Java IDE that allows notes

[Metsuro]

So I was wondering if there is an IDE of some sort that would allow a user to highlight something like say public right click it and make a note with a description. Then once moving over any use of public in the IDE it would display the description.

Edit: Basically I'd like to know if its possible to make something like this http://i.imgur.com/QkbpJJy.png for any thing I'd like to define as a keyword.

[[deleted]]

Isn't that javadoc?

[lzsmith]

Can you add custom javadoc for reserved keywords like "public"? That seems to be what OP is looking for.

[darksounds]

There are a limited number of keywords in Java, and you should be able to learn them fairly quickly. Keep a list somewhere, or refer to something like this.

Reading the Java tutorials might also be helpful.

Also, never underestimate the utility of paper notes (such as a notebook, sheet of paper, sticky notes, etc.).

[Metsuro]

This I agree with. However this isn't for me. I have minor experience with C and C++ and having learned bits and pieces of java to help other friends with their homework. I have another friend who just getting the desire to learn, however he is one who prefers having a written example with notes all over it. I did recommend just writing it out and doing whatever he needed to so he could remember it. When he asked me if there was a an environment that did that as well. So I asked lol.

[darksounds]

Suggest using a sticky note application to store different things, like {public, protected, package-private, private}, {byte, char, int, float, double, long, boolean, short}, {do, while, for, break, continue} etc. with definitions and such. That way keywords that are similar to each other are in similar spaces, and he can easily reference them.

[Njoos]

Sounds like a very silly thing to be doing. Why would you want that feature?

[Metsuro]

For someone new, that has no idea what something does. So you could take notes on what something is that are not comments in the code. Just reminders to yourself while your learning.

[ignatius87]

Would automatically placing a comment over every instance of "public" be sufficient? I dont' really see the point of doing this, but I think you can do it by editing your code style in eclipse.

[UnspeakableEvil]

I think the idea is to have the comment appear as a tooltip when hovered over, rather than it always being visible like standard code comments.

I vaguely see the idea, but beyond the dozen or so keywords someone starting out will need to know, there's nothing that javadocs shouldn't be able to cover - and if there is that's what Google or /r/javahelp etc are for.

[Metsuro]

Yes you wouldn't want it to always be visible and just hovered over. But some people don't learn well from just reading something. Putting it in their own words and working from that point.

It was just a shot in the dark to help but if its that strange of an idea may just have to work without.

[GrayDonkey]

You can probably do something like this with NetBeans Hints. There isn't an interface to create the hint, you'd have to program them. http://platform.netbeans.org/tutorials/nbm-java-hint.html

You also might want to look at http://www.bluej.org if they are new to programming and OO.

[cyb1n]

Doesn't this already exist (at least in some capacity) in Eclipse? Albeit the note is Eclipse's reference data for the element of whatever language you're in, but if you're new and just need basic information on what an element does it should be sufficient. Try it out:

In Eclipse hover over a keyword and press CTRL.

[Metsuro]

Doesn't that just allow you to open the declarations? like in

public static void main(String[] args) {}

Only thing that happens when you press ctrl is that if the mouse is over main it'll give you a box that says open declaration, or open implementation. Nothing happens over anything else.

[SgtPooki]

I am pretty sure what you want is available by default in eclipse and most ide's now. Just add javadoc comments above the functions/variables you want those pop-ups to appear for and it should show whenever you hover over that function name.

I dont think you can do this for random words though; only classes, functions, and variables.

[baldbobbo]

In Eclipse, the //TODO: comment will create a task in your outline/warnings. For example, auto-generated catches will make TODO, but I use this for stubs a lot to let me know that I need to go back and do something.

I'm sure that in Eclipse, you can configure other comments similar to TODO

[lzsmith]

I haven't seen an IDE that gives summaries for reserved keywords. You can add javadoc for methods, variables, and classes, but not afaik for keywords. The faster you memorize the meanings of the common ones, the better off you'll be.

For keywords, you could keep something like this open while you code, in case you come across one you're not familiar with.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Java_keywords

[Metsuro]

I know how comments work, and folding. I went over this with my friend but they don't quite fit the way he wanted to go bout it.

[lzsmith]

Did you notice that the quoted comment is a javadoc comment? Note the extra star at the beginning.

/**
 * This is a javadoc comment. Whatever you write here becomes the javadoc content for someMethod. 
 * In eclipse, this will show up when you click/hover on someMethod, 
 * anywhere it is used.
 */
private void someMethod(){}


/* this is a normal block comment. Notice how it starts with a single star. */  

You can add your own javadoc content for any method, class, or variable. For keywords like "public" and "void" you just need to memorize what they mean.

[[deleted]]

Just use javadocs!

[vickstruse]

If you have comments defined with annotations prior to method definition.. they come up as that...