File Access and Display

• To manage, manipulate, and represent data

Solutions

• File System
• Data System
• Nodes APIs

Four Layers

• Presentation Layer
• Logical Layer
• Abstraction Layer
• Physical Layer

File System API

• The NetBeans Platform gives transparent access to files and folders by providing the File System API.
• … as if the data is stored in the form of a virtual XML file system, such as that used by the System Filesystem, a JAR file, or in a normal folder.
• Operations
• Obtaining
• Creating
• Renaming
• Deleting
• Moving
• Reading and Writing Files
• Monitoring Changes
• Only internal events are monitored

Data System API

• Provides a logical layer on top of the File Systems API
• While a FileObject manages its data regardless of type, a DataObject is a wrapper for a FileObject of a quite specific type.
• A DataObject extends a FileObject with type-specific features and functionalities.
• These are specified through interfaces or abstract classes: so-called cookies.

• DataObject
• Implementing and Adding Cookies
• Using Cookies
• Providing Cookies Dynamically
• Creating a DataObject Manually
• DataObject Factory
• DataLoader
• Implementation
• Registration

Nodes API

• Node Container
• Actions
• Event Handling
• Implementing Nodes and Children

Explorer & Property Sheet API