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I was curious if anyone knows a way (by using a setting or a plugin or something), that would allow me to select variable names on the fly in netbeans, in the same way that Visual Studio 2008 does using an automatic popup window? At the moment I can access them by pressing Ctrl + Space, but I wondered if there is a way that I could avoid this and just have them come up automatically as I type, and the methods would come up with the '.' operator as normal?

The settings in 'Tools->Options->Editor->Code Completion' doesn't seem to have the Ctrl + Space setting I'm looking for, only a tickbox for toggling the normal '.' code completion of method names on or off..

(if it helps, the version of Netbeans is 6.9.1, and I'm writing in Java for Glassfish)

Steve Rathbone
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6 Answers6

70

I tried to get the desired feature by adding the alphabet to the completion selectors. It worked somewhat, you can always try it.

Goto:

Tools -> Options -> Editor -> Code Completion

Select

Language: [Java]

Check:

[X] Auto Popup on Typing Any Java Identifier Part

Completion Selectors for Java:

[.,;:([+-=abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ]

Good Luck!

ejohansson
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    can you please tell me the same thing about C/C++ in netbeans? – SSAURABHH Dec 13 '14 at 22:04
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    this does help, however when it guesses any word, pressing the next character will automatically select the first filter option, making it unable to type anything without getting random variables that I don't need. Found my solution here: http://stackoverflow.com/a/17434885/2901207 – CularBytes Feb 06 '15 at 14:24
  • Copy and pasting not work in the text box for Completion Selector for java Even this works for jsp expressions inside jsp files – Dinith Herath Jun 07 '22 at 07:18
8

This looks like it was a commonly requested feature for NetBeans, added back in 2009. The setting appears to be Tools -> Options -> Editor -> Code Completion -> Auto Popup Completion Window in those builds (discussion; see also).

The feature you're asking about from Visual Studio is IntelliSense, by the way. If you're looking for a terrific, IntelliSense-drive IDE for Java, you might want to consider IntelliJ.

MrGomez
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  • Thanks so much for looking this up - IntelliSense is really great, it's really amazing how tiny UI could potentially change productivity so much. I realised that 'Ctrl + Space' *is* actually context aware, but implementing this feature would really be the icing on the cake for all the amazing work already achieved. Cheers for the suggestion on IntelliJ - I have just installed it and am about to start trying it out. – Steve Rathbone Dec 06 '10 at 20:06
3

In NetBeans preferences, choose the code completion; then chose Java instead of all languages; and then choose all the options. You will get it. Goodluck.

htlbydgod
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1

Yes, I got it.

Tools > Option > Editor > Code Compilation > Language > Java

That's so easy in NetBeans.

Eric Aya
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Mahe Karim
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0

Invoke Code Completion

Inside NetBeans editor simply press Ctrl+spacebar it will give suggestions for variables, methods, etc

Keshan Nageswaran
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0

I tried to get the desired feature by adding the alphabet to the completion selectors. It worked somewhat, you can always try it. This works for the first two characters you type This is updated one

Goto:

Tools -> Options -> Editor -> Code Completion

Select

Language: [C/C++]

