3 Working with Oracle JDeveloper

This chapter is designed to help you to get you up and running quickly on Oracle JDeveloper. Find information about working with the general development environment, source files, connections, using the online help, and common development tools.

This chapter includes the following sections:

3.1 About Working with Oracle JDeveloper

JDeveloper is the main development platform for the Oracle Fusion Middleware suite of products. It is a cross-platform IDE that runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and other UNIX-based systems.

JDeveloper is available in two editions: Oracle JDeveloper Studio and Oracle JDeveloper Java. The Studio edition is the complete version of JDeveloper and includes all features. The Java edition contains only the core Java and XML features, and offers shorter download times.

3.2 Working with JDeveloper Roles

Roles enable you to tailor the JDeveloper environment. The modified environment removes items that you do not need from JDeveloper, including menus, preferences, New Gallery, and even individual fields on dialogs. The role you select determines which features and options are available to you as you work in JDeveloper.

The roles available are:

  • Default Role. This role allows you to access all JDeveloper features. The other roles provide subsets of these features.

  • Customization JDeveloper. This role allows you to create customizable applications, using the Oracle Metadata Services (MDS) framework.

  • Database Edition. This gives you access to just the core database development tools.

  • Java EE Edition. This includes only features for core Java EE development.

  • Java Edition. This includes only features for core Java development.

Note:

The full set of online help is always available regardless of the role you have chosen for JDeveloper.

3.2.1 How to Change the JDeveloper Role

JDeveloper prompts you to select a role the first time it is run. You can also change the role while JDeveloper is running.

To change the JDeveloper role:

  1. From the main menu, select Tools > Switch Roles.

  2. The current role contains a bullet next to it. In the Switch Roles menu, select the role you want to switch to.

3.3 How to Manage JDeveloper Features and Installed Updates

To optimize performance and user experience, JDeveloper allows you to disable features you do not need for your project. Managing features enables you to see only those components of the IDE that are most relevant to your work. Managing features has no affect on the data in a project itself. Additionally, you can also uninstall updates that you previously installed.

For example, assume two projects used to create two different views into an application. The first project might have Java features loaded, which informs JDeveloper that the IDE should reflect the Java technology stack. Such filtering eliminates clutter from individual projects. The second project might have a features loaded for Swing/AWT, informing JDeveloper to reflect IDE components required for Swing/AWT development.

To add or remove features in JDeveloper:

  1. From the main menu, select Tools > Features. The Manage Features and Updates dialog opens. This dialog displays the features available in the current JDeveloper role. These features are checked by default.

  2. Search for the feature you want to add or remove by entering it in the Search field, or scroll in the list of features. Click a feature or feature category to view its description on the right.

  3. Check the features you want to add or keep, and uncheck the features you want to remove. Click the Check for Updates icon to open the Check For Updates wizard which allows you to load features from an extension.

  4. Optionally, to clear previously loaded features from the cache, click Clear Cache. When you clear the cache, the features are not loaded automatically each time you restart JDeveloper. The features are loaded only when you use them.

  5. Click Update Status when you are done. This feature allows you to commit changes to the features you have made.

    Note:

    Update Status is not applicable when you install features using Check For Updates feature.

To uninstall an installed update:

  1. From the main menu, select Tools > Features. The Manage Features and Updates dialog opens.

  2. Click Installed Updates to view the updates that have been installed.

  3. Search for the update you want to uninstall by entering it in the Search field, or scroll in the list of updates. Click an update or update category to view its description on the right.

  4. Check the updates you want to uninstall and click Uninstall.

3.4 Working with Windows in the IDE

JDeveloper allows you to arrange the windows according to your convenience. JDeveloper uses two kinds of windows in the IDE:

  • Dockable windows that can be placed anywhere in the IDE.

  • Tabbed editor windows that are fixed in the center of the IDE.

3.4.1 How to Maximize Windows

You can maximize any JDeveloper window for better visibility and convenience. Double-click the title bar of any JDeveloper window to quickly maximize to full screen view. Double-click the title bar again to return the window to its former position in the IDE.

Windows do not stay maximized when JDeveloper is closed and then reopened. Instead the window returns to its default size. However minimized windows stay minimized when JDeveloper is reopened.

3.4.2 How to Minimize and Restore Dockable Windows in the IDE

You can minimize any dockable window in JDeveloper, or set it to remain open in place. The default state is set to remain open.

When a window is set to stay open, its position is static. It remains always visible, in whichever position you have docked it.

When a window is set to minimize, its behavior is more fluid. When you give it focus, it opens fully in the general area (top, bottom, left, right) where you last left it docked. When you move the focus elsewhere, the minimized window collapses into the margin. Whether open or closed, any minimized window's status set to minimize is identified by a named button in the margin.

To minimize any dockable window:

  • Click the Minimize icon in the far right-hand corner of the window set to be kept open.

    If the window currently has focus, it now expands to full height and remains in place. If the window does not have focus, it collapses into the margin.

    When you minimize a window, a button bearing that window's name appears in the margin. You can toggle the minimized window open and closed with this button.

    Note:

    When you minimize a window that exists in a docking zone that also contains other windows, all windows in the docking zone are minimized.

3.4.3 How to Dock Windows in the IDE

You can float any window that's normally docked—the Applications window, any custom window, the Log window, the Properties window, the Components window. You can also resize and position it wherever you would like within JDeveloper.

Generally, floating windows are best suited for a large screen with enough room for displaying both the information windows and your source code. If you are using floating windows on a smaller screen they can sometimes be hidden by other information windows as you work.

All of the tools available under the Window menu—the Applications window, Structure window, Properties window, and so on—can be arranged however you like. You can dock them singly or in groups. You can also tab windows together in one location, either as docked or floating windows.

The following table provides information on how to move dockable windows.

Requirement Action

Move a solitary docked window

Grab its title bar and drag

Decouple a docked window from a group

Grab its title bar and drag

Move a group of docked, tabbed, or docked and tabbed windows

Grab the title bar for the group—the topmost horizontal title bar, empty but for the close box—and drag.

To decouple one tabbed window from a group

Grab the window's tab and drag.

Note:

The title bars for docked windows sometimes appear vertically, on the side of the window.

The following table provides information on ways to reposition dock windows:

Requirement Action

Dock a window (or window group) against another edge of the development area

Drag the window (or window group) to the destination edge

Dock a window (or window group) alongside another window

Drag the window (or window group) to the top, bottom, or side edge of the docked window

Tab one window with another

Drag the window to be tabbed into the center of the destination window (or window group) and release

3.4.4 How to Close and Reopen Dockable Windows in the IDE

You can easily open and close the main elements of the JDeveloper IDE, which include the Applications window, Databases window, Structure window, Properties window, Components window, Resources window and Log window.

3.4.4.1 Opening a Closed Window

You can open a window that is currently closed.

To open a closed window:

  • In the Window menu, choose the name of the window.

3.4.4.2 Closing an Open Window

You can close a window that is currently open.

To close an open window, perform one of the following steps:

  • Click the Close icon which appears on the tab window's name.

  • With the focus in the window, press Shift+Escape or Ctrl+Click.

3.4.5 How to Restore Window Layout to Factory Settings

You can restore the window layout in JDeveloper to the default, factory setting.

To restore the layout of dockable windows:

  • From the Window menu, select Restore Windows to Factory Settings.

3.5 Keyboard Navigation in JDeveloper

For any action that can be accomplished with a mouse, including selection, there is a way to accomplish the action solely from the keyboard. You can accomplish any task in JDeveloper using the keyboard as you can using the mouse.

3.5.1 How to Work with Shortcut Keys in the IDE

JDeveloper comes with several predefined keyboard schemes. You can choose to use one of these, or customize an existing set to suit your own coding style by changing which keyboard shortcuts map to which actions.

The shortcut keys defined in the Java Look and Feel guidelines provide the base set for JDeveloper. The various predefined keyboard schemes available in JDeveloper are then overlaid upon this base set. If the same shortcut key exists in both the look and feel guidelines and the JDeveloper keyboard scheme, the JDeveloper scheme prevails. If a shortcut key defined by the look and feel guidelines does not appear in a JDeveloper scheme, then it is the original look and feel definition that remains in effect when the scheme in question is enabled.

3.5.1.1 Loading Preset Keyboard Schemas

At any given time, then, the shortcut keys enabled in JDeveloper depend upon the interaction of the currently enabled scheme with the Java look and feel guidelines. When you first open JDeveloper, the default scheme is enabled. You can change this scheme whenever you wish, and within each scheme, you can customize any of the shortcut key assignments that you would like. Note that any customized shortcuts you create in a scheme are not retained when another predefined keyboard scheme is activated (or even if the same scheme is reloaded).

To load preset keyboard schemes:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences.

  2. In the preferences dialog, select the Shortcut Keys node. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  3. On the shortcut keys page, click More Actions and then select Load Keyboard Scheme. The Load Keyboard Scheme dialog appears, with the currently loaded keyboard scheme highlighted.

  4. In the Load Keyboard Scheme dialog, select the scheme you wish to load and click Ok.

  5. On the Shortcut Keys page, if you have finished, click Ok.

3.5.1.2 Viewing JDeveloper Commands and Associated Keyboard Shortcuts

To view JDeveloper commands and their associated keyboard shortcuts (if assigned):

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Shortcut Keys node.

  3. On the Shortcut Keys page, under Available Commands, you can view the complete set of JDeveloper commands, and what keyboards shortcuts (if any) are assigned to each. If you are looking for a particular command or shortcut, or want to look at shortcuts for a particular category of commands only, enter a filtering expression in the Search field.

  4. You can also define new shortcuts, or change existing ones.

3.5.1.3 Redefining a Keyboard Shortcut for a Command

If you are prefer using a different keyboard shortcut to the one currently assigned for a command in a keyboard scheme, you can specify a shortcut of your choice.

To define a new keyboard shortcut for a command within a given keyboard scheme:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Shortcut Keys node. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the preferences dialog.

  3. On the Shortcut Keys page, under Available Commands, select the command that you wish to define a new shortcut for.

  4. To define a new shortcut for this action, place focus on the New Shortcut field, and then press the key combination on the keyboard.

    If this proposed shortcut already has a command associated with it, that command will now appear in the Conflicts field. Any conflicting shortcuts are overwritten when a new shortcut is assigned.

  5. To assign this shortcut to the action selected, click Assign. If you want to delete an already-assigned shortcut, click the Delete button in the toolbar.

    If you want to assign more than one shortcut to a command, select the command and click the Duplicate button. Then, type the shortcut key in the New Shortcut field and click Assign.

  6. When you are finished, click Ok.

3.5.1.4 Importing and Exporting Keyboard Schemas

JDeveloper enables you to import and export keyboard schemas.

To import or export keyboard schemes:

  1. From the main menu, select Tools > Preferences to open the Preferences dialog.

  2. Click More Actions > Export or Import. Keyboard schemes are stored as XML files.

3.5.2 Common Navigation Keys

The following table describes the common methods of moving the cursor in JDeveloper:

Table 3-1 Common Methods of Moving the Cursor

Key Cursor Movement Ctrl+cursor Movement

Left Arrow

Left one unit (e.g., a single character)

Left one proportionally larger unit (e.g., a whole word)

Right Arrow

Right one unit

Right one proportionally larger unit

Up Arrow

Up one unit or line

Up one proportionally larger unit

Down Arrow

Down one unit or line

Down one proportionally larger unit

Home

Beginning of the line

To the beginning of the data (top-most position)

End

End of the line

To the end of the data (bottom-most position)

Tab

Next field or control, except when in a text area or field. In this case, press Ctrl+Tab to navigate out of the control.

Where there are fields and controls ordered horizontally as well as vertically, pressing Tab moves the cursor first horizontally to the right, then at the end of the line, down to the left of the next line.

To the next panel which may be an editor, or a window, except when in a text area or field. In this case, press Ctrl+Tab to navigate out of the control

Shift+Tab

Previous field

To previous tab position. In property sheets, this moves the cursor to the next page

Enter

Selects and highlights the default button, except when in a combo box, shuttle button, or similar control.

Note: The default button changes as you navigate through controls.

n/a

3.5.3 Navigation in Standard Components

This section describes keyboard navigation in standard JDeveloper components.

Buttons

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving buttons.

Table 3-2 Keyboard Navigation for Buttons

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward to or from button

Tab

Navigate backward to or from button

Shift+Tab

Activate the default button (when the focus is not on a button)

Enter

Activate any button while it has focus

Enter, Spacebar, or keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Activate Cancel or Close buttons on a dialog

Esc

Checkboxes

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving checkboxes.

Table 3-3 Keyboard Navigation for Checkboxes

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward to or from checkbox

Tab

Navigate backward to or from checkbox

Shift+Tab

Select or deselect (when the focus is on the checkbox)

Spacebar or keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Navigate to checkbox and select or deselect (when the focus is not on the checkbox)

Keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Dropdown Lists and Combo Boxes

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving dropdown lists and combo boxes.

Table 3-4 Keyboard Navigation for Dropdown Lists and Combo Boxes

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward to or from a combo box or dropdown list

Tab or keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Navigate backward to or from a combo box or dropdown list

Shift+Tab

Toggle list open and closed

Spacebar (the current selection receives the focus)

Open a list

Down Arrow to open (first item on list receives focus)

Move up or down within list

Up and Down Arrow keys (highlighted value has focus)

Move right and left within the initial entry on a combo box

Right and Left Arrow keys

Select list item

Enter

Note: The first time you press Enter, the item in the list is selected. The second time you press Enter, the default button is activated.

