Updating the port java/netbeans

freethread

freethread

I managed to install Apache NetBeans 28 (latest version available) by reading the port's Makefile (java/netbeans) and making small changes to the source code (binary; I thought it was compiled from source). I also installed the port java/openjdk17. I haven't tried all the features, but it seems to work. In any case, I'd like to maintain the port but I don't know where to start. I know a lot about ports but not enough to maintain one. First of all, how to generate the pkg-plist file because there are quite a few. What's the best way to ask for help creating a port, and especially where? I know there's a mailing list freebsd ports, but I'm not familiar with mailing lists.

Thanks for your help.

Istantanea_2026-01-09_21-30-30.jpg
 
There is some freebsd under the hood tooling going around in the ports makefiles.
Today i learned WWW in a Makefile is where Makefile pulls it sources from.
You could put a hello world c file on github and then try to build it as a freebsd port ... How i'm not yet there...
 
freethread I assume you started with the existing port files. The expectation is the someone can cd to /usr/ports/java/netbeans and type 'make install' to get a working netbeans.

For unmaintained ports, the most common use case is where there is a new upstream version available. Editing the version and git commit hash might be all that is needed (well, that and a round of testing).

Even for trivial updates, testing is where the real effort lies. If you happen to have non x86/amd64 hardware on which to test, that's a bonus.

I think most of the testing is for ports with options and flavors. Ideally, you'd want to test out all options and flavors.

When you have a working port, create a bug at bugs.freebsd.org. Create a patch that shows the differences between the existing port and your fixes. Include the patch as an attachment. Someone with ports committer rights can review your patch and hopefully commit it to the ports tree.

If you don't mind, please drop a link to the bug here. I use netbeans and would like to follow it's progress.

I forgot to add, please do subscribe to the freebsd-java mailing list as suggested by Alain De Vos . That will make you aware of all the other things going on in that space. Someone might provide feedback on a different port that you find useful to netbeans.
 
I look at the makefile yesterday to see what happens. Is extremely simple, at least for amd64 (what I'm using). I installed it in about half an hours this afternoon.
  • Download the binary zip file from netbeans.org
  • unzip it in /usr/local/netbeans-28
  • make a symlink (relative, the port make it relative) of /usr/local/netbeans-28/bin/netbeans and make this file executable.
  • uncomment the line 80 in the file /usr/local/netbeans-28/etc/netbeans.conf and set the Java installation path /path/to/jdk in /usr/local/openjdk17 (you have to install port or package java/openjdk17
  • remove the directories /usr/local/netbeans-28/profiler/lib/deployed/jdk16/linux-arm*
  • remove all files *.orig in the installation directory tree under /usr/local/netbeans-28
  • create the /usr/local/share/applications/netbeas-28.desktop and chage its content to run netbeans-28
you are done. All the above operations are in the port java/netbeans, only the row in netbeans.conf is different (77 in netbeans-17, 80 in netbeans-28). There are no *.orig files to delete.

I hope have written all steps here. I have already installed netbeans-17 from ports (the reason why I created only the symlink netbeans-28 to the executable), so now I have both installed.

To create the new port only change the makefile, it is easy. What is not easy is to create the pkg-plist, there are tons of files.

Reread: modified
 
Well, I updated the port java/netbeans (I hope). To test it I uninstalled netbeans-17 and openjdk11, run pkg autoremove -y to have a clean system and rebooted. I created the new port in /usr/ports/java/netbeans-28 to not change the original port.

As suggested by unitrunker I submitted a bug report PR 292351 with the port files attached: distinfo, Makefile and pkg-plist. I do not changed the file pkg-descr, copy it from the actual port.
 
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