Autopop Triggers for C/C++ Identifiers

.;->;.*;->*;::;new ; a;b;c;d;e;f;g;h;i;j;k;l;m;n;o;p;q;r;s;t;u;v;w;x;y;z;A;B;C;D;E;F;G;H;I;J;K;L;M;N;O;P;Q;R;S;T;U;V;W;X;Y;Z;aa;ab;ac;ad;ae;af;ag;ah;ai;aj;ak;al;am;an;ao;ap;aq;ar;as;at;au;av;aw;ax;ay;az;ba;bb;bc;bd;be;bf;bg;bh;bi;bj;bk;bl;bm;bn;bo;bp;bq;br;bs;bt;bu;bv;bw;bx;by;bz;ca;cb;cc;cd;ce;cf;cg;ch;ci;cj;ck;cl;cm;cn;co;cp;cq;cr;cs;ct;cu;cv;cw;cx;cy;cz;da;db;dc;dd;de;df;dg;dh;di;dj;dk;dl;dm;dn;do;dp;dq;dr;ds;dt;du;dv;dw;dx;dy;dz;ea;eb;ec;ed;ee;ef;eg;eh;ei;ej;ek;el;em;en;eo;ep;eq;er;es;et;eu;ev;ew;ex;ey;ez;fa;fb;fc;fd;fe;ff;fg;fh;fi;fj;fk;fl;fm;fn;fo;fp;fq;fr;fs;ft;fu;fv;fw;fx;fy;fz;ga;gb;gc;gd;ge;gf;gg;gh;gi;gj;gk;gl;gm;gn;go;gp;gq;gr;gs;gt;gu;gv;gw;gx;gy;gz;ha;hb;hc;hd;he;hf;hg;hh;hi;hj;hk;hl;hm;hn;ho;hp;hq;hr;hs;ht;hu;hv;hw;hx;hy;hz;ia;ib;ic;id;ie;if;ig;ih;ii;ij;ik;il;im;in;io;ip;iq;ir;is;it;iu;iv;iw;ix;iy;iz;ja;jb;jc;jd;je;jf;jg;jh;ji;jj;jk;jl;jm;jn;jo;jp;jq;jr;js;jt;ju;jv;jw;jx;jy;jz;ka;kb;kc;kd;ke;kf;kg;kh;ki;kj;kk;kl;km;kn;ko;kp;kq;kr;ks;kt;ku;kv;kw;kx;ky;kz;la;lb;lc;ld;le;lf;lg;lh;li;lj;lk;ll;lm;ln;lo;lp;lq;lr;ls;lt;lu;lv;lw;lx;ly;lz;ma;mb;mc;md;me;mf;mg;mh;mi;mj;mk;ml;mm;mn;mo;mp;mq;mr;ms;mt;mu;mv;mw;mx;my;mz;na;nb;nc;nd;ne;nf;ng;nh;ni;nj;nk;nl;nm;nn;no;np;nq;nr;ns;nt;nu;nv;nw;nx;ny;nz;oa;ob;oc;od;oe;of;og;oh;oi;oj;ok;ol;om;on;oo;op;oq;or;os;ot;ou;ov;ow;ox;oy;oz;pa;pb;pc;pd;pe;pf;pg;ph;pi;pj;pk;pl;pm;pn;po;pp;pq;pr;ps;pt;pu;pv;pw;px;py;pz;qa;qb;qc;qd;qe;qf;qg;qh;qi;qj;qk;ql;qm;qn;qo;qp;qq;qr;qs;qt;qu;qv;qw;qx;qy;qz;ra;rb;rc;rd;re;rf;rg;rh;ri;rj;rk;rl;rm;rn;ro;rp;rq;rr;rs;rt;ru;rv;rw;rx;ry;rz;sa;sb;sc;sd;se;sf;sg;sh;si;sj;sk;sl;sm;sn;so;sp;sq;sr;ss;st;su;sv;sw;sx;sy;sz;ta;tb;tc;td;te;tf;tg;th;ti;tj;tk;tl;tm;tn;to;tp;tq;tr;ts;tt;tu;tv;tw;tx;ty;tz;ua;ub;uc;ud;ue;uf;ug;uh;ui;uj;uk;ul;um;un;uo;up;uq;ur;us;ut;uu;uv;uw;ux;uy;uz;va;vb;vc;vd;ve;vf;vg;vh;vi;vj;vk;vl;vm;vn;vo;vp;vq;vr;vs;vt;vu;vv;vw;vx;vy;vz;wa;wb;wc;wd;we;wf;wg;wh;wi;wj;wk;wl;wm;wn;wo;wp;wq;wr;ws;wt;wu;wv;ww;wx;wy;wz;xa;xb;xc;xd;xe;xf;xg;xh;xi;xj;xk;xl;xm;xn;xo;xp;xq;xr;xs;xt;xu;xv;xw;xx;xy;xz;ya;yb;yc;yd;ye;yf;yg;yh;yi;yj;yk;yl;ym;yn;yo;yp;yq;yr;ys;yt;yu;yv;yw;yx;yy;yz;za;zb;zc;zd;ze;zf;zg;zh;zi;zj;zk;zl;zm;zn;zo;zp;zq;zr;zs;zt;zu;zv;zw;zx;zy;zz;Aa;Ab;Ac;Ad;Ae;Af;Ag;Ah;Ai;Aj;Ak;Al;Am;An;Ao;Ap;Aq;Ar;As;At;Au;Av;Aw;Ax;Ay;Az;Ba;Bb;Bc;Bd;Be;Bf;Bg;Bh;Bi;Bj;Bk;Bl;Bm;Bn;Bo;Bp;Bq;Br;Bs;Bt;Bu;Bv;Bw;Bx;By;Bz;Ca;Cb;Cc;Cd;Ce;Cf;Cg;Ch;Ci;Cj;Ck;Cl;Cm;Cn;Co;Cp;Cq;Cr;Cs;Ct;Cu;Cv;Cw;Cx;Cy;Cz;Da;Db;Dc;Dd;De;Df;Dg;Dh;Di;Dj;Dk;Dl;Dm;Dn;Do;Dp;Dq;Dr;Ds;Dt;Du;Dv;Dw;Dx;Dy;Dz;Ea;Eb;Ec;Ed;Ee;Ef;Eg;Eh;Ei;Ej;Ek;El;Em;En;Eo;Ep;Eq;Er;Es;Et;Eu;Ev;Ew;Ex;Ey;Ez;Fa;Fb;Fc;Fd;Fe;Ff;Fg;Fh;Fi;Fj;Fk;Fl;Fm;Fn;Fo;Fp;Fq;Fr;Fs;Ft;Fu;Fv;Fw;Fx;Fy;Fz;Ga;Gb;Gc;Gd;Ge;Gf;Gg;Gh;Gi;Gj;Gk;Gl;Gm;Gn;Go;Gp;Gq;Gr;Gs;Gt;Gu;Gv;Gw;Gx;Gy;Gz;Ha;Hb;Hc;Hd;He;Hf;Hg;Hh;Hi;Hj;Hk;Hl;Hm;Hn;Ho;Hp;Hq;Hr;Hs;Ht;Hu;Hv;Hw;Hx;Hy;Hz;Ia;Ib;Ic;Id;Ie;If;Ig;Ih;Ii;Ij;Ik;Il;Im;In;Io;Ip;Iq;Ir;Is;It;Iu;Iv;Iw;Ix;Iy;Iz;Ja;Jb;Jc;Jd;Je;Jf;Jg;Jh;Ji;Jj;Jk;Jl;Jm;Jn;Jo;Jp;Jq;Jr;Js;Jt;Ju;Jv;Jw;Jx;Jy;Jz;Ka;Kb;Kc;Kd;Ke;Kf;Kg;Kh;Ki;Kj;Kk;Kl;Km;Kn;Ko;Kp;Kq;Kr;Ks;Kt;Ku;Kv;Kw;Kx;Ky;Kz;La;Lb;Lc;Ld;Le;Lf;Lg;Lh;Li;Lj;Lk;Ll;Lm;Ln;Lo;Lp;Lq;Lr;Ls;Lt;Lu;Lv;Lw;Lx;Ly;Lz;Ma;Mb;Mc;Md;Me;Mf;Mg;Mh;Mi;Mj;Mk;Ml;Mm;Mn;Mo;Mp;Mq;Mr;Ms;Mt;Mu;Mv;Mw;Mx;My;Mz;Na;Nb;Nc;Nd;Ne;Nf;Ng;Nh;Ni;Nj;Nk;Nl;Nm;Nn;No;Np;Nq;Nr;Ns;Nt;Nu;Nv;Nw;Nx;Ny;Nz;Oa;Ob;Oc;Od;Oe;Of;Og;Oh;Oi;Oj;Ok;Ol;Om;On;Oo;Op;Oq;Or;Os;Ot;Ou;Ov;Ow;Ox;Oy;Oz;Pa;Pb;Pc;Pd;Pe;Pf;Pg;Ph;Pi;Pj;Pk;Pl;Pm;Pn;Po;Pp;Pq;Pr