Could “attach source” be made easier for popular Java libraries?

Question

I run into this obstacle when my debugger steps into some classfile without corresponding source. Finding it is often difficult:

• You have to search for the sit

Answer 1

it may be complicated but it is worth the initial effort.

i do it the following way: in my project directory i have three major directories,

• src (my own)
• lib
• suppl (sources / javadocs when no sources exist)

i put in suppl one zip file per library, containing the sources. in intellij this gives me not only debugger superpowers, but also javadocs.

you are right, obtaining the sources is a pain. sometimes the sources come deliveded in the .jar file of the lib, sometimes as a seperate download (my favorite) and sometimes i have to create a seperate cvs/svn dir where i can checkout the sources. i usually need to re-package them the way i like them, even if provided in a zip.

i am sceptical about maven. i just don't like to hand over my decisions about choosing libs to a program.