Code Completion Database

See Also

The IDE's code completion database enables several Source Editor features of the IDE, including Java code completion, Fast Import, Go To Class, Go to Source, Go to Declaration, and Show Javadoc.

The default contents of the code completion database depends on the distribution of the IDE. Most distributions have entries for the Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition, v. 1.4. In addition, it contains files for Java Servlet 2.2, Java Servlet 2.3, the Ant build tool, and XML APIs are typically included. Modules that are available in the Update Center can also add entries to the code completion database. For example, the API Support module adds code completion database entries for the IDE's OpenAPIs when you install the module.

Tip To include a different version of the Java 2 SDK in the code completion database, mount the source files or rt.jar file for that version. Then open the Code Completion Database Manager and delete the entry for the other SDK.

In order for Javadoc for a class to be visible when doing code completion, the sources must be mounted.

Whenever you mount a filesystem of Java sources or classes, those classes are automatically added to the code completion database. The code completion database is automatically updated for that filesystem whenever a file is saved or successfully parsed.

Note If you do not want the classes of a filesystem to be automatically added to the parser database when the filesystem is mounted, you can turn this feature off. Choose Tools and choose Options. Then expand Editing and expand Editor Settings. Select the Java Editor node. In the Expert section on the property sheet. Change the Update Code Completion Database After Mounting property to Never.

Java files that are open in the Source Editor are automatically parsed after two seconds of idle time. You can configure this time by choosing Tools and choose Options and expanding the Editing node. Select the Java Sources node, and edit the Automatic Parsing Delay property. If you disable automatic parsing by setting the property to zero, files are parsed only when saved.

If you modify code externally, the code completion database is not updated until the file is modified within the IDE and successfully parsed or saved. Alternatively, you can update the code completion database as described above after source is modified externally.

Examples of external modification include using an external editor or updating files from a team source code versioning server.

See Also
Code Completion Database Manager
Customizing Code Completion Database Entries
Updating Code Completion Database Entries
Deleting Code Completion Database Entries

Mounting a Filesystem
Using Code Completion
Opening a Java File With "Go To Class"
Adding a Java Import Statement With Fast Import
Using "Go To" Shortcuts

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