Java editor

The following Java editor preferences can be set on this page and its sub-pages.

Note that some options that are generally applicable to text editors can be configured on the text editor preference page.

Appearance and Navigation

Java editor appearance and navigation options.

Appearance and Navigation
Option Description Default
Smart caret positioning at line start and end

If enabled, the Home and End commands jump to the first and last non whitespace character on a line.

On

Smart caret positioning in Java names (overrides platform behavior)

If enabled, there are additional word boundaries inside |Camel|Case| Java names.

On

Report problems as you type

If enabled, the editor marks errors and warnings as you type, even if you do not save the editor contents. The problems are updated after a short delay.

On

Highlight matching brackets

If enabled, whenever the cursor is next to a parenthesis, bracket or curly braces, its opening or closing counter part is highlighted.

The color of the bracket highlight is specified with Appearance color options.

On

Light bulb for quick assists

If enabled, a light bulb shows up in the vertical ruler whenever a quick assist is available. See the quick assist section for a list of the available assists.

Off

Appearance color options

The colors of various Java editor appearance features are specified here.

Matching brackets highlight
The color of brackets highlight.
Find scope
The color of find scope.
Completion proposal background
The background color of the completion proposal window
Completion proposal foreground
The foreground color of the completion proposal window
Method parameter background
The background color of the parameter window
Method parameter foreground
The foreground color of the parameter window
Completion overwrite background
The background color of the completion overwrite window
Completion overwrite foreground
The foreground color of the completion overwrite window

default colors

Code assist

Configures Code Assist behavior.

Code Assist

Option

Description

Default

Completion inserts/Completion overwrites

If Completion inserts is on, the completion text is inserted at the caret position, so it never overwrites any existing text.
If Completion overwrites is on, the completion text replaces the characters following the caret position until the end of the word.

Note that pressing Ctrl when applying a completion proposal toggles between the two insertion modes.

Completion inserts

Insert single proposals automatically

If enabled, code assist will choose and insert automatically single proposals.

On

Insert common prefixes automatically

If enabled, code assist will automatically insert the common prefix of all possible completions similar to unix shell expansion. This can be used repeatedly, even while the code assist window is being displayed.

Off

Automatically add import instead of qualified name

If enabled, type proposals which are in other packages will invoke the addition of the corresponding import declaration. Otherwise, the type will be inserted fully qualified.

On

Fill argument names on completion

If enabled, code assist will add the argument names when completing a method or generic type.

Off

Guess filled method arguments

If enabled, code assist will try to guess method parameters from the context where a method proposal is inserted.

Off

Present proposals in alphabetical order

If enabled, the proposals are sorted in alphabetical order.

Off

Hide proposals not visible in the invocation context

If enabled, the Java element proposals are limited by the rules of visibility. For example, private field proposals of other classes would not be displayed.

On

Hide forbidden references

If enabled, references to Java elements forbidden by access rules are not displayed.

On

Hide discouraged references

If enabled, references to Java elements discouraged by access rules are not displayed.

Off

Enable auto activation

If enabled, code assist can be invoked automatically.

The condition for automatic invocation is specified with the preferences Auto activation delay, Auto activation triggers for Java and Auto activation triggers for Javadoc.

On

Auto activation delay

If the time starting when an auto activation trigger character is encountered until a new character is typed exceeds the auto activation delay, code assist is invoked.

200
Auto activation triggers for Java

If one of the trigger characters is typed inside Java source code (but not inside a Javadoc comment) and no other character is typed before the auto activation delay times out, the code assist is invoked.

'.'

Auto activation triggers for Javadoc

If one of the trigger characters is typed inside a Java doc and no other character is typed before the auto activation delay times out, the code assist is invoked.

'@#'

Syntax Coloring

Syntax Coloring specifies how Java source code is rendered. Note that general text editor settings such as the background color can be configured on the general 'Text Editors' preference pages. Fonts may be configured on the general 'Colors and Fonts' preference page.

Syntax Coloring

Option

Description

Default

Element

Each category (Java, Javadoc and Comments) contains a list of language elements that may be rendered with its own color and style.

Note that some semantic highlighting options can be disabled by the user in order to ensure editor performance on low-end systems.

default colors and styles

Preview

Displays the preview of a Java source code respecting the current colors and styles.

n/a

Related concepts

Java Editor

Related tasks

Using the Java editor

Related reference

Java editor
Code Formatter preferences
Java outline
Java Content Assist
Quick Fix