News: ZK 3.0.2 released

As expected the updated Netbeans plugin followed the latest release quickly.
Version 3.0.2 is available for download at sourceforge.net (link)

How to get started with Android and Netbeans

The Android development environment currently comes as a SDK 1.1 and can be used as a Eclipse plugin (ADT). The installation is easy and well documented, but I still summarize the steps to get it running in Netbeans and highlights some of the glitches I experienced until it was running.

1. Download the SDK from developer.android.com (link)
2. Unpack the zip file to your harddisk (DONT use paths with spaces !).
3. Read the installation guidelines (link). Skip the Eclipse part, but look at the path settings.
4. Follow the instructions for the Netbeans plugin installation at the Kenai project (link)
5. Follow the quickstart guide to configure and setup Netbeans and start your first “HelloWorld” project.
   

   New Android Project

   package org.me.hellodroid;
   
   import android.app.Activity;
   import android.os.Bundle;
   import android.widget.TextView;
   
   public class MainActivity extends Activity {
   
       /** Called when the activity is first created. */
       @Override
       public void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
           super.onCreate(icicle);
   
           setContentView(R.layout.main);
           TextView tv = new TextView(this);
           tv.setText("Hello, Android");
           setContentView(tv);
       }
   }
   

   Here my problems started..

6. Compile the project
   Problem 1:  Cannot compile
   Unable to access jarfile ..\framework\apkbuilder.jar
   a) Check there are no spaces in your path to the jarfiles in the SDK
   b) Change the apkbuilder.bat file in the tools folder of the SDK

   set jarfile=apkbuilder.jar
   set frameworkdir=
   set libdir=
   

   to

   set jarfile=apkbuilder.jar
   set frameworkdir={your_path}\android-sdk-windows-1.1_r1\tools\lib\
   set libdir={your_path}\android-sdk-windows-1.1_r1\tools\lib\
   

7. Run the project (in the emulator)
   Problem 2:  The emulator starts up but the application (filename.apk) is not executed (not uploaded in the first place), even the emulator is started by Netbeans.

   Deleting: V:\VAR_Projects\HelloDroid\dist\HelloDroid.apk_
   jar:
   Result: -1
   

   Either you leave the emulator running after the first failed attempt or start the emulator manually from the tools folder.

   

   Android Emulator

Thats about all I can add at the moment. Now walk through the manuals and tutorials to get some real applications running and waiting for the device to arrive here for the real thing.

JavaFX News

• JavaFX is not yet available for Linux and OpenSolaris, at least officially. Still some fokls foud ways to get it up and running. Have a look at:
  >> OpenSolaris (link) and
  >> Linux (link)
• Android, the Google Mobile Phone phone OS, is running on a Java platform, but not supporting JavaME applications. There is no official Netbeans plugin, but a Kenai project (link) that helps the NB folks to use their sweet environment. And you are wondering if JavaFX is going to run on Android ?
  Last year Johnathan Schwartz and Rich Green at  JavaOne:

  
  (Besides this video I could not trace any information how to do it. Am I paranoid ? but SUN and Google not really collaborating on such topics ?

• More info on the JavaFX Mobile launch (link)
• Updating Netbeans JavaFX plugin 1.1  and getting this ?
  

  Netbeans Network Error

  You are not alone ! I try to get the update for the last few days and always get this error. The only really annoying thing in NB at the moment (for me).

How to Use Netbeans Collaboration

In times of distributed development teams and highspeed internet connections, online collaboration is nothing new. Individuals and companies are using MSN, Skype and other chat and voip based tools to exchange information or share screens for support and presentations. Netbeans offers its own little collaboration tool, the collaboration plugin you find in your plugins page in the Netbeans IDE. On top of a chat function you can actively share code and review on the screen, your partner see your changes or comments on the fly.
A lot of people talking about agile, xp, pair porgramming, code review and more, so I am surprised the plugin has no very active support in the Netbeans community at the moment. But it works ! It runs perfect in NB 6.5 both on Windows and Solaris (at the same time). But we might add some more features like a voice chat or screen sharing or similar functions. Anyway I am happy with and use it together with Subversion to ensure a safe passage through the distributed development:

Here I will share with you how to get started:

1. Open the NB plugin screen and look for “collab” under available plugins.

Netbeans: Available plugins

Regular Expressions

I guess Regular Expressions can be the most powerful and most underappreciated tool if you dont know about it. I really recommend to spend some time reading about its powerful functionality. It is not easy to digest either, but in small servings of syntax and hands-on practice you have almost a golden hammer for dealing (searching, editing,manipulating) with strings and data.

Sample: .+@.+\.[a-z]+
Match any email address like name@domain.com

There is a handy Netbeans plugin to play with your patterns and matches right in your favorite IDE.
RegExPlugin (link)

About Regular Expressions on Wikipedia (link)
Sun Java Tutorial (link)