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Product info for standalone help [message #473890] Wed, 04 June 2008 20:15 Go to next message
Rob Kimm is currently offline Rob KimmFriend
Messages: 8
Registered: July 2009
Junior Member
I'm working on a standalone help system for a non-Eclipse application. One
of the requests I have from the product team is adding the application
name to the window title bar when help is opened. From what I've been able
to figure out the configuration of the title bar is dependent on the
product name set in the primary feature.

Is there a way to set this property without having an actual Eclipse
product? Or can I define the help system itself as the primary product and
supply the product name in the help contents plug-in?

Using Eclipse 3.3

Thanks for any help
Re: Product info for standalone help [message #473894 is a reply to message #473890] Thu, 05 June 2008 14:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Eclipse UserFriend
Originally posted by: nospam_kowalskilee.gmail.com

Hi Rob,

The short answer is yes, you can use the help system as the primary product.

What I've been using to do this is the following setup:

- A doc plug-in whose sole purpose is to control this type of "branding"
customization. (Technically, this doc plug-in will be the 'primary
feature' to the Eclipse runtime that's running the standalone help system)

- the standard Eclipse config.ini file with the following line set to
point to that doc plug-in:
eclipse.product=my.customization.doc.helpProduct

The advantage to having a doc plug-in that is only for branding and not
help doc content is that it doesn't have to change when the help topic
contents change. That branding doc plug-in doesn't contain any actual
topic files, which makes it more flexible to reuse.

The my.customization.doc plug-in will reside in the plugins directory
and have the following files (text files):
plugin.properties
plugin.xml
plugin_customization.ini

plugin.properties file has one line (substituting your title bar text of
course):
name = My Application Help System

plugin.xml file has lines:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<plugin name = "%name" id = "my.customization.doc" version = "1.0"
provider-name = "my_company">
<extension id="helpProduct" point="org.eclipse.core.runtime.products">
<product name="%name" application="" />
</extension>
</plugin>

What is important is that the plugin.xml file for this plug-in has the
extension point for org.eclipse.core.runtime.products, and the id value
is set to that same helpProduct value that is used in the
eclipse.product line in the config.ini file.

The %name value gets substituted at runtime with the value set in the
plugin.properties file

plugin_customization.ini file has those things that you want to further
customize for the help system, such as a custom banner, etc. It is also
where you set that windowTitlePrefix=false, so that Eclipse will use the
value that you set using the helpProduct method.

It has contents:
# plugin_customization.ini
# sets default values for plug-in-specific preferences
# keys are qualified by plug-in id
# e.g., org.eclipse.ui/RECENT_FILES=10
# java.io.Properties file (ISO 8859-1 with "\" escapes)
# "%key" are externalized strings defined in plugin_customization.properties
# This file does not need to be translated.
# org.eclipse.ui/defaultPerspectiveId=org.eclipse.ui.resourceP erspective
org.eclipse.help.base/banner=/my.customization.doc/banner.ht m
org.eclipse.help.base/banner_height=44
org.eclipse.help.base/windowTitlePrefix=false
org.eclipse.help.base/linksView=false
org.eclipse.help.base/help_home=/my.customization.doc/about_ this_help.htm

Hope this helps!
--Lee Anne

Rob Kimm wrote:
> I'm working on a standalone help system for a non-Eclipse application.
> One of the requests I have from the product team is adding the
> application name to the window title bar when help is opened. From what
> I've been able to figure out the configuration of the title bar is
> dependent on the product name set in the primary feature.
> Is there a way to set this property without having an actual Eclipse
> product? Or can I define the help system itself as the primary product
> and supply the product name in the help contents plug-in?
> Using Eclipse 3.3
>
> Thanks for any help
>
Re: Product info for standalone help [message #473896 is a reply to message #473894] Thu, 05 June 2008 14:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rob Kimm is currently offline Rob KimmFriend
Messages: 8
Registered: July 2009
Junior Member
Marvelous - exactly the info I was looking for.

Thanks Lee Anne
Re: Product info for standalone help [message #474716 is a reply to message #473894] Mon, 27 October 2008 15:36 Go to previous message
Mike Melton is currently offline Mike MeltonFriend
Messages: 50
Registered: July 2009
Member
Thanks, Lee Anne. This was really helpful, and I was able to use your
instructions to modularize Infocenter customizations independent of
content. This was really important for us, so I am grateful.

In order to get this to work in my Ganymede implementation, in plugin.xml,
I had to set:

id="my.customization.doc.helpProduct"

Setting id to my.customiztion.doc prevented my customized banner and
welcome page from displaying.

I still have yet to get HELP_DATA to order the toc, and I haven't been
able to modify the title bar text of the brower. It's still displaying the
site URL. When I do find solutions to those issues, I'll post them.

Thanks,
Mike

Lee Anne wrote:

> Hi Rob,

> The short answer is yes, you can use the help system as the primary product.

