Installing custom plugin on a clean Eclipse - eclipse

I'm trying to install my custom Eclipse plugin, which works perfectly when launched from the manifest file, onto a clean installation of Eclipse. I've installed the necessary dependencies (GEF and Zest) manually using their update sites. However, the plugin still doesn't show up. I googled around a lot and found a site suggesting I open eclipse with -debug -consoleLog and revealed the following:
Edit: here's a screenshot of my entire log:
"PowerPlugin" is my custom plugin.
I've checked, and my plugin specifies these dependencies with a minimum version number, and I have installed Zest 1.3.0, Draw2D 3.7.2, and the GEF "All-In-One" SDK 3.7.2, which should satisfy these dependencies, I believe.
Any clue what's wrong?

I would suggest using just indigo update site http://download.eclipse.org/releases/indigo and installing all required dependencies like gef and zest from there (assuming that you use indigo as a baseline?). This update site (actually it is now called a "software site" or repository) contains all required dependencies and they will be installed if needed.
When you using Help>Install new software... p2 provisioning system is used and it will make sure that all required dependencies are satisfied before it starts installing anything.
[Updated bellow]
The problem then is with a dropin mechanism. I found it very unreliable. Would be much better if you could install your plug-in using the standard p2 mechanism (by using software site aka p2 repository) that is:
Please create a feature project.
Add your plug-in (plug-ins) to the newly created feature.
Export the feature ("Export Wizard" link on feature.xml editor). Choose directory destination and on Options tab make sure that "Generate Metadata Repository" is selected (this will spare you the time to create UpdateSite project although you could do that if you want more flexibility later).
In your exported forlder your should have: feature, plugins folders and also artifacts.jar and conten.jar with p2 metadata.
In your destination eclipse go to Help>Install New Software... then Add... and Local... and browse to the folder from point 4.
You should see the feature to install in the list (if not please deselect "Group items by category") and then follow the wizard to install your featrue.
If you want to install on the same host you are running then you can use "Install Into host Repository" in point 3.
See also:
http://help.eclipse.org/indigo/index.jsp?topic=%2Forg.eclipse.pde.doc.user%2Fguide%2Ftools%2Fexport_wizards%2Fexport_features.htm

Related

How to deploy an Eclipse Plugin?

Environment: Eclipse Oxygen.3a Release (4.7.3a), Build id: 20180405-1200
I have completely developed my new Eclipse Plugin. I have debugged it successfully and It´s ready to be deployed for beta testing by other developers in my organization.
The Overview tab in plugin.xml Eclipse editor offers an Export Wizard that works and produces a .jar file (theoretically) containing the plugin to be installed in other Eclipse installations.
After exporting the plugin to a local folder in my computer I tried to install it in Eclipse by using Help > Install new software... > [Add...] > [Archive...], selecting the .jar file generated and clicking [Ok].
However, I get the error message "Could not find jar:file:*<the selected plugin file>*!" and the [Finnish] button remains disabled.
What is missing to make my new plugin fully installable?
The most robust way to publish a plug-in (or Feature) for others to consume is to produce an Update Site. Then you can direct users to that site so they can install your plug-is/features via the Install New Software UI. It also provides an easy way to publish updates to your plug-ins.
Here is documentation about creating an Update Site.

Offine installation of PMD plugin for Eclipse IDE

I am trying to download and install PMD plugin for Eclipse offline but did not succeed in doing so.
I downloaded following 2 zips:
net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse-3.2.6.v200903300643.zip (this version matches with the one which I installed online)
pmd-eclipse-1.8.0
Not sure which one to use and how to configure it in Eclipse.
I searched a lot but did not find proper steps for the offine installation and configuration.
In case it contains site archieve:
Goto Help->Install New Software
Click Add...
In the Add Repository Dialog click Archive and point to your zip. Rest of the installation is as you would do with an online installation.
Else:
Extract the zip
Copy all plugins to your target eclipse plugins folder
Copy all features to your target eclipse features folder
launch eclipse with -clean option
You can get the latest 4.0 version of the plugin by pointing your Eclipse installer here:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pmd/files/pmd-eclipse/update-site/

