Rich Client Programming: Plugging into the NetBean Platform

The open-source NetBeans Platform is an extraordinarily powerful framework for building "write once, run anywhere" rich client applications. Now, for the first time since the release of NetBeans IDE 5.0, there's a comprehensive guide to rich client development on the NetBeans Platform. Written for Java developers and architects who have discovered that basic Swing components are not enough for them, this book will help you get started with NetBeans module development, master NetBeans' key APIs, and learn proven techniques for building reliable desktop software. Each chapter is filled with practical, step-by-step instructions for creating complete rich client applications on top of the NetBeans Platform and plugins for NetBeans IDE. Rich Client Programming 's wide-ranging content covers Why modular development makes sense for small, medium, and large applications Using NetBeans to accelerate development and improve efficiency Leveraging NetBeans productivity features, from the Component Palette to Code Completion Leveraging NetBeans' modular architecture in your own applications Implementing loosely coupled communication to improve code maintainability and robustness Managing user- and system-configuration data Building reloadable components with solid threading models Constructing sophisticated multiwindow applications and presenting rich data structures to users Adding user-configurable options Integrating Web services with NetBeans desktop applications Automating module updates and providing user help Foreword by Jonathan Schwartz      Foreword by Jan Chalupa        Preface        About the Authors and Contributors        Acknowledgments        Chapter 1: Getting Started with the NetBeans Platform        Chapter 2: The Benefits of Modular Programming         Chapter 3: Modular Architecture        Chapter 4: Loosely Coupled Communication         Chapter 5: Lookup        Chapter 6: Filesystems        Chapter 7: Threading, Listener Patterns, and MIME Lookup        Chapter 8: The Window System        Chapter 9: Nodes, Explorer Views, Actions, and Presenters        Chapter 10: DataObjects and DataLoaders        Chapter 11: Graphical User Interfaces         Chapter 12: Multiview Editors        Chapter 13: Syntax Highlighting        Chapter 14: Code Completion        Chapter 15: Component Palettes        Chapter 16: Hyperlinks        Chapter 17: Annotations        Chapter 18: Options Windows        Chapter 19: Web Frameworks        Chapter 20: Web Services         Chapter 21: JavaHelp Documentation        Chapter 22  Update Centers        Chapter 23: Use Case 1: NetBeans Module Development        Chapter 24: Use Case 2: Rich Unger on Application Development     Chapter A: Advanced Module System Techniques        Chapter B: Common Idioms and Code Patterns in NetBeans        Chapter C:...