org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.templates.support

Project types may declare the templates for projects in the folder Templates/Projects on the system filesystem using a module XML layer file. Registering project type templates is similar to registering file templates described below. The wizard for a project can return {@link org.openide.loaders.DataObject}s or {@link org.openide.loaders.FileObject}s corresponding to the project directories of created files and/or files to be selected in newly created projects. The {@link org.openide.WizardDescriptor} may also have a property defined on it called setAsMain, which may be {@link Boolean#TRUE} (the default) or {@link Boolean#FALSE}, according to whether the (first returned) new project should be set as the main project or not.

Each project can also declare own file templates to be exposed it in New File... wizard. This permits users to create new files, which are of types supported by given project type. The project may also provide own iterator for project-specific customization of given file type.

The project type has to declare its file templates in the module's layer file in folder the Templates. The declaration should look as follows:

<folder name="Templates">
  <folder name="JSP_Servlet">
    <file name="JSP.jsp" url="templates/JSP.template">
      <attr name="SystemFileSystem.localizingBundle" stringvalue="org.netbeans.modules.web.core.Bundle"/>
      <attr name="template" boolvalue="true"/>
      <attr name="instantiatingWizardURL" urlvalue="nbresloc:/org/netbeans/modules/web/core/resources/JSP.html"/>
      <attr name="instantiatingIterator" methodvalue="org.netbeans.modules.web.dd.wizards.PageIterator.createJspIterator"/>
      <attr name="templateCategory" stringvalue="web-types"/>
    </file>
  </folder>
</folder>


The mandatory file's attributes are:

Note: a project type can declare own custom iterator with some project-specific customization, it's recommended to use the standardized target chooser exposed in {@link org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.templates.support.Templates#createSimpleTargetChooser(org.netbeans.api.project.Project,org.netbeans.api.project.SourceGroup[]) Templates.createSimpleTargetChooser(...)}, a similar target chooser offers JavaTemplates.createPackageChooser(...) for Java-oriented projects. The project type also can use a InstantiatingIterator published by other module, i.e. JavaTemplates.createJavaTemplateIterator() useful for Java-oriented templates in case of no needs to own customization. The last possibility is declaration no iterator, in this case will be used a generic iterator useful for simple file types without any specific needs, i.e. properties file.
For project templates the instantiate() method should return a Set of FileObjects. FileObjects representing project directories will automatically be opened in the project and files tab. Other FileObjects (e.g. Java classes created by the wizard) will be opened in the editor area. Path of coresponding nodes will be expanded in the project or files tab.
For file templates the instantiate() method should return Set of FileObjects which will then automaticaly opened in the editor. Path of coresponding nodes will be expanded in the project or files tab.

There are two importatnt interfaces affecting the behavior of the templates. Implementation of these interfaces should reside in the project's lookup.

The first one is {@link org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.PrivilegedTemplates}. It is used for the initial content of the popup menu of New File.... It simply should return names of file tempolates from system filesystem which should be contained in the popup menu. Example implementation follows:

private static final class PrivilegedTemplatesImpl implements PrivilegedTemplates {

    private static final String[] PRIVILEGED_NAMES = new String[] {
        "Templates/Classes/Class.java",
        "Templates/Classes/Package",
        "Templates/Classes/Interface.java",
        "Templates/GUIForms/JPanel.java",
        "Templates/GUIForms/JFrame.java",
    };

    public String[] getPrivilegedTemplates() {
        return PRIVILEGED_NAMES;
    }

}

The second interface is {@link org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.RecommendedTemplates}, which infulences the apperance of templates in the New File wizard according to project types. The implementation of the interface has to return array of Strings which corresponds to names of template categories listed in the templateCategory attribute of template files. All templates which list at least one recommended category in the templateCategory attribute will be listed for given project type.
Note: if no templateCategory is declared then this template will be visible for each project regardless its type.

Example implementation of RecommendedTemplates interface:

private static final class RecommendedTemplatesImpl implements RecommendedTemplates {
    
    // List of primarily supported templates categories
    private static final String[] TYPES = new String[] { 
        "java-classes",         
        "java-main-class",      
        "java-forms",           
        "gui-java-application", 
        "java-beans",           
        "oasis-XML-catalogs",   
        "XML",                  
        "ant-script",           
        "ant-task",             
        "junit",                
        "simple-files"          
    };

    public String[] getRecommendedTypes() {
        return TYPES;
    }

}

Supported File Types in Projects Matrix

Projects:

• JA - Java Application
• JL - Java Library
• JP - Java Project with Existing Sources
• WA - Web Application
• WP - Web Project with Existing Sources

* - supported file type