If you use a custom bean that supports generics it is not possible to declare
the variable type with the generic.

Example:

You have created a gui component that shows a list of items. call it MyListViewer.

MyListViewer is a bean, but also supports generics. so you can instance it like
this.

MyListViewer<SomeEntity> viewer = new MyListViewer<SomeEntity>();

But if you added MyListViewer to the palette and create it as a bean in the gui
editor, the editor will instance it as. 

MyListViewer viewer = new MyListViewer();

In the current Netbeans form editor you can create the creation statement
yourself (this is properly because you want to support sub classes of the bean)
but you cannot define the generic type so the best you can get from the form
editor as it is for now is.

MyListViewer viewer = new MyListViewer<SomeEntity>();

Workaround:

The current workaround i use for now is to create your own alias variable that
supports generics.

MyListViewer<SomeEntity> viewerAlias = (MyListViewer<SomeEntity>) viewer;

This makes is possible for me to use the bean and generics properties of the
bean at the same time. but it is a far from perfect solution.

Possible solutions:

Add a new property under "code" where you select the generic type of the bean.

I know that this is properly a rare situation, but as people begin using
generics the value of this enhancement will increase.

calvin