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| <title>PDE - What's New in 3.2</title> |
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| <h1><font size="4">What's New in 3.2</font></h1> |
| <p>This document contains descriptions of some of the more interesting or |
| significant changes made to PDE for the 3.2 release of Eclipse since 3.1. </p> |
| <table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" width="80%"> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <h2><font size="4">PDE</font></h2> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Target definitions</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">You can now define a target in a |
| .target file (<b>File > New > Other... > Plug-in Development > Target |
| Definition</b>).<p>The .target file defines all aspects of a target |
| including name, location, content (in terms of plug-ins, features, or both) |
| and JRE.</p> |
| <p>More notably, you can specify and manage multiple plug-in sites in the |
| target without the need for .link files.</p> |
| <p>The <b>Plug-in Development > Target Platform</b> preference page lets you |
| browse, preview and apply existing target definitions.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/target_editor.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Contributing targets</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">Targets can be contributed to an |
| Eclipse product via the <b>org.eclipse.pde.core.targets</b> extension point.<p> |
| The Eclipse SDK comes with two RCP-centric org.eclipse.pde.core.targets |
| extensions, allowing you to easily switch the target platform back and forth |
| between the SDK and the RCP subset.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/predefined_targets.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Hierarchical view of plug-ins</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The plug-ins on the <b>Plug-in Development |
| > Target Platform</b> preference page can now be grouped by sites. This |
| hierarchical view makes the management of large and distributed targets |
| much easier. |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/target_hierarchy.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Plug-ins for any OSGi framework</b></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top"> |
| The New Plug-in Project creation wizard (<b>File > New > Project...> |
| Plug-in Project) </b>now provides the option to create plug-ins that can |
| run with any OSGi framework. A Hello OSGi template is also provided.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/equinox.png"></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Equinox OSGi framework launcher</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">A new launcher is now available to run and debug |
| bundles with the Equinox OSGi framework. You will be able to set the start |
| level of your bundles and customize program and VM arguments to test your |
| bundles under different conditions. |
| <p>An Equinox OSGi framework launch configuration can |
| be created in the Launch Configuration dialog (<b>Run > Run...</b> from |
| the top level menu).</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/equinox_launcher.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Java search hits in manifest files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">Searches for references to Java types and packages now reveal hits in |
| MANIFEST.MF, plugin.xml and fragment.xml files.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/pde_searchparticipant.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Plug-in manifest files participate in refactoring</b></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">When you move or rename a Java type or package |
| in your plug-in, PDE now automatically updates all references to these types |
| and packages in the manifest files of the affected plug-ins.</td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>NLS wizard for plug-in manifest files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">PDE now provides a wizard to extract translatable strings from plug-in |
| manifest files and store them in a properties files for multi-language |
| support. |
| <p>The wizard is available via <b>PDE Tools > Externalize Strings...</b> |
| in the context menu of plug-in projects and their manifest files.</p> |
| <p><img alt="screenshot" src="images/nls.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Organize plug-in manifest files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The Organize Manifests wizard is |
| an appointment stop prior to shipping a plug-in. It removes unused |
| dependencies and property keys, and manages the exported packages ensuring |
| they are marked with the right visibility.<p>This function can be invoked via <b>PDE Tools > Organize Manifests...</b> |
| from the context menu of plug-in projects and MANIFEST.MF files.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/organize_manifests.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> <p align="right"><b>New processing instruction in plugin.xml files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">Plug-in manifest files generated by PDE now contain |
| a new processing instruction indicating version <b>3.2</b>, instead of <b>3.0</b>. |
| This new processing instruction is required if a plug-in is to take advantage |
| of the new runtime support where a plug-in can contribute extension points |
| and extensions to a namespace other than its own. |
| <p>In the example below, the <i>org.eclipse.pde.core</i> plug-in contributes |
| an extension to the <i>org.eclipse.pde</i> namespace</p> |
| |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/proc-instruction.png"></p> |
