[FIXED] Netbeans Designer and .form files in resources folder

Issue

Typically, a project layout is that src/main/java contains the .java files and src/main/resources contains the resources. Thus, the *.form files should to into resources. However, NetBeans does not find them.

Is it possible to have NetBeans load the corresponding .form file from a different folder?

Maybe, I understood src/main/java wrong and .form should also go in there?!

Same folder

Different folders

Solution

What is the .form file

From faq:

The .form file is an XML file that the visual editor uses to store the information about the GUI form. It is much more reliable than reading the information from the source code. You do not need to distribute the .form file with your application; it's only used by the IDE. However, if you want to open your form again in the form editor, you should keep the file

Directory Layout

Indeed the standard directory layout for a maven project consists of src/main/java for java files and src/main/resources for resources. But it is only true for maven projects.

The ant-based project uses a different layout and usually places properties files and other files withing source directories but could use any custom locations for resources including sub-directories within a package.

Use a different folder for .forms files

Unfortunately, it's impossible to separate them from the relevant so caled "brother" files, see below. They are too tightly coupled together. For example, if you look at the project tree view NetBeans hides the .form files if there are relevant java files within the same directory.

Let's see the source code, precisely a method findPrimaryFile that is used for finding a primary file:

  protected FileObject findPrimaryFile(FileObject fo) {
        if (fo.isFolder()) return null;
        String ext = fo.getExt();
        if (ext.equals(FORM_EXTENSION))
            return FileUtil.findBrother(fo, JAVA_EXTENSION);

        FileObject javaFile = findJavaPrimaryFile(fo);
        return javaFile != null
                    && FileUtil.findBrother(javaFile, FORM_EXTENSION) != null ?
            javaFile : null;
    }

It calls findBrother method that looks for appropriate .form or java files and it always looks for the "brother" file within the same directory:

public static FileObject findBrother(FileObject fo, String ext) {
    if (fo == null) {
        return null;
    }

    FileObject parent = fo.getParent();

    if (parent == null) {
        return null;
    }
    return parent.getFileObject(fo.getName(), ext);
}

Answered By - Dmitry.M
Answer Checked By - Cary Denson (JavaFixing Admin)