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Making another project into a plugin [message #448862] Fri, 05 May 2006 17:39 Go to next message
Eclipse UserFriend
I have just started RCP development, so I apologize if my question is a bit naive.... In my current Eclipse development environment, I have a project called (lets say) "Common Framework". This is a bunch of classes that provide persistence, error handling, etc. In my new RCP application, I need to reference classes in this Common Framework project.

Reading the Eclipse RCP book, it seems that making my new RCP application dependant on a new plugin (from an external JAR file) that represents this Common Framework would be a good way to solve this. However, as far as I can tell, it only works if I have an existing JAR file already exported. The challenge is that, during development, I am constantly adding new capabilities to the framework project - in this scenario, I would need to export to a JAR every time I made a change to the framework - which is obviously tedious and prone to forgetfulness.

Is there a way I can make my RCP application reference the workspace "project" during the development cycle, yet still deploy using the plugin-dependancy model when I am finished development. I was thinking that maybe some trickery in the MANIFEST might let me be able to do it, but I would see if anyone else has a similar situation. Many thanks.

--
Craig
Re: Making another project into a plugin [message #448863 is a reply to message #448862] Fri, 05 May 2006 17:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Eclipse UserFriend
Originally posted by: cfieber.gmail.com

I'd recommend converting your "Common Framework" project to a plugin
project (right click, PDE Tools -> Convert projects to plugin
projects...). This will let you dev with it open in your workspace
along with your other plugins, manage its manifest, etc.

As a plugin project, it still appears as a java project to other
non-plugin related projects, so it won't (shouldn't ;) mess up your
abiilty to use it with standard Java projects.



Craig Edwards wrote:
> I have just started RCP development, so I apologize if my question is a
> bit naive.... In my current Eclipse development environment, I have a
> project called (lets say) "Common Framework". This is a bunch of
> classes that provide persistence, error handling, etc. In my new RCP
> application, I need to reference classes in this Common Framework project.
> Reading the Eclipse RCP book, it seems that making my new RCP
> application dependant on a new plugin (from an external JAR file) that
> represents this Common Framework would be a good way to solve this.
> However, as far as I can tell, it only works if I have an existing JAR
> file already exported. The challenge is that, during development, I am
> constantly adding new capabilities to the framework project - in this
> scenario, I would need to export to a JAR every time I made a change to
> the framework - which is obviously tedious and prone to forgetfulness.
>
> Is there a way I can make my RCP application reference the workspace
> "project" during the development cycle, yet still deploy using the
> plugin-dependancy model when I am finished development. I was thinking
> that maybe some trickery in the MANIFEST might let me be able to do it,
> but I would see if anyone else has a similar situation. Many thanks.
>
> --
> Craig
Re: Making another project into a plugin [message #448885 is a reply to message #448862] Sat, 06 May 2006 01:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Eclipse UserFriend
1) Transform your "Common Framework" project into a Plug-in Project: rig=
ht =

click on project (Package explorer) -> PDE Tools -> "Convert Projects to=
=

Plugin Projects". This operation will add a META-INF/MANIFEST.MF and a =

build.properties to your project's root. Open MANIFEST.MF, select Runtim=
e =

tab and add whatever packages you want to export to other plugins.

2) Open manifest.mf of your rcp plugin, select Dependencies tab and add =
=

your "Common Framework" plugin to your required plug-ins.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Cristinel Angheluta
IQBYTE Romania
Re: Making another project into a plugin [message #448972 is a reply to message #448885] Mon, 08 May 2006 05:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Eclipse UserFriend
Cristinel Angheluta wrote:
> Transform your "Common Framework" project into a Plug-in Project:
> right click on project (Package explorer) -> PDE Tools -> "Convert
> Projects to Plugin Projects".

Thanks to both you and Cameron for your suggestion. It works perfectly! Thanks.

--
Craig
Re: Making another project into a plugin [message #448973 is a reply to message #448972] Mon, 08 May 2006 05:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Eclipse UserFriend
I am facing the same problem trying to use the jface databinding from CVS.

I add the plugin, my project compiles fine, but when I try to launch it I get a "Required plugin is missing" error...
Re: Making another project into a plugin [message #448974 is a reply to message #448973] Mon, 08 May 2006 05:55 Go to previous message
Eclipse UserFriend
Duh! I had to add it in the Run configuration too...

Now I'm back to the ClassNotFoundException... *Sigh* Does it have to be so hard ?
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