Another alike problem is with Tools -> Libraries dialog. It is available in the CND, but not usable as it is not possible to add some library. Only remove button is enabled. It also should be moved to some other place.

Both dialogs are also useless for Maven projects, thus specific to Ant-based project types, not Java projects as such. Of course various other dialogs opened from the Tools menu are specific to certain project types. If you do not want Tools > Libraries and Tools > Variables to appear, exclude project.ant and project.libraries from your build.

Up to UI folks what to do with this. Could label the dialogs and/or menu items something like "Ant Libraries" resp. "Ant Variables". Or disable the menu items when no Ant-based project is open. (A bit tricky in the case of Libraries since there is no API for indicating whether a project might use this module or not.)

(In reply to comment #2)
> Both dialogs are also useless for Maven projects, thus specific to Ant-based
> project types, not Java projects as such. Of course various other dialogs
> opened from the Tools menu are specific to certain project types. If you do not
> want Tools > Libraries and Tools > Variables to appear, exclude project.ant and
> project.libraries from your build.
> 
> Up to UI folks what to do with this. Could label the dialogs and/or menu items
> something like "Ant Libraries" resp. "Ant Variables". 
Agree with this
> Or disable the menu items when no Ant-based project is open. (A bit tricky in the case of Libraries since
> there is no API for indicating whether a project might use this module or not.)
Only disabling is not enough, because it will be activated when at least one Ant-based project is opened, but it is still not applicable to all other opened projects, so better name + disabling is the most preferable. 
While better name is also enough.

for the time being I endorse the idea to label the dialogs and menu items
"Ant Libraries" resp. "Ant Variables". IMHO we can afford to do this even now after feature freeze, as it does not actually change the UI structure nor logic and it should cause no confusion as the new names do contain the old names. More detailed changes in Tools menu can be considered after 7.2..

core-main #bae64ac16e12

Integrated into 'main-golden', will be available in build *201205120400* on http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/nightly/ (upload may still be in progress)
Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main-golden/rev/bae64ac16e12
User: Jesse Glick <jglick@netbeans.org>
Log: #211763: Tools->Variables confuses C/C++ users

Integrated into 'main-golden', will be available in build *201206010001* on http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/nightly/ (upload may still be in progress)
Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main-golden/rev/0e073fa82d60
User: Jesse Glick <jglick@netbeans.org>
Log: #211763 (label change) follow-up.

Rename of Variables to Ant Variables makes sense because the only purpose of that dialog is to set Ant properties.

But Libraries case is very different and I think it does not make any sense to label generic libraries support as "Ant Libraries". For NetBeans 7.3 we are working on improving JavaScript support and I used Libraries SPI/API to manage JavaScript libraries. Similarly C/C++ team could use them to model C/C++ libraries as Libraries SPI/API is fairly generic. In that light I think this change was premature. Libraries menu item was in place since NetBeans 4.0 and I doubt there was much confusion about it - opening a dialog you get list of libraries grouped by their type, eg. "Class Libraries", "Server Libraries", etc. If we decide to go ahead with JavaScript Libraries for 7.3 there will be a new group called "JavaScript Libraries" and I will have to file P2 issues to revert the name back to "Libraries".

If it is not too late I would suggest to revert this change (I mean "Ant Libraries" part) for 7.2. This is P3 after all.

What others think about this?

The concept 'Libraries' is generic enough. For Java folks these are jars,
for C/C++ people libXXX.a , libXXX.so  or XXX.dll, dependent on what church you are praying in. Also maven people will grasp the concept. So I would stick with the "Tools->Libraries" name and evolve libraries for different languages (as suggested for 7.3/javascript libraries). That the libraries are for ant are implemented as "ant variables" in only a smart but otherwise implementation detail. They help my students a lot when working on a project with mixed development machines. Agree on the name and windows aficionados, mac lovers and Linux guys can peacefully cooperate on projects.

It will also not break compatibility with any documentation, books, university course materials (which it would in my case).

>and I will have to file P2 issues to revert the name back to "Libraries".
David, if you want me to change it back to "Libraries" you need to make it P1.
Otherwise QE does not allow me to integrate it into NB 7.2.
Thanks