Close list (with the highlighted value selected)

Esc

List Boxes

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving list boxes.

Table 3-5 Keyboard Navigation for List Boxes

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward into or out of a list

Tab

Navigate backward into or out of list

Shift+Tab

Make a selection

Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Spacebar, or Enter

Note: The first time you press Enter, the highlighted item in the list is selected. The second time you press Enter, the default button is activated.

Move within list

Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Move to beginning of list

Home or Ctrl+Home

Move to end of list

End or Ctrl+End

Select all entries

Ctrl+A

Toggle (select or deselect) an item

Spacebar or Ctrl+Spacebar

Select next item up in list without deselecting item with current focus

Shift+Up Arrow Key

Select next item down in list without deselecting item with current focus

Shift+Down Arrow Key

Select current item and all items up to the top of the list

Shift+Home

Select current item and all items up to the bottom of the list

Shift+End

Select current item and all items visible above that item

Shift+Page Up

Select current item and all items visible below that item

Shift+Page Down

Select item with current focus without deselecting other items (to select items that are not adjacent)

Ctrl+Spacebar

Navigate through list without deselecting item with current focus.

Ctrl+Up Arrow or Ctrl+Down Arrow

Radio Buttons

Table 3-6 Keyboard Navigation for Radio Buttons

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward to or from radio button

Tab

Navigate backward to or from radio button

Shift+Tab

Navigate forward from radio button

Arrow Keys

Navigate backward from radio button

Shift+Arrow Keys

Select radio button

Arrow key (navigating to a radio button via arrows selects it) or keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Deselect radio button

Select a different radio button in the group using one of the commands above

Shuttles

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving shuttles.

Table 3-7 Keyboard Navigation for Shuttles

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward into or out of a list

Tab

Navigate backward into or out of list

Shift+Tab

Make a selection

Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Move within list

Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Move to beginning of list

Home or Ctrl+Home

Move to end of list

End or Ctrl+End

Select all entries

Ctrl+A

Toggle (select or deselect) an item

Spacebar or Ctrl+Spacebar

Select next item up in list without deselecting item with current focus

Shift+Up Arrow Key

Select next item down in list without deselecting item with focus

Shift+Down Arrow Key

Select current item and all items up to the top of the list

Shift+Home

Select current item and all items up to the bottom of the list

Shift+End

Select current item and all items visible above that item

Shift+Page Up

Select current item and all items visible below that item

Shift+Page Down

Select item with current focus without deselecting other items (to select items that are not adjacent)

Ctrl+Spacebar

Navigate through list without deselecting item with current focus.

Ctrl+Up Arrow or Ctrl+Down Arrow

Sliders

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving sliders.

Table 3-8 Keyboard Navigation for Sliders

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward to or from slider

Tab

Navigate backward to or from slider

Shift+Tab

Increase value

Up Arrow or Right Arrow

Decrease value

Left Arrow or Down Arrow

Minimum value

Home

Maximum value

End

Spin Controls

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving spin controls.

Table 3-9 Keyboard Navigation for Spin Controls

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward to or from spin control

Tab

Navigate backward to or from spin control

Shift+Tab

Increase value

Up Arrow or Right Arrow, or type the value you want

Decrease value

Left Arrow or Down Arrow, or type the value you want

Minimum value

Home

Maximum value

End

Text Fields

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving text fields.

Table 3-10 Keyboard Navigation for Text Fields

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward into or out of text box

Tab or keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Navigate backward into or out of text box

Shift+Tab

Move to previous/next character within text box

Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Move to start/end of box

Home/End

Select all text

Ctrl+A

Deselect all text

Left Arrow or Right Arrow

Select current item and all items up to the Left/Right

Shift+Left Arrow, Shift+Right Arrow

Select current item and all items up to the Start/End

Shift+Home, Shift+End

Select current item and all items up to the previous/next word

Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow, Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow

Copy selection

Ctrl+C

Cut selection

Ctrl+X

Paste from clipboard

Ctrl+V

Delete next character

Delete

Delete previous character

Backspace

3.5.4 Navigating Complex Controls

This section contains information about keyboard shortcuts for complex UI components.

Dockable Windows

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving dockable windows.

Table 3-11 Keyboard Navigation for Dockable Windows

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward in or out of dockable window

Ctrl+Tab

Navigate backward in or out of dockable window

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Display context menu

Shift+F10

Navigate between tabs within a dockable window

Alt+Page Down, Alt+Page Up

Move between elements including dropdown lists, search fields, panels, tree structure (but not individual elements in a tree), individual component buttons

Tab

Move up/down through dockable window contents (scrollbar)

Up Arrow, Down Arrow.

This scrolls the window contents if the focus moves beyond visible area of canvas.

Move left/right (scrollbar)

Up Arrow, Down Arrow.

This scrolls the panel contents if focus moves beyond visible area of canvas.

Move to start/end of data (component buttons)

Ctrl+Home, Ctrl+End

Select an element

Enter or Spacebar

Scroll left/right within the canvas area (without moving through the window contents)

Ctrl+Left/Ctrl+Right

Scroll Up/Down within the canvas area (without moving through the window contents)

Ctrl+Up/Ctrl+Down

Menus

Context menus are accessed using Shift+F10. Menus from the main menu bar are accessed using the keyboard shortcut for the menu.

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving the menu bar.

Table 3-12 Keyboard Navigation for Menus

Navigation Keys

Navigate to menu bar

F10

Navigate out of menu bar

Esc

Navigate between menus in menu bar

Right Arrow, Left Arrow

Navigate to menu item

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Navigate from menu item

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Activate item

Enter, Spacebar, or keyboard shortcut (if one has been defined)

Open submenu

Right Arrow

Retract submenu

Left Arrow or Esc

Panels

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving panels.

Table 3-13 Keyboard Navigation for Panels

Navigation Keys

Navigate in/out forward

Tab

Navigate in/out backward

Shift+Tab

Expand panel (when focus on header)

Right Arrow

Collapse panel (when focus on header)

Left Arrow

Navigate within panel

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Navigate to panel header from contents (when focus is on top item in list)

Up Arrow

Navigate to panel contents from header (when focus is on header)

Down Arrow

Tables

Arrow keys move focus in the direction of the arrow, except when a web widget has focus; in that case, the down arrow or enter key initiates the widget control action, such as opening a choice list. tab moves the focus right, shift+tab moves the focus left.

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving tables.

Table 3-14 Keyboard Navigation for Tables

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward in or out of table

Ctrl+Tab

Navigate backward in or out of table

Shift+Ctrl+Tab

Move to next cell (wrap to next row if in last cell)

Tab Arrow or Right Arrow

Move to previous cell (wrap to previous row if in first cell)

Shift+Tab or Left Arrow

Controls in cells open

Down Arrow or Enter

Block move left

Ctrl+Page Up

Block move right

Ctrl+Page Down

Block move up

Page Up

Block move down

Page Down

Move to first cell in row

Home

Move to last cell in row

End

Move to first cell in table

Ctrl+Home

Move to last cell in table

Ctrl+End

Select all cells

Ctrl+A

Deselect current selection (and select alternative)

Any navigation key

Extend selection on row

Shift+Up Arrow

Extend selection one column

Shift+Down Arrow

Extend selection to beginning of row

Shift+Home

Extend selection to end of row

Shift+End

Extend selection to beginning of column

Ctrl+Shift+Home

Extend selection to end of column

Ctrl+Shift+End

Edit cell without overriding current contents, or show dropdown list in combo box

F2

Reset cell content prior to editing

Esc

Tabs

This section refers to the tabs that appear within a dockable window, view or dialog. The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving tabs in dockable windows, views and dialogs.

Table 3-15 Keyboard Navigation for Tabs

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward into or out of tab control

Tab

Navigate backward into or out of tab control

Ctrl+Tab

Move to tab (within control) left/right

Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Move to tab (within control) above/below

Up Arrow/Down Arrow

Move from tab to page

Ctrl+Down

Move from page to tab

Ctrl+Up

Move from page to previous page (while focus is within page)

Ctrl+Page Up

Move from page to next page (while focus is within page)

Ctrl+Page Down

Trees

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving trees.

Table 3-16 Table Navigation for Trees

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward into or out of tree control

Tab

Navigate backward into or out of tree control

Shift+Tab

Expand (if item contains children)

Right Arrow

Collapse (if item contains children)

Left Arrow

Move to parent from child (if expanded)

Left Arrow

Move to child from parent (if already expanded)

Right Arrow

Move up/down one item

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Move to first item

Home

Move to last entry

End

Select all children of selected parent

Ctrl+A

Select next item down in list without deselecting that item that currently has focus

Shift+Down Arrow

Select next item up in list without deselecting that item that currently has focus

Shift+Up Arrow

Select current item and all items up to the top of the list

Shift+Home

Select current item and all items up to the bottom of the list

Shift+End

Select the item with current focus without deselecting other items (to select items that are not adjacent)

Ctrl+Spacebar

Navigate through list without deselecting item with current focus

Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow

Wizards

The Following Table Describes The Keyboard Actions To Perform Navigation Tasks Involving Wizards.

Table 3-17 Keyboard Navigation for Wizards

Navigation Keys

Navigate between stops on the roadmap or between pages

Up Arrow, Down Arrow (these do not wrap)

Navigate forward between components on wizard panel, wizard navigation bar buttons, and navigation panel

Tab

Navigate backward between components on wizard panel, wizard navigation bar buttons, and navigation panel

Shift+Tab

Navigate between buttons on Navigation Bar

Right and Left Arrow Key (does not wrap)

Navigate between stops on Roadmap/between wizard pages

Ctrl Page Up and Ctrl Page Down

3.5.5 Navigation in Specific Components

This section contains information about keyboard shortcuts for JDeveloper-specific UI components.

Dialogs

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving dialogs.

Table 3-18 Keyboard Navigation for Dialogs

Navigation Keys

Close dialog without making any selections or changes

Esc

Activate the default button (if one is defined)

Enter

Overview Editor (Form + Mapping)

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving overview editors.

Table 3-19 Keyboard Navigation for the Overview Editor

Navigation Keys

Navigate into or out of overview editor from other pages in editor (for example Source or History)

Alt+Tab

Navigate from the tab group to next control in editor)

Tab or Ctrl+Down Arrow

Navigate forward or backwards between controls on overview editor

Tab or Alt+Tab

Move between tabs in the side tab control (when the focus in the tab group)

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Move between tabs in side tab control (when focus on Page)

Ctrl+Page Up/Ctrl+Page Down

Move from page to tab group (from next control in editor)

Ctrl+Tab

Move from page to tab group (from any control in editor)

Ctrl+Up Arrow

Open and close Sections (when focus is on a section header)

Enter, Spacebar, Right Arrow/Left Arrow

Component and Resources windows

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks in windows such as the Components and Resources windows.

Table 3-20 Keyboard Navigation for Components and Resources windows

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward in or out of window

Ctrl+Tab This moves you into first item within the pane.

Navigate backward in or out of window

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Move between elements including dropdown lists, search fields, panels, tree structure (but not individual elements in a tree), individual component buttons

Tab, Shift+Tab

Move up/down elements in a list or tree

Up Arrow/Down Arrow

Move left/right elements in a list or tree

Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Move to start/end of data (component buttons)

Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End

Select a component button

Enter

Windows such as the Applications Window, Databases Window, Applications Server Window

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving these windows.

Table 3-21 Keyboard Navigation for Windows such as the Applications Window, Databases Window, Applications Server Window

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward in or out of window

Ctrl+Tab This moves you into first item within the pane.

Navigate backward in or out of window

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Move between elements including dropdown lists, search fields, panels, tree structure (but not individual elements in a tree), individual component buttons

Tab

Move up/down elements in a list or tree

Up Arrow/Down

Move left/right elements in a list or tree

Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Move to start/end of data (component buttons)

Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End

Select a component button

Enter

Select an element

Enter

Properties window

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving the Properties window.

Table 3-22 Keyboard Navigation for the Properties window

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward into or out of Properties window

Ctrl+Tab

Navigate backward into or out of Properties window

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Navigate from side tab group to page

Tab

Navigate backward and forwards between elements on page

Tab, Shift+Tab

Move to tab above/below (when focus is on the side tab)

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Move to tab right or left, above or below (when focus is on the internal tab group)

Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Right Arrow, Left Arrow

Move from side tab group to page

Ctrl+Down Arrow

Move from page to side tab group

Ctrl+Up Arrow

Move to side tab above (previous) when focus on page

Ctrl+Page Up

Move to side tab below (next) when focus on page

Move to side tab below (next) when focus on page

Open and Close sections (when focus is on a section header)

Enter

Text Editors

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving the panel elements of text editors.

Table 3-23 Keyboard Navigation for Text Editors

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward in or out of editor

Ctrl+Tab

Navigate backward in or out of editor

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Move from page to previous page

Alt+Page Up

Move from page to next page

Alt+Page Down

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving the text or canvas areas of text editors.

