I begin to patch Scala's new designed compiler interface for IDE to get it work better (with NetBeans, and, other IDEs). I know lamp term may use Eclipse as their IDE to develop Scala itself, but I'm using new written NetBeans plugin. Here's a short tutorial of how to use NetBeans Scala plugin to work with Scala itself

Build Scala-2.8.0 snapshot

First and least, svn check out Scala's trunk source code:

cd ~/myprjs/scala/scala
svn co http://lampsvn.epfl.ch/svn-repos/scala/scala/trunk

Then, make sure your $JAVA_HOME is pointed to a JDK 1.5 instead of 1.6, and clear $SCALA_HOME. "ant dist" to build a fresh Scala distribution, which is located at ~myprjs/scala/scala/dist/latest

# As for Mac OS X
JAVA_HOME_BAK=$JAVA_HOME
export JAVA_HOME=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0/Home
export SCALA_HOME=
ant dist
export JAVA_HOME=$JAVA_HOME_BAK
export SCALA_HOME=~myprjs/scala/scala/dist/latest

Install latest NetBeans and Scala plugin

Download latest NetBeans nightly built from ​http://bits.netbeans.org/download/trunk/nightly/latest, the minimal pack "Java SE" is enough.

Run NetBeans, get latest Scala plugin via: [Preference/Option?] -> [Plugins] -> [Available Plugins], find "Scala Kit" in the list and choose it,following the instructions to get it installed, restart NetBeans.

Create NetBeans project by importing existing sources

Create project for Scala's trunk sources. Note: each folder under "src" should be considered as standalone folder, for example, "compiler", it's better to create standalone project for each these folder, I created two, one for "compiler",another for "library".

[File] -> [New Project] -> [Scala] -> [Scala Project with Existing Sources]

Click [Next], input project name that you like Note: you can input an existed ant build script file name in "Build Script Name". Or, modify the auto-created one later, it's a plain ant build xml file.

Click [Next], add source folder:

Click [Next] again, you can see the sources that will be included in this project, then click [Finish]

Now, Scala's compiler has been imported as a NetBeans freeform project, it is an old plain ant project. You can create another one for Scala's library.

How to debug into Scala's compiler, library source?

If you have a project that want to debug into Scala's compiler, library sources, you could do when in debugging:

In debugging, open debugging source windows via: [Windows] -> [Debugging] -> [Sources]. Go through the listed source jars, find ".../scala-compiler.jar" and ".../scala-library.jar", check them.

I struggled with ​new redesigned IDE / compiler interface (interative.Global) during this weekend, and finally, got it attached to NetBeans Scala plugin, which runs as a background daemon thread, thus the plugin is more responsive when coding (the first benefit). It was a hard work though, I had to modify some of the original code to get whole things stable and responsive (balance), it paid me 2 sleepless nights.

So here's what's new on current nightly built:

• Tested and work with Scala 2.8.0.r18542 snapshot
• Better supporting for mixed Java/Scala? project
• Better indentation and formatter for unfinished line after 'if', 'else', '=', 'for', 'while', 'do' etc
• Better code completion even for implicit methods (some times)
• Implicit method call will be highlighted by underline
• Select parts of code, press '{', '[', '(', '"', '`' etc will add/replace surrounding pair, press '~' will remove them. Specially, press '/' will block comment it
• Some basic hints, for example, fix import (from Milos' work)
• Code template now works, check or add your own via [Options/Preferences?] -> [Editor] -> [Code Templates] -> [Scala] (from Milos' work)

Note: wait until Monday night for NetBeans' hudson builds those whole new nbms.

I think this plugin is qualifiable for beta using/testing now. If you are interested in testing/reporting bugs, you can get the latest NetBeans nightly built, and got the new Scala plugin from Update Center, download a Scala-2.8.0 snapshot, live your $SCALA_HOME to this Scala 2.8.0 snapshot, change $PATH to including $SCALA_HOME/bin.

By testing/using Scala 2.8.0 right now, we can also push it improved more quickly.

BTW, I'm using this plugin on whole Scala' trunk source and of course, this plugin.

Java/Scala? mixed project was supported partly once before, but I cannot remember when this feature got lost. Anyway, as one progressing of the rewritten NetBeans Scala plugin, I just got this feature working properly halfway: now Java source is visible to Scala one, but not vice versa. To got Scala source also visible for Java source, would pay for efficiency, since the compiler may need to be pushed to a deep phase, and mapped to Java classes/methods, I need more time to think about that.

Below is a screenshot that a JavaDog? is called from a Scala source file:

The previous Scala plugin for NetBeans was a rush work which was written in Java, toward a useful tool to support writing Scala code. I called it chicken, which was then can be used to produce new Scala plugin written <b>in Scala</b>, that was, the egg.

The egg has grown to a chicken now. As for last night, I switched whole scala modules to depend on the new written scala.editor module (in Scala), and use this new chicken to improve Scala plugin from now on.

The new scala plugin will be carefully rewritten, with a lot of APIs supporting for language editor in mind, and try to support better and more features toward a whole featured, stable Scala IDE.

Another good news is, Milos Kleint, the contributor to NetBeans Maven plugin, has also put hands on this project, he's working on better Scala support for maven project, and new templates/hinds features for Scala editor modules.

The new plugin is based on Scala 2.8 snapshot, if want to get it, you should use the nightly built NetBeans from netbeans.org, and get the new plugins via updated center.

Note: you have to install the latest Scala 2.8 snapshot too, and make sure $SCALA_HOME, $PATH pointed to it. For maven project, you should also update your pom.xml to depend on Scala -2.8-snapshot.

Below is a working snapshot that I was using new Scala plugin to write Scala plugin: