Description Mirko Raner 2005-09-15 21:51:15 EDT

The importing of preferences files that contain new classpath variable
definitions does not take effect for projects in the workspace that already
reference those variables.

For example, let's say one checks out from CVS a Java project whose build path
refers to the variable WAS_PLUGINDIR, but that variable is not currently set in
the workspace. The project will have a build error because of the missing
variables. Let's further say that there is a preferences file that contains the
definition for WAS_PLUGINDIR:

#Thu Sep 15 16:55:30 PDT 2005
org.eclipse.jdt.core/org.eclipse.jdt.core.classpathVariable.WAS_PLUGINDIR=C\:/users/mirko/e3/MinibankWSAD/WAS_PLUGINDIR

After this file was imported using "Import -> Preferences" the new classpath
variable shows up in the list ("Preferences -> Java -> Build Path -> Classpath
Variables") but the project that refers to WAS_PLUGINDIR still shows a build
error. Cleaning the project does not help; the project does not build even
though all variables are properly set. The only work-around for this is going to
the "Preferences -> Java -> Build Path -> Classpath Variables" dialog, and make
a minor change to the variable's path value (for example, changing "C:" to
"c:"). After that, the project will build properly. It does not matter whether
one answers Yes or No to the question of whether a full build should be performed.

It seems that the project somehow caches the information that the variable is
undefined and that information does not get properly updated when the variable
definition is imported into the workspace. The correct behavior that I would
expect is that all projects build properly right after the classpath variable
was imported.

Unfortunately, the same problem happens when importing preferences via
Preferences.importPreferences(...). We need to be able to import classpath
variables programatically, so I'd definitely appreciate it if someone could let
me know a programmatic work-around that would cause the dependent projects to be
rebuilt properly.