How do I get the project to build?

[apjanke]

How does one get the antlrworks2 project to build? I'm afraid I don't see any documentation in the repo for it.

I've cloned the repo and opened the antlrworks2 project in Apache NetBeans 11, and it's showing a bunch of errors about the classes for the org.antlr.v4.runtime and org.antlr.v4.tool packages not being found. Do I need to supply this as an external dependency somehow?

I'm afraid I'm a lot more familiar with Maven and IntelliJ than NetBeans at this point; sorry if this is a newbie question.

[rbrtjr]

me too... I tried build (like with netbeans) but got a message 'Cannot find NetBeans build harness.'

[grootstebozewolf]

Steps to Build and Install ANTLRWorks2 Plugin in NetBeans Using Ant

1. Clone the Repository:

   • Clone the antlrworks2 repository from GitHub to your local machine:

     git clone https://github.com/tunnelvisionlabs/antlrworks2.git
     

   • Navigate to the project directory:

     cd antlrworks2
     

2. Set Up NetBeans Environment:

   • Make sure NetBeans IDE is installed. The plugin is compatible primarily with NetBeans 8.2, but you can attempt using it with newer versions.
   • Install the necessary JDK and ensure Apache Ant is installed and configured in your system's PATH.

3. Prepare the Build Environment:

   • Follow the NetBeans Plugin Development tutorial for setting up your build environment. This will help configure the necessary paths and properties.
   • In the antlrworks2 directory, create or edit the build.properties file. This file will store key-value pairs required for the build process. Here’s a template for build.properties:

     # Paths to NetBeans harness and platform
     nbplatform.harness.dir=/path/to/netbeans/harness
     nbplatform.netbeans.dest.dir=/path/to/netbeans/platform
     

4. Include Required Dependencies:

   • Open the antlrworks2 project in NetBeans.
   • Add the required external dependencies, such as org.antlr.v4.runtime and org.antlr.v4.tool, to your project’s classpath. Download these JAR files from the ANTLR website if necessary.

5. Build the Project using Ant:

   • Execute the initial build commands to clean and compile the project:

     ant clean build
     

   • This process generates .nbm files in the dist directory, which are essential for the plugin installation.

6. Set Up Keystore for Signing the Plugin:

   • You need to configure a keystore to sign the plugin. This process involves adding the following properties to the build.properties file:

     keystore.alias=myKeyAlias
     keystore.password=myKeyPassword
     key.alias=myKey
     key.password=myKeyPassword
     [email protected], OU=YourDepartment, O=YourOrganization, L=YourCity, ST=YourState, C=YourCountry
     keystore.keyalg=RSA
     

   • Replace the placeholders with your actual keystore details.

7. Generate and Sign the Plugin NBM Files:

   • Initialize the keystore and generate the signed .nbm files by running:

     ant init-keystore nbms
     

   • This step creates the keystore (if it doesn't exist) and signs the .nbm files for secure distribution.

8. Install the Plugin in NetBeans:

   • Open NetBeans and navigate to Tools > Plugins.
   • Switch to the Downloaded tab and click Add Plugins....
   • Select the .nbm files from the dist directory and click Open.
   • Follow the installation prompts to complete the setup.

9. Verify the Installation:

   • Restart NetBeans to apply the changes.
   • Ensure the ANTLRWorks2 plugin is active and functional for ANTLR grammar development.

Additional Tips:

• NetBeans Harness and Platform Paths: Ensure that the paths specified in the build.properties file are accurate and point to the correct directories of your NetBeans installation.
• Keystore Management: If you need to create a new keystore, use the following keytool command:

  keytool -genkey -alias myKeyAlias -keyalg RSA -keystore /path/to/keystore
  

  Replace the placeholders with your specific details.

References:

• ANTLRWorks2 GitHub Repository
• Apache Ant Installation Guide
• NetBeans Plugin Development

By following these steps, you can successfully build, sign, and install the ANTLRWorks2 plugin in NetBeans, making it ready for ANTLR grammar development.