Re: [orbit-dev] N-builds and orbit bundles from branches?

[Jeff McAffer <Jeff_McAffer@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Eugene wrote on 01/04/2007 12:20:05 AM:
> Jeff McAffer wrote:
> > In this context it is simple downloading of built pieces using
ftp, 
> > http, ...  PDE build includes this in a getBaseComponents
phase.  You 
> > can implement a customTargets.xml that has that target and does
> > whatever it wants to get all the bits against which you want
to build. 
> >  From there everything is the same as if you where building.
>   Does that mean using some ant scripts that PDE provide or generate
> under the hood? 

Yes, this is a PDE build facility

> What if project is using custom build, maybe
even not 
> based on Ant? How that build supposed to get or package some particular
> Orbit bundle?

If you are doing your own thing then well, it is your
challenge.  Eclipse provides solutions and support for the expected
workflows and processes.  That includes the idea that you do not build
everything that you include in your output.  The build processes you
put together should accomodate those characteristics.  Take for example
a third party *bundle* that comes to you signed.  You cannot rebuild
it and maintain signatures.  You have to simply consume it and include
it verbatim.  

The built orbit bundles are (or will be) available
on the Orbit download site individually and in an all-inclusive zip.  We
can certainly create other structures for this but in the absence of driving
usecases we elected in the first conference call to go this route to start.

> > As for development in the workspace, you
can of course check out the 
> > Orbit projects inot your workspace or add the built versions
to your 
> > target.
>   Hmm. You mean that developer would need to manually download,
unzip, 
> etc those bundles? That seem quite error prone and also quite painful
> when you'll need to configure it on every developer's environment,
> unless I am missing something...

First, note that this is a different issue from the
one originally being discussed.  This point is how do people populate
a workspace environement with Orbit bundles.  As with any Eclipse
bundle today, there are roughly two choices, check out the related project
from CVS or get the built bundle and put it in your target.  The mechanisms
for doing that are no different for Orbit or any other Eclipse project.

Now, is it quite reasonable to observe that the current
situation, across the board, is less than optimal.  I agree and the
PDE team has been working to make better/simpler workflows for adding new
bundles to targets.  The vision further down the pike is to make this
seamlessly integrated with provisoning as a whole but we are not there
yet.

Does that address your concerns?

Jeff