Getting Started

 

What is in the SDK?

The SDK contains an eRCP win32 runtime that is built for debugging and includes source code and JavaDoc. This allows developers to quickly get started with embedded development on a Windows desktop machine without the need for a real device or device emulator.

 

Configuring the IDE for eRCP application development:

After Eclipse restarts, you need to set your target platform

Click Window->Preferences

            Expand Plug-in Development

            Click Target Platform

            Click Add

            In New Target Definition Dialog

                        Check Template

                        Select eRCP Target

                        Click Next, eRCP plug-ins should be loaded

                        Click Finish

            In the Target Definitions window, check eRCP

            Click OK

 

You are now ready to being development of eRCP applications. You can:

            - Check-out a project from CVS

There are several sample projects in eRCP. This is the recommended way to get started. See below for details.

            - Import an existing project into your workspace

Maybe you have a desktop RCP application or view you would like to run on devices.

            - Create a new plug-in project

For the adventurous, there are documents in eRCP for creating a plugin from scratch.

 

Creating a new application from a sample app:

1)      Get the Sample

In Eclipse, switch to the CVS Repository Explorer perspective

            Create a new repository by clicking the small “plus” button

                        Set sever to dev.eclipse.org

                        Set path to /cvsroot/rt

                        Set user to anonymous

                        Click Finish

            Expand the new site, then Head->org.eclipse.ercp

            Expand the examples folder

            Right click on org.eclipse.ercp.app

            Click check-out

 

            You now have the sample project in your workspace

 

2)      Examine the sample

Switch to the Plug-in Development perspective

Expand the project and take a look at the various files

            Manifest.mf defines the project’s ID. You’ll want to change that to your own ID

            Plugin.xml contains the project’s dependencies which you may need to update if you are going to use other projects or services. It also defines extensions for the application’s views. You’ll need to change these so that the view ID’s are unique.

            Activator.java contains the bundle’s start and stop methods. This is where you may do initialization and cleanup.

NormalView.java implements the View interface that defines the application UI. This is where you begin creating your UI.

 

3)      Make the sample your own

Right click on the project and select Refactor->Rename

Change name field to my.app and click OK

Expand the project and double-click on plugin.xml

In the manifest editor, switch to the Extensions tab

Fully expand org.eclipse.ercp.eworkbench.applications (This extension defines your application to the workbench)

            Select eRCP eMail Sample

                        Change id field to my.app

                        Change Name to “My App”     (This is the name that will appear on the workbench item)

            Select (views)

                        Change normal field to my.app.views.normal     (This identifies the view extension to use for a “normal” size window)

                        Change large field to my.app.views.large           (This identifies the view extension to use for a “large” size window)

            Expand org.eclipse.ui.views

            Select Sample Normal View

                        Change id field to my.app.views.normal

            Select Sample Large View

                        Change id field to my.app.views.large

 

Note: You could also change all the java package names (and probably should at some point) but this is not necessary to run the sample.

           

Run your sample application

1)      Run the eRCP eWorkbench

Click Run->Run Configurations…

Select Eclipse Application

Click the small “plus” button

In the configuration editor:

      Change Name field to “eWorkbench

      Change Program to Run to org.eclipse.ercp.eworkbench.eWorkbench

      Click Run

 

The eWorkbench will launch

 

2)      Launch the sample app

In the eWorkbench window, double-click My App

You can explore the sample, then click Command->List Applications to return the applications menu

Resize the eWorkbench window to full screen and double-click on My App

 

This time the large view will be presented