apache / apache/netbeans

"Deactivate plugin" often silently fails

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#8,768 3 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
kind:bug needs:triage
Dominant language
Java
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Description

### Apache NetBeans version

Apache NetBeans 27

### What happened

I want to use Netbeans' UI to disable plugins I don't use. What happens is that some plugins are indeed disabled, but others are unaffected and are still loaded at startup. The action clearly failed, but no error is visible.

This behavior was present in older releases. IIRC, at least Netbeans 22.

The plugins that Netbeans fail to disable are not required in any way: for previous installs, I've sometimes deleted their code files, and Netbeans still ran flawlessly. Unfortunately, identifying the files of a plugin is hard work with my basic java knowledge.

### Language / Project Type / NetBeans Component

_No response_

### How to reproduce

In a fresh instance of Apache 27. From the menu: Tools > Plugins. Tab "Installed". Select plugin groups "Java SE" and "Service Registry". Click "Deactivate" at the bottom. Accept to restart. Go back to the plugin list: the "Service Registry" group is still active. In detailed view, many "Java SE" plugins are still active.

Another example: in detailed view, requesting for the "ANTLR Grammar Editor support" to be disabled warns that is will disable "Java" and "Java Debugger" (which is insane for a plugin described as "Support for editing files"). Accept that the 3 plugins are to be disabled, restart: nothing was disabled.

### Did this work correctly in an earlier version?

No / Don't know

### Operating System

Linux

### JDK

24 (embedded in the deb package)

### Apache NetBeans packaging

FoAN provided installer

### Anything else

_No response_

### Are you willing to submit a pull request?

No

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reproducing the deactivation steps in Tools > Plugins on a fresh Apache NetBeans 27 instance, including the Java SE, Service Registry, and ANTLR Grammar Editor support examples. Trace the plugin deactivation and restart behavior; done means selected plugins stay disabled after restart and failures are surfaced rather than occurring silently.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
java
Domain
devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
38/100

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