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stand-alone VHDL editor based on netbeans

 
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timotheus2



Joined: 21 Sep 2009
Posts: 37
PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:15 pm    Post subject: stand-alone VHDL editor based on netbeans Reply with quote
I am planning to create a special kind of source code editor that deviates from the typical IDE paradigm. The first language it will support will be VHDL. The editor will not be a typical IDE; but rather will provide functionality specific to the revising and releasing of source code that is already finished being developed. I am choosing Netbeans rather than Eclipse for developing my RCP application due to my opinion of it being a more full featured and modularized RCP.

The editor functionality would be to open and close source code files, highlight their syntax, view and/or edit them, navigate the natural source code language structure. The revising functionality would be to navigate the structure of the VHDL source code, select a section of code, and apply a revisioning rule. (Revising as in "rewriting", not version control.)

After following many of the Netbeans platform tutorials I see that I have two options:
(1) create a Netbeans RCP application
(2) create a Netbeans module suite

What are the advantages of either approach? Can I create a VHDL Netbeans IDE editor stand-alone that does not contain the Java or PHP editors? Are there any reasons I should use JavaCC instead of Antlr for the lexer and parser? It is obvious that I can create a commercial application from the RCP; but are there license issues with using the Netbeans IDE APIs as well and then rebranding it?

Thanks.
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tomwheeler



Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 950
PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:56 pm    Post subject: stand-alone VHDL editor based on netbeans Reply with quote
On Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 6:16 PM, timotheus2 <address-removed> wrote:
Quote:
After following many of the Netbeans platform tutorials I see that I have two options:

(1) create a Netbeans RCP application

(2) create a Netbeans module suite

Those are really the same thing. The module suite is just a specific
project type in the IDE for building NetBeans RCP applications.

Maybe what you meant to say for the second item was "create one or
more NetBeans modules to be plugged into the IDE." That's certainly
a valid option, especially if you want to create an addition to the
IDE like support for a new language or Web development framework.

Really, the two approaches aren't much different since they use the
same APIs. The main difference is whether you intend the end user to
plug new features into an existing version of NetBeans they're running
(and which is branded as NetBeans) or whether you want to give them an
entirely new application which has your own splash screen, menus,
toolbars and so on.

Quote:
What are the advantages of either approach?

I think I explained the *differences* between them already, so
hopefully the advantages will be clear.

Based on the rest of your message, I'd expect that creating a NetBeans
module suite (RCP) is the way to go. Your next choice would be what
to use as the platform for that suite. Here are two ways of thinking:

- the NetBeans Platform is the NetBeans IDE with all the IDE
features (e.g. refactoring support, source control system support,
syntax highlighting, etc.) removed

- the IDE is the NetBeans Platform plus a bunch of IDE stuff added to it

Both are correct. I tend to use the term "platform" with a lowercase
"p" because I want to convey that it's a foundation upon which you can
build. That foundation might be the minimalist NetBeans Platform
(uppercase "P") or it might be the much broader NetBeans IDE since it
too is a platform and a foundation for new applications.

In other words, you could start with the minimal NetBeans Platform and
add things to it or you could start with the NetBeans IDE and remove
things you don't want (PHP support, Ruby support, Mercurial support,
etc.) I would guess the latter is better in your case.

Quote:
Can I create a VHDL Netbeans IDE editor stand-alone that does
not contain the Java or PHP editors?

Yes, and it's really easy to do. Assuming you've created a new suite
project, right-click the suite node and choose Properties. Click the
libraries tab and start unchecking things you don't want. You can
deselect entire categories (called "clusters") or individual modules.
It will even warn you when you've removed something that is required
for something you've marked to include.

Quote:
Are there any reasons I should use JavaCC instead of Antlr for the lexer and parser?

Someone else is probably able to answer this better than me.

Quote:
It is obvious that I can create a commercial application from the RCP;
but are there license issues with using the Netbeans IDE APIs as
well and then rebranding it?

You'll have to consult a licensed attorney (of which I am not one) for
accurate legal information in your jurisdiction, but these FAQ entries
might give some general guidance:

http://wiki.netbeans.org/NetBeansUserFAQ#section-NetBeansUserFAQ-LicenseAndLegalQuestions


--
Tom Wheeler
http://www.tomwheeler.com/
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timotheus2



Joined: 21 Sep 2009
Posts: 37
PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:28 am    Post subject: Re: stand-alone VHDL editor based on netbeans Reply with quote
tomwheeler wrote:
Really, the two approaches aren't much different since they use the
same APIs. The main difference is whether you intend the end user to
plug new features into an existing version of NetBeans they're running
(and which is branded as NetBeans) or whether you want to give them an
entirely new application which has your own splash screen, menus,
toolbars and so on.

Thanks for the rapid reply. I understand the different development paradigms better now; and I have created a Module Suite, re-configured it as a stand-alone application (Project Properties dialog) and am underway with the tutorials and wiki for creating VHDL support.
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Zolta



Joined: 20 Oct 2008
Posts: 34
PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:30 pm    Post subject: Re: stand-alone VHDL editor based on netbeans Reply with quote
timotheus2 wrote:
tomwheeler wrote:
Really, the two approaches aren't much different since they use the
same APIs. The main difference is whether you intend the end user to
plug new features into an existing version of NetBeans they're running
(and which is branded as NetBeans) or whether you want to give them an
entirely new application which has your own splash screen, menus,
toolbars and so on.

Thanks for the rapid reply. I understand the different development paradigms better now; and I have created a Module Suite, re-configured it as a stand-alone application (Project Properties dialog) and am underway with the tutorials and wiki for creating VHDL support.


I find this interesting
http://forums.netbeans.org/post-51407.html
Let me attach two links to the discussion
http://fossmeet.in/archive/2009/?q=node/37
https://netbeans-vhdl.dev.java.net/
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