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Developing custom xtext editor [message #1058063]

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:39

Eclipse User

I am looking to create an editor for xtext for my MSc dissertation (in java). I need to include as many features that are available from the eclipse distribution (content assist, validation etc) and then add some of my ideas on top, in order to produce an application that will be useful to actual developers using xtext. The editor would then export to eclipse in order to make use of more complicated features.

Not having experience with xtext, I am not sure if there are available sources that I could directly use in order to achieve those features, or I would have to re-implement them/ find alternative approaches.

So my question is:
Are there any open source APIs, which I could use in a java application in order to provide important features needed for development in xtext ?

Re: Developing custom xtext editor [message #1058092 is a reply to message #1058063]

Fri, 10 May 2013 20:32

Eclipse User

On 2013-10-05 21:17, ioannis Latousakis wrote:
> I am looking to create an editor for xtext for my MSc dissertation (in
> java). I need to include as many features that are available from the
> eclipse distribution (content assist, validation etc) and then add some
> of my ideas on top, in order to produce an application that will be
> useful to actual developers using xtext. The editor would then export to
> eclipse in order to make use of more complicated features.
> Not having experience with xtext, I am not sure if there are available
> sources that I could directly use in order to achieve those features, or
> I would have to re-implement them/ find alternative approaches.
>
> So my question is:
> Are there any open source APIs, which I could use in a java application
> in order to provide important features needed for development in xtext ?

You could start by reading the Xtext documentation - you will find
answers to your questions there. (Spolier, the answer is yes to all of
them :)

For which language are you going to provide an editor? Did you mean for
Eclipse Xtext itself? or some other "xtext"? Or, are you inventing a
language?

You will get many things/features for free when using Xtext - how far
you get on "out of the box behavior" depends on the complexity of the
language you are implementing support for.

Hope that helps.
- henrik

Re: Developing custom xtext editor [message #1058095 is a reply to message #1058092]

Fri, 10 May 2013 21:48

Eclipse User

I am looking to provide as much of the functionality that xtext provides in eclipse as possible. From my current understanding (which is quite narrow), xtext is an editor that provides provides the framework to develop DSLs in eclipse. What I want to achieve is to transfer as much of that functionality as possible to my own editor, without re-implementing it ( I only have 4 months after all). I guess the main reason I ask this question is to verify if what I want to do is feasible, and not lose time researching something that would be too complicated to do. Thanks for your answer.

Re: Developing custom xtext editor [message #1058110 is a reply to message #1058095]

Sat, 11 May 2013 10:55

Eclipse User

On 2013-11-05 3:49, ioannis Latousakis wrote:
> I am looking to provide as much of the functionality that xtext provides
> in eclipse as possible. From my current understanding (which is quite
> narrow), xtext is an editor that provides provides the framework to
> develop DSLs in eclipse. What I want to achieve is to transfer as much
> of that functionality as possible to my own editor, without
> re-implementing it ( I only have 4 months after all). I guess the main
> reason I ask this question is to verify if what I want to do is
> feasible, and not lose time researching something that would be too
> complicated to do. Thanks for your answer.

Sorry, but it does not really make sense. Xtext generates an editor for
you with support for all the features you mentioned. This editor can be
customized, the features generated (or that are supported by the Xtext
framework) can be extended or replaced depending on what you want to do.

Look at some Xtext demos, then skim the documentation. This enables you
to ask more concrete questions.

Regards
- henrik

Re: Developing custom xtext editor [message #1058179 is a reply to message #1058095]

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:38

Eclipse User

If I understand your question correctly, you want to extend Xtext
itself, i.e. provide an editor for Xtext that provides more than the
existing editor.

First of all, Xtext is implemented using Xtext, so you need to learn a
lot about the framework. Second, Xtext is open source, so you should be
able to build directly upon the existing code, instead of "moving" it to
your own editor.

Hallvard

On 10.05.13 18.49, ioannis Latousakis wrote:
> I am looking to provide as much of the functionality that xtext provides
> in eclipse as possible. From my current understanding (which is quite
> narrow), xtext is an editor that provides provides the framework to
> develop DSLs in eclipse. What I want to achieve is to transfer as much
> of that functionality as possible to my own editor, without
> re-implementing it ( I only have 4 months after all). I guess the main
> reason I ask this question is to verify if what I want to do is
> feasible, and not lose time researching something that would be too
> complicated to do. Thanks for your answer.

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