Eclipse Training - RCP & Industrialization Example code available at: https://code.google.com/p/eclipse-training-course/

1. Eclipse Plug-ins
and RCP
Training Course
RCP and Industrialization
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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2. 1. Internationalization (I18N)
2. Building RCPs
a) RCP startup classes
b) Product Configuration and Branding
c) Features and Branding
d) Update Site
e) Building a Product
f) Target Platform and Delta Packs
g) P2 Repository
Agenda
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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3. ∗ Eclipse and the underlying JRE (Java Runtime
Environment) provide APIs for separating language
and UI human readable strings from code.
∗ By isolating those strings an application can be
«localized»
∗ Main Concepts:
∗ Property files containing the strings collected by language
∗ APIs or tools create/access string properties
Internationalization (I18N)
(1/2)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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4. ∗ Internationalize plug-in manifest:
∗ PDE Tools Internationalize/Externalize Strings
∗ Extract strings and create fragments for each selected language (see ISO
639, ISO 3166)
bundle_<language>_<country>.properties
∗ Externalize plugin-in strings:
∗ SourceExternalize Strings
∗ A property(ies) file(s) contains the set strings
∗ An accessor class(es) extending org.eclipse.osgi.util.NLS provides
mechanisms to load and access property file according to environment
locale
<basename>_<language>_<country>.properties
TIP: factor any common values and create a common key.
TIP: use in your code «Name»+ «:» instead of «Name:»
Internationalization (I18N)
(2/2)
Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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October 2013

5. ∗ Define the application which you would like to run using the
platform runtime.
∗ Declared applications can be run directly from the main platform
launcher by specifying the application argument where the
parameter is the id of an extension supplied to the applications
extension point.
∗ This application is instantiated and run by the platform.
∗ An IApplication represent executable entry points.
Building RCPs
Extension points and APIs (1/2)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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Purpose Define the application entry point.
Package org.eclipse.core.runtime
Extension Point org.eclipse.core.runtime.applications
Interface(s) org.eclipse.equinox.app.IApplication

6. ∗ IApplication
∗ Start/stop
∗ WorkbenchAdvisor
∗ Initialize
∗ Performs arbitrary actions just
before the first workbench window
is opened (or restored) / closed
∗ WorkbenchWindowAdvisor
∗ Performs arbitrary actions before
the window is opened/closed
∗ ActionBarAdvisor
∗ Configure menu, action bar, status
bar, …
Building RCPs
Extension points and APIs (2/2)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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class rcp
ActionBarAdvisor
ApplicationActionBarAdvisor
WorkbenchAdvisor
ApplicationWorkbenchAdvisor
WorkbenchWindowAdvisor
ApplicationWorkbenchWindowAdvisor
IApplication
TrainingApplication
Enry Point
Configure the
Workbench
Configure action bar
and menu of a
workcench window.
Configure the
workbench window.

7. ∗ Products are the Eclipse unit of branding.
∗ A Product defines the default application to run when running
the product.
∗ There are two possible forms of product extension
∗ Static product extensions directly contain all relevant information
about the product.
∗ Dynamic product extensions identify a class (an IProductProvider)
which is capable of defining one or more products when queried.
Product Configuration and
Branding (1/3)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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Purpose Define the product application to launch and its
branding.
Package org.eclipse.core.runtime
Extension Point org.eclipse.core.runtime.products

8. ∗ An Eclipse based product is a stand-alone program built with the Eclipse
platform.
∗ A product may optionally be packaged and delivered as one or more
features, which are simply groupings of plug-ins that are managed as a single
entity by the Eclipse update mechanisms.
∗ Products include all the code and plug-ins needed to run them. This includes a
Java runtime environment (JRE) and the Eclipse platform code.
∗ Once installed, the user launches the product and is presented with an
Eclipse workbench configured specifically for the purpose supported by the
product.
∗ The platform makes it easy to configure labels, about dialogs, graphics, and
splash screens.
∗ PDE provides a product configuration file and associated editor to make it
easy to create products in the correct format.
Product Configuration and
Branding (2/3)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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9. Product Configuration and
Branding (3/3)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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∗ Product Branding:
∗ Splash screen
∗ About dialog image and text
∗ Windows Images (and icons associated to the launcher)

10. ∗ A Feature groups together one or more plug-ins
∗ A Feature can be deployed as an installation
unit.
∗ A Feature specifies:
∗ Category (optional)
∗ Branding plugin (optional)
∗ Feature update site URL (optional)
∗ Licence, copyright, … information
∗ Dependencies
Features and Branding
(1/3)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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11. Features and Branding
(2/3)
Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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October 2013

12. ∗ Contains:
∗ about.ini
∗aboutText: short multi-line description of the
feature
∗featureImage: 32x32 pixel image used in the
product About dialog
Features and Branding
Branding Plugin (3/3)
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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13. ∗ More features can be collected in an update site described by a
site.xml file.
∗ An update site contains:
∗ Features categories
∗ Features
∗ Web page(s) (optional)
∗ Feature/Update site exported packages can be installed using
Eclipse installation wizard
∗ Installed Features can be uninstalled using the Eclipse About
dialog
Update Site
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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14. ∗ Package those elements to be delivered to the customer in a
form suitable for the installation.
∗ Automated build using PDE
∗ Customized build using ANT script file
Building a Product
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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15. Target Platform
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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∗ The Target Platform refers to the
plug-ins which your workspace
will be built and run against. It
describes the platform that you
are developing for.
∗ The Target Definition Editor is
used to edit target definition files
in the workspace, which should
end with the extension ".target".
∗ Target definition files can be
created using the New Target
Definition Wizard or by moving
them to the workspace on the
Target Platform Preference Page.

16. ∗ Eclipse package containing all the needed plugins to export your
RCP product to different platforms (Windows, Linux, Mac, …)
without having to use a platform’s native Eclipse installation.
∗ The archives contains all the platform specific fragments from
the Eclipse SDK.
∗ Delta pack can be installed using:
WindowPreferencesPlug-in DevelopmentTarget Platform
Delta Packs
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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17. ∗ The p2 project is a sub-project of Equinox (OSGI
services) that focuses on provisioning technology for
OSGi-based applications.
∗ It provides Eclipse with installation facilities.
∗ In order to use P2 you need to add
org.eclipse.equinox.p2.* packages in your installation
unit.
∗ An installable unit can be augmented at generation time
by writing a p2 advice file (p2.inf). The format of this file
is java properties file containing key=value pairs.
P2 Repository
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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18. ∗ www.eclipse.org
∗ help.eclipse.org
∗ wiki.eclipse.org
∗ Eclipse SDK update site
∗ http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/4.3
∗ www.eclipse.org/equinox/
∗ http://wiki.eclipse.org/Equinox_Provisioning
References
October 2013Copyright © 2013 Luca D’Onofrio – RCP Solutions
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