[Bluej-discuss] Adding Google search of Java API to BlueJ help menu

[Hedley Finger]

Instructors and students:

Finding out which packages and classes provide particular services 
can often be daunting if you rely on the sometimes arcane names in 
the Javadoc website.  I have modified my preferences files so that a 
Google search can be done of the Javadoc using the nifty boolean 
search capabilities.

1       Open your %BLUEJHOME%/lib/bluej.defs file

         Or just open your %USERHOME%\BlueJ\bluej.properties file, 
which overrides bluej.defs.
         The order of lines in this file may be scrambled, so in a 
text editor like TextPad that can
         sort lines, select the second to last lines and sort them in 
ascending order so you can
         find your way around.

2       Find the lines beginning with "bluej.help." which configure 
the Help menu.

3       Add these TWO lines (quotes added to indicate the extent of a 
single line, which may be wrapped or
         broken by the email transport):

         "bluej.help.searchJavaApi.label=Search Java API"
         "bluej.help.searchJavaApi.url=http\://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&rlz=1B2GGGL_en___AU202&q=
         %22index.html%3Foverview-summary.html%22+site%3Ajava.sun.com%2Fjavase%2F6%2Fdocs%2Fapi%2F&btnG=
         Search&meta="

         These lines implement the menu option label and the behaviour.

4       Find the line beginning with "bluej.help.items=".

         This line makes the menu options appear on the help menu in 
the order specified.

5       Add "searchJavaApi" to this line in the menu position 
convenient for you, making sure
         that it is separated from the preceding and following items 
by space characters.

Now you can search for stuff like "+cmyk +rgb +convert" or whatever!

Regards,
Hedley



--
Hedley Stewart Finger
28 Regent Street   Camberwell VIC 3124   Australia
Tel. +61 3 9809 1229   Mobile +61 412 461 558,
E-mail <mailto:hfinger at handholding.com.au>