| <p>Note that there is no need to migrate an existing plug-in to use the |
| new processing instruction unless you want to use the new namespace support |
| in that plug-in.</p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Bundle execution environment</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">A bundle execution environment specifies the |
| minimum level of JRE required for the plug-in to run. If the JRE used |
| to run Eclipse does not meet the requirement, the plug-in will not run. |
| <p>If you declare J2SE-1.4 as your plug-in's bundle execution environment, |
| for example, your plug-in will run with a JRE version >= 1.4.</p> |
| <p>If the plug-in can run in execution environments that are not proper |
| subsets of each other (e.g J2SE-1.4 and CDC-1.1/Foundation-1.1), then |
| all such bundle execution environments should be listed.</p> |
| <p>The <b>Execution Environments</b> section is on the <b>Overview</b> page |
| of the plug-in manifest editor.</p> |
| <p>During a plug-in export, the plug-in code is compiled against the JRE |
| associated with the first execution environment listed in the MANIFEST.MF. Refer to the <b>Java > Installed JREs > Execution Environments</b> |
| preference page for a list of OSGi execution environments and the list of |
| installed JREs that are compatible with each.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/execution_environment.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" align="left" valign="top"> <p align="right"><b>Automated management |
| of dependencies</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">PDE now provides a new flexible workflow that |
| allows you to code your plug-in first, and then have your code analyzed, |
| and the list of plug-in dependencies automatically generated for you by |
| PDE after. |
| <p>The <b>Automated Management of Dependencies</b> section on the <b> Dependencies</b> |
| page of the plug-in manifest editor lets you specify a list of plug-ins |
| that you wish to augment your development build path (and hence your content |
| assist scope) with.</p> |
| |
| <p>These dependencies do not get added to the MANIFEST.MF immediately, but |
| you can start coding right away as if they were.</p> |
| <p>At any time, you can tell PDE to analyze your code and generate the correct |
| dependencies in your MANIFEST.MF via either the Require-Bundle or Import-Package |
| headers.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/dependency-mgmt.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> <hr> </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Structural compare and syntax highlighting for manifest.mf files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">When comparing two versions of a bundle |
| MANIFEST.MF file, the new structure compare viewer will let you easily see |
| what headers have been added, removed or modified. |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/manifest_compare.png"></p> |
| <p>Syntax highlighting has also been added to the MANIFEST.MF source page. |
| Colors and fonts preferences can be set on the <b>Plug-in Development > |
| Editors</b> preference page.</p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Validate build.properties files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">PDE now validates build.properties files to |
| flag potential problems that would prevent your plug-in from being exported |
| properly.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/build_properties_validation.png"></p><p> |
| The severity level for problems in build.properties files can be set on the |
| <b>Plug-in Development > Compilers > Plug-ins</b> preference page.</p><p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/validation_severity.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Quick fixes for plug-in manifest files</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">Quick fixes are now available for many types |
| of problems in MANIFEST.MF, plugin.xml and build.properties files, including: |
| <ul> |
| <li>unresolved type references</li> |
| <li>externalizing attributes and elements</li> |
| <li>replacement of deprecated attributes and directives</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/quickfix.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> <hr> </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Automatic Javadoc attachment</b></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">PDE now automates the task of attaching Javadoc |
| to libraries found on your plug-in's build path.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/javadoc.png"></p> |
| <p>Refer to the <b>org.eclipse.pde.core.javadoc</b> extension point documentation |
| for full details.</td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>New extension point schema editor</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The extension point schema editor has been redesigned. |
| New features include: |
| <ul> |
| <li>better visualization of the schema</li> |
| <li>simpler editing of attributes</li> |
| <li>drag and drop</li> |
| <li>inclusion of other schemas</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/new_schema.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Headless RCP application template</b></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top"> |
| The Eclipse runtime is a rich Java component model ideal for running |
| headless (non-UI) applications.<p>The New Plug-in Project creation wizard |
| (<b>File > New > Project...> Plug-in Project) </b>now supports a workflow to |
