| Opening single file in Eclipse [message #76042] |
Thu, 09 June 2005 09:42  |
Eclipse User |
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Originally posted by: mccownf.yahoo.com
I've been using JCreator (using Win XP) for some time for writing Java.
I'd like to switch to Eclipse, but there is one *huge* usability factor
preventing me from making Eclipse my only Java editor: the inability to
easily open a single Java file into the IDE.
Yes, there is an "Open External File" option which requires you to 1)
start Eclipse, 2) select the option, and 3) find the file in the open
dialog box. But there is no way to simply double-click on a .java file or
drag-and-drop the file into Eclipse. This is standard functionality for
almost all Windows apps, and it's a real shame Eclipse doesn't support it.
I found newsgroup postings and bugs reporting this problem back in 2002.
Surely 3 years later the problem could be solved.
Until this is fixed, I'll be using JCreator for my Java development.
Frank
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| Re: Opening single file in Eclipse [message #76171 is a reply to message #76042] |
Thu, 09 June 2005 11:55  |
| Eclipse User |
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Originally posted by: eclipse.rizzoweb.com
Frank wrote:
> I've been using JCreator (using Win XP) for some time for writing Java.
> I'd like to switch to Eclipse, but there is one *huge* usability factor
> preventing me from making Eclipse my only Java editor: the inability to
> easily open a single Java file into the IDE.
> Yes, there is an "Open External File" option which requires you to 1)
> start Eclipse, 2) select the option, and 3) find the file in the open
> dialog box. But there is no way to simply double-click on a .java file
> or drag-and-drop the file into Eclipse. This is standard functionality
> for almost all Windows apps, and it's a real shame Eclipse doesn't
> support it. I found newsgroup postings and bugs reporting this problem
> back in 2002. Surely 3 years later the problem could be solved.
>
It is not considered a problem - Eclipse is working as designed.
You see, Eclipse is project-centric; everything that it operates on must
be associated with a Project.
You are not the first to ask for the ability to double-click a file in
File Explorer and have it open in Eclipse. I believe there is a
third-party plug-in that provides that (see
http://www.eclipse-plugins.info). And you've seen the Open External file
feature that was added in partial response to these requests.
In the end, Eclipse is designed such that you work primarily in it when
you are doing development. IOW, you don't browse around with File
Explorer, find files to open, edit them, etc. Eclipse is an IDE, the key
being the I (Integrated) - its real power is realized when it is used in
that integrated manner: navigating, coding, compiling, launching,
debugging, etc.
The tutorials that are included are very helpful in explaining and
familiarizing you with the features and these concepts. They really will
give you a good idea of how to most effectively use Eclipse.
BTW, you can use drag-and-drop to pull a file into an Eclipse project,
then open it in the Eclipse editor. Not exactly what you want, but
Eclipse is at least meeting you half-way there.
HTH,
Eric
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| Re: Opening single file in Eclipse [message #76634 is a reply to message #76187] |
Fri, 10 June 2005 11:02 |
| Eclipse User |
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Originally posted by: eclipse.rizzoweb.com
Frank wrote:
> Eric,
>
> The problem is that not all coding work is project-centric. By forcing a
> user to use Eclipse in that manner, you are forcing a programmer to do
> his/her work based on the way Eclipse thinks the work should be done.
> Software should always be *user-centric*, allowing for simple tasks to
> be completed without requiring extra work for the user. I'm not asking
> that Eclipse let me compile, debug, etc when simply viewing a Java
> file... just that it displays it as it would any Java file.
>
> The Eclipse developers may want to rethink requiring the user to
> download a seperate plug-in just to perform a standard task like opening
> a single Java file.
They did - the Open External File feature was added in 3.0 for that purpose.
If you're asking that the Eclipse launching and startup and OS
integration strategy be changed to accommodate double-clicking from File
Explorer, well I guess we'll have to disagree that such a thing would be
worth the architectural shift it would likely require.
Of course you are more than welcome to file a feature request in
Bugzilla for it if you want (I'm actually pretty sure there is already
at least one, so do a search for it and see what the developers have to
say).
Eric
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