Architected Futures™

Tools and strategies ... for boiling the ocean

EATS Target Platform Definition

Purpose

By default the Eclipse development workbench will target a version of itself as the execution environment for developed systems. Some of the problems with this include:

  • projecting execution to occur on the same platform as development (e.g., Windows, Mac, Linux)
  • unnecessary Inclusion of developer tools in the execution environment
  • difficulty in managing plug-in and related updates to the developed product

The Eclipse solution to this problem is the creation of a target platform specification for the developed product.

Process

  1. The Eclipse provides a target definition creation wizard to assist with the development of target definition specifications. It is located from the menu bar at File -> New -> Other... -> Plug-in Development -> Target Definition. Select Next and then fill in the form.
    Target Definition Wizard
    Identify the parent folder, the application project or plug-in to which the definition applies, and give the file an xxx.target file name. Then click Finish.
  2. Once the wizard is complete a new target definition should be opened in the editor window. On the Definition tab click Add... to identify p2 update sites to be used as the source for plug-ins and features used in the target definition.
    Add Plug-in Location
  3. In the Add Content dialog, select Software Site and click Next.
    Add Content Dialog
  4. This will bring up an Add Software Site dialog panel. Click Add.. to bring up a specific dialog prompt for a site URL. Enter http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/4.3 to identify the Kepler update site or http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/4.4 to identify the Luna update site. For a list of other sites see: https://wiki.eclipse.org/Eclipse_Project_Update_Sites. Once the site is identified, the components available at the site should fill the main text box. Select the Eclipse Platform SDK. Also select the Equinox p2 SDK. (It may be necessary to uncheck Group by Category in order to see these entries. You can also type a partial name, for example 'p2' into the filter text box to assist in finding the components you want.) Make sure Include required software is checked. Then click Finish.
    Software Selection
  5. If a p2 update site exists for the application it should be added to the list of sites and the required application features should be identified using this facility. In addition, to configure a target definition for testing SWTBot components might be included in the target as identified in the Lars Vogel example.
  6. When completed the target definition should look something like the image below. The exact components and versions may differ.
    Completed Target Definition
    To activate the target definition and make it "current" you can use the Set As Target Platform link in the upper right hand corner, or go to Window -> Preferences -> Plug-in Development -> Target Platform and make the selection there.

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