STEP 1: Install NetBeans

These are instructions to install NetBeans on Kubuntu. These instructions are a prequel to setting up ICEfaces and Liferay on NetBeans. Ultimately, I will show how to develop an ICEfaces portlet for Liferay using NetBeans.


Install the JDK

Open a terminal window and enter the following commands...

$ sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jdk
$ sudo update-alternatives --config java

Select /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun/jre/bin/java


Install NetBeans

DOWNLOAD: netbeans-6.7.1-ml-linux.sh
FROM URL: http://www.netbeans.org/

Open a terminal window and enter the following commands. Replace [download location] with the directory where you downloaded the software to.

$ cd [download location]
$ chmod +x netbeans-6.7.1-ml-linux.sh
$ sudo ./netbeans-6.7.1-ml-linux.sh

The standard look and feel of NetBeans is quite outdated. Nimbus is a nicer, more modern look and feel. The following commands will set-up your NetBeans configuration to use Nimbus.

$ sudo cp /usr/local/netbeans-6.7.1/etc/netbeans.conf /usr/local/netbeans-6.7.1/etc/netbeans.conf.original
$ sudo sed -i 's|-J-Dsun.java2d.noddraw=true|--laf com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel -J-Dswing.aatext=true|g' /usr/local/netbeans-6.7.1/etc/netbeans.conf


Update NetBeans

Start NetBeans and click on...

Tools | Plugins | Updates | Update


NetBeans Fonts

Liberation is an excellent easy-to-read font, and I highly recommend it.
Open a terminal window and enter the following command...

$ sudo apt-get install ttf-liberation

In NetBeans...

Tools | Options | Fonts & Colors Category: Default Font: Liberation Monospace 12


NetBeans Browser Fix

NetBeans does not launch the web browser. Here is the configuration for Firefox.

In NetBeans...

Tools | Options | General Web Browser : Firefox Edit Arguments: {URL} OK | OK