NetBeans 7.4 Tip of the Day: Adding A Custom License to NetBeans

I am really enjoying the new NetBeans 7.4 Beta. It features a new mechanism to add license headers to your project. It also allows you to switch the license easily in your project as well. In this example I will add a new BSD 3-Clause License "New BSD" to the Template Manager. This makes it easier to create a project using any variety of license that is required.

We will be adding the following file license-bsd_3.txt.

	<#if licenseFirst??>
	${licenseFirst}
	</#if>
	${licensePrefix}Copyright ${date?date?string("yyyy")} ${project.organization!user}.
	${licensePrefix}All rights reserved.
	${licensePrefix?replace(" +$", "", "r")}
	${licensePrefix}Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
	${licensePrefix}modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
	${licensePrefix?replace(" +$", "", "r")}
	${licensePrefix}* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
	${licensePrefix}  this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
	${licensePrefix}* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
	${licensePrefix}  this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
	${licensePrefix}  and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
	${licensePrefix}* Neither the name of the ${project.organization!organization} nor the names of its contributors
	${licensePrefix}  may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
	${licensePrefix}  prior written permission.
	${licensePrefix?replace(" +$", "", "r")}
	${licensePrefix}THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
	${licensePrefix}AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
	${licensePrefix}IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
	${licensePrefix}ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
	${licensePrefix}LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
	${licensePrefix}CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
	${licensePrefix}SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
	${licensePrefix}INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
	${licensePrefix}CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
	${licensePrefix}ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
	${licensePrefix}POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
	<#if licenseLast??>
	${licenseLast}
	</#if>

view raw license-bsd_3.txt hosted with ❤ by GitHub

	Copyright (c) <YEAR>, <OWNER>
	All rights reserved.
	Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the
	following conditions are met:
	* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
	following disclaimer.
	* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
	following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
	* Neither the name of <ORGANIZATION> nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
	derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
	THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
	INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
	DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL <COPYRIGHT HOLDER> BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY,
	OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
	DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
	STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE,
	EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

view raw NEW-BSD.txt hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Note: The license file must start with the prefix license- and end with .txt.

1. Download license-bsd_3.txt, or create your own.
2. Open Tools → Templates → Licenses
   
   
3. Click Add and add the license file. It will be installed as license-bsd_3.txt
4. Click Rename and rename the file to BSD 3-Clause License.
   
   
5. Create a new Maven project. Open the properties for the project and go to License Headers. Select use global license and select our new license.
   
   
6. Create a Java class and the license should contain our new license.
   

   	/*
   	* Copyright 2013-2017 John Yeary <jyeary@bluelotussoftware.com>.
   	* All rights reserved.
   	*
   	* Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
   	* modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
   	*
   	* * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
   	* this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
   	* * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
   	* this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
   	* and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
   	* * Neither the name of the Blue Lotus Software, LLC nor the names of its contributors
   	* may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
   	* prior written permission.
   	*
   	* THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
   	* AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
   	* IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
   	* ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
   	* LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
   	* CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
   	* SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
   	* INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
   	* CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
   	* ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
   	* POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
   	*/

   view raw license_output hosted with ❤ by GitHub

UPDATE: I was asked via twitter about the organization property. This is set from Tools → Templates → Settings. Add a property called organization.