Java Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.2 Tool windows are secondary windows within the IDE that provide access to specific
project functionality, such as searching, running/debugging, and build processes.
(continued)
Tool window
Shortcut
Usage
Dependency viewer
Presents a tree view of all dependencies of the selected code
Inspection
Displays the results of code analysis
Tool window fundamentals
Although they play different roles,
IDEA
's tool windows share common behaviors
and features. Each tool window is represented by an entry in the Window menu
and by a button in one of four tool window bars located around the main inter-
face, as shown in figure 2.1. By default, inactive tool windows are hidden, and you
won't even see their buttons in the interface. Windows like
Find
and
Run
, for
example, aren't helpful when you aren't finding or running something. Other
tool windows, like
Web
and
CVS
, may not be applicable to your project and will
remain hidden.
IDEA
keeps down the clutter by hiding tool windows when they
aren't in use.
Tool windows that aren't disabled can be accessed from the tool window bars
that run down both sides and across the bottom of the
IDE
's main interface. Click
the name of the tool window, and it extends out and appears. Right-click the
name of the tool window, and you can set its options, including its mode and
which tool window bar the control should appear on.
Tool window modes
Tool windows have several viewing modes, the principal ones being docked
mode, floating mode, and undocked mode. This choice affects the windows'
placement and behavior on the screen.
In docked mode, the tool window is displayed as part of the main window. It
extends and retracts into the main window space, altering the size of the other
windows around it (including the main editor window). You can resize it to take
no more space than necessary, and that setting will persist as you close and
reopen the tool window. The real benefit of this mode is that it ensures that all of
IDEA
's information and context is shown simultaneously: No information is lost
from view because it's covered by a secondary window.
In floating mode, a tool window is detached from the main and displayed as a
separate, free-floating window. It may be moved and resized to suit your personal
preferences, but it always remains on top of the
IDE
's main window. This option
