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Java / Eclipse question...

Sharkull's picture

This one is for the java programmers out there...

I just recently stumbled on to the Eclipse VE (Visual Editor) and I was wondering if I was missing any other essential Java development tools (especially Eclipse plug-ins...). The Eclipse sites don't organize information well for its potential user base, and the intensive acronym use is aggravating at times. My needs aren't very specific right now (still learning), so any tips on your favorite general java dev. tools would be appreciated.

When I get to the point of playing with JDBC and SQL, I'll probably look into a few options, but any suggestions on database connectivity development tools would be welcome too.

Note: I'll probably be working with both SQL Server Express and MySQL when the time comes... Oh, and I'm working on a Vista laptop (if that matters).

Thanks in advance for any responses.
Smile

Here is a really good plugin. It helps you see the method calls in your code.
http://eclipse-tools.sourceforge.net/call-hierarchy/

Otherwise I think Eclipse has everything you need from the beginning.

This site is pretty cool for setting up your own Eclipse configuration.
http://eclipsediscovery.yoxos.com/discovery/rap

The subversion plugin is good as well but I doubt you will need that, unless you are part of a project.

Sharkull's picture

Thanks. Smile That call hierarchy one does look very useful. Also, while I'm not there yet, the version control of subversion is something I'll want to take a look at for sure.

About the yoxos site: looks cool, but the problem I have is in understanding what to look for, not how to get it (the Eclipse interface for plugin control is excellent). Yoxos does however look useful in setting up a new Eclipse installation, so I'll keep the reference handy for the next time I do that.

Smile

Even with a single developer on a project, the ability to go back to when it still worked is extremely valuable. I've wished for that a number of times on DS work. Like losing the layers in Photoshop on a texture, or deleting too many lines from a skrit. Of course, I wouldn't have checked in at the right point, but the last one working is usually better than the current one broken.

Eclipse can handle any language, but extensions to the IDE have to be in Java, because that's the way it's built. I've tried the Perl and JavaScript support, and it wasn't too bad. I think someone has done Skrit, but I haven't tried it. The IDE design of Eclipse ensures a certain amount of consistency in all the tools, as they have to get a lot of services from the framework, but there's still a lot of opportunity for the off-the-wall UI that characterises Open Source, so don't expect everything in Eclipse to work like a normal Windows application - maybe more like a Linux app.

My personal opinion is that Java and databases are oil and water. But if you're building a single-user PC app that uses a database as a filestore, rather than a multi-user server application that really needs a full database, then the problems probably won't arise.

Abstraction site
Dungeon Raider

Sharkull's picture

Thanks for the tips ghastley. When I start working on larger projects I'll keep subversion in mind (even if working alone). And don't worry... I don't expect Eclipse to work like a "normal Windows application". I wouldn't want it to (reasons: cost, flexibility, BSOD's...). Wink And one of the reasons I chose Eclipse as an IDE (apart from cost Laughing out loud ) is it's ability to be used with other languages.

As for java and DB's, I have some pretty good DB skills (but mostly experienced on the support / DBA side). I just want to learn the in's and out's of OOP and database interactivity, and java is the language I've chosed to learn OOP with, so I'll just have to see what I run into. As a learning exercise, I plan on making a single-user app. with a DB back-end / datastore, so hopefully what I have in mind will work well enough for my purposes. Smile

We at the Ultima 6 Project have been using Eclipse for a few years now, along with the integrated Subversion client. It's been a life-saver many times when we've had to revert a corrupted map or went down a really convoluted path and had to backtrack. I also started putting together some skrit and gas plugins for Eclipse in order to learn Java and the Siege Tools for Eclipse was the result. It's just been the most open and extensible IDE I've used in years and I would recommend it to anyone. If you're looking for a subversion hosting provider, I can recommend CVSDude ( www.cvsdude.com ). I hear SourceForge also does subversion now too.

Frilly Wumpus
Technical Director
Project Britannia ( http//www.projectbritannia.com )
Ultima 5Lazarus ( http//www.u5lazarus.com )
Ultima 6 Project ( http//www.u6project.com )
Siege Tools for Eclipse ( http//sourceforge.net/projects/siegetools )

I can really recommend Siege Tools for Eclipse. I didn't get far because of time constraints, but it was great to work with. Smile

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