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Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284395]

Fri, 22 April 2005 15:13

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: attila_mh.yahoo.com

Hi there,

I just upgraded from version 3.0 to 3.02. Since I haven't used Eclipse for
a while I made the same mistake again as a while ago. I lost all my java
files from my work place when switching the workspace.

In my opinion deleting files without notification is the dumbest design
you can imagine. Can anybody explain to me why Eclipse, which is a great
product otherwise does not fix something bothering as this. It is a
ridiculous design and very frustrating for the users. I cannot understand
why is this "feature" kept.

thanks,
Attila

Re: Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284397 is a reply to message #284395]

Fri, 22 April 2005 15:19

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: chaves.inf.no.ufsc.spam.br

Eclipse does not delete user files. Unless you have manually deleted
your old workspace, the files should still be there. See this doc on how
to upgrade from a version to another:

http://help.eclipse.org/help30/index.jsp?topic=/org.eclipse. platform.doc.user/tasks/tasks-2.htm

Attila wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I just upgraded from version 3.0 to 3.02. Since I haven't used Eclipse
> for a while I made the same mistake again as a while ago. I lost all my
> java files from my work place when switching the workspace.
> In my opinion deleting files without notification is the dumbest design
> you can imagine. Can anybody explain to me why Eclipse, which is a great
> product otherwise does not fix something bothering as this. It is a
> ridiculous design and very frustrating for the users. I cannot
> understand why is this "feature" kept.
>
> thanks,
> Attila
>
>
>

Re: Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284398 is a reply to message #284397]

Fri, 22 April 2005 15:52

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: attila_mh.yahoo.com

Well, I am really sorry to say it does.

I opened the new Eclipse. I couldn't see my projects so I clicked switch
workspace. I went to the path of my workspace and clicked ok.
Next thing I know: there is nothing in my work folder.

This is the only folder I have now in there:

C:\attila\work\java\projects\.metadata

Everything else, my lib, my projects everything under the java folder is
gone. And it was there just before I launched Eclipse. So it is very clear
that Eclipse erased them.

Am I the only one to experience this?

thanks,
Attila

Re: Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284399 is a reply to message #284398]

Fri, 22 April 2005 16:02

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: chaves.inf.no.ufsc.spam.br

For a long time now I have installed a new build of Eclipse every week
or so, opening the same workspaec location, and have never seen this.
Many users and most developers working on Eclipse do the same.

Note that if you (mistakingly) provide an empty location to the
workspace chooser, it will happily accept it and once Eclipse has
started on this new location, all you gonna see there is the .metadata
directory. This is the only explanation that I have.

Attila wrote:
> Well, I am really sorry to say it does.
>
> I opened the new Eclipse. I couldn't see my projects so I clicked switch
> workspace. I went to the path of my workspace and clicked ok.
> Next thing I know: there is nothing in my work folder.
>
> This is the only folder I have now in there:
> C:\attila\work\java\projects\.metadata
>
> Everything else, my lib, my projects everything under the java folder is
> gone. And it was there just before I launched Eclipse. So it is very
> clear that Eclipse erased them.
> Am I the only one to experience this?
> thanks,
> Attila
>

Re: Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284400 is a reply to message #284399]

Fri, 22 April 2005 16:12

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: attila_mh.yahoo.com

Yes, this is probably what happened.

What I do not understand is, why Eclipse is not checking if the directory
is not empty. Would be nice to have a check and prompt the (l)user that
this action might delete some files. I don't think it is very hard to
display a prompt dialog, just to give a last chance to save the files.

It is a user error to get here, but it is a design error to let it happen
and should be corrected in my opinion.

thanks,
Attila

Re: Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284402 is a reply to message #284400]

Fri, 22 April 2005 16:39

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: chaves.inf.no.ufsc.spam.br

You got me all wrong. I said if the directory is *empty*, Eclipse will
accept it. Before you create any projects, the .metadata directory is
all you gonna see there. This is what I think may happening to you. So,
no files were lost, since no files existed to begin with.

If you provide an existing workspace (and that is what you said you did,
but I don't believe you<g>), no files will be erased. Eclipse will keep
and recognize any projects that existed there before.

There is no way Eclipse will delete user files/directories. There is no
user error that can cause this other than the user explicitly selecting
all projects (on Eclipse or Windows explorer), hitting Del, and
confirming the projects should be deleted.

If you stil believe Eclipse deletes your projects every time you install
a new version and can reproduce it, please open a PR against
Platform/Resources and provide the steps you perform.

Rafael

Attila wrote:
> Yes, this is probably what happened.
> What I do not understand is, why Eclipse is not checking if the
> directory is not empty. Would be nice to have a check and prompt the
> (l)user that this action might delete some files. I don't think it is
> very hard to display a prompt dialog, just to give a last chance to save
> the files.
> It is a user error to get here, but it is a design error to let it
> happen and should be corrected in my opinion.
>
> thanks,
> Attila
>

Re: Eclipse deleting folders without notification [message #284411 is a reply to message #284402]

Fri, 22 April 2005 19:31

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: attila_mh.yahoo.com

You are right.

I found all my files from my work folder moved into another location. It
definitely was not Eclipse. It must have been me although I do not
remember doing so. Anyhow I give myself an Id 10T for that. Eclipse gets a
10.

thanks for the prompt replies,
Attila

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