> What I've been using to do this is the following setup:

> - A doc plug-in whose sole purpose is to control this type of "branding"
> customization. (Technically, this doc plug-in will be the 'primary
> feature' to the Eclipse runtime that's running the standalone help system)

> - the standard Eclipse config.ini file with the following line set to
> point to that doc plug-in:
> eclipse.product=my.customization.doc.helpProduct

> The advantage to having a doc plug-in that is only for branding and not
> help doc content is that it doesn't have to change when the help topic
> contents change. That branding doc plug-in doesn't contain any actual
> topic files, which makes it more flexible to reuse.

> The my.customization.doc plug-in will reside in the plugins directory
> and have the following files (text files):
> plugin.properties
> plugin.xml
> plugin_customization.ini

> plugin.properties file has one line (substituting your title bar text of
> course):
> name = My Application Help System

> plugin.xml file has lines:

> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
> <plugin name = "%name" id = "my.customization.doc" version = "1.0"
> provider-name = "my_company">
> <extension id="helpProduct" point="org.eclipse.core.runtime.products">
> <product name="%name" application="" />
> </extension>
> </plugin>

> What is important is that the plugin.xml file for this plug-in has the
> extension point for org.eclipse.core.runtime.products, and the id value
> is set to that same helpProduct value that is used in the
> eclipse.product line in the config.ini file.

> The %name value gets substituted at runtime with the value set in the
> plugin.properties file

> plugin_customization.ini file has those things that you want to further
> customize for the help system, such as a custom banner, etc. It is also
> where you set that windowTitlePrefix=false, so that Eclipse will use the
> value that you set using the helpProduct method.

> It has contents:
> # plugin_customization.ini
> # sets default values for plug-in-specific preferences
> # keys are qualified by plug-in id
> # e.g., org.eclipse.ui/RECENT_FILES=10
> # java.io.Properties file (ISO 8859-1 with "" escapes)
> # "%key" are externalized strings defined in plugin_customization.properties
> # This file does not need to be translated.
> # org.eclipse.ui/defaultPerspectiveId=org.eclipse.ui.resourceP erspective
> org.eclipse.help.base/banner=/my.customization.doc/banner.ht m
> org.eclipse.help.base/banner_height=44
> org.eclipse.help.base/windowTitlePrefix=false
> org.eclipse.help.base/linksView=false
> org.eclipse.help.base/help_home=/my.customization.doc/about_ this_help.htm

> Hope this helps!
> --Lee Anne

> Rob Kimm wrote:
>> I'm working on a standalone help system for a non-Eclipse application.
>> One of the requests I have from the product team is adding the
>> application name to the window title bar when help is opened. From what
>> I've been able to figure out the configuration of the title bar is
>> dependent on the product name set in the primary feature.
>> Is there a way to set this property without having an actual Eclipse
>> product? Or can I define the help system itself as the primary product
>> and supply the product name in the help contents plug-in?
>> Using Eclipse 3.3
>>
>> Thanks for any help
>>
Re: Product info for standalone help [message #614410 is a reply to message #473890] Thu, 05 June 2008 14:40 Go to previous message
Eclipse UserFriend
Originally posted by: nospam_kowalskilee.gmail.com

Hi Rob,

The short answer is yes, you can use the help system as the primary product.

What I've been using to do this is the following setup:

- A doc plug-in whose sole purpose is to control this type of "branding"
customization. (Technically, this doc plug-in will be the 'primary
feature' to the Eclipse runtime that's running the standalone help system)

- the standard Eclipse config.ini file with the following line set to
point to that doc plug-in:
eclipse.product=my.customization.doc.helpProduct

The advantage to having a doc plug-in that is only for branding and not
help doc content is that it doesn't have to change when the help topic
contents change. That branding doc plug-in doesn't contain any actual
topic files, which makes it more flexible to reuse.

The my.customization.doc plug-in will reside in the plugins directory
and have the following files (text files):
plugin.properties
plugin.xml
plugin_customization.ini

plugin.properties file has one line (substituting your title bar text of
course):
name = My Application Help System

plugin.xml file has lines:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<plugin name = "%name" id = "my.customization.doc" version = "1.0"
provider-name = "my_company">
<extension id="helpProduct" point="org.eclipse.core.runtime.products">
<product name="%name" application="" />
</extension>
</plugin>

What is important is that the plugin.xml file for this plug-in has the
extension point for org.eclipse.core.runtime.products, and the id value
is set to that same helpProduct value that is used in the
eclipse.product line in the config.ini file.

The %name value gets substituted at runtime with the value set in the
plugin.properties file

plugin_customization.ini file has those things that you want to further
customize for the help system, such as a custom banner, etc. It is also
where you set that windowTitlePrefix=false, so that Eclipse will use the
value that you set using the helpProduct method.

