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As specified in: http://ui.netbeans.org/docs/hi/debugger3.4/variables/index.html The Display As menu item should be available for all variables and watches, even if their display format can't be changed. The reason for this is that it helps prevent the impression that the "Display As" item only appears at random times. If it is always there, and just shows an item that says "Normal" this both tells a user that it is possible in some cases do other things, and if they happen to see "Display As" in some cases, they aren't left later on unable to remember were they saw it earlier.
This can be easily implemented in NumericDisplayFilter.
I would like to hear the HIE opinion - should we really add unnecesary menu items to most of the nodes just for the consistence?
I assume that "Display As" is currently available for some variables. In that case it should be available for all variables for the reasons stated by David John.