| create headless RCP applications, complete with a Hello World template.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/headless.png"></p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Form validation in product editor</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The product editor now reports warnings and |
| errors in the title area of each page. Problems reported include |
| invalid paths and the wrong size and depth of an image.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/image_validation.png"></p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> <p align="right"><b>Integrated progress monitor in product splash screen</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">If you like the integrated progress bar in the |
| Eclipse splash screen, you can easily do the same for your product splash |
| screen. |
| <p>The <b>Branding</b> page of PDE product editor provides support to add |
| and customize an integrated progress bar. </p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/progress.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> <hr> </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Platform-specific launcher arguments for cross-platform |
| product export</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">In the product editor, it is now possible to |
| specify platform-specific program and VM arguments to launch a product with. |
| This allows the creation of platform-specific <launcher>.ini files in a |
| single cross-platform export operation.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/launcher_ini.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Add a Welcome page to your product</b></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">A welcome page is your opportunity to provide a |
| pleasant initial user experience to your product.<p>The <b>Branding</b> page |
| of the product configuration editor (<b>File > New > Other...> Product |
| Configuration</b>) now has a <b>Welcome Page</b> section, which will help |
| you create a template welcome page for your product.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/welcome.png"></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Sharable and portable PDE launch configurations</b></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The PDE launch configurations (Eclipse Application |
| and Plug-in JUnit) now support variable substitutions. Careful use of variables |
| allows the saved form of the launch configuration to be portable across |
| operating systems and sharable across teams.</td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Templates for launching arguments</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">You can now specify a template for program and |
| VM arguments, which will be used to initialize default arguments on new PDE |
| launch configurations.<p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/launching.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Enhanced and automatic plug-in validation prior to launching</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The <b>Validate Plug-in Set </b>functionality, available on the <b> |
| Plug-ins</b> tab of all PDE launchers, analyzes the list of selected |
| plug-ins to find lurking launching startup problems. |
| <p>This function has now been enhanced to forecast more types of |
| unsatisfied constraints that would prevent your plug-in from running.</p> |
| <p>You can also opt to have this validation done automatically prior to |
| every launch.</p> |
| <p> |
| <img alt="screenshot" src="images/autovalidation.png"></p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left" height="19"> |
| <p align="right"><b>New source lookup for debugging Eclipse applications</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top" height="19">When debugging Eclipse applications, |
| PDE now uses a custom source lookup mechanism that is tied to the OSGi class |
| loader. This is both faster and more accurate than the standard linear Java |
| source lookup. |
| <p>The <b>Source</b> tab has been removed from the Eclipse/Equinox/Plug-in |
| JUnit launch configurations as it is no longer needed.</p></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Plug-in level custom Ant targets</b></p> |
| </td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The generated build.xml for a plug-in now supports |
| custom targets at the plug-in level. Set the property "customBuildCallbacks" |
| in a plug-in's build.properties file to point at an Ant script and pre and/or |
| post ant calls will be generated for the following targets: build.jars, |
| build.sources, the compilation target (eq: @dot), gather.bin.parts, gather.sources, |
| gather.logs, and clean. In many cases these custom callbacks can be used |
| instead of having an entirely custom build.xml. A template customBuildCallbacks.xml |
| is provided in org.eclipse.pde.build/templates.</td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Building products</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">PDE Build now supports building products from a .product file in a headless automated build. A feature will be automatically generated based on the contents of the product file. </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td width="30%" valign="top" align="left"> |
| <p align="right"><b>Multiple repository support</b></p></td> |
| <td width="70%" valign="top">The PDE Build generation of fetch scripts for |
| headless builds is now extensible. Extenders may contribute support for |
| fetching elements from additional repositories through the <b>org.eclipse.pde.build.fetchFactories</b> |
| extension point. PDE Build provides the standard extension for fetching |
| files from CVS.</td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td colspan="2"> |
| <hr></td> |
| </tr> |
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