I'm developing various in-house extensions for JIRA, the issue tracker we use. So far I worked with Netbeans and everything worked like a charm. However, now I need to switch to Eclipse and I'm having struggle setting up the environment for this development project.
First a clarification why I'm using the approach I'm describing here: building JIRA (in an IDE) is not easily done and I'm absolutely not interested in wasting my time to figure out how to do it. Besides, I don't need to build it, I just want to develop extensions and be able to use the IDE's auto-completion and help support (API docs). Atlassian (the company that develops JIRA) provides a "development" package, but it's just a sorry excuse rather than a real solution.
What I did with Netbeans was to create a library bundle with all relevant jar-files, the Java source files and the API documentation. This way I could use auto-completion, "jump to" the source and the API docs would pop-up when needed.
It seems Eclipse doesn't offer such a functionality, at least I couldn't figure out how to add the sources and the API docs to a "User Library" (which I'd then add as a dependency to my project just as with Netbeans).
My next approach was to create a separate project that holds all the stuff and mark that project as a dependency of my project. This works, but it leaves me with another issue: now I get 37k errors reported (all within the "dependency project"). As said, correctly setting up building for this dependency is a major struggle and not my original goal, therefore I'd happily ignore these errors. Automatic building is turned off and changing the "Errors/Warnings" settings under "Java Compiler" for the project didn't change a thing, so I'm kind of lost now.
Okay, let me try to phrase this as questions:
Maybe I just didn't find it: Is there a way to create a dependency bundle (call it whatever you want) in Eclipse that -- besides just carrying jar-files -- gives me the ability to use the API docs and "jump to" the declaration in the sources?
If not, what's the common practice to do in such a situation?
If the "dependency project" solution is the way to go, how can I completely disable compiler errors for that project?
Check this for illustration with images
Add the source code for jar
Add the Javadoc for a jar
Or just right-click on the jar file in the Package Explorer view. Select "Properties" then set the according paths in the "Java Source Attachment" and the "Javadoc Location" field.
When you create user libs via window->preferences->java-build path->user libraries you can specify which jar you need, sources (in archive or folder) && javadoc (from internet, or local, or from archive). Then you can use this lib in your project via context menu on project->Build path->add library->user library-> choose your lib.
Here you acn pick up more info Eclipse help
Related
I'm currently trying to write my first own library. It's just for testing, I want to find out how libraries are written, compiled, distributed and used in order to prepare for some upcoming personal projects.
Yet, what really causes me to wonder, is why exactly my Javadoc isn't compiled with the Library. I know that comments and annotations are not compiled, but for example the JDK (which is basically a huge library) comes with a working doc as well.
I've tried to compile a JAR (libraries aree normally JARs, right?) from not the compile output, but the sources (so I had a JAR of .java files), but this failed to be included in IntelliJ. I could add it as an external library, but neither did it show up in my explorer, not could I import or use any of my classes.
I know there must be a mistake somewhere here, all libraries I've ver used, whether it was Java, C# or whatever else always came with a working documentation (IntelliJ shold show that on mouse hover), and I'd like to know how to correctly build a library that I can share with a team partner, so he just needs to download it, add it as a library in IntelliJ and has all the functionality, but also the documentation.
Thanks to everyone in advance!
Because it isn't needed, and would bloat the file size of the executable. If you have a library in C or C++, the documentation may be bundled in a zip file, but you won't find it in the compiled .so or .dll. One just holds the binary and resources needed for the project. The .jar is equivalent of that- it's the compiled output. Documentation is hosted/downloaded separately.
When you download the JDK, you're not just downloading a giant .jar. It includes other things, like documentation in the download.
I'd like to know how to correctly build a library that I can share with a team partner, so he just needs to download it, add it as a library in IntelliJ and has all the functionality, but also the documentation.
The short answer is that you provide your team partners with your project source code as well as the binaries. They then can configure their IDE (Intellij, NetBeans, Eclipse, whatever) with the location of the source code and the IDE will be able to extract the javadoc comments on the fly and render them as requested.
Sharing the source code also has the additional benefit that your partners can debug their (and your) code better. By themselves, javadocs are rarely sufficient for debugging complicated problems.
Alright, if everyone ever has this probelm again, here's a complete tutorial:
As #Gabe Sechan already said, the Doc is not compiled into the JAR for some valid reasons. Instead, I recommend you to add the following to your JAR:
module compilation output
content of "src" directory / alternatively: module sources
Build --> Artifacts --> All Artifacts.
Now, if you add your library JAR into a project, it will show "Classes" and "Sources" in the right tab, as IntelliJ automatically recognizes you've bundled both into the JAR.
Now, IntelliJ should show your documentation, as it lives within the source files.
If, for some reason, IntelliJ switches from its "fancy" documentation popup to unformatted plain text, proceed as follows:
Navigate to File -> Settings -> Advanced Settings, and in the 5th block, where it says "Documentation Components", just tick everything you find. That's gonna fix it.