Table 3-24 Keyboard Navigation for Canvas Areas of Text Editors

Navigation Keys

Move up/down one line

Up Arrow, Down Arrow

Move left/right one character

Left Arrow, Right Arrow

Move to start/end of line

Home, End

Move to previous/next word

Ctrl+Left Arrow, Ctrl+Right Arrow

Move to start/end of text area

Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End

Move to beginning/end of data

Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End

Move up/down one vertical block

Page Up/Page Down

Block move left

Ctrl+Page Up

Block move right

Ctrl+Page Down

Block extend up

Shift+Page Up

Block extend down

Shift+Page Down

Block extend left

Ctrl+Shift+Page Up

Block extend right

Ctrl+Shift+Page Down

Select all

Ctrl+A

Deselect all

Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow, Right Arrow

Extend selection up/down one line

Shift+Up Arrow/Shift+Down Arrow

Extend selection left/right one component or char

Shift+Left Arrow/Shift+Right Arrow

Extend selection to start/end of line

Shift+Home/Shift+End

Extend selection to start/end of data

Ctrl+Shift+Home/Ctrl+Shift+End

Extend selection up/down one vertical block

Shift+Page Up/Shift+Page Down

Extend selection to previous/next word

Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow /Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow

Extend selection left/right one block

Ctrl+Shift+Page Up/Ctrl+Shift+Page Down

Copy selection

Ctrl-C

Cut selection

Ctrl-X

Paste selected text

Ctrl-V

Graphical Editors

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving graphical editors.

Table 3-25 Keyboard Navigation for Graphical Editors

Navigation Keys

Navigate forward in or out of editor

Ctrl-Tab

Navigate backward in or out of editor

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Move from page to previous page

Alt+Page Up

Move from page to next page

Alt+Page Down

The following table describes the keyboard actions to perform navigation tasks involving the canvas areas of graphical editors.

Table 3-26 Keyboard Navigation for Canvas Areas of Graphical Editors

Navigation Keys

Move to the next focusable element within editor area

Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow, Right Arrow

Select element

Spacebar

Activate context menu

Shift+F10

3.6 Customizing the IDE

You can alter the appearance and functionality of a wide variety of JDeveloper features. You can:

  • Change the look and feel

  • Customize the general environment

  • Customize dockable windows

  • You can also customize the following windows in the IDE:

    • Compare window

    • Components window

3.6.1 How to Change the Look and Feel of the IDE

You can alter the appearance of JDeveloper using pre-defined settings.

To change the look and feel of the IDE:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Environment node if it is not already selected.

  3. On the Environment page, select a different look and feel from the Look and Feel dropdown list.

  4. Click OK.

  5. Restart JDeveloper.

Note:

The key bindings in Motif are different from key bindings in Windows. Under Motif, the arrow keys do not change the selection. Instead they change the lead focus cell. You must press Ctrl + Space to select an item. This is expected behavior.

3.6.2 How to Customize the General Environment for the IDE

You can customize the default display options (such as whether or not the splash screen is displayed at start up), as well as other general behavior, such as whether JDeveloper will automatically reload externally modified files and whether output to the Log window is automatically saved to a file.

To change the general environment settings for the IDE:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Environment node if it is not already selected.

  3. On the Environment page, select the options and set the fields as appropriate.

  4. Click OK.

  5. Restart JDeveloper.

3.6.3 How to Customize the Compare Window in the IDE

You can customize the display of the Compare window.

To customize the options for comparing files:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select Compare.

  3. On the Compare page, set the options available for the display of two files being compared.

  4. Click OK.

3.6.4 How to Customize the Components window

The Components window offers you a quick method for inserting components into files open in the editor.

3.6.4.1 How to Add a Page to the Components Window

You can add pages to the Components window, within which to group additional components, or you can add components to existing pages.

To add a page to the Components Window:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Configure Components to open the Configure Components window dialog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Configure Components window dialog.

  2. Optionally, in the Configure Components window dialog, for Page Type select the appropriate type to limit the display in the Pages list.

  3. In the Configure Components window dialog, underneath the Pages list box, click Add.

  4. In the Create Components Window dialog, enter the name of the new page and select a type from the dropdown list. If you selected a page type in Step 2, that type is reflected now in this dialog.

  5. Click OK to return to the Configure Components Window dialog.

  6. If finished, click OK. The new page is now added to the dropdown list in the Components window. It also appears in the Pages list of the Configure Components window dialog.

Alternately, right-click in the Components window and choose Add Page.

3.6.4.2 How to Add a JavaBeans Component to the Components Window

You can add pages to the Components window to group your JavaBeans components, or you can add components to existing pages. Once you add JavaBeans to the Components window, you can insert these beans into any file you have open in the Java Visual Editor by selecting them from the Components window.

To add a JavaBeans component to the Components Window:

  1. If the bean is not already referenced by a library, create a user library (outside the project) for the bean.

    In the Class Path field, set the location of the bean class. If the bean is in an archive, use the archive. If the bean is contained in a project, use the output directory of that project.

    Note that when you are creating your own JavaBeans for later deployment, it can be useful to defer putting them into an archive until you have finished development.

  2. From the main menu, choose Tools > Configure Components to open the Configure Components Window dialog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Configure Components Window dialog.

  3. Optionally, in the Configure Components Window dialog, for Page Type select Java to view only those pages containing JavaBeans.

    Skip to Step 6 if you do not want to add a new page.

  4. Underneath the Pages list box, click Add.

  5. In the Create Components Window dialog, enter the name of the new page, ensure that Java is selected from the dropdown list, and click OK.

    Your new page name is added to the bottom of the Pages list in the Configure Components window dialog.

  6. In the Pages list, select the page to which you wish to add the JavaBeans component.

  7. Underneath the Components list box, click Add.

  8. In the Add JavaBeans dialog, fill in the appropriate details for the new component.

  9. Click OK to return to the Configure Components window dialog.

  10. If finished, click OK.

The new beans component now appears in the Components window when the appropriate page is selected. It also appears in the Components list of the Configure Components window dialog when the page it is associated with is selected in the Pages list.

3.6.4.3 How to Remove a Page from the Components Window

Note that if you remove a page supplied by JDeveloper, the only way to recover it again is to restore the default setting for the Components window by moving the palette.xml file from jdev_install/system to jdev_install/system/release_and_build_number, where jdev_install is the root directory in which JDeveloper is installed.

To remove a page from the Components Window:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Configure Components to open the Configure Components Window dialog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Configure Components Window dialog.

  2. Optionally, in the Configure Components window dialog, for Page Type select the appropriate type to limit the display in the Pages list.

  3. In the Pages list, select the page to be removed.

  4. Underneath the Pages list box, click Remove.

    If the page cannot be removed, the Illegal Request dialog appears.

  5. To confirm removal, in the Confirm Remove Page dialog, click Yes.

  6. In the Configure Components window dialog, click OK.

    The page no longer appears in the Components window dropdown list. It has also been removed from the Pages list of the Configure Components window dialog.

Alternately, with the page selected in the Components window, right-click in the Components window and choose Remove Page.

3.6.4.4 How to Remove a Component from the Components Window

Note that if you remove a component supplied by JDeveloper, the only way to recover it again is to restore the default setting for the Components window by moving the palette.xml file from jdev_install/system to jdev_install/system/release_and_build_number, where jdev_install is the root directory in which JDeveloper is installed.

To remove a component from the Components Window:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Configure Components to open the Configure Components Window dialog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Configure Components Window dialog.

  2. Optionally, in the Configure Components Window dialog, for Page Type select the appropriate type to limit the display in the Pages list.

  3. In the Pages list, select the page you want to remove the component from.

  4. In the Components list box, click Remove.

    If the component cannot be removed, the Illegal Request dialog appears.

  5. To confirm removal, in the confirmation dialog, click Yes.

  6. In the Configure Components Window dialog, click OK.

    The component no longer appears in the Components window dropdown list. It has also been removed from the Components list of the Configure Components Window dialog.

You cannot remove a component using the Components Window context menu. You must work through the Configure Components Window dialog.

3.6.5 How to Change Roles in JDeveloper

You can change the roles that are used to shape JDeveloper. Shaping tailors the JDeveloper environment based on the role of the user.

When you change to a new role, it is only available after you restart JDeveloper.

To change the role for JDeveloper:

  • From the main menu, choose Tools > Switch Roles and select the role of your choice.

3.6.6 How to Associate File Types with JDeveloper

You can associate commonly used file types with JDeveloper. Once a file type has been associated with JDeveloper, opening a file of that type automatically launches JDeveloper. (This feature is supported only in Windows systems.)

To associate a file type with JDeveloper:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences and open the File Types pane. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the list of file types, select a file type to be associated with JDeveloper.

  3. In the Details for area, check Open with JDeveloper.

3.7 Working with the Resources Window

The Resources window allows you to create connections to a number of different resources, such as application servers, databases, WebDAV servers, from where you can use them in different applications and share them with other users.

When designing and building applications, you may need to find and use many software assets. You may know what you want to find, but you may not be certain where to find it or even what the artifact of interest is called. Even if you think you know where to find the artifact, and what it is called, you might not know how to establish a connection to the source repository. Consider the following:

  • An application developer needs to find and incorporate shared model, view and controller objects created by other members of her team, and by other product teams.

  • A UI designer needs access to a corporate catalog of images, style sheets, templates and sample designs to facilitate rapid creation of standards-compliant pages.

  • An application integrator needs easy access to a variety of web services of interest to a particular domain.

  • An end user needs to find relevant content (for example, portlets and UI components) for use while personalizing a page.

In each of these cases, the user has a simple goal: find the resource(s) needed for the task at hand. The process of discovering and accessing the assets should be as effortless as possible.

The Resources window lets you:

  • Locate resources stored in a wide variety of underlying repositories through IDE connections

  • Locate resources by browsing a hierarchical structure in catalogs

  • Search for resources and save searches

  • Filter resources to reduce the visible set when browsing

  • Use a resource you have found in an application you are building

  • Facilitate resource discovery and reuse by sharing catalog definitions

To open the Resources window:

In the main menu, choose Window > Resources.

By default, the Resources window is displayed to the right of the JDeveloper window.

To refresh the Resources window:

  • In the Resources window, click New and choose Refresh.

    Alternatively, in the Resources Window choose Refresh from the context menu of an object in the My Catalogs panel or the IDE Connections panel.

3.7.1 Working with IDE Connections

When you create a connection in JDeveloper, you can create it as an IDE connection that can be reused in different applications, or shared between users, or as application connections.

IDE connections are globally defined connections available for reuse, and they are listed in the IDE Connections panel of the Resources window. You can copy IDE connections to the Applications window to use them within an application.

IDE connections are listed in the IDE Connections panel of the Resources window. In addition, some types of connections may appear in special connection-type windows. For example, database connections are also listed in the Databases window under the IDE Connection node, and you edit database objects through the database connection in the Databases window.

The different types of connections that can be made depends on the technologies and extensions available to you. To see what you can create a connection to, choose IDE Connections from the New button in the Resources window. The specific types of connection you can make depend on the technologies and extensions available to you.

The file system location for Resources connection descriptor definition information is

system-dir/jdeveloper/system12.1.2.n.nn.nn.nn/o.jdeveloper.rescat2.model/connections/connections.xml

To create an IDE connection:

  1. In the IDE Connections panel of the Resources window, choose IDE Connections from the New button.

  2. Choose the type of connection you want to create, and enter the appropriate information in the Create Connection dialog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the dialog.

Once you have created a connection in the Resources window, you can edit details of the connection, but you cannot change the connection name.

To edit an IDE connection:

  1. In the IDE Connections panel of the Resources window, choose Properties from the context menu of a connection.

  2. The Edit Connection dialog opens where you can change the connection details. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Edit Connection dialog.

You can use connections in the Resources window in an application.

The connection can be added to the application currently open in JDeveloper, and it is listed in the Application Resources panel of the Applications window, under the Connections node.

To add a connection to an application:

In the IDE Connections panel of the Resources window, choose Add to Application from the context menu of a connection.

Alternatively, drag the resource from the Resources window and drop it onto an application page.

Alternatively, drag the connection from IDE Connections in the Resources window and drop it onto the Application Resources panel in the Applications window.

3.7.2 How to Search the Resources Window

There are two ways of searching in the Resources window:

  • Performing a simple search

  • Performing an advanced search, where you enter parameters in a dialog

In addition, you can define a dynamic folder in a catalog where the content of the folder is defined by a query expression that is executed when the folder is opened.

The time the search takes depends on how many resources there are in the Resources window, and how long it takes to connect to them, and the results are displayed in the Search Results panel.

When you perform a simple search, the search is performed across all the contents of the Resources window, and it may take some time because JDeveloper connects to remote resources during the search.

To perform a simple search:

  1. In the Resources window, click the Search Options button to choose whether the search is performed against the Name, Type or Description of the resource. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Resources window.

  2. Enter a search string in the field. For example, if you want to find every resource that contains dep in the name, choose Name in step 1, and enter dep. Every resource that contains the string dep will be listed in the search results.

  3. Click the Start Search button to start the search.

Alternatively, you can perform an advanced search where you specify a series of search criteria, and choose where to start the search from.

To perform an advanced search:

  1. In the Resources window, choose Advanced Search from the context menu of an object in the My Catalogs panel or the IDE Connections panel. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Advanced Search dialog.

  2. Define where the search starts. Either select from Search in, or click Show Hierarchy which allows you choose within a hierarchical list of the Resources window contents.

  3. Enter search criteria to return the resources you want, and click Search.

You can stop a search before it has completed by clicking the Stop Search button.