Platform-specific dependency creeping into Eclipse plugin

I have implemented a graph editor with Eclipse EMF and GMF frameworks. After completing my project, I realized that this plugin shows dependencies (not explicitly added by me) on some OS-specific plugins.i.e:org.eclipse.ui.win32, org.eclipse.swt.win32.win32.x86. And whenever I have tried to bypass this dependency at my update site something went wrong with the installation process of the plugin.
As such it is impossible to run my plugin in *nix environment or even win64 machines.This seems a very heavy constraint dependency to me. Am I doing something in a wrong way? Or is there no other way of building Eclipse plugins which are cross-platform other than building the project from scratch at each different OSs?
We created a similar style of plug-in in my project. Under "Plug-in Dependencies" in Package Explorer I can see org.eclipse.swt.win32 listed, but it is not listed in required plug-ins in plugin.xml.
We also successfully created an update site which works for Mac users without issue.
So, yes it is possible to have a cross-platform plug-in.
I would suggest you first try to to use "Export..." -> "Deployable plug-ins and fragments" to create a bunch of jar files for your plug-in. See if these can be successfully installed by copying into the drop-ins folder of a fresh eclipse installation. Do this first on a Win32 install, then try on another platform. Once you have that working, use the new Eclipse installation to create the Update site.

adding software components to eclipse

I have an eclipse installation from the "Eclipse for PHP Developers" package and I want to "extend" it to have in addition to the PHP components all the components of "Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers".
but the Feature Lists in the above links do not match the items I am presented when I choose "Install new software..." from the eclipse help menu.
Is there anything I can do about this?
the result of copying plugins/features into that folder is not that predictable and hence not safe. Eclipse adviced to install plugins via "Install new Software" - it will tell you about conflicts (like different plugins use different version of another plugin" etc; or you need to install another plugin etc.) Otherwise I had situations when it didn't work and I got no idea why (had to read logs to figure it out).
Well, to install new plugin you have few possibilities:
1) "Install new Software" - you already tried it. Take into account that the list of plugins by default is limited here. But below the button "Add..." you can see "Available Software Sites" - this list is enhanced, and some of plugins you can find here". UPDATE: the process of installation is described here
2) With new Eclipse (Helios) you got new way to add plugins, so called Eclipse Marketplace (Help/Eclipse Marketplace...). This is recommended way to look and install new plugins.
Back to your problem - I think it is much more easier to download Java IDE for Java EE Developers, and install PHP Development Tools there. In Marketplace I selected Yoxos as source, typed "pdt" and found plugins related to PDTs (although I'm not sure there are all parts of it)

How to install a custom plug-in in Eclipse Ganymede?

We have a custom plug-in. That is, the company where I'm working developed it in house.
I would like to install it as an available plug-in in Eclipse Ganymede. How do I do that?
From what I can figure out, the Eclipse software install only supports installation from Eclipse software update sites.
I went to Help -> Install New Software... -> Add -> Local...
to browse to a folder containing the plug-in. Although the dialog lets me add the directory as an update site, it doesn't work. It expects that directory to be a local Eclipse update site (I think). I get the error
No repository found at file:/G:/TOOLS/...
Next I just copied the plug-in into the plug-in directory under my Eclipse installation. That didn't work either. I also tried copying it into the dropins directory. No dice.
Can anyone enlighten me how to install a plug-in that's not on an "update" site?
Thanks in advance....
Usually an Eclipse plug-in packaged as zip file is install by extracting it into the Eclipse installation directory (or the plugins directory depending on how it is packaged, as it can also extract files in features directory).
Next restart Eclipse with the --clean option.
Did you check the Eclipse error log? Maybe the bundle is failing to deploy for some reason.
Otherwise, create a Feature and Update Site for your plugin as described here. An update site can either be a remote http server (SVN even), or a local directory. The nice thing is that you'll get versioning and the ability to upgrade and uninstall from inside Eclipse. It also makes things easier once your plugin grows into several plugins because they can be bundled together into a single, versioned feature.