my opinion about editor features missing in NB

"Witold Szczerba" <[email protected]>
Newsgroups gmane.comp.java.netbeans.user-interface
Message-ID <[email protected]>
Hello There,
I was using Eclipse, but after what I saw in NetBeans 5 (Matisse) and
5.5 (JEE5 features) I began using it to try something new.
However I really miss some features, which I got used to in Eclipse.
I relly would like to know what do YOU think about what it:

One of the biggest thing I dislike in NB Java editor, is lack of any
infomation about what is under your mouse cursor when you point it to
some variable, class name (or whatever it is you can find in java
source code)... It is hard to explain exactly, but take a look at
Eclipse, open some java file, move your mouse cursor over some simple
variable, field, collection or class. You get information (like a
tooltip) about it class's full qualified name, or if it's a collection
- when what kind of collection it is and (in Java5) what are
collection's members, etc... This is VERY, VERY useful feature...
Additionally, in Eclipse if you use some variable and you never use it
- it is underlined in yellow to make sure you know that you do not
need it or you did something wrong (you might fo.ex. misspelled its
name, so another one is used instead of that one).
Last thing is that Eclipse use different color for variables and
fields, and different style of font for static and dynamic members.
That DO help alot, especially if you are digging in a code of someone
else.

Secound thing is not so important, but...
...the thing is the way you have to put external libraries and theirs
source code together. In NB you are not able to set some .jar/folder
in classpath and attach source code to it easily. What you have to do
is: first you have to go to library manager, create new library (and
you have to name it), select .jar/folder, then you have to attach
sources - showing to NetBeans where are these sources exactly (digging
in external jars or foldrs).
In Eclipse you just add sa many jars as you have to and when you want,
for example, to visit some class's source code, Eclipse is asking you
to attach source. First of all, you do not have to do it deep inside
library manager options, secound - you attach only you really need to
(because you do it when first time want to go to those sources). Third
- eclipse is smart ennough to search folders by its own to find source
java files. MUCH simpler and straight.
Briefly: I would like not to be forced to create libraries in
lib.manager in order to be able to attach sources, and I would like to
be able to attach source first time I want NB to show me some java
file of any external jar file.


I am sure that what I wrote, are very possible reasons for Eclipse
lovers, not to take a look at NetBeans closer.
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