You can save a search and reuse it. There are two ways of saving a search in order to reuse it:

  • As a dynamic folder, where the contents of the folder are created dynamically based on the search criteria when the folder is opened.

  • As a static folder containing the results of the search.

Dynamic folders can also be created directly in a catalog.

To save a search:

  1. In the Search Results panel of the Resources window, choose Save Search from the context menu.

  2. In the Save Search dialog, choose:

    • Save Search Criteria, to create a dynamic folder.

    • Save Search Results, to create a static folder of results.

    For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Resources window.

  3. Enter a name for the folder.

  4. Choose the catalog to contain the folder, either from the dropdown list, or from the hierarchical list displayed when you click Show Hierarchy.

3.7.3 Filtering Resources Window Contents

Filters allow you fine-tune the contents of catalog folders.

To filter the contents of My Catalogs:

  1. In the Resources window, choose Filter from the context menu of an object in the My Catalogs panel or the IDE Connections panel. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Filter dialog.

  2. Enter a string to define the filtering. Only entries in the folder that contain the string will be shown.

3.7.4 Importing and Exporting Catalogs and Connections

Catalogs and connections are shared by importing Resource catalog archive (.rcx) files that have been exported by another user.

To export a catalog:

Note:

When you select a catalog to export, any connections in the catalog are also selected. If you deselect the catalog before exporting, you must be sure to also deselect the connections that are not wanted in the archive file.

  1. In the Resources window, choose Export from the context menu of an object in the My Catalogs panel or the IDE Connections panel.

  2. In the Export Catalog and Connections dialog, select the catalogs and connections to be exported, and decide how errors will be handled. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Export Catalog and Connections dialog.

To import a catalog:

  1. In the Resources window, choose Import from (New).

  2. In the Import Catalog and Connections dialog, specify or browse to the path and name of the Resource catalog archive file (.rcx). For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Import Catalog and Connections dialog.

  3. Choose the catalogs and connections you want to import, and determine how to handle errors.

3.7.5 Working with Resources Window Catalogs

A catalog is a user-defined construct for organizing resources from multiple underlying repositories. The contents of a catalog and its associated folder structure can be designed to be used by an individual developer, or they can be targeted towards specific groups of users such as the UI designers for a development project.

Catalog folders organize resources in a catalog. You use catalog folders in the same way you would to organize files in a file system or bookmarks in a Web browser. Each catalog folder can contain any combination of:

  • Folders.

  • Dynamic folders, which are populated using a query.

  • Filters, which are used to fine-tune the content of a folder or subtree.

3.7.5.1 Creating Catalogs

You can organize the information in the Resources window in catalogs.

To create a catalog:  

  1. In the Resources window, choose New Catalog from the New button.

  2. In the Create Catalog dialog, specify a name for the catalog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Create Catalog dialog.

  3. (Optional) Provide a description for the catalog, and the email of the catalog administrator.

3.7.5.2 Renaming Catalogs

You can rename catalogs.

To rename a catalog:  

  1. In the Resources window, right-click the catalog, and choose Rename from the context menu.

  2. In the Rename dialog, specify a new name for the catalog. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Rename dialog.

3.7.6 Working with Catalog Folders

You can create folders to organize the contents of catalogs.

3.7.6.1 How to Create Folders

You can organize the information within catalogs in folders.

To create a catalog folder:

  1. In the Resources window, choose New Folder from the context menu of a catalog in the My Catalogs panel or the IDE Connections panel. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Create Folder dialog.

  2. Enter a name for the folder.

3.7.6.2 How to Create Dynamic Folders

Dynamic Folders provide a powerful way to dynamically populate a catalog folder with resources. The content of the folder is defined by a query expression that is executed when the folder is opened. The results of the query appear as the contents of the folder.

To create a dynamic folder:

  1. In the Resources window, choose New Dynamic Folder from the context menu of a catalog in the My Catalogs panel or the IDE Connections panel. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Create Dynamic Folder dialog.

  2. Define the search criteria that will be used to populate this folder when it is opened.

3.7.6.3 How to Add Resources to a Catalog

You can add a connection from the IDE Connections panel or a resource from the Search panel in the Resources window to a catalog in My Catalogs.

To add a resource to a catalog:

  1. In the Resources window, right click a connection in the IDE Connections panel, or the result of a search in the Search panel and choose Add to Catalog from the context menu.

  2. The Add to Catalog dialog opens for you to specify the name for the resource in the catalog, and the catalog to add it to. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Create Connection dialog.

Alternatively, you can drag an item from under IDE Connections and drop it on a catalog or catalog folder.

You can reorganize a catalog by selecting an item or folder in the catalog and dragging it to another folder in the same catalog, or to another catalog.

3.8 Working with Source Files

JDeveloper includes an editor for editing source files across several technologies, including Java and XML, among others.

3.8.1 Using the Source Editor

JDeveloper includes an editor for editing source files across several technologies, including Java and XML, among others.

Depending on the type of source file you are editing, the source editor will be available in one of the following forms:

  • Java Source Editor

  • XML Editor

  • HTML/JSP Source Editor

  • JavaScript Editor

In addition to technology-specific features, the source editor also has a set of common features across all technologies that enhance the coding experience. These features include bookmarking, code insight, code templates, and several other features that enable you to code faster and better.

Use the Code Editor page in the Preferences dialog to customize the source editor to suit your coding style.

The source editor offers a set of common features across all technologies that provide intuitive support for a variety of coding tasks. Available across all forms of the editor, these features enhance your coding experience through quicker execution of coding tasks and better navigation through code.

Breadcrumb Navigation

The breadcrumb bar, located at the bottom of the editor window, shows the hierarchy of code entities from the current caret position up to the top of the file. Hovering the mouse cursor over a node pops up some information about the node, and clicking on the node navigates the caret to the node location.

A breadcrumb can be clicked to display a popup list of child breadcrumbs can be displayed (where appropriate). For example, for a Java class, you can click the breadcrumb to display the class' methods and inner classes in a list. Choosing an item on this list will navigate the editor to its location.

If block coloring has been activated and colors have been assigned, breadcrumbs are highlighted in the same color as their corresponding code blocks.

Overview Popup

The right margin of the editor provides colored overview marks that are indicators for a location in the source file. Hovering the mouse over an overview mark makes a popup appear which displays information about the item in that location of the source file, and a snippet of the relevant code.

The following overview indicators are provided:

  • A square mark at the top right corner of the editor window indicates the overall health of your source file, as per its color. White indicated that the health is currently being calculated. Green indicates that there are no errors or warnings in the file. Red indicates errors, and yellow indicates warnings

  • Rectangles, depending on their color, signify the occurrence of the following source editing artifacts:

    • Red: Java code error

    • Pale blue: bookmark

    • Medium blue: current execution breakpoint

    • Yellow: occurrence of searched text

    • Pale orange: Java warning

    • Bright orange: Profile Point

You can also press Ctrl anywhere in the right margin to view a popup window that displays a portion of the source code that is not currently in view. By adjusting the position of the mouse while pressing Ctrl, you can view the entire code without scrolling in the editor itself

Overview Edit Marks

The overview strip in the right margin of the source editor shows an additional strip of marks indicating sections of the file that have changed. This allows you to instantly see sections of the file that have changed and quickly navigate between them.

You can use the following key to understand what the marks signify:

  • Green mark: Addition

  • Purple mark: Change

  • Red mark: Deletion

A mark can be clicked on to instantly navigate to that point, or it can be hovered over to show a popup of the change.

Hovers

Hovers enable you to position the mouse cursor over certain areas of the IDE and get some information on them in a popup window that appears floating in front.

Whitespace Display

Tools menu > Preferences > Code Editor > Display > Show Whitespace Characters

This feature optionally renders spaces, new lines, carriage returns, non-breaking spaces, and tab characters as visible characters in the editor. Turned off by default, this can be enabled and disabled using the Preferences Dialog.

Duplicate Selection

Edit menu > Duplicate Selection

Duplicates the currently selected block of code, and places the copied code beside the original code. After duplication, the newly inserted code is selected. The clipboard is not affected by this operation.

Vertical Selection

Edit menu > Block Selection

This feature enables you to select code vertically. when you do not want to select text that wraps around the end of lines. This is useful for selecting tabular data, or vertically aligned code blocks.

Join Lines

Join the current line to the next, or join all lines in a selection. Any comment delimiters or extra whitespace are intelligently removed to join the lines.

Default keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+J

Cursor Position

When the source editor is in use, the status bar at the bottom displays the line and column coordinates of the current position of the cursor.

Mouse Wheel Zoom

Hold down the Ctrl key and use the mouse scroller to zoom in to or zoom out of the code editor.

3.8.1.1 Features Available From the Context Menu

The generic source editor also provides a set of features through the context menu. To use these features, in the context menu, select Source. Depending on the type of source file in use, items other than the ones mentioned below may be present in the context menu. For example, the Java Source Editor contributes Java-specific options to the source editor context menu.

Note:

These features are also available through the Source menu.

Completion Insight

Completion insight provides you with a list of possible completions, such as method names, and parameter types if they are applicable, at the insertion point, which you may use to auto-complete Java code you are editing. This list is generated based on the code context found at the insertion point. The contexts supported by completion insight are:

  • Within package and import statements

  • Within extends, implements, and throws clauses

  • Within continue and break statements

  • Within general code expressions

Default keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Space

Parameter Insight

Parameter insight provides you with the types and names of the parameters of the method call you are typing. If the method is overloaded, multiple sets of parameter types and names are listed.

Default keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Space

Note:

If errors for the file appear in the Structure window, Code (Completion or Parameter) Insight may not work. If the class(es) you are using are not in your project (that is, not on your classpath), Code Insight will not appear. Please note that you may need to compile your src files in order for Code Insight to have access to them.

Complete Statement

Use to auto-complete code statements where such a completion is obvious to JDeveloper; for example, semi-colon insertions at the end of a statement.

Default keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Enter

Expand Template

Insert a code template from a list of JDeveloper's predefined code templates. The code templates offered are context sensitive. For example, templates to declare class variables are only offered when the cursor is in the appropriate place in the class file.

Default keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Enter

Code Assist

Code Assist examines your code in the editor and provides assistance to fix common problems. A Code Assist icon appears in the editor margin when JDeveloper has a suggestion for a code change. To invoke Code Assist manually, press Ctrl+Alt+Enter. To select an action listed in Code Assist, press Alt+ the underlined key.

Default keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+Enter

QuickDoc

Select to view the Javadoc or Jsdoc (depending on whether you are using the Java or JavaScript editor) for the element in focus.

Default Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+D

Toggle Line Comments

Comments out the line currently in focus in the source editor. Running this command on a commented line uncomments the line.

Default Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+Slash

Indent Block

Indents the line of code currently in focus. If a block of code is selected, the entire block is indented.

Unindent Block

Unindents a line or block of code, based on code has focus in the editor.

3.8.2 How to Set Preferences for the Source Editor

You can change the default settings of many of the features of the source editor by changing the preferences.

You can also view or change shortcut keys for the source editor, by modifying the predefined keyboard schemes.

3.8.2.1 How to Set Indentation Size for the Source Editor

JDeveloper uses a default indentation style in the source editor. You can set your own indentation size based on your programming preferences.

To set indentation size for the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Code Editor node, then the Code Style page.

  3. On the Code Style page, select the Edit button.

  4. On the Format tab, open the Indentation node and select Indentation Size.

  5. Change the indentation value as required.

    Note:

    While editing code, if you press the Tab key when the Use Tab Character option is unchecked, JDeveloper indents by the indentation size you specify (4 by default). If you select Use Tab Character, JDeveloper will use tab characters for indenting, based on values specified in both the Indentation Size and Tab Size fields. For example, if you use an indent size of 4, and a tab size of 8, then it takes two indent levels (4 spaces each) to reach the tab size (8). So if you press Tab twice to indent twice, JDeveloper will insert a tab character in the source file. That tab character will expand to 8 spaces.

  6. Click OK to close the dialogs.

3.8.2.2 How to Set Fonts for the Source Editor

You can set fonts for the source editor, including font size.

To set fonts for the Source Editor

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Code Editor node, then the Fonts node.

  3. On the Fonts page, select a font type and size. Alter the sample text, if you wish. The sample text display reflects your font changes.

    By default, all your system fonts are loaded. To limit the fonts available on this page to fixed-width fonts, select Display Only Fixed-Width Fonts.

  4. Click OK.

3.8.2.3 How to Set Caret Behavior for the Source Editor

You can set caret behavior for the source editor, including blinking, blink rate, and caret shape.

To set caret behavior for the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the Caret Behavior node.

  4. On the Caret Behavior page, set the different attributes that determine how the caret will look and behave.

    For more information, press F1 or click Help from within the dialog page.

  5. Click OK.

3.8.2.4 How to Set Display Options for the Source Editor

You can set options for general display features in the source editor, including options for breadcrumbs, scroll tips, the right margin, and brace matching.

To set display options for the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the Display node.

  4. On the Display page, enter the settings you wish for the right margin.

  5. Click OK.

3.8.2.5 How to Set Line Gutter Behavior for the Source Editor

You can set the appearance of line gutters for the source editor. JDeveloper allows you to specify colors, line selection, and line number visibility.

To set line gutter behavior for the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the Line Gutter node.

  4. On the Line Gutter page, decide whether or not line numbers will appear.

  5. Set the other attributes to create the line gutter behavior that you want.

  6. Click OK.

3.8.2.6 How to Set Options for Syntax Highlighting in the Source Editor

You can control the colors and font style used by the source editor.

