Debugging Spring OSGi with NetBeans IDE

NetBeans is my favorite IDE but it suffers from lack of OSGi support. Eclipse with Equinox and plug-ins wins in terms of fast build, test, and deploy.

I try here to show how to create, build, and debug OSGi bundles with NetBeans IDE. For this purpose, I use Maven modules. First, I create a parent project. Next, using NetBeans 6.1, I create 4 sub-projects with the Spring DM architectype:

 

1. exceptions : exception packages
2. api : service to be implemented and published
3. impl : service implementation
4. test : test bundle

Full project source is available under this url : svn checkout http://debugosgi.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ debugosgi-read-only

Now, if we launch Equinox and start or update test bundle we get jtunisie as output:

 
$ java -jar equinox.jar -console

osgi> log4j:WARN No appenders could be found for logger (org.springframework.util.ClassUtils).
log4j:WARN Please initialize the log4j system properly.

osgi> ss

Framework is launched.

id    State       Bundle
0    ACTIVE      org.eclipse.osgi_3.3.2.R33x_v20080105
1    ACTIVE      org.eclipse.equinox.common_3.3.0.v20070426
2    ACTIVE      org.eclipse.update.configurator_3.2.100.v20070615
3    ACTIVE      com.jtunisie.osgi.debug.debug.dao.impl_1.0.0.SNAPSHOT
4    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.osgi.io_1.1.0.m1
5    ACTIVE      slf4j.log4j12_1.4.3
6    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.osgi.extender_1.1.0.m1
7    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.spring.core_2.5.2
8    ACTIVE      org.eclipse.osgi.services_3.1.200.v20070605
9    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.spring.aop_2.5.2
10    ACTIVE      jcl104.over.slf4j_1.4.3
11    RESOLVED    com.jtunisie.osgi.debug.debug.test_1.0.0.SNAPSHOT
12    ACTIVE      org.springframework.osgi.asm.osgi_2.2.3.SNAPSHOT
13    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.osgi.core_1.1.0.m1
14    ACTIVE      slf4j.api_1.4.3
15    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.spring.beans_2.5.2
17    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.spring.context_2.5.2
18    ACTIVE      org.springframework.osgi.log4j.osgi_1.2.15.SNAPSHOT
20    ACTIVE      org.springframework.bundle.spring.context.support_2.5.2
21    ACTIVE      org.springframework.osgi.aopalliance.osgi_1.0.0.SNAPSHOT

osgi> start 11

osgi> jTunisie

osgi> up 11

osgi> jTunisie

osgi>
 

Now, to debug deployed bundle and service we put a break point on service impl and we execute this command:

$ java -Xdebug -Xnoagent -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=8888,server=y,suspend=y -jar equinox.jar -console Listening for transport dt_socket at address: 8888

open netbeans --> Run --> attach debbuger and we change the host and port as the following picture shows:

osgi> log4j:WARN No appenders could be found for logger (org.springframework.util.ClassUtils). log4j:WARN Please initialize the log4j system properly. Listening for transport dt_socket at address: 8888 jTunisie

Note that NetBeans highlights the break point and we get the message on equinox console continue debug button is clicked: