Forte for Java, Community Edition

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. I have 64 MB of memory. What can I do to improve performance?
    • Set the initial heap size lower - edit the startup script (forte4j.cfg or forte4j.sh) and replace -Xmx256m with -Xmx64m.
    • Use the Java 2 SDK, v. 1.3. At the time of this writing, it is available as a release candidate and is smaller and faster.
    • (Windows) Make sure your virtual memory settings (in Control Panel | System) are at least double the amount of physical memory.
    • (Windows) Set your initial swap file size to be very large so time is not wasted growing it later.

    Also see http://www.netbeans.com/docs/faqs/performance.html for the latest performance tips.

  2. The IDE logs me out of my session on Solaris.

    Download and install the Xserver patch from http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/install-solaris-patches.html#sunsolve

  3. There are sources that I don't want to have compiled or executed, but they're in my source tree. How do I stop them from compiling and executing?

    The settings for disabling compilation and execution under an entire Filesystems mount point can be found on the property sheet for each Filesystems node, in Project Settings | Repository Settings, on the Capabilities tab.

    You can also set the compiler/executor to "do not compile"/"do not execute" on the Expert tab of the property sheet for your class. To do this on multiple classes at once, select multiple class nodes (you can also use the Find function over a package to get a set of find results with all the classes under a package), select them all, right click, and choose properties to do this on complex package structures).

  4. How do I pass additional arguments to a compiler or to the JVM when I execute my code?

    Use External Compilation/Execution (set this on the Expert tab of the class property sheet). Now edit the Arguments property in Project | Settings | External Execution (or Compilation if that's what you're setting) and add your arguments.

  5. I tried to add my bean to the component palette, but the icon is a question mark instead of the one I want to use.

    You need to create and compile a BeanInfo class for your bean. The icon is supplied by the Icon property of BeanInfo.

  6. I want to compile/execute with an older/different compiler than the one for the JDK I'm running the IDE in.

    Create External Compiler and Executor Types (underneath the nodes with those names in Project Settings), configure them to run the compiler and java.exe you're developing for, and set your classes to use those compiler and executor objects (on the Execution tab of their property sheets). Then compile and execute normally.

  7. Can I import a JBuilder/Visual Cafe/Visual J++ project?

    Yes. Use Import Project on the Project Menu. You can also import projects developed in other applications simply by mounting the classes and files.

    You will not be able to visually edit your forms from these other IDEs.

  8. I am using a proxy server and can't see modules/the internal browser doesn't work.

    Proxy settings can be found on the property sheet for Project Settings | System Settings. See http://www.netbeans.com/ffj/community/autoupdate_info.html#proxy for more details.

  9. I have a socks proxy and can't download modules using the Update Center.

    Edit the script you use to start the IDE (forte4j.sh or forte4j.bat). Add the following (substituting your proxy server and port) to the command line that starts the IDE:

    -DsocksProxyHost=socks.server.com -DsocksProxyPort=1080 
  10. How can I save a backup of my file/class (no Save As)?

    Select the file(s) you want to back up. Right click and choose Copy from the context menu. Select where you want to put the backups and paste (the names will be made unique if they are pasted back to the same place they came from.

  11. Menus sometimes behave strangely, or appear on top of each other.

    This is caused by a bug in older betas of v. 1.3 of the Java 2 SDK. Newer versions of the v. 1.3 beta fix this.

  12. I'm running the JDK 1.2.1 and the IDE seems to be using large amounts of memory.

    There are memory leaks with the Java 2 SDK, v. 1.2.1. Update to version 1.2.2 or 1.3.

  13. What is the .form file I see in the directory with my class?

    It's an XML file that the visual form editor uses to store information. You do not need to distribute it with your application. It is only used by the IDE. However, if you want to open your form again in the form editor, you should keep the file.

  14. Can I regenerate a missing .form file somehow?

    Not at present.

  15. How can I change the XML encoding in the .form file so that I can use Cyrillic or another alphabet on my forms?

    You can set the encoding using the Form Encoding property on the Code Generation property sheet for the form in the Component Inspector.

