如何将OEM Java库和源导入Netbeans？

Question

I have done a reasonable amount of programming in various languages but I am a Java / Netbeans newbie. I have successfully created and run "Hello World" so my Netbeans installation is OK.

I want to write code to control an LED display controller card. I have sample demo code zipped up by the OEM. I am trying to import, run and edit that code. If I can get this running, this will be the starting point of my own code.

The zip files only include library and source files in a directory structure that does not match Netbeans. All of my attempts to import the source and lib files have given fatal errors in Netbeans.

The directory tree has a lib and src branch at the root. The src branch cascades 4 levels to get to the source files.

I figure if I use a different tree structure, I will need to change the import statements in the source file. I'd rather not touch the code until I have it running. I have tried to unzip the project tree directly into the Netbeans directory but that didn't work.

Answer 1

For Netbeans to be able to open a project, the folder has to contain some files that Netbeans itself generates when a project is created.

Since you only have src and lib folders available, I think the easiest solution would be to create a new project from Netbeans, so that the creation of those files is automatically managed, and then copying the content of the folders you have in the folders Netbeans will create.

You will also have to tell Netbeans to use those library, and you can do that from you new project's preferences.

Edit

A few more things you can try:

1. in NB, right click the folder containing the JARs you imported and select "remove", then import them back but selecting the jar files instead of the whole folder;

2. if you're not already doing so, use the "Clean and build project" button instead of "Build project";

If none of the above solve the issue, try starting from scratch again following these steps:

1. unzip your OEM files somewhere in your disk;

2. create a new empty project in NB

3. copy the files from the src OEM subfolder to src NB project subfolder

4. in NB, right click Libraries, then add JAR/Folder and select the jar files from the lib OEM subfolder

If this doesn't work either, tell me where I can find the OEM stuff and I'll try it myself :)

Answer 2

How to import a JAR (Java Archive, the "library" in your case) in Netbeans:

1. Right click on your project name, in the 'Projects' pane usually located on the left
2. Click the 'Properties' link from the pop-up menu
3. Click the 'Libraries' link in the Categories list
4. Choose 'Add JAR/Folder', browse to your JAR and click OK

If you want Netbeans to create the JAR for the sources you have, do like Stefano says.

Answer 3

You should package the src folder as src.zip with a zip utility and the structure under lib with the java archiver as a jar file.

Now you can define a library in NetBeans and add these files to it (Tools => Libraries => New Library).