To set the options for syntax highlighting in the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog

  2. In the Preferences dialog, expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the Syntax Colors node.

  4. On the Syntax Colors page, begin by selecting the appropriate category for the syntax you wish to work with.

    The display on the page changes to reflect the current settings for the first style listed in this category, which is highlighted.

  5. With the category displayed above, select any individual style in the Available Styles list to view its current settings.

  6. Select a font style and set the background and foreground color as desired. The sample text changes accordingly.

  7. Click OK.

3.8.2.7 How to Set Bookmark Options for the Source Editor

You can specify the persistence and search behavior of bookmarks you create in JDeveloper.

To set bookmark options for the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the Bookmarks node.

  4. On the Bookmarks page, decide how you wish to handle bookmarks once you've exited the editor or Oracle JDeveloper, how you wish to traverse bookmarks, and how you wish to handle bookmarks at the end of files for lines that may no longer exist.

  5. Click OK.

3.8.3 How to Customize Code Templates for the Source Editor

Code templates assist you in writing code more quickly and efficiently while you are in the source editor. You can edit the existing templates or create your own.

To view existing code templates:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences, expand the Code Editor node, and select Code Templates. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within Preferences dialog.

  2. On the Code Templates page, scroll through the shortcuts, which represent the letters you must type to evoke each template.

  3. Click on any shortcut to view the associated template code on the Code tab. If there are any imports associated with this template, they will be shown on the Imports tab.

To edit an existing code template:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences, expand the Code Editor node, and select Code Templates.

  2. On the Code Templates page, make changes to the shortcut, the description, the code (including the variables used in it), and the imports, as required.

  3. When you are finished, click OK.

To define a new code template:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences, expand the Code Editor node, and select Code Templates.

  2. On the Code Templates page, click Add. The cursor jumps to the bottom of the Shortcut list and a new row is added.

  3. Type in the name for the new shortcut and add a description in the list next to it.

  4. Select the Code tab and enter the code for this template. Note that cursor position is a part of the template, representing the logical insertion point for new code to be entered when the template is used. Select the Imports tab and enter any imports associated with this template.

  5. Click OK.

To customize the HTML and JSP options for the source editor:

  1. Choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within Preferences dialog.

  2. Expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the XML and JSP/HTML node.

  4. On the XML and JSP/HTML page, select End Tag Completion to enable that option.

  5. Click OK.

To set undo behavior for the source editor:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences. For more information at any time, press F1 or click Help from within the Preferences dialog.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, expand the Code Editor node.

  3. Select the Undo Behavior node.

  4. On the Undo Behavior page, use the slider bar to set the number of actions of the same type to be combined into one undo.

  5. Select or deselect the options for combining insert-mode and overwrite-mode edits and for combining the deletion of next and previous characters.

  6. If you wish to be able to undo navigation-only changes, select the appropriate checkbox. If you enable this setting, use the slide bar to set the number of navigation changes to be combined into one undo.

  7. Click OK.

3.8.4 How to Manage Source Files in the Editor Window

Oracle JDeveloper possesses several capabilities for easier handling of files in the editor window.

3.8.4.1 How to Change the View of a File

You can open a file to fill the maximum view available in JDeveloper. This is done by maximizing the source editor to fill JDeveloper

The same technique of double-clicking a tab can be used for any of the other windows in JDeveloper, for example, the Help Center, or the Applications window.

To maximize the view of a file:

  • In the source editor, double-click the tab of the file. The source editor becomes the only window visible in JDeveloper, with the file you have chosen currently displayed in it.

To reduce the view of a file to its former size

  • Double-click the tab of the file again. The windows within Oracle JDeveloper return to their former layout.

3.8.4.2 How to Navigate Between Open Files in the Editor Window

You can navigate through files visually (cycling through by tab), historically (cycling through by order of access), or numerically (cycling through based on file shortcut key assignment).

To navigate through open files by tab:

  • Press Alt+Left Arrow or Alt+Right Arrow. Use Alt+Left Arrow to navigate to the left, and Alt+Right Arrow to navigate to the right.

To navigate through open files based on history:

  • Press Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+Shift+Tab

    Use Ctrl+Tab to open the last active file. Note that opening a file renders it the currently active file, such that the previously active file now becomes the last file to have been active.

    For example, given files A, B, and C (opened in the order C, B, A), where file A currently has focus, pressing Ctrl+Tab brings B to the foreground. Now B is the file with focus and A is the last active file. Pressing Ctrl+Tab again thus brings A back to the foreground.

  • Press Ctrl+Tab+Tab+Tab to cycle through files by order of access without stopping. Only when you stop on a file is that file given focus. Stopping on a file is equivalent to using Ctrl+Tab on that file.

3.8.4.3 How to Display the List of All Currently Open Files

You can display all the files currently open in the editor window, or all the files currently open in a particular tab group.

To display the alphabetical list of all the files currently open in a given tab group:

Click the File List button in the upper right-hand corner of the editor window. Alternately, with the focus in the editor window, press (in the default keyboard scheme) Alt+0.

If the editor window is not subdivided, the list will contain all open files. If the editor window is subdivided, the list will contain all the open files in that tab group.

To display the alphabetical list of all the files (documents) currently open in the editor window, regardless of split or detached files:

  • From the main menu, choose Window > Documents.

To switch focus to a file (document) currently open in the editor window:

  • From the main menu, choose Window > Documents. Select a document and click Switch to Document.

3.8.4.4 How to Access a Recently Opened File

Oracle JDeveloper remembers the last files you have edited.

To access a recently-edited file:

  1. From the main menu, choose Navigate > Go to Recent Files or (in the default keyboard scheme) press Ctrl+ =.

  2. In the Recent Files dialog, select the file from the list or begin typing the first letters of the filename.

  3. Click OK.

By default, only those files opened directly (through the Applications window, for instance) appear in the list. Those opened indirectly (for example, as you debug code) do not automatically appear. To view files opened both directly and indirectly, select Show All.

3.8.4.5 How to Manage Multiple Editors for a File

You can split the editor window horizontally or vertically, opening a single file in multiple views. In each view, you've the choice of changing which editor the file is opened in.

You can split a file into as many views as you like. The split views are automatically synchronized with each other.

To open a single file in multiple views:

  1. Right-click the file title and choose Split Horizontally or Split Vertically.

    The editor window is now split into two identical and independent windows opened on the same file. Each window has its own set of editor tabs at the bottom.

  2. In each window, select the editor tab to view the file in that editor.

    Note that some editors (such as the Java Visual Editor) permit only one view at a time on a file.

Alternately, you can split the file using the mouse, either horizontally or vertically.

To split the file horizontally, grab the splitter just above the vertical scroll bar (on the upper right-hand side of the window) and drag it downward.

To split the file vertically, grab the splitter just to the right of the horizontal scroll bar (on the lower right-hand side of the window) and drag it left.

To navigate quickly between split views:

  • Press F6 to cycle forward.

  • Press Shift+F6 to cycle backward.

To collapse those multiple views back into one:

  • Right-click the file title and choose Unsplit.

Alternately, you can drag the splitter past the end of the editor window.

3.8.4.6 How to Work With Multiple Files

You can split the editor window horizontally or vertically, opening views on more than one file at a time. Each view is independent of the others

You can split the editor window into as many different independent views as you would like.

To view more than one file at a time, in independent windows:

  • Right-click a tab in the editor and choose New Document Tab Group.

    The editor window is now split in two, with different files in each window. Each window has a set of document tabs at the top and a set of editor tabs at the bottom. Each window is known as a tab group.

    You can create as many tab groups as you like.

Alternately, you can detach a file using the mouse, by grabbing the document tab for the file and dragging it towards the area of the window where you want the file displayed.

As you drag the tab, the icon that follows the cursor changes. A split window with an arrow to the left, right, top, or bottom indicates that if you release the mouse now, the new window will be placed in that relationship to the current window.

To move a file to a different tab group:

  1. Drag the document tab for the file to the center of the area occupied by the tab group you wish to attach it to.

  2. When the icon that follows the cursor changes to show a miniature window with tabs, release the mouse.

To collapse multiple views back into one:

  • Right-click a tab in the editor and choose Collapse Document Tab Group.

Alternately, you can simply grab the document tab for a detached file and drop it onto an existing tab or tab group. When the icon changes to show a miniature window with tabs, release the mouse.

3.8.4.7 How to Quickly Close Files in the Editor Window

You can close any file open in the editor window with a single click.

To close the current file, choose one of the following ways:

  • From the main menu, choose File > Close.

  • Press Ctrl+F4.

  • In the editor, right-click the tab for the current file and choose Close.

  • Hover the mouse over the tab for the current file and click the Close button.

To close all files, choose one of the following ways:

  • From the main menu, choose File > Close All.

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+F4.

  • In the editor, right-click the tab for any file and choose Close All.

To close all files except one:

  • In the editor, right-click the tab for the file you want to stay open and choose Close Others.

To close multiple files at once:

  1. From the main menu, choose Window > Documents.

  2. In the Documents dialog, select the files to be closed and click Close Document(s).

To selectively close files:

  1. In the editor, select the corresponding tab for the file to be closed.

  2. Ctrl+click the tab, or hover the mouse over the tab and click the Close button.

3.8.5 Working with Mouseover Popups

Mouseover Popups enable you to position the mouse cursor over certain areas of the IDE and get some information on them in a popup window that appears floating in front. Information is available on the following:

  • Javadoc

  • Source code

  • Data values while debugging

  • Breakpoints

The popup window appears when you move the mouse over and optionally press the key that you assign for the feature. The following are some of the areas of the IDE that mouseover popups are available for:

  • Structure window

  • Text in an editor

Smart-Popup

The Smart-Popup feature shows the most appropriate popup for a given situation, depending on the order of popups specified in the Mouseover Popups page of the Preferences dialog. Smart-Popup is activated by a keystroke which you can specify on the Mouseover Popups page of the Preferences Dialog.

For example, you may have the following popup configuration (set using the Mouseover Popups page of the Preferences dialog)

  • Smart-Popup is enabled and configured on the Control key.

  • The Data Values, Documentation, and Source popups all have Smart-Popup enabled and are ordered in the following way: Data Values, Documentation, Source Code in the Mouseover Popups table.

With this configuration, if you hover the mouse over a variable in the source editor and press Control, then:

  • The Data Values popup is considered first. If you are debugging and the mouse hovers over a variable with a value, the Data Value popup is displayed.

  • If no popup is displayed for the previous step, then the Documentation popup is considered next. If the variable has any documentation, it is displayed in a popup window.

  • If no popup is displayed for the previous step, then the Source popup is considered next, and the source code for the variable (if available) is displayed in a popup window.

With Smart-Popup, you only need to use the Smart-Popup activation keystroke for the IDE to display the most appropriate popup

Note:

Even with Smart-Popup enabled, the individual popups for Data Values, Documentation, and Source Code can still be activated by their respective activation keys.

3.8.6 How to Locate a Source Node in a Window such as the Applications Window, Databases Window, Applications Server Window

You can quickly locate the source node in the Applications window for any file opened for editing, whether or not that node is in the current project.

To locate the node for any file opened in the editor:

  1. Make sure that the focus in the editor is on the file you wish to locate.

  2. From the context menu, choose Select in Applications Window.

3.8.7 How to Set Bookmarks in Source Files

You can use bookmarks in your source files to help you quickly locate relevant code. You can use the Bookmarks Window to navigate to bookmarked material.

To set or remove a bookmark in a source file:

  1. Within the file, place the cursor in the gutter of the line you would like bookmarked.

  2. Right-click and choose Toggle Bookmark.

3.8.8 How to Edit Source Files

Oracle JDeveloper provides several features for editing source files.

3.8.8.1 How to Open Source Files in the Source Editor

JDeveloper provides a powerful source editor that will help you write different kinds of code quickly and efficiently.

You can set preferences for the specific editor for each file type.

To open your source code in its default editor:

  • In the Applications window, double-click the file or right-click and choose Open.

    The default editor associated with that file type appears in the content area. If the editor is already open on that file, the editor comes to the foreground.

To open your source code in a specific editor or viewer:

  1. In the Applications window, double-click the file or right-click and choose Open.

  2. In the editor window, select the appropriate editor tab.

Changes made in the source will be immediately reflected in other views of that file.

You can also generate Java source code from modeled Java classes.

3.8.8.2 How to Edit Source Code with an External Editor

It is possible to edit source code that you have opened in JDeveloper with an outside editor, should you wish to do so. When you return to the JDeveloper IDE, it will detect the changes you have made.

Before you edit a file externally, you should first save any changes made in JDeveloper. If you do not, when you return to JDeveloper, you will be asked whether to reload those files or not. If you reload the externally modified files, you will lose the unsaved changes made in JDeveloper. If you do not reload them, you will lose the changes made outside JDeveloper once you save the file in JDeveloper.

To edit source code with an external editor, with the file open in JDeveloper:

  1. Save any changes made to the file open in JDeveloper.

  2. Edit your file externally and save your changes to the disk.

  3. Return to JDeveloper and to the file open in the source editor.

    By default, the file is reloaded in JDeveloper without a confirmation beforehand. To receive a confirmation dialog, deselect the Silently Reload When File Is Unmodified option on the Environment page of the Preferences dialog.

Note:

You can also format Java code from the command line by invoking ojformat.exe, which is included in your JDeveloper installation.

3.8.8.3 How to Insert a Code Snippet from the Components Window into Source Files

Once you have added code snippets to the Components window, you can add them to files open in the editor.

Alternatively, you can use code templates to assist you in writing code more quickly and efficiently while you are in the source editor.

To insert a code snippet from the Components Window into a source file:

  1. Open the file in the source editor.

  2. If the Components window is not visible, open it by choosing Window > Components.

  3. In the Components window dropdown list, select Code Snippets or the snippets page you have defined.

    The snippets defined for that page appear listed to the right. Toggle between list and icon views by right-clicking and choosing the view you want from the context menu.

  4. Position your cursor in the file at the point where the snippet is to be inserted.

  5. In the Components window, click the snippet name or icon.

The code snippet appears in the file.

3.8.8.4 How to Record and Play Back Macros in Source Files

You can record, and play back, keystroke sequences in files open in the source editor.

To define shortcut keys for recording and playing back:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Shortcut Keys node.

  3. On the Shortcut Keys page, in the Search field, enter Macro Toggle Recording.

  4. You will see the Macro Toggle Recording action selected under Available Commands.

  5. To assign a shortcut, place focus in the New Shortcut field, and enter a shortcut by pressing the key combination on the keyboard.

    If this proposed shortcut already has an command associated with it, that command will appear in the Conflicts field.

  6. To assign the shortcut you have specified, click Assign.

  7. Now, in the Search field, enter Macro Playback.

  8. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to assign a shortcut for playing back the macro.

  9. Click OK.

To record a macro:

  1. Open the source file in an editor.

  2. To begin recording, press the key combination you have defined for recording macros.

  3. Now enter the keystroke sequence you wish to record.

  4. To end recording, again press the key combination you have defined for recording macros.

To play back a macro:

  1. Open the source file in an editor.

  2. Position your cursor in the open file.

  3. Press the key combination you have defined for playing back macros.

3.8.8.5 How to Create Tasks

You can create tasks that are directly related to lines in files of source code, or tasks that are associated with applications, projects or general files. Oracle JDeveloper comes with the tags TODO, TASK, and FIXME preconfigured, and you can add your own task tags in the Tasks page of the Preferences dialog.

To add your own task tags:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > Preferences.

  2. In the Preferences dialog, select the Tasks node.

  3. On the Tasks page, alter the source tags to suit your requirements.

    For more information, press F1 or click Help from within the dialog page.

  4. Click OK.

To create a task associated with a comment line in source code:

  1. Within the source code file, create a comment line starting with // and one of the task tags, for example //TODO.

  2. Continue to type the comment, which will at the same time appear as an item in the Issues window.

3.8.9 How to Compare Source Files

You can compare source files either belonging to the same project, or outside.

To compare a file currently being edited with its saved version:

  1. Place the focus on the current version open in the editor.

  2. Select the History tab in the editor window.

The saved file opens side by side with the file in the editor buffer.

To compare one file with any other file on the disk:

  1. Place the focus on the current version open in the editor.

  2. From the main menu, choose File > Compare With > File on Disk.

The two files open side by side, under a tab labeled Compare.

To compare one file with another file outside the project:

  1. Place the focus on the file in the editor to be compared.

  2. From the main menu, choose File > Compare With > Other File.

  3. In the Select File to Compare With dialog, navigate to the file and click Open.

The two files open side by side, under a tab labeled Compare.

To compare any two files within the same project:

  1. In the Applications window, select the two files to be compared.

  2. From the main menu, choose File > Compare With > Each Other.

The two files open side by side, under a tab labeled Compare.

3.8.10 How to Revert to the Last Saved Version of a File

While you are in the process of making changes to a file, at any time you can revert to the last saved version of the file.

To revert to the last saved version of a file:

  1. While the changed file has focus in the editor, from the main menu choose File > Replace With > File On Disk.

  2. In the Confirm Replace dialog, click Yes.

Any changes you have made since the last save are now undone.

3.8.11 How to Search Source Files

Oracle JDeveloper provides a powerful source editor that will help you write different kinds of code quickly and efficiently.

3.8.11.1 How to Search For Replace Text in an Open Source File

You can search for text with the option of replacing it across your source file.

To search a source file currently open in the source editor, with the option to replace text:

  1. With the file open in the editor, ensure that the editor has focus.

  2. Optionally, if an instance of the text you want to search for is easily found, you can highlight it now.

  3. From the main menu, choose Search > Find. Alternatively, press Ctrl+F.

  4. In the Find Text Dialog, enter or select the text to locate.

    Text previously searched for in this session of JDeveloper appears in the Text to Search For dropdown list.

  5. Select other search parameters accordingly.

    For more information, press F1 or click Help from within the dialog.

  6. Click OK.

3.8.11.2 How to Search for a Single Text String

You can search for a single text string in your source file.

To do a simple search in the open source file for a single text string:

  1. With the file open in the editor, ensure that the editor has focus.

  2. Place the cursor in the file at the point you wish to search from.

  3. From the main menu, choose Search > Incremental Find Forward or Search > Incremental Find Backwards.

  4. In the dialog, enter the search text.

    As you type, the cursor jumps to the next instance of the group of letters displayed.

3.8.11.3 How to Search All Files in a Project or Application

Alternatively, enter the text string in the search box. As you type, the cursor jumps to the next instance of the group of letters displayed. Use the Previous or Next buttons to search up and down the file. Click in the search box to set Match Case, Whole Word, or Highlight Occurrences.

To search all files in a project or an application:

  1. From the main menu, choose Search > Find in Files.

  2. In the Find in Files dialog, enter or select the text to locate.

    Text previously searched for in this session of Oracle JDeveloper appears in the Search Text dropdown list. By default, if you opened this dialog with text selected in the source editor, that text appears as the first entry.

  3. If you want to choose the file types that are included in the search, click the File Types button to open the File Types To Include dialog. By default, all file types will be searched.

  4. Select other search parameters as required.

    For more information, press F1 or click Help from within the dialog.

  5. Click OK.

3.8.12 How to Print Source Files

Oracle JDeveloper enables you to print source files.

To print a source file:

  1. Display the file to be printed in an editor, or select its filename in the Applications window.

  2. From the main menu, choose File > Print. Alternatively, to preview printed output, select File > Print Preview.

  3. In the Print dialog, select your print options.

  4. Click OK.

3.8.13 Reference: Regular Search Expressions

Regular expressions are characters that customize a search string through pattern matching. You can match a string against a pattern or extract parts of the match.

JDeveloper uses the standard Sun regular expressions package, java.util.regex. For more information, see "Regular Expressions and the Java Programming Language" at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/essential/regex/.

3.9 Working with Extensions

Extensions are components that are loaded and integrated with JDeveloper after it is started. Extensions can access the IDE and perform many useful tasks. In fact, much of JDeveloper itself is composed of extensions. Most of the basic functionality in JDeveloper is implemented as extensions—software packages which add features and capabilities to the basic JDeveloper IDE. You can add existing extensions into JDeveloper, or create your own.

This section contains information on finding, installing, and enabling or disabling JDeveloper extensions. The simplest way to find and download JDeveloper extensions is through the Check for Updates wizard.

If you need additional capabilities from the IDE (such as integration with a version control system or a special editor or debugger), you can add external tools to JDeveloper. See Section 3.12, "Adding External Tools to JDeveloper" for more information. In addition, you can obtain additional extension development tools and functionality in the Extension Software Development Kit (SDK). You can download the Extension SDK via the Check for Updates wizard.

You can also download the Extension SDK from the Oracle Technology Network Web page.

Note:

Any time an extension is added or upgraded, the migration dialog appears at startup in case you need to migrate any previous settings related to that extension.

3.9.1 How to Install Extensions with Check for Updates

The easiest way to find and install extensions is to use the Check for Updates wizard.

To install extensions using the Check for Updates wizard:

  1. From the Help menu, select Check for Updates.

  2. Follow the steps in the wizard to browse, download, and install patches and extensions.

You can also access the Check for Updates wizard from the Tools > Features page.

3.9.2 How to Install Extensions from the Provider's Web Site

Some extension providers prefer to have you install directly from their Web site, so that among other things they can contact you when there are updates to the extension. In this case, the Check for Updates wizard will inform you of the provider's preference, and will then open your default Web browser so that you can conduct the download and installation from the provider's Web site.

To download and install from the provider's Web site:

  • Follow the instructions on the provider's Web site for downloading and installing the extension. Be sure to note any comments or instructions on registration, configuration, or other setup requirements.

3.9.3 How to Install Extensions Directly from OTN

You can find and download extensions from the JDeveloper Extensions Exchange website on OTN. The page is located here:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/jdev/index-099997.html

The available extensions include:

  • JUnit Extension, an extension you can use to create and run test cases, test suites, and test fixtures, using JUnit.

  • SQL*Plus Extension, an extension that enables you to load or execute SQL*Plus scripts from within JDeveloper.

  • Oracle Business Intelligence Beans, a set of standards-based JavaBeans™ that enables developers to build business intelligence applications.

  • Other extensions to JDeveloper contributed by the JDeveloper community.

To install extensions after you have downloaded them from OTN:

  • For extensions created for the current release, see the Developing Extensions for Oracle JDeveloper.

  • For extensions created for earlier releases, see: "Extension Packaging and Deployment For Previous Versions of JDeveloper" in the Extension SDK. Extensions were packaged differently and placed in a different location in earlier releases.

3.9.4 How to Install Extensions Using the JDeveloper dropins Directory

JDeveloper supports the concept of a "watched directory". A watched directory is a location where a user or script can drop files and have them discovered by JDeveloper automatically the next time it starts.

To install an extension using the dropins directory:

  • Drop your extension jar in the JDeveloper dropins directory, which is located in the jdeveloper/dropins folder.

  • Additional dropins directories can be specified via the ide.bundle.search.path property, either at the command line or by adding an entry in the jdev.conf file.

3.10 Using the Online Help

You can access the JDeveloper online help through the Help Center. This section describes how you can effectively use the features of the Help Center.

The JDeveloper Help Center comprises two windows: the help window and the help topic viewer.

The following types of content are available:

  • Conceptual and procedural information, which is available in this guide.

  • Context sensitive online help topics, which open when you press F1 or click Help in a dialog or wizard, or click the help icon in a wizard.

  • Developer guides, which provide end-to-end information for developing applications with specific technologies.

  • Tutorials, which provide introductions to many JDeveloper application scenarios.

From the Help Center, you can also access additional documentation on Oracle Technology Network (OTN).

The Help Center search feature lets you search the installed documentation, the documentation available from OTN, and the Fusion Middleware Documentation Library.

You can also customize the way you view content.

3.10.1 Using the Help Center

The Help Center enables you to browse the table of contents, locate relevant topics in the Contents list, and do a full text search of installed and online content. It also provides a Favorites list for saving links to frequently referenced topics. The Help Center comprises two windows: the window that displays either Contents or Favorites and the help topic viewer. You can customize some aspects of these windows.

The following table describes the features available in the Help Center toolbar.

Table 3-27 Help Center Toolbar Icons

Icon Name Description
Keep Help Center on Top

Keep Help Center on Top (Alt+K)

Keeps the Help Center on top of all other open windows.
Navigators

Windows

Choose to display either the Contents list or the Favorites list.
JDeveloper Forum

JDeveloper Forum

Launches an external browser instance and visits the JDeveloper Forum on Oracle Technology Network (OTN).
Search OLH

Search

Searches all the documentation installed as online help, Oracle Technology Network (OTN) and the Fusion Middleware and Database Libraries.

The Help Center includes tabs for navigating content on the left:

  • Contents - Displays the table of contents for all installed content in the help system, including traditional online help, tutorials, developer guides, and the user guide.

  • Favorites - Displays folders of user defined help topics and external links you have saved for quick retrieval.

The Help Center includes the following tabs for viewing content and search results on the right:

  • Help content viewers - Display the selected online help and developer guide contents. Multiple tabbed pages open for selected content.

  • Search results - Displays the results of the full text search.

3.10.2 How to Open the Online Help

The JDeveloper Help Center comprises two windows: the help window and the help topic viewer.

To open the online help, use any of these methods:

  • Press F1, click Help, or click the Help icon at any time to display context-sensitive help.

  • From the main menu, choose Help > Search.

  • From the main menu, choose Help > Table of Contents.

  • From the main menu, choose Help > Help Favorites.

  • From the Start page, choose any link with a tutorial, book or help topic icon.

To see a help page that is already open:

  • Select a tab at the top of the help topic window.

  • Click the scroll buttons at the top of the help topic window to scroll through all available tabs and select a tab.

  • Click the Tab List button at the top of the help topic window to display the list of all available pages and select a page.

3.10.3 How to Search the Documentation

You can search all the documentation installed as online help by doing a full-text search, and you can also search Oracle Technology Network (OTN) and the Fusion Middleware and Database Online Documentation Libraries. You can search an individual help topic that is open by using the Find icon in the topic viewer toolbar.

To do a full-text search from the Help Center:

  1. If the Help Center is not open, from the main menu, choose Help > Search.

  2. In the Search field, enter the word or phrase you are searching for.

  3. Optionally, open search options Search Options and select the locations you want to search. By default, Local Documentation and the Fusion Middleware library are selected.

  4. Set the other search options as needed; these apply only to the online help search.

  5. Click start search Start search or press Enter.

    The Search Results page opens in the help viewer area, with the titles and sources of each matching document, as well as the beginning text.

