 7.1.3 GUI Components
      - 7.1.3.1 View
      - 7.1.3.2 Manage
      - 7.1.3.3 Synchronize
      - 7.1.3.4 Outline
      - 7.1.3.5 Extend
      - 7.1.3.6 Utilities
    - 7.1.4 Selection
    - 7.1.5 Lookup
      - 7.1.5.1 View
      - 7.1.5.2 Node
      - 7.1.5.3 Children
    - 7.1.6 Actions
      - 7.1.6.1 New
        
        7.1.6.1.1 XML
        
        7.1.6.1.2 JPA
      - 7.1.6.2 Delete
      - 7.1.6.3 Rename
      - 7.1.6.4 Open
        
        7.1.6.4.1 Standard
        
        7.1.6.4.2 MultiView
      - 7.1.6.5 Reorder
      - 7.1.6.6 Drag and Drop
        
        7.1.6.6.1 Dragging
        
        7.1.6.6.2 Dropping
      - 7.1.6.7 Annotations
    - 7.1.7 Properties
  - 7.2 Get Started
    - 7.2.1 Object
      - 7.2.1.1 Application
      - 7.2.1.2 Object
      - 7.2.1.3 Node
      - 7.2.1.4 Factory
      - 7.2.1.5 View
      - 7.2.1.6 Synchronize
      - 7.2.1.7 Hierarchy
    - 7.2.2 File
      - 7.2.2.1 Application
      - 7.2.2.1 View
      - 7.2.2.3 File Type
      - 7.2.2.4 Node
    - 7.2.3 Functionality
    - 7.2.4 Porting
Part 3: Extras
- Chapter 8: Palettes and Widgets
  - 8.1 Concepts
    - 8.1.1 Palette
      - 8.1.1.1 Basics
      - 8.1.1.2 Providing
        
        8.1.1.2.1 System FileSystem
        
        8.1.1.2.2 Node Hierarchy
      - 8.1.1.3 Consuming
        
        8.1.1.3.1 Java Swing
        
        8.1.1.3.2 Scene
        
        8.1.1.3.3 Lookup
      - 8.1.1.4 Configuring
        
        8.1.1.4.1 Action
        
        8.1.1.4.2 Filter
        
        8.1.1.4.3 Drag And Drop Handler
        
        8.1.1.4.4 Listener
        
        8.1.1.4.5 Attribute
        
        8.1.1.4.6 Manager
    - 8.1.2 Visual Library
      - 8.1.2.1 Widget
      - 8.1.2.2 Action
        
        8.1.2.2.1 Factories
        
        8.1.2.2.2 Providers
        
        8.1.2.2.3 Groupings
        
        8.1.2.2.4 Types
      - 8.1.2.3 Border
      - 8.1.2.4 Layout
      - 8.1.2.5 Scene
        
        8.1.2.5.1 ObjectScene
        
        8.1.2.5.2 GraphScene
        
        8.1.2.5.3 GraphPinScene
        
        8.1.2.5.4 VMDGraphScene
      - 8.1.2.6 Lookup
  - 8.2 Get Started
    - 8.2.1 Application
    - 8.2.2 Model
    - 8.2.3 Palette
      - 8.2.3.1 Content
      - 8.2.3.2 Controller
      - 8.2.3.3 View
    - 8.2.4 Visual Library
      - 8.2.4.1 Scene
      - 8.2.4.2 Accept
      - 8.2.4.3 Connect
      - 8.2.4.4 Resize
      - 8.2.4.5 Delete
      - 8.2.4.6 Export
        
        8.2.4.6.1 Image
        
        8.2.4.6.2 XML
- Chapter 9: Project System
  - 9.1 Concepts
    - 9.1.1 Benefits
      - 9.1.1.1 Projects Window
      - 9.1.1.2 New Project Dialog
    - 9.1.2 Basic and Advanced Classes
  - 9.2 Get Started
    - 9.2.1 From Scratch
      - 9.2.1.1 Basics
        
