# The Jedi Tutorial

previous | by Andreas Raquet | next

### Editing shortcuts

A lot of text a programmers writes follows simple patterns which repeat themselves over and over. Control statements like `if` and `switch`, and interface implementations like `ActionListener` are most common. To simplify these, Jedi features a text wizard plugin, which we will now use to enhance our application. We will add a commandline option that avoids printing the text.

Move the mouse before the first line in the `main` function. Then push (not release) the rightmost icon in the toolbar. It shows a capital A and some arrows pointing downwards. A menu will pop up listing a choice of structures. Select the 'if statement'. You can see that a template for an 'if statement' has been created in your editor window. Move the last curly bracket behind you `System.println` line so that is part of the `if` clause. Then add a condition between the parentheses. Let us use '`(!args[0].equals("quiet"))'`.

### Getting Help

Maybe you have just forgotten what '`equals`' exactly does (why not use '==' ?). It happens sometimes that people remember names of classes and methods, but not the details of how they are used (e.g. order of arguments). Therefore Jedi provides an easy to use help feature. Before we can use this, it needs to be configured, though. Select 'JavaDoc API Directories' in the 'Prefs' menu. A window will appear that lets you configure where your documentation for JDK and other Java packages are located. Move the mouse over the list field, push the right button and select 'Add using requester'. Then direct the requester to the `api` subdirectory in your java installation: `<javadir>/doc/api`. When you click 'Ok' Jedi will start to build a help index, which should take a few seconds.

Now we are ready to test the help feature. Move the mouse over the text editor and click on the word '`equals`' you just typed. The textcursor will appear there. Now click the help icon. It shows an open book and a questionmark. Jedi will highlight the whole word '`equals`' and open a window that displays help text.

previous | 30.08.1999 | next