  6. To select a topic, double-click its title.

    Each help topic opens in a separate tabbed page. The Search Results page remains available. Each OTN and Documentation Library page opens in your default browser.

Using the Boolean Expressions option:

BooleanExpression is a recursive tree structure for expressing search criteria involving boolean expressions. The BooleanExpression is based on the following grammar:

BooleanExpression ::
     BooleanExpression AND BooleanExpression
     BooleanExpression OR  BooleanExpression
     BooleanExpression NOT BooleanExpression
     BooleanExpression + BooleanExpression
     BooleanExpression -  BooleanExpression
     + BooleanExpression
     - BooleanExpression
     NOT BooleanExpression
     StringExpression (base case)

To begin a documentation search from the main toolbar Search field:

  1. In the Search field, enter the word or phrase you are searching for.

  2. Open the Search Options menu and select only the documentation: Help: Local, Help: OTN, Help: iLibrary. Deselect other locations.

    By default, all locations are selected.

  3. Click the Go icon or press Enter.

    The Help Center opens with the Search Results page on the right, showing the titles and sources of each matching document, as well as the beginning text.

3.10.4 How to Add Bookmarks to the Favorites Page

You can save links to frequently referenced help topics, stored in folders you create and name, on the Favorites page in the Help Center. The help topic must be open in the help topic viewer, in order to bookmark it. You can also add links to external sites.

To add links to help topics to the Favorites page:

  1. Click the Add to Favorites icon in the help topic viewer toolbar.

    The Add to Favorites dialog is displayed.

  2. Select the folder to which you want to add the link and click OK.

To add links to external sites to the Favorites page:

  1. Click the Add External Favorites icon in the Favorites page toolbar, or right-click a node on the Favorites page and choose Add External Favorites from the context menu.

    The Add External Favorites dialog is displayed.

  2. Enter a title for the page or document in the Name field.

  3. Enter the fully qualified path in the URL field.

  4. Select the folder to which you want to add the link and click OK.

To create a new Favorites folder:

  1. Click the New Folder icon in the Favorites page toolbar, or right-click a node on the Favorites page and choose New Folder from the context menu.

  2. Enter the new folder name and click OK.

You can also create a new folder when the Add to Favorites dialog is open, by clicking New Folder.

To rename a Favorites folder:

  1. Right-click a folder on the Favorites page and choose Rename from the context menu.

  2. Enter the new folder name and click OK.

You can also rename a folder when the Add to Favorites dialog is open, by clicking Rename.

To delete a Favorites folder or link:

  • Click the Delete icon in the Favorites page toolbar, or right-click a node on the Favorites page and choose Delete from the context menu.

You can also delete a folder when the Add to Favorites dialog is open, by selecting the node and clicking Delete.

3.10.5 How to Customize the Online Help Display

You can customize some features of the Help Center window through the toolbars and context menu.

Use the Keep on Top icon to keep the Help Center in front of all open windows, including JDeveloper.

You can select the following types of help that you want to display from the Windows drop down in the Help Center toolbar:

  • Contents - Displays the table of contents for all installed online help topics and books.

  • Favorites - Displays folders of user defined links for quick access to installed and external documentation.

Use the Change Font Size options in help topic viewer toolbar to increase or decrease the font size incrementally.

3.10.6 How to Open and Close Multiple Help Topics

When you navigate through topics in the help system, the topics open in new tabbed pages.

To see a help page that is already open, use one of the following ways:

  • Select a tab at the top of the help topic window.

  • Click the scroll buttons above the help topic viewer to scroll through all available tabs and select a tab.

  • Click file list File List button above the help topic viewer to display the list of all available pages and select a page.

When you open topics by clicking links within topics, the topics open within the same viewer. To cycle through those topics, click Forward or Back icons in the help topic viewer toolbar. Note that you cannot navigate forward or back between different types of help viewer tabs; for example, the search results and help topic tabs. Use the scroll buttons instead.

To close one or more pages open in the help topic viewer:

  • Right-click in the help topic viewer tab and choose from options on the context menu.

    You can close the page in front, all the pages, or all the pages except the page in front.

3.10.7 How to Print Help Topics

You can print help topics individually or by section.

To print an individual help topic:

  1. Open a help topic in the help topic viewer.

  2. In the help topic viewer toolbar, click the Print icon.

To print a topic grouping:

  1. Click the Contents tab in the Help Center.

  2. In the table of contents tree, select a topic folder.

  3. Right-click and choose Print Topic Subtree.

The container topic and its children are printed. Topics listed as links are not printed.

3.11 Common Development Tools

This section provides an introduction to fundamental JDeveloper IDE functionality and concepts.

3.11.1 Application Overview

Use the Application Overview pages to guide you as you build a Fusion Web application, and to create files and objects and view the status of them.

3.11.1.1 Checklist

The Application Overview Checklist steps you through the building of a Fusion Web application, according to Oracle recommended best practices. The Checklist is displayed by default when a Fusion Web application is created, as part of the Application Overview pages.

The checklist optionally walks you through the entire process of configuring and building your application, with links to specific dialogs and wizards. Each step is also designed to teach you about the architecture, tools and resulting files using a combination of links to step-by-step instructions, relevant sections of the Developer's Guides, and descriptions of what happens in the IDE as a consequence of doing the work in a step.

Unlike a wizard, the Checklist itself is intended to provide a linear, but ultimately flexible and lightweight guide. You can follow the prescribed path in exact sequence, or explore tasks in a different preferred order. When using the Checklist, it suggests a best way to accomplish your goals, but you are not restricted by it. You can also close the Application Overview and work directly in the IDE, or work in both the IDE and Checklist interchangeably.

To use the Checklist:

  • Expand a step and read the prerequisites and assumptions.

    Checklist Step 1: Expand a step

  • Optionally click any of the documentation links.

    Documentation links

  • Click the button that takes you to the relevant area of the IDE.

    Launch a dialog

  • Use the status indicator dropdown to change the status as you work through tasks.

    Status drop down

3.11.1.2 File Summary Pages

All files and artifacts that you create within JDeveloper appear in the Application Overview file summary pages, organized by object type. You can create new files and artifacts, and view them filtered by status and project. The following table describes the types of file summary pages.

Table 3-28 File Summary Pages

Page Function

Status

Displays information about the object types available, using these status icons:

  • Error

  • Warning

  • Incomplete

  • Advisory

  • Ok

  • Unchecked

File

Displays the names of the objects. You can sort the objects in ascending or descending order by clicking the Sort icon in any of the column headings.

Project

Displays the project in which the file or object is located.

File Summary Pages Toolbar

The following table describes the icons in the File Summary Pages toolbar and their functions.

Table 3-29 Icons in the File Summary Pages Toolbar

Icon Name Function
new object

New

Creates new objects of the types listed, in the selected project. The context menu lists the files and objects associated with the technology that can be created in each project.
edit object

Edit

Opens the selected file or object in its default editor.
detele object

Delete

Removes the selected file or object.
filter status or project

Filter Status or Project

Displays the list of all files of a particular status by selecting the status, as described above. By default, Show All is selected.

If there is more than one project within the current application, use this list to select which project or projects you wish to be included in the file summary pages. You can choose:

  • all projects

  • a specific project from those available in the application

3.11.2 File List

Use the File List to search for and work on objects that you have created within an application.

3.11.2.1 File List Tab Header

The following table describes the options available in the file list tab header.

Table 3-30 File List Tab Header Options

Option Function

Look in

If you have more than one project within the current application, use this list to select which project or projects will be searched for objects. The list includes all projects in the current application, plus options to show all projects and a selection of projects (multiple projects). You can choose:

  • a specific project from those available in the application

  • All Projects

  • Multiple Projects, which opens the Select Projects dialog where you choose the projects from those available in the application.

Saved Searches

Initially contains <New Search>. After you have saved at least one search, also lists all saved searches. Selecting a saved search will display the search criteria for that search. The search results will show the results of the most recent search, even as you change between saved searches. To obtain new search results, click the Search button. Saving a search is one of the actions available from the More Actions button.

Show History

Opens the Recent Searches dialog, through which you can return to a recent search. The search criteria of the selected search is shown, while the search results remain as they were for the most recent search. To obtain new search results, click the Search button.

3.11.2.2 Search Criteria Area

The following table describes the features available in the search criteria area.

Table 3-31 Features in the Search Criteria Area

Option Function

Search criteria input line(s)

Initially contains a single input line for search criteria. You can add further lines by clicking the Add icon at the end of the line. You can remove lines by clicking the Delete icon at the end of the line that you want to remove. By default, the first field in the line contains File Name: you can change this to File Extension, Date Modified, Status, or Category. The second field contains the options available for extending the entry in the first field. The third field contains a list of all object types that can be searched for.

Match options

Choose between Match All and Match Any to determine the scope of the search.

Search

Click to begin a search based on the search criteria currently shown.

More Actions

Click to reveal the following menu of options for use with named searches:

  • Save - Saves the current search criteria with the name currently in the Saved Searches box (even if the name is <New Search>).

  • Save As - Opens the Save As dialog, through which you can save the current search criteria as a new named search.

  • Restore - Restores a deleted named search if used immediately after the Clear option on this menu has been used.

  • Clear - Clears the search criteria for this named search. You can restore the criteria to this named search by immediately selecting the Restore option on this menu.

  • Delete - After confirmation, deletes the current named search.

3.11.2.3 Search Results Table

The following table describes the options available in the Search Results table.

Table 3-32 Options Available in the Search Results Table

Option Function

Results summary

Shows the number of files that match the search criteria, and the date and time that the search was completed.

Refresh

Reruns the search with the current search criteria.

Customize table

Opens a menu from which you can choose the columns that will be displayed in the results table. Also contains a Select Columns option, which opens the Customize Table dialog, through which you can choose which columns to display and the order in which they are displayed in the results table. The columns that are shown by default are Status, File, Project, and Date Modified, in that order. Other columns that you can choose to show are Application and Category.

Table headings

You can change the order of the columns by grabbing a table heading and moving it horizontally. You can change whether objects are shown in ascending or descending order within the columns by clicking a heading to give it focus, then clicking again to change the sort order. The sort icon (or) in the table heading will change as appropriate.

Objects list

Lists all the objects returned by the search. You can initiate actions for an object by selecting the name, right-clicking, and selecting from the context menu.

3.11.3 Compare Window

The Compare Window allows you to view the differences between two files or two directories.

You might want to do this when deciding whether to check in a particular file to a source control system, especially if doing so will overwrite a file whose contents you are unfamiliar with. The Compare Window is integrated with the Application Overview and the Applications window, and with the Subversion source control system.

3.11.3.1 Toolbar

The following table describes the icons in the Compare Window toolbar and their functions.

Table 3-33 Compare Window Toolbar Icons

Icon Name Function
go to first difference

Go to First Difference

Click to move the cursor to the first difference.
go to previous difference

Go to Previous Difference

Click to move the cursor to the previous difference.
go to next difference

Go to Next Difference

Click to move the cursor to the next difference.
go to last difference

Go to Last Difference

Click to move the cursor to the last difference.
generate patch

Generate Patch

Click to open the Generate Patch dialog, where you can generate a patch containing changes that have been made to the files.

3.11.3.2 Source and Target Areas

The title bar of each area identifies the file that contains the differences. The versions are aligned line by line. Lines with differences are highlighted using shaded boxes, joined as appropriate.

3.11.4 Applications window

The Applications window allows you to manage the contents and associated resources of an application.

3.11.4.1 Applications window Toolbar

This section describes the features available from the Applications window toolbar.

Main dropdown list

Use the main dropdown list, displayed in the figure below, to create a new application, open an existing application, or choose from the list of open applications. Use the context menu to choose from the list of application level actions available.

application navigator drop down

Application menu

Use the application menu, displayed in the figure below, to choose from a list of actions available.

application menu

The following table describes the options available from the Application Menu.

Table 3-34 Application Menu Options

Menu Option Function

New Project

Opens the New Gallery ready for you to select the type of project to create.

New (Ctrl+N)

Opens the New Gallery. Only those items available to be created from an application are available

Open Project

Opens the Open Project dialog, where you navigate to a project that you want to open in this application.

Close Application

Closes the current application.

Delete Application

Deletes the application control file (.jws) from disk.

Rename Application

Opens the Rename dialog where you can change the name of the current application.

Find Application Files

Opens the File List, where you can search for specific files.

Show Overview

Opens the Application Overview which is the home for all files you can create in this application.

Filter Application

Opens the Manage Working Sets dialog where you can specify the files to include or exclude from being listed in the Applications window.

Secure

Secures your application resources.

Deploy

Allows you to choose from the deployment profiles defined for the application.

Refactor

Allows you to choose from the refactoring options available for the application.

Compare With

Allows you to choose from the comparing options available for the application.

Application Properties

Opens the Application Properties dialog where you can set various properties for the application.

3.11.4.2 Application Operations

You can several application operations from the Applications window. These include:

  • In the initial view, before any application content is shown, select the New Application link to create a new application or select the Open Application link to open an existing application.

  • Open any currently closed window, or bring a currently open window to the foreground, using Window > window-name.

  • Move, size, float, minimize, maximize, restore or close the Applications window using the context menu available by right-clicking its tab or by pressing Alt+Minus.

  • Change the application shown in the window by choosing one from the main dropdown list or, if the one you want is not shown, by choosing Open Application.