        9.2.1.1.1 Application
        
        9.2.1.1.2 Factory
        
        9.2.1.1.3 Project
        
        9.2.1.1.4 Description
      - 9.2.1.2 Advanced
        
        9.2.1.2.1 View
        
        9.2.1.2.2 Children
        
        9.2.1.2.3 Customizer
        
        9.2.1.2.4 Subproject
        
        9.2.1.2.5 Template
        
        9.2.1.2.6 Branding
    - 9.2.2 By Extension
      - 9.2.2.1 Lookup
        
        9.2.2.1.1 Privileged Templates
        
        9.2.2.1.2 Recommended Templates
        
        9.2.2.1.3 Subproject
      - 9.2.2.2 View
      - 9.2.2.3 Customizer
      - 9.2.2.4 Icon
- Chapter 10: Miscellaneous
  - 10.1 Dialog
    - 10.1.1 Predefined Dialogs
      - 10.1.1.1 Information Dialog
      - 10.1.1.2 Question Dialog
      - 10.1.1.3 Input Dialog
      - 10.1.1.4 Error Dialog
    - 10.1.2 Custom Dialogs
  - 10.2 Execution
    - 10.2.1 Executing an External Process
    - 10.2.2 Processing Input
    - 10.2.3 Printing Input
    - 10.2.4 Custom Process Builder
    - 10.2.5 Destroying a Process
    - 10.2.6 Extending Startup Environment
    - 10.2.7 Making Certain Open Actions Pluggable
  - 10.3 Output
  - 10.4 Preference
  - 10.5 Progress
  - 10.6 Quick Search
  - 10.7 Status
  - 10.8 Task
    - 10.8.1 Delayed
    - 10.8.2 Periodic
    - 10.8.3 Coalescing
    - 10.8.4 Interrupted
  - 10.9 Utilities
    - 10.9.1 ChangeSupport
    - 10.9.2 Conversions
    - 10.9.3 FileChooserBuilder
    - 10.9.4 ImageUtilities
    - 10.9.5 NbBundle.Messages
    - 10.9.6 Notifications
    - 10.9.7 StaticResource
    - 10.9.8 WeakListener
    - 10.9.9 XMLUtil
  - 10.10 Wizard
    - 10.10.1 Key Classes
    - 10.10.2 Get Started
    - 10.10.3 Registration
    - 10.10.4 Iterators
    - 10.10.5 Panels
    - 10.10.6 Customization
Conclusion

About the Authors

Jason Wexbridge

Jason Wexbridge is an expert in Java software development, leading a team of engineers in a distributed development environment. He's found modularity to be the key factor in successfully setting up agile development teams and he initiated "NetBeans Platform for Beginners" to share the wealth of his experience. A technical writer by trade, his focus is always to ensure a strong mixture between theoretical and practical knowledge transfer. He's based in Orlando, Florida.

Walter Nyland

Walter Nyland has years of experience in the software industry. After development work with C and C++, he moved to Java and gradually moved all his software development activities on the NetBeans Platform. He has been responsible for a variety of corporate software development projects, particularly in unmanned vehicle control software, using the NetBeans Platform as the basis of a suite of development products. Delving into technical writing for the first time, Walter has provided a lot of the technical insights into the inner workings of the NetBeans Platform to the book. He's based in Boise, Idaho.

About the Contributors

Benno Markiewicz

Reviewer

Do not be fooled by "for Beginners" in the title! Indeed, this book provides the most comprehensive introduction to the basics, such as modularity, layer.xml, Lookup, actions, context-sensitive nodes, and window system... that I have ever read. BUT you will find many advanced topics in this book…
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Donald A. Evett

Reviewer

I was very pleased to find the book full of examples and the examples were presented in an order that was easy to follow. Most books I’ve come across on this subject matter seemed to be difficult to follow as a beginner to the topic. I really feel this book will be a good tool in your library to…
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Geertjan Wielenga

Reviewer

As a NetBeans Platform developer, you cannot afford to not buy this book. It provides everything you need on all the core topics. All the chapters begin with a thorough overview of a topic, e.g., Modules or Lookups or Nodes, and then there are many small exercises, with all the code on GitHub.…
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Jaroslav Tulach

Reviewer

Each chapter is focused on a particular use case, starting with a description of the problem it helps to solve. Only then does the book show the actual Java code, in the context of a cute car-related sample. The high-level concepts and their usefulness are described first, with their actual usages…
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Michael W. Bishop

Reviewer

"NetBeans Platform For Beginners" contains the information needed to get developers building NetBeans Platform applications quickly. With concise explanations and detailed examples of a wide palette of APIs, both beginners and veterans of the platform will find elegant solutions to integrating…
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Nils Hoffmann

Reviewer

I found the book to be a very comprehensive resource to really understand the NetBeans Platform and its APIs. It provides the necessary glue between the online tutorials, Wiki articles, and API documentation. The authors have structured the book so that its chapters can easily be used to teach…
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Sean Phillips

Reviewer

The authors have done a fantastic job in covering the breadth of the NetBeans Platform and its capabilities. Having this text would have greatly accelerated my progression on the learning curve so many years ago. This book will be a good buy even for a NetBeans Platform developer with experience…
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Table of Contents

About the Authors

Jason Wexbridge

Walter Nyland

About the Contributors

Benno Markiewicz

Donald A. Evett

Geertjan Wielenga

Jaroslav Tulach

Michael W. Bishop

Nils Hoffmann

Sean Phillips

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