My First Hack into Netbeans

This post describes how to develop a simple macro for Netbeans to comment and uncomment the selected text. By default the purpose is done by a inbuilt template in Netbeans. To comment the selected text using this template follow :

• Select the text to be commented.
• Press Alt+Enter. A drop-down menu will come. Select Surround with /*$selection*/

This method becomes cumbersome when you keep adding your own Templates.(How to develop your own Template in another post :P ) NetBeans allows you to develop your own macros to perform such tasks.

• Go to Tools -> Options.
• In Options select the Editor -> Macros tab.
• Now Click New. A pop-up will come. Enter the macro name Comment .
  
• A new entry in the macro table is entered. Select the entry and paste the following code in the Macro Code window.

select-identifier cut-to-clipboard caret-begin-line insert-break "/*" insert-break delete-previous delete-previous paste-from-clipboard insert-break remove-line "*/" insert-break

• Set Shortcut Alt+Q (or anything you like)

Comment macro is created. Similarly create uncomment macro. Paste following code in the Macro Code window:
select-identifier last-non-white remove-line cut-to-clipboard caret-begin-line paste-from-clipboard first-non-white remove-line remove-line

• Set shortcut Shift+Alt+Q (or anything you like)
• Click Ok.

Now both the macros are created. To use them Select the text from the editor and press Alt+Q to comment and press Shift+Alt+Q to uncomment the commented code. Here is the list of elementary macro functions. You can develop your own using these link.

Enjoy NetBeans :)