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We're using NB to build a standalone debugger (dbxtool). One feature we would like to have a is a permanent status area near the top of the main window, under the toolbar. The existing status area is not appropriate because it's contents are ephemeral and it is not under the users primary gaze. The desired status area may contain state information like the current function or thread the user is inspecting. See http://www.totalviewtech.com/images/snapshot_totalview_lg.jpg The status area may also contain controls for choosing a focus for debugger controls. Advanced multi-threaded debuggers have a notion of sets of processes or threads to which a bpt, resumption or step action should apply. Selection of these sets is usually perfomed through controls near the top of the view: http://www.allinea.com/?page=48 Such status and controls can be put into toolbars (like the existing memory usage and quicksearch widgets) but I think a dedicated area would be preferable. Or perhaps toolbars could be enhanced. The trouble with controls are as follows: - cannot add labels and textareas (for status) - cannot add arbitrary controls? - cannot force a "sub-toolbar" to appear on the second row. - don't want the grab-point (Perhaps there are actually ways to do all the above?) Making such an area be declaratively programmable (via layers) may be a challenge. Perhaps a better model may be specialized TopComponents which to a first approximation ... - have ability get docked under the toolbar - don't have a border, title or banner. - span the width of the main window. ... and to a second approximation ... - can be docked in a variety of places and have more flexible geometry.
Here's a tutorial on how to add arbitrary panels to the toolbar: http://platform.netbeans.org/tutorials/nbm-google.html
You can indeed add arbitrary components to toolbars, and you can also declare the layout of toolbar rows in layers. AFAIK you cannot currently remove the drag handle on a toolbar.
OK, I'll experiment with this and see if there are other limitations which would warrant an explicit status area. BTW, is there a general layer file API documentation page?
> AFAIK you cannot currently remove the drag handle on a toolbar. it is now possible as the toolbars have been rewritten - see quicksearch toolbar as an example
I would think this RFE can be merged with #242278 which essentially deals with the same issue.