  16. Repaint problems under Windows 98 with animated cursors turned on.

    Turn off animated cursors.

  17. Where are the font settings?

    For the Editor, open the Project Settings window (Project | Settings...), expand the Editor Settings node and select one of the subnodes (for types of editor). In right pane of the window, select the "Fonts and Colorings" property, and click the "..." node that appears to bring up the Fonts and Colors property editor.

  18. I'm running at a video resolution of 1900x1200, and the fonts are too small.

    Edit the startup script (forte4j.sh), and add the following line switch to the end of the command line that starts the IDE: -fontsize 14 (or try other sizes until you find one you like)

    On Windows, you can add the switch to the forte4j.cfg file.

  19. How do I get code completion to include packages I've created or mounted?

    Right-click on the package, JAR, or repository mount point you want to add the classes and interfaces from. Choose Update Parser Database from the context menu.

  20. Can the IDE arrange brackets differently in generated code/templates?

    There are a some parameters for this in Project Settings | Editor Settings. At present they do not affect guarded blocks and generated code (you can, however, reformat your own code to the settings you specify by right clicking in the editor and choosing Reformat Code from the context menu.

  21. Where can I change the keyboard shortcuts?

    Select Tools | Configure Shortcuts from the main menu to configure general IDE shortcuts.

    Special shortcuts for the Editor can be edited by opening the Project Settings window, selecting the Editor Settings node, and selecting the Global Key Bindings property. Shortcuts specific to the Java editor can be accessed on the Key Bindings property of the Java Editor subnode.

  22. I write comments in Spanish, and the "de" abbreviation (expands to "default" when you press the space bar) is bothersome. How do I fix it?

    Edit abbreviations in Tools | Global Settings | Editor Settings | Java Editor | Abbreviations

  23. My screen is 800x600 and I can't see all of the component palette.

    All the toolbars are draggable, and you can drag them down to make the window three rows tall and rearrange to taste.

  24. I switched between the JDK 1.2 and JDK 1.3 and my workspaces are gone. Why?

    The saving of workspace information is done using serialization. The serialization implementation in version 1.3 is incompatible in some cases with that of version 1.2.2, and that impacts some of the data being saved by the IDE.

  25. I have problems debugging when I compile using FastJavaC compilation.

    FastJavaC is also in beta, and at present the bytecode it generates is not entirely compatible with the debugger.

  26. I have my proxy settings set correctly, but can't browse the net using the internal browser.

    Some company firewalls are set up so that only browsers that identify themselves as Netscape or Internet Explorer can use HTTP protocol. Talk to your administrator about relaxing this requirement.

  27. My computer tries to connect to the Internet when I start the IDE. How do I stop this?

    The IDE uses TCP/IP for a number of things. Some Windows machines will automatically try to connect to the internet when something tries to use TCP/IP for the first time. Change the settings for what conditions will cause your computer to start dialing so that it does not do this automatically. Microsoft Personal Web server also has this problem, and there are some workarounds described on Microsoft's web site.

  28. How do I stop the IDE from changing workspaces when I run code?

    Global Settings | Execution Settings | Workspace - set the property to "None"

  29. Can I associate a different combination of toolbars with a particular workspace?

    Yes. Arrange the toolbars as you want them, turn them on or off using their context menu. When you get them the way you want them, choose Save Configuration from the same context menu. Now, in Project | Settings | Workspaces, set the Toolbar Configuration property for that workspace to your new arrangement.

  30. How can I set the working directory for my code? It defaults to the IDE's working directory!

    Java 2 SDK,v. 1.3 is the only JDK that supports this (RC1 and later versions). Earlier versions did not allow a JVM to spawn a process with a different working directory than its own.

    With the JDK 1.3, you can set the Working Directory on External Executor nodes in Project | Settings | Execution Types. This option is only available on JDKs which support it.


Forte for Java, Community Edition, is a product of Sun MicrosystemsTM, Inc.

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