Our first year at nbPython!

Our first year at nbPython.org has passed, and the team released our first public update of the
Python Plugin for NetBeans IDE (8.1) on November 24, 2015 !

The plugin is available at http://plugins.netbeans.org/plugin/61688/python
It requires NetBeans IDE 8.1.

Note: This plugin is also available on the NetBeans Plugin Portal Update Center. Use 'Tools > Plugins' action from the NetBeans IDE 8.1 main menu for convenient installation of this plugin!

What's new in this version

(Internal version 151118 )
- Greatly improved stability. Over 200 Bugzilla tickets resolved since December 2014.
- Rudimentary support for Web projects: html, js, css files within a Python project.
- Setuptools project type added (Linux, Solaris and Mac only).
- Improved handling of UTF-8 and other character sets.
- Includes bundled Jython 2.7 (Courtesy of Jython.org ).
- Some debugger bugs fixed; Replacement debugger planned.
- 8.1 verification PASSED!

Improved feature support is planned by the nbPython.org volunteers!
At the top of this list are Autocomplete/Code Completion, Refactoring, and the Debugger.

Thank You!

A big thank you to all involved in the production and final quality assurance of the plugin!
Especially Julien, Julio, Vincent, Ralph, and testers Gregory, Val, Serhii, and Tim.

Special thanks to our "Advisors" Geertjan and Jiří.

We still have work to do, but are encouraged by the progress made.

Like squirrels in Autumn, 2015

Like squirrels getting ready for Winter, we are readying the release of Python for NetBeans IDE 8.1!

Since my last posting in August, we "Resolved" some forty-five (45) bugs in Bugzilla!
We also held a few "Sunday Meetings" at nbPython.HipChat.com related to pre-release tasks.

Here are our Team Members' accomplishments (almost all of our code is written in Java):

I have been coding various bug fixes, packaging/signing/uploading the plugins, maintaining our websites and MySQL, creating "Ad copy", and writing tests for Synergy. Our recent test run was successful; here are the statistics from the Python for NetBeans IDE 8.1 Readiness Check

Julien fixed a number of exceptions, and worked on improving the Plugin's "vocabulary" of Python. He has also been working on Web project support, the beginning of which was implemented in the Python plugin for NetBeans 8.1 - Some support for html, css, and js files in Python projects!

Vincent continues work on UTF-8 (#153498), and several other issues related to encoding. Some fixes have been implemented in the Python plugin for NetBeans 8.1 - and now that he's returned from a month's holiday in sunny California, I expect more fixes will be forthcoming! 

Julio fixed platform auto-detection on Mac OS X and packaged the most recent Jython 2.7 into our current release!

Ralph fixed a number of nagging bugs; he also refactored "hints" and added keywords.

Tim, Julien, Vincent and Julio all helped test the release candidate on the Readiness Check, while Greg and Val helped with testing before and afterward. Good comments made and well-received!

Release the beast! - The big release is scheduled for 23-Nov-2015! After submitting the plugins to NetBeans.org, I will be busy making backups and upgrading our websites and MySQL server the weekend before. Initially we will probably be responding to bugs at Bugzilla, but then we turn our attention to...

Upcoming tasks -  Aside from bug fixing, we will initially work at improving Setuptools project type, Web project support, upgrade to Jython 2.7.1, some new "Sample" projects and (of course) the Debugger. Also, we will be migrating (on Jira) from the Kanban Sandbox over to the Python Project (also Kanban) primarily to avoid confusion about which Jira to use. I'll keep the project spreadsheet updated as time allows.

Let me know if I missed anything, and I'll put it in the next report!