Thanks to Gabe Sechan again, your answer helped me to understand what won't work, and finally I've found a way to make it work myself.
So I took a Coursera course that had me work with external libraries. Two .jar files which most of the weekly projects depended upon.
I'm not entirely sure how eclipse compiles and runs the files, and how it links to these external libraries -- what is the proper way of organizing this? Do I put a copy of each .jar file in each project directory?
Is there another, cleaner way that I should be organizing this?
Thanks --
As a beginner programmer it is OK to put it in each project. But consider that this is ongoing work and at some time in future you want to upgrade to a new version of these external libraries. Then you would have to copy it everywhere.
Instead another option is to store them in one place and add it in classpath in each project. Now you have only one copy of it, which is always better.
Now, if and when you do get a new version then the file names might change, so you will still have to change the classpath of each project.
But I advise you to worry about these and other such problems later. For now, focus on programming related problems rather than configuration.
If you want to maintain your libraries professionally in a formal manor then you're better of using a build tool like Gradle of Maven.
I'd suggest you to use Gradle to maintain the project since it has a whole lot of useful build tools available to you to use. Eclipse has a Gradle plugin available which allows you to use Gradle projects with it. See link below.
To give you a idea of how Gradle is used professionally. Android uses it by default to maintain their projects now. So Android java projects uses the Gradle build tool to maintain its library sources, compilation processes and such.
The difference between a Gradle project and a normal java project is that a Gradle project has a list of pre-defined scripts available to you which fetches the libraries, compiles them and prepares them before exporting the final bundle (jar). So really all Gradle does in before hand is fetch the libraries and prepares the specified tools before compilation so you won't need to mess with them your self. It prepares your project directory and remotely maintains your libraries so if they're available from a repository then it'll make sure to prepare them appropriately in before hand and setup your projects directories.
So really the difference you'd physically notice is that instead of using the default Eclipse export button to create your bundle (jar) you'd instead use a button from the side menu which the Gradle plugin adds and also you'd cleanly list the libraries in a structured order in a file that gets added to your project root.
If you want to get a basic understanding of how it works and really want to start to proffesionally or formally structure your project then try to create a very basic android app in Android Studio. see link below
If this isn't what you want at all and don't want to take it to this advanced level yet then adding the library bundles into some kind of lib folder that's located in your project root is properly best practice.
If you wonder why? Well basically different projects might use different versions of the library which may add or remove support to them. So to keep the versions consistent and make sure to have the right version available to you, you have the direct source near the project it self.
Here's some useful link:
http://www.vogella.com/tutorials/EclipseGradle/article.html
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
I am taking over a web project from my school. I am trying to deploy the project in eclipse. The project uses a group of libraries (Namely javax.mail.* , com.sun.mail.*, org.joda.* and org.apache.*). The project can not compile because it is unable to locate these. I have them in the src folder and then added the three top level folders/packages to the build path. The import statements work. But getting the joda.time.CLASSXYZ does not work (Then I instantiate the class CLASSXYZ). (The error is "The type org.joda.time.base.BaseDateTime cannot be resolved. It is indirectly referenced from required .class files" the import was joda.time.* so the class should have been imported)
I've looked at the other threads and most of them just explain how to add folders to the build path. I have Apache tomcat set up with eclipse. It works with other projects that I have deployed.
This problem has gotten pretty frustrating as its preventing me from starting the project. Any help you be much appreciated.
Cheers
Unless you use maven you need to download additional libraries:
javax.mail: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javamail/index.html (also included in Java EE)
org.apache http://commons.apache.org/
org.joda http://joda-time.sourceforge.net/
I suggest to place them in a folder 'lib' and add the jar-files to your build class path. (context menu on your project).
The other threads you mentioned are pointing you in the right direction, and provide a good practice to get in to (especially once you start having more than one project running in your eclipse ide).
So right click project - Build Path - Configure Build Path... , then in the Libraries tab, click Add External JARs and add in the jar for org.joda from the link in the other answer here. This way you can have all your external jar libraries in one spot and reuse them across multiple projects. There's also about a dozen different ways to do the same thing in eclipse, but this is the most direct I think. I'm on version Helios (your's might be slightly different). I try not to use source files of external code libraries unless I want to play around, debugging their code - not a bad thing to do - but I never have the time to spare for that.
Also I'd double check that the other libraries you mentioned aren't being automatically linked in or included as part of the JRE system library. Especially if you are setup in a Dynamic Web Project, it would surprise me if org.apache wasn't already there... but I could easily be wrong there, have been many times before & eclipse was usually involved ;-)
I have setup a dynamic web project in eclipse with JSF in which I trust on code from another project (framework). Therefore, I added the framework project to the build path of the website project.
So far so good, Eclipse recognises every class and the project builds without errors.
Problem is though that when I do "run on server" to test it on tomcat 6.0.24, the application fails. I get ClassNotFoundException on every class from the framework project.
Is this a bug or is some specific configuration necessary for this?