;Ps;Pt;Pu;Pv;Pw;Px;Py;Pz;Qa;Qb;Qc;Qd;Qe;Qf;Qg;Qh;Qi;Qj;Qk;Ql;Qm;Qn;Qo;Qp;Qq;Qr;Qs;Qt;Qu;Qv;Qw;Qx;Qy;Qz;Ra;Rb;Rc;Rd;Re;Rf;Rg;Rh;Ri;Rj;Rk;Rl;Rm;Rn;Ro;Rp;Rq;Rr;Rs;Rt;Ru;Rv;Rw;Rx;Ry;Rz;Sa;Sb;Sc;Sd;Se;Sf;Sg;Sh;Si;Sj;Sk;Sl;Sm;Sn;So;Sp;Sq;Sr;Ss;St;Su;Sv;Sw;Sx;Sy;Sz;Ta;Tb;Tc;Td;Te;Tf;Tg;Th;Ti;Tj;Tk;Tl;Tm;Tn;To;Tp;Tq;Tr;Ts;Tt;Tu;Tv;Tw;Tx;Ty;Tz;Ua;Ub;Uc;Ud;Ue;Uf;Ug;Uh;Ui;Uj;Uk;Ul;Um;Un;Uo;Up;Uq;Ur;Us;Ut;Uu;Uv;Uw;Ux;Uy;Uz;Va;Vb;Vc;Vd;Ve;Vf;Vg;Vh;Vi;Vj;Vk;Vl;Vm;Vn;Vo;Vp;Vq;Vr;Vs;Vt;Vu;Vv;Vw;Vx;Vy;Vz;Wa;Wb;Wc;Wd;We;Wf;Wg;Wh;Wi;Wj;Wk;Wl;Wm;Wn;Wo;Wp;Wq;Wr;Ws;Wt;Wu;Wv;Ww;Wx;Wy;Wz;Xa;Xb;Xc;Xd;Xe;Xf;Xg;Xh;Xi;Xj;Xk;Xl;Xm;Xn;Xo;Xp;Xq;Xr;Xs;Xt;Xu;Xv;Xw;Xx;Xy;Xz;Ya;Yb;Yc;Yd;Ye;Yf;Yg;Yh;Yi;Yj;Yk;Yl;Ym;Yn;Yo;Yp;Yq;Yr;Ys;Yt;Yu;Yv;Yw;Yx;Yy;Yz;Za;Zb;Zc;Zd;Ze;Zf;Zg;Zh;Zi;Zj;Zk;Zl;Zm;Zn;Zo;Zp;Zq;Zr;Zs;Zt;Zu;Zv;Zw;Zx;Zy;Zz;aaa;aab;aac;aad;aae;aaf;aag;aah;aai;aaj;aak;aal;aam;aan;aao;aap;aaq;aar;aas;aat;aau;aav;aaw;aax;aay;aaz;aba;abb;abc;abd;abe;abf;abg;abh;abi;abj;abk;abl;abm;abn;abo;abp;abq;abr;abs;abt;abu;abv;abw;abx;aby;abz;aca;acb;acc;acd;ace;acf;acg;ach;aci;acj;ack;acl;acm;acn;aco;acp;acq;acr;acs;act;acu;acv;acw;acx;acy;acz;ada;adb;adc;add;ade;adf;adg;adh;adi;adj;adk;adl;adm;adn;ado;adp;adq;adr;ads;adt;adu;adv;adw;adx;ady;adz;aea;aeb;aec;aed;aee;aef;aeg;aeh;aei;aej;aek;ael;aem;aen;aeo;aep;aeq;aer;aes;aet;aeu;aev;aew;aex;aey;aez;afa;afb;afc;afd;afe;aff;afg;afh;afi;afj;afk;afl;afm;afn;afo;afp;afq;afr;afs;aft;afu;afv;afw;afx;afy;afz;aga;agb;agc;agd;age;agf;agg;agh;agi;agj;agk;agl;agm;agn;ago;agp;agq;agr;ags;agt;agu;agv;agw;agx;agy;agz;aha;ahb;ahc;ahd;ahe;ahf;ahg;ahh;ahi;ahj;ahk;ahl;ahm;ahn;aho;ahp;ahq;ahr;ahs;aht;ahu;ahv;ahw;ahx;ahy;ahz;aia;aib;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Good Luck!