A simple System FileSystem Browser with a twist
I have uploaded the System FileSystem and META-INF Services Browser module for Netbeans 5.5 and 6.0 to my NetBeans update center described here.
This modules displays the System FileSystem (resulting from combining all the layer files of installed modules) in a window. To show the System FileSystem and META-INF Services Browser select Window:System FileSystem META-INF Services Browser menu item.
There are other System FileSystem Browser modules but this one has a twist. The special features of this System FileSystem and META-INF Services Browser are:
- the popup menu on the nodes shows the actions that show the documentation related to the node or it's parent node in the web browser. The documentation may be API, Architecture Descriptions, FAQ, File format documents etc. Try right clicking on the Editor node after showing the System FileSystem Browser. Other nodes that are currently supported are Actions, Menu Bar, Editors, Loaders, Services, Modules, Window2Local. I plan to add more. The actions shown in the popup menu are configured using the
FolderLookup mechanism under the special folder called org.netbeans.modules.sfsbrowser in the System FileSystem. The actions can be NetBean platform independent or configured based on the platform cluster folder name in the netbeans.home directory. That way the actions can be made sensitive to the NetBeans platform you are running.
- the attributes of the file or the folder are shown
- the registered META-INF/services are shown
Fig. SFS Browser and META-INF Services Window
Fig 2. Web Browser showing the Editor API Details
Over time, I plan to update the module to include links to the documentation of most of the well known folders/files/attributes nodes in the layer file. I can imagine in future that other module writers can add documentation for their extensions by adding the required entries under the org.netbeans.modules.sfsbrowser to their module's layer file.
TODO: Make System FileSystem browser dynamic i.e. respond to changes in System FileSystem.
I will make the sources available soon.
DISCLAIMER: This module is experimental. So no guarantees. Use the module at your own risk.
Posted by sandipchitale
( Jan 30 2007, 11:02:48 PM PST ) Permalink
Trackback URL: http://blogs.sun.com/scblog/entry/a_simple_system_filesystem_browser
Tuesday January 30, 2007 
Sandip Chitale's blog (scblog)
Posted by Geertjan on February 02, 2007 at 12:51 AM PST #
Posted by Sandip on February 02, 2007 at 01:32 AM PST #
Posted by Jaroslav Tulach on February 04, 2007 at 04:18 AM PST #
I guess what I am trying to do is to provide additional links to API JavaDoc, FAQ, Tutorials, Blogs, Examples and so on.
Posted by Sandip on February 04, 2007 at 06:22 PM PST #