Creating an executable JAR file for SWT Plug-in - Runnable JAR

You would have developed a small utility application, and now you wanted to create an executable JAR for that application.

Basically, end user should be able to launch the application by just double clicking on that.

Eclipse provides an option called “Runnable JAR” in the export menu items to perform this.

This will generate Plugin_Refactor_x86_1.0.jar file, including with all the required swt jars. 

Since swt native jars will be platform specific, we need to generate 32 bit or 64 bit files separately.

How to check Installed Java is a 32 bit or 64 bit version ?

If you have installed JDK, Java would have registered in the system environment variables.

Go to command prompt and type “java –version”

C:\Users\kh1205>java -version

 java version "1.6.0_30"

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_30-b12)

Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.5-b03, mixed mode)

If it’s a 64 bit Java, you will be finding “64-Bit Server VM” in the above line.

If it’s a 32 bit java, you will be finding “Client VM” in the above line.

I have another JDK configured in my system, for which I wanted to check java version.

For example, other version of java is available in the location “C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.6.0_31”

C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.6.0_31\bin>java -version

 java version "1.6.0_31"

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_31-b05)

Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 20.6-b01, mixed mode, sharing)

“Client VM” in the last line tell you that,  JDK is a 32 bit version.

Microsoft visio for UML

Microsoft visio supports UML diagrams.

• Class diagram
• Sequence diagram
• Use Case diagram
• Activity diagram
• State diagram

Download trial version @ http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/visio/

You can download UML2.5 stencils @ http://www.softwarestencils.com/uml/index.html

Eclipse plugins debug tracing facility

https://wiki.eclipse.org/FAQ_How_do_I_use_the_platform_debug_tracing_facility%3F

Debugging eclipse dropins

If you are attempting to use dropins, but your bundles are not being found, first ensure org.eclipse.equinox.ds and org.eclipse.equinox.p2.reconciler.dropins are marked to auto-start.

You can check these in bundles.info file in eclipse "eclipse/configuration/org.eclipse.equinox.simpleconfigurator/bundles.info"

Search for an entries of org.eclipse.equinox.ds and org.eclipse.equinox.p2.reconciler.dropins

Example:
org.eclipse.equinox.ds,1.4.1.v20120926-201320,plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.ds_1.4.1.v20120926-201320.jar,2,true

org.eclipse.equinox.p2.reconciler.dropins,1.1.200.v20120301-2145,plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.reconciler.dropins_1.1.200.v20120301-2145.jar,4,true

Mark both of them to true, if it's not set already.

Resolution errors with dropins are silently ignored. To enable useful logging messages, place the following tracing options in your .options file:

org.eclipse.equinox.p2.core/debug=true
org.eclipse.equinox.p2.core/reconciler=true

We can create this file in eclipse root directory with name .options and add above 2 lines in it.
eclipse/.options

And now run your eclipse in -debug -console mode.


Resources:
https://wiki.eclipse.org/Equinox/p2/Getting_Started

Eclipse bundles.info

What is bundles.info file in eclipse ?

The file bundles.info contains a list of all the plug-ins installed in the current system. On startup, all the plug-ins listed in this file are given to OSGi as the exact set of plug-ins to run with.

Where can i find this file in eclipse ?

You can find in eclipse/configuration/org.eclipse.equinox.simpleconfigurator/bundles.info

eclipse/
   configuration/
     config.ini
     org.eclipse.equinox.simpleconfigurator/
       bundles.info
   dropins/
   features/
   p2/
   plugins/
   eclipse.exe
   eclipse.ini
   ...

Resources:
https://wiki.eclipse.org/Equinox/p2/Getting_Started

Identifying a deadlock in your application using JConsole

It's very simple!!  You need not setup anything for this. JPS and JConsole comes with JDK toolkit.

Step 1:
Got to command prompt and type 'jps' command. This will tell you the currently running java process id's.

Example:
C:\Users\kh1205>jps

7620 org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.1.1.R36x_v20101122_1400.jar
7048 Main
5740 Jps


Step 2:
Open jconsole using your application process id, in my case 7048 is my eclipse application process id.

Example:
C:\Users\kh1205>jconsole 7048

This will launch jconsole window with various sections.

Step 3:

Navigate to Threads section in jconsole window, and navigate through main thread(ex:main) and worker threads(ex: worker-1, worker-2). In one of these threads, your application is in waiting state.