It has contents:
# plugin_customization.ini
# sets default values for plug-in-specific preferences
# keys are qualified by plug-in id
# e.g., org.eclipse.ui/RECENT_FILES=10
# java.io.Properties file (ISO 8859-1 with "\" escapes)
# "%key" are externalized strings defined in plugin_customization.properties
# This file does not need to be translated.
# org.eclipse.ui/defaultPerspectiveId=org.eclipse.ui.resourceP erspective
org.eclipse.help.base/banner=/my.customization.doc/banner.ht m
org.eclipse.help.base/banner_height=44
org.eclipse.help.base/windowTitlePrefix=false
org.eclipse.help.base/linksView=false
org.eclipse.help.base/help_home=/my.customization.doc/about_ this_help.htm

Hope this helps!
--Lee Anne

Rob Kimm wrote:
> I'm working on a standalone help system for a non-Eclipse application.
> One of the requests I have from the product team is adding the
> application name to the window title bar when help is opened. From what
> I've been able to figure out the configuration of the title bar is
> dependent on the product name set in the primary feature.
> Is there a way to set this property without having an actual Eclipse
> product? Or can I define the help system itself as the primary product
> and supply the product name in the help contents plug-in?
> Using Eclipse 3.3
>
> Thanks for any help
>
Re: Product info for standalone help [message #614412 is a reply to message #473894] Thu, 05 June 2008 14:54 Go to previous message
Rob Kimm is currently offline Rob KimmFriend
Messages: 8
Registered: July 2009
Junior Member
Marvelous - exactly the info I was looking for.

Thanks Lee Anne
Re: Product info for standalone help [message #621660 is a reply to message #473894] Mon, 27 October 2008 15:36 Go to previous message
Mike Melton is currently offline Mike MeltonFriend
Messages: 50
Registered: July 2009
Member
Thanks, Lee Anne. This was really helpful, and I was able to use your
instructions to modularize Infocenter customizations independent of
content. This was really important for us, so I am grateful.

In order to get this to work in my Ganymede implementation, in plugin.xml,
I had to set:

id="my.customization.doc.helpProduct"

Setting id to my.customiztion.doc prevented my customized banner and
welcome page from displaying.

I still have yet to get HELP_DATA to order the toc, and I haven't been
able to modify the title bar text of the brower. It's still displaying the
site URL. When I do find solutions to those issues, I'll post them.

Thanks,
Mike

Lee Anne wrote:

> Hi Rob,

> The short answer is yes, you can use the help system as the primary product.

> What I've been using to do this is the following setup:

> - A doc plug-in whose sole purpose is to control this type of "branding"
> customization. (Technically, this doc plug-in will be the 'primary
> feature' to the Eclipse runtime that's running the standalone help system)

> - the standard Eclipse config.ini file with the following line set to
> point to that doc plug-in:
> eclipse.product=my.customization.doc.helpProduct

> The advantage to having a doc plug-in that is only for branding and not
> help doc content is that it doesn't have to change when the help topic
> contents change. That branding doc plug-in doesn't contain any actual
> topic files, which makes it more flexible to reuse.

> The my.customization.doc plug-in will reside in the plugins directory
> and have the following files (text files):
> plugin.properties
> plugin.xml
> plugin_customization.ini

> plugin.properties file has one line (substituting your title bar text of
> course):
> name = My Application Help System

> plugin.xml file has lines:

> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
> <plugin name = "%name" id = "my.customization.doc" version = "1.0"
> provider-name = "my_company">
> <extension id="helpProduct" point="org.eclipse.core.runtime.products">
> <product name="%name" application="" />
> </extension>
> </plugin>

> What is important is that the plugin.xml file for this plug-in has the
> extension point for org.eclipse.core.runtime.products, and the id value
> is set to that same helpProduct value that is used in the
> eclipse.product line in the config.ini file.

> The %name value gets substituted at runtime with the value set in the
> plugin.properties file

> plugin_customization.ini file has those things that you want to further
> customize for the help system, such as a custom banner, etc. It is also
> where you set that windowTitlePrefix=false, so that Eclipse will use the
> value that you set using the helpProduct method.

> It has contents:
> # plugin_customization.ini
> # sets default values for plug-in-specific preferences
> # keys are qualified by plug-in id
> # e.g., org.eclipse.ui/RECENT_FILES=10
> # java.io.Properties file (ISO 8859-1 with "" escapes)
> # "%key" are externalized strings defined in plugin_customization.properties
> # This file does not need to be translated.
> # org.eclipse.ui/defaultPerspectiveId=org.eclipse.ui.resourceP erspective
> org.eclipse.help.base/banner=/my.customization.doc/banner.ht m
> org.eclipse.help.base/banner_height=44
> org.eclipse.help.base/windowTitlePrefix=false
> org.eclipse.help.base/linksView=false
> org.eclipse.help.base/help_home=/my.customization.doc/about_ this_help.htm

> Hope this helps!
> --Lee Anne

> Rob Kimm wrote:
>> I'm working on a standalone help system for a non-Eclipse application.
>> One of the requests I have from the product team is adding the
>> application name to the window title bar when help is opened. From what
>> I've been able to figure out the configuration of the title bar is
>> dependent on the product name set in the primary feature.
>> Is there a way to set this property without having an actual Eclipse
>> product? Or can I define the help system itself as the primary product
>> and supply the product name in the help contents plug-in?
>> Using Eclipse 3.3
>>
>> Thanks for any help
>>
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