I was googling and ended up here for a similar problem. I wanted to make a note for others about the current situation on Eclipse Indigo, as the terminology has changed a bit by the looks of things.
On your project properties, do a filter/search for "deployment assembly".
It is then straightforward to add a project dependency. Job Done.
Thanks to Alexander's edited answer which led me to this.
Did you check Warnings in Problems view?
Do you see Classpath entry /your/framework.jar will not be exported or published. Runtime ClassNotFoundExceptions may result warning?
If you do.
Right-Click the warning and choose Quick Fix.
Choose "Mark the associated entry as publish/export dependency." from Select a Fix box.
Click Finish.
EDIT
Now, I think I understand where disconnect is. I think now I remember the joy of figuring this out for the first time.
In your website project ( I will speculate here , but I guess you've created it as a Dynamic Web Project ):
Open project properties
Select Java EE Module Dependencies panel
Check your framework project in JAR/Module column. Beware, that for reasons not known to me, the list is not sorted ( and is not sortable ) in any particular order, so you may need to search for your project reference there.
The results of this operation will be written to /website-project/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component file. Put this file into your source control.
I'm having a difficult time figuring out how to add a .jar/library to a Netbeans project in such a way that I can get it committed to the repository.
The typical way to add a library (per the Netbeans documents I've already gone through) ends up with it just being local to me. Anyone who checks out my project ends up missing my required library.
Inserting it manually and trying to work around Netbeans results in Netbeans hanging while trying to scan the project...
So, how can I tell Netbeans to pick up a jar as a library and include it in my project in such a way that Subversion will be able to handle it?
There are a couple ways to fix this.
A. When you define your Library, use a path to a common location. A location that's identical on everyone's machine--such as the location of a JAR installed with a third-party app into Program Files or /usr/local/ works well or a network drive.
Then, when they check-out the code, the path will still be correct and they do not have to define the Library on their Netbeans workspace.
B. Edit your project.properties file to use a relative path. Open your project.properties file and look for "libs.LIBRARY_NAME.classpath=...". That will be the "default" location used if the Library is not defined.
Change this to use a path relative to your project and store the jar files in your project. For example:
libs.Log4J.classpath=lib/log4j.jar
Keep in mind that the Library definition in your Library Manager will override this value--so make sure you keep them in-sync (i.e. append a version number to the library name!).
C. Use Vincent's suggestion of using a build-system such as Maven. The Maven build-process will take care of downloading dependencies, etc. Netbeans has plugins for several popular build systems.
There is a new feature in NetBeans 6.5 (variable-based paths in projects) which should make this easier.
See http://wiki.netbeans.org/NewAndNoteWorthyNB65#section-NewAndNoteWorthyNB65-VariableBasedPathsInJ2SEJ2EEProjects for details. Note the screenshot includes variable references in the library customizer.
Not really an answer to your question but... generally you should not include these libraries in your subversion repository. There is usually no need to have them managed. What you might want is to set up a central repository similar to what happens with maven. If you use maven, you can create a local repository of libraries on a server accessible by the team. The dependencies on these libraries are entered in the pom.xml file and this is in the subversion repository. Now, as team members check out the code from subversion they all have access to the maven repository.
[I am looking for a reference to this right now. When I find it I'll edit this answer.]
I use NetBeans IDE 6.5.1 and the best solution I've found so far is to include the needed libraries from your local host and then change their paths to relative. After that you have to remove the libraries manually from the NetBeans file explorer, and then copy them from their OS location in your computer manually to the file explorer again. That way NetBeans detects the change and you can commit it to the repository.
Note: I Highly recommend to clean and build the project again after updating.
An easy way to pack up your lib/jars into your project so that subversion "just handles it" so you can grab it out with all the attached libraries ready to compile and go is to include them all under your project directory via the "shared libraries" option by managing the libraries folder.
When creating a new project you can specify "Use Dedicated Folder for Storing Libraries" and then use the suggested relative .\lib path. If you have an existing project, you can edit it's properties, Libraries Category, and Browse for a Libraries Folder. Again a first-time run will suggest .\lib and then offer to copy existing dependencies to that folder. These graphical actions should provide similar results to James Schek's 'B' answer.
Commit the project with the newly added libs in .\lib and you should be able to checkout and build from anywhere and know you'll have the same libs (at the same version) as you had when you last built and committed.
I don't know how long this feature has been in NetBeans. For more details see:
http://netbeans.org/kb/docs/java/project-setup.html#projects-shared-libraries
I ended up just downloading my own set and putting them on my local drive for this project. I setup my Netbeans to look there and warned the other guys what I did... Eventually, we'll have to do something a bit more scalable though... :-)
OK, the working solution that I've now moved to is to extract the class files out of the jars and dump them into the Source Packages area. Then it all gets committed to the repository and also avoids having to deal with handling a separate "lib" directory in the deployment phase.
This solution does everything I'm looking for, yet I feel real dirty about doing it this way. It just seems horribly broken and wrong... :-)