This Bugzilla instance is a read-only archive of historic NetBeans bug reports. To report a bug in NetBeans please follow the project's instructions for reporting issues.
The foremost problem with the main toolbar is that it doesn't fit on 1024 screen width when debugging (the debugging toolbar is on). This is not only the space issue, it's also about the number of items the user needs to comprehend. Recommendation: Eliminate toolbar items majority of users would not use. We need to eliminate at least 5 toolbar buttons so that the toolbar fits into 1 toolbar row when debugging. The following items should be removed from debugger: Attach Debugger New Watch HTTP Monitor Should be fixed for M9. Please reassign to responsible engineer. Jano Rojcek is your usability contact regarding this issue.
I think Attach Debugger should remain in Build toolbar. I would remove actions: Apply Code Changes New Watch HTTP Monitor from Debugger toolbar. I think it would help to disable some other toolbars durring debugging like Profiler, File, UI Gestures.
As for NB 6: I believe that Attach Debugger is frequently used action (maybe developers working on small projects prefer Debug Main Project). On the other hand, I have no idea whether it is typically started from Toolbar. Do we have any statistic? As for future: Debugger UI may be significantly redesigned for a future release, I am working on first study.
I think users can expect similar actions in toolbar for similar tools. I mean Profiler and Debugger - Debug Main Project vs. Profile Main Project, Attach Debugger vs. Attach Profiler.
Regarding "HTTP Monitor", you need to submit a separate issue to the module that provides this. It might be web or tomcatint. I'm O.K. with removing "New Watch", but "Attach Debugger" should stay there IMHO.
Yes, the Attach Debugger is a bit controversial. I think the default buttons in the toolbar should work for those who develop their applications using the IDE. Not for those who use NetBeans as debugger or profiler only. In majority of cases those users should be able to run, debug and profile their projects using standard "run, debug and profile main project" actions. IMO attaching is an additional action that shouldn't be in main toolbar. I agree we should either remove or keep both run, profile attach actions. See profiler issue: http://www.netbeans.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=100905 Please remove the new Watch and HTTP Monitor. I'm not sure about apply code changes. I think this one might be frequently used, but I have no hard data.
I guess Arseniy does not want to do the implementation work, so reassigning to myself... I'm going to remove "Add Watch" action from the toolbar for now, since that it not controversial. Please submit a separate issue for HTTP Monitor, since that's not debugger action.
The Add Watch action is removed: /cvs/ant/debugger/src/org/netbeans/modules/ant/debugger/resources/mf-layer.xml,v <-- mf-layer.xml new revision: 1.12; previous revision: 1.11 /cvs/debuggerjpda/ui/src/org/netbeans/modules/debugger/jpda/resources/mf-layer.xml,v <-- mf-layer.xml new revision: 1.37; previous revision: 1.36 done
I am not happy that this issue is coming now (for NB 6). We will need to agree on some temporary solution (simply to reduce number of debug toolbar icons). For future release, we plan to completely cancel 'Apply Code Changes' action, this will be done automatically after save. Also 'Debug' action should be easily customizable via configurations so that the user can select the way how he/she wants to start debugger (Debug Main Project/Remote/...) -- one toolbar 'Debug' action would be enough afterwards. I agree that having two 'Start Debugger' actions in toolbar is not very intuitive for newcomers, on the other hand, remote debugging should be easily reachable for users who needs it -- almost all experienced developers IMHO.
I would say it's minority of users who use the attach debugger action and it's minority of use cases comparing to "debug main project". Why do users actually use the attach debugger action? My understanding is that "debug main project" doesn't work if "run main project" doesn't work. So it means those users have some other way how to start the project. Is it a special ant task, a command line, or freeform project? So if this user need this way how to start a project, then I think it's okay for them to go to main menu for using the attach action, and maybe customize toolbar if they need the attach action there. Maybe I'm missing something, but now I think that for standard application development usage of the "debug main project" should be enough. I filed a separate issue for removing the HTTP monitor: http://www.netbeans.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=100973
Well, we've agreed to remove the Attach Debugger action from the toolbar for now (M9), we'll see what the feedback will be and we'll decide later whether that action will be or not in NB 6.0 final release.
Attach Debugger is removed from the toolbar: /cvs/debuggerjpda/ui/src/org/netbeans/modules/debugger/jpda/resources/mf-layer.xml,v <-- mf-layer.xml new revision: 1.38; previous revision: 1.37
Thanks! Based on feedback we can of course reconsider removal of the attach button. When we get the number of toolbar buttons to a reasonable number, we can have a discussion whether we should put something back. For now I think we did the right thing.
Thank you for removing Attach Debugger, I have been wondering for years why this merited toolbar space...
Verified ... and Closing all issues resolved into NetBeans 6.7 and earlier.