  • Create a new application by choosing New Application from the dropdown list.

  • Open the context menu for the application by right-clicking the application, or by clicking the Application Menu icon (to the right of the application name).

3.11.4.3 Projects Panel Operations

You can perform the following operations from the projects panel of the Applications window:

  • View the project properties by clicking the Project Properties icon.

  • Refresh the project contents by clicking the Refresh icon.

  • Filter the project content that you work with by selecting options from the Working Sets dropdown menu.

  • Change what is shown in the window by selecting options from the Applications Window Display Options dropdown menu.

  • Obtain a context-sensitive menu of commands for any node by right-clicking it.

  • Display the structure of an object in the Structure window by clicking the object's name.

  • Open an object in its default editor, or bring the default editor into focus, by double-clicking the object's name.

  • Rename a file using File > Rename.

  • Relocate a file using File > Save As.

  • Search for items visible in the panel by putting the focus anywhere inside it and typing a search string for the object you are looking for. (Precede with an asterisk to search for instances of names containing the search string.)

  • Close or open the panel by clicking its bar.

  • Remove the panel from view by opening its dropdown menu (panel bar, far right) and choosing Minimize. Restore it by clicking the three dots at the very bottom of the Applications window and then clicking Projects.

3.11.4.4 Application Resources Panel Operations

You can perform the following operations in the Application Resources panel:

  • Close or open the panel by clicking its bar.

  • Change the area used by the panel by grabbing its bar and moving it up or down.

  • Remove the panel from view by opening its dropdown menu (panel bar, far right) and choosing Minimize. Restore it by clicking the three dots at the very bottom of the Applications window and then clicking Application Resources.

  • Obtain a context-sensitive menu of commands for any node by right-clicking it.

  • Display the structure of an object in the Structure window by clicking its name.

  • Open an object in its default editor, or bring the default editor into focus, by double-clicking the object's name.

  • Search for items visible in the panel by putting the focus anywhere inside it and typing a search string for the object you are looking for. (Precede with an asterisk to search for instances of names containing the search string.)

3.11.4.5 Data Controls Panel Operations

You can perform the following operations in the Data Controls panel:

  • Close or open the panel by clicking its bar.

  • Change the area used by the panel by grabbing its bar and moving it up or down.

  • Remove the panel from view by opening its dropdown menu (panel bar, far right) and choosing Minimize. Restore it by clicking the three dots at the very bottom of the Applications window and then clicking Data Controls.

  • Obtain a context-sensitive menu of commands for any node by right-clicking it.

  • Edit the definition of a data control by opening its context menu and choosing Edit Definition.

  • Search for items visible in the panel by putting the focus anywhere inside it and typing a search string for the object you are looking for. (Precede with an asterisk to search for instances of names containing the search string.)

3.11.4.6 Recent Files Panel Operations

You can perform the following operations in the Recent Files panel:

  • Close or open the panel by clicking its bar.

  • Change the area used by the panel by grabbing its bar and moving it up or down.

  • Remove the panel from view by opening its dropdown menu (panel bar, far right) and choosing Minimize. Restore it by clicking the three dots at the very bottom of the Applications window and then clicking Recent Files.

  • Open an object in its default editor, or bring the default editor into focus, by double-clicking the object's name.

  • Search for items visible in the panel by putting the focus anywhere inside it and typing a search string for the object you are looking for. (Precede with an asterisk to search for instances of names containing the search string.)

3.11.5 Application Servers window

The Application Servers window allows you to manage connections to application servers. It is integrated with the Resources window.

When you create an application server connection in the Application Servers window it is available in the Resources window. Similarly, when you create an application server connection in the Resources window, it is available in the Application Servers window.

From the context menu of the Application Servers window, you can:

  • Create a new connection to an application server by choosing New Application Server from the context menu of the Application Servers node.

  • Import connections by clicking Import from the context menu of the Application Servers node.

  • Export connections by clicking Export from the context menu of the Application Servers node.

  • Edit the properties of an existing application server connection by choosing Properties from the context menu of the connection.

From the context menu of IntegratedWebLogicServer, you can:

  • Start the Integrated WebLogic Server.

  • Start the Integrated WebLogic Server in debug mode.

  • Create the Default Domain. When you first start the Application Servers window, the only node is IntegratedWebLogicServer (domain unconfigured). Before you can work with Integrated WebLogic Server, you must create a default domain. If you are creating the default domain for the first time, you must enter an administrator password for the new domain.

  • Update the Default Domain.

  • Configure a log to help diagnose problems.

  • Launch the Admin Console for:

    • Integrated WebLogic Server.

    • Oracle WebLogic Server.

The following table describes the icons in the Application Servers window toolbar:

Table 3-35 Application Servers window Toolbar Icons

Icon Name Function
refresh

Refresh

Click to refresh the contents of the selected application server connection.
delete

Delete

Click to delete the selected application server connection.

3.11.6 Structure Window

The Structure window offers a structural view of the data in the document currently selected in the active window of those windows that participate in providing structure, which include the diagrams, the editors and viewers, and the Properties window.

Depending on the document currently open, the Structure Window enables you to view data in two modes:

  • Source - displays the code structure of the file currently open in the editor. Applicable to technologies that allow code editing. For example, this tab will not be available when a diagram is open for editing.

  • Design - displays the UI structure of the file currently open in the editor.

In the Structure window, you can view the document or diagram data in a variety of ways. The structures available for display are based upon document or diagram type. For a Java file, you can view code structure, UI structure, or UI model data. For an XML file, you can view XML structure, design structure, or UI model data.

The Structure window is dynamic, tracking always the current selection of the active window (unless you freeze the window's contents on a particular view), as is pertinent to the currently active editor. When the current selection is a node in the Applications window, the default editor is assumed. To change the view on the structure for the current selection, select a different structure tab.

The windows that participate in providing structure also follow selections made in the Structure window. Double-clicking the node for a method in the Structure window, for instance, makes the source editor the active view and takes you directly to the definition for that method.

You can open multiple instances of the Structure window, freezing the contents of any number of them, in order to compare the structures of different files. You can also switch structure views without changing editors.

Diagram objects (such as UML elements) listed in the Structure window can be dragged from the window and dropped directly onto diagrams.

3.11.6.1 Structure Window Toolbar

The following table describes the icons in the Structure Window toolbar and their functions:

Table 3-36 Structure Window Toolbar Icons

Icon Name Function
freeze

Freeze

Click to freeze the Structure window on the current view. A window that has been frozen does not track the active selection in the active window.
new view

New View

Click to open a new instance of the Structure window. The new view appears as a tabbed page in the same window.

3.11.6.2 Structure Window Views

The Structure window view depends upon the document type of the current selection in the active window. Each view offers different options for viewing and sorting the structure of your files based on file type.

The following table describes the Structure Window views.

Table 3-37 Structure Window Views

View Description

ADF Business Components View

When you select any ADF business component in the Applications window, the Structure window offers a structured view of the component's files, attributes, and other properties.

Cascading Style Sheet View

This view allows you to select and group CSS elements for easy editing. When a CSS file is open for editing, CSS selectors in the file are displayed in the Structure window as one of three types: Element, Class, and ID.

Java View

This view displays the code as well as design structure of the Java file currently being edited. Additionally, you can specify several display preferences to view structural data.

JSP/HTML View

This view displays the code structure and UI bindings for the JSP/HTML file that is currently selected.

Struts View

The Struts view shows the hierarchy of elements and attributes for the Struts configuration file currently selected in the Applications window or editor.

TopLink View

The TopLink view displays detailed information about the TopLink element selected in Applications window or TopLink editor, including descriptors, sessions, and mappings.

UML View

The UML view displays the behavior, interaction, and code structure in UML-based diagrams such as Activity Diagrams, Class Diagrams, and Use Case Diagrams.

Diagram View

When a diagram is open for editing, the Diagram view displays the components that have been added to the diagram. You can select an element in the Structure Window's diagram view and locate it in the diagram

3.11.7 Applications window - Data Controls Panel

Use to view the data controls created to represent an application's business services and to create databound UI components by dragging and dropping the control panel objects onto an open web page or ADF Swing panel.

Note:

The Data Controls panel may appear empty if no data controls have been created for or imported into the application.

The panel displays objects to which your UI components can be bound, including data collections, attributes, and methods that the business services developer exposed through the Oracle ADF data control, as well as specific, built-in operations that are generic to all data collections.

When you drag an object from the Data Controls panel onto a page, the context menu displays the UI components you can create for that specific object. Creating components this way means that they will automatically be databound to the dropped object.

After inserting a databound UI component into the displayed web page or Java panel, you can view the Oracle ADF data binding:

  • In the code view of a web page, where data binding objects appear in expressions that get evaluated at runtime using the expression language features of the JSTL tag library.

  • In the code view of an ADF Swing panel or form, where the setModel() method call on the UI component initializes the data binding object and accesses the Oracle ADF binding context (specified by the setBindingContext() method call on the panel).

  • In the associated page definition file. The page definition file defines the bindings created for the page, panel, or form.

Data Controls panel toolbar

The following table describes the icons in the Data Controls panel toolbar and their functions:

Table 3-38 Data Controls Panel Toolbar Icons

Icon Name Function
refresh panel

Refresh Panel

Click to reload the panel if the underlying business components have changed.
filter panel

Filter Panel

Click to enter search criteria to find a specific item in the panel.

3.11.8 Log Window

The Log window displays tabbed windows for specific feedback from various components of the IDE.

The Log window displays information on:

  • Apache Ant. When you build your project using Apache Ant, the Log Window displays relevant build information.

  • Maven. When you build your project using Maven, the Log Window displays relevant messages.

  • Debugger

  • Audit

  • Profiler

To bring up the context menu for the contents of the Log window, right-click within the window. To bring up the context menu for the Log window as window, right-click on the tab.

From the context menu for the general Log window, you can:

  • Copy the contents of the window

  • Select all data within the window

  • Wrap the text in the window

  • Clear the contents of the window

  • Save the contents of the window to another format

  • Close the window

Other actions may be available within the tabbed sections generated by specific processes.

From the context menu for the window itself, you can:

  • Close the window

  • Close all other tabs but for the currently selected tab

  • Close all tabs within the window

3.11.9 Issues Window

The Issues window enables you to view and manage application issues. It has the following features:

  • It displays audit violations in file, project, working set, or application and provides information to help you resolve the issues. The Code Assist audit profile determines the audit violations that are reported.

  • It displays a list of all warnings and errors encountered by the compiler after Make or Rebuild is executed.

    You can pin the information tab for a compiler operation and view the results of multiple Make or Rebuild operations by switching between tabs.

  • It displays tasks specified in the source code.

    If you are working in a Java source file, a task will automatically be created whenever you type // TODO (in other words, when you create a comment and use the source tag recognized by JDeveloper). These tasks then appear in the Issues window.

  • Double-clicking on any item in the Issues window takes you to the corresponding source code.

The following table describes the Issues window toolbar.

Element Description

errors Error

Toggle to show just errors in the selected scope.

warning Warning

Toggle to just show warning issues in the selected scope.

incomplete issues Incomplete

Toggle to show just incomplete issues in the selected scope.

information issues Info

Toggle to show just the number of advisory issues in the selected file, or to list the advisory issues in the file.

tasks Tasks

Toggle to show just tasks.

configure view options Configure View Options

Toggle to configure the following view options:

  • Table View: Select to view items in a flat tabular structure.

  • Tree View: Select to view items in a nodal tree structure. In this view, items are sorted first by project, and then by file.

  • Current Issues Scope: Select to determine the scope of issues to be displayed.

  • Preferences: Select to open the Issues page of the Preferences dialog, where you can configure Issues window behavior.

3.11.10 Dependency Explorer

The Dependency Explorer provides information on the dependencies between project artifacts. You can open the Dependency Explorer from an node in the Applications window for an ADF application such as a .jspx, or from the node for a diagram.

To open the Dependency Explorer:

  1. Right-click on the element you want to examine dependencies for in the Applications window.

  2. From the context-menu, select Explore Dependencies.

    Alternatively, choose Search > Explore Dependencies.

For more information, click F1 from the Dependency Explorer window.

You can filter the types of file displayed by clicking the Filter button in the Dependency Explorer and choosing the types of file not include.

3.12 Adding External Tools to JDeveloper

External tools are custom JDeveloper menu items and toolbar buttons that launch applications installed on your system, applications that are not packaged as part of JDeveloper.

3.12.1 How to Find All External Programs Supported by JDeveloper

You can identify any applications that JDeveloper already recognizes in order to add them to JDeveloper.

To find all external programs that JDeveloper is preconfigured to support:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > External Tools.

  2. In the External Tools dialog, click Find Tools.

3.12.2 How to Add Access to an External Program from JDeveloper

You can add access to an external program from the JDeveloper IDE.

To add access to an external program from JDeveloper:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > External Tools.

  2. In the External Tools dialog, click New. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

3.12.3 How to Change the Appearance of an External Program

You can change the settings for an external application, as well as remove an external application from the JDeveloper IDE.

To change how an external program appears, or remove access to an external program from JDeveloper:

  1. From the main menu, choose Tools > External Tools.

  2. In the External Tools dialog, click Edit or Delete. If you are editing the options, display, integration or availability of an external tool from JDeveloper, select the corresponding tab and change the values. Click Help for help choosing valid values.

  3. Click OK. Your changes are reflected immediately.