User: sriramx_2000

I love Visual Age for Java

On: Java IDEs?

I've jumped straight from notepad (Win32)/mcedit(Linux) to IBM's mind blowing Visual Age for Java (win32).

VA's built using Smalltalk.

Here are some great features of VA (just unbelievable for a notepad/system.out.println() guy like me)
-> Versioning using the ENVY repository management system.
Version all code that you type and the associated resources too !
Also, each change that you make to a method too is saved. You NEVER lose code, unless you explicitly delete it yourself.
-> Has all sorts of Code browsing features that I can think of.
e.g.
-> see editions right down to the method level.
-> see inherited methods, and choose how many levels up the hierarchy you'd like to see.
-> set visibility filters, such as protected and private only, no field, static methods only, etc.
-> Select any Classname in any code Browser, right click it and browse it's
-> source
-> hierarchy
-> eidtions
-> members
-> Project
-> Package
-> Find references to a class that you are viewing and where in the list of projects that you've loaded into the IDE.
references to methods, fields, invoked methods, and much more.
-> Resumable debugging
Suppose you run an app from within the IDE, and the app throws up some exception in come method, and you spot the problem in the method. With VA, just change the method, and code execution resumes form that method. You could also select any method in the stack, and resume code execution from that method on !
-> The Scrapbook
Need to explore some class's API ? Just type it in the scrapbook, and inspect it !
e.g. type System.out.println("Hello there"); highlight this code, and run/display/inspect it. And the results are displayed.
No need to write a separate class etc.
In fact, I somtimes start/stop tomcat from the scrapbook, but just invoking the main method on the respective Tomcat classes :-)
Great for exploring APIs
-> Inspect objects
Suppose your've added a breakpoint somewhere, or there's been an exception, and the debugger pops up. You can view ALL the objects and their field withing the debugger.
Another case, if you type something like new javax.swing.JFrame(), and inspect that, you can see all the internal variables...
This can be done with class you have.
-> Compare versions of projects, packages, classes and methods.
-> Extensible IDE
Add new features to the IDE yourself. There's a cool API, that've very easy to use.
-> Great BeanInfo support.
Great for Visual composition, and bean management.
-> Visual Composition
A somewhat steep learning for those migrating from the Notepad world (Personal opinion ;-)
But lets you manage Branc interactions beautifully.
The generated code might seem ugly to some, but the Abstractions that are provided are really somthing else.
-> Run external Java apps from within.
Can be a life saver somtimes. And even debug those programs in case their source is available.
-> Great for writing test cases
I've added JUnit (www.junit.org) for writing test cases, and can use the interactive debugger with it's code resumptions for exploring why my tests have failed.
-> Great to code Servlets and Jsps.
The bundled Websphere Test Environment is great for testing servlets and JSPs withouth actually having to export your code to .class files. There's even a JSP debugger. Unfortunately, this is the Servlet 2.1 API :-(
I prefer running Tomcat though. That way I can use the 2.2 or the 2.3 API...
-> Highly flexible Classpath settings.
Different Classpaths for different classes. Edit these without having to restart the IDE, coz the changes are reflected immideately.
-> Generate Java doc.
-> "Externalize Strings" facility lets you create ResourceBundles of all the string that you have within your classes.
-> Method name lookups.
-> VA 4.0 Entry Enterprise is free for download.

Stuff that I've not tried out yet.
-> XMI
Exchange code information with rational Rose Modeller
-> Persistence Builder
Generate Persistence code for your Objects
-> EJB
While I've not yet thought of EJBs, I'd rather integrate JBoss with VA, like I've added Tomcat as a tool...

The cons
-> VA is written in Smalltalk, so it's simulated a JVM. This is a prgramming and technological achievement in itself.
Unfortunately, you can't plug in a JDK of your choice, because VA is not just an IDE, it's actually a living breathing interactive JVM itself.
-> I've not figured out to play with security policies, I've not yet managed to get the JCE to run within VA :-(
-> A real memory hog, I'd recommend a PII with 64 Meg at least. I personally use a PII/400. I had 128 Meg until the day before, until I got another 128 Meg real cheap ;-)

Overall, the pros greatly outweigh the cons for me. I've not yet lost my tough with Notepad programming, still do it within Linux, but what I do in 1 day using VA, I do in 3-4 days using mcedit/notepad...

Best, VA Entry Enterprise is free, so you could download it, and do servlet and EJB stuff using Tomcat/JBoss..The only thing I've not found a replacement to is the Persistence Builder, which is why I've written my own Persistence Framework...

Sriram