Description Thomas Stroeter 2012-07-10 11:07:03 EDT

Build Identifier: 20120614-1722

The "javadoc location" setting of an eclipse project is currently stored within a binary file in the workspace .metadata/ directory.

In my opininion it should be better stored together with the other project settings within the project directory. For example within the .project file
or somewhere within the .settings/ directory.
 
Javadoc belongs to a java project and should be easily accessible by the developer without any configuration. 

* Yes, within the eclipse editor the IDE provides "on the fly" generated 
  "pure" javadoc, but often a special customized javadoc is needed, usually
  generted by an ANT script. In our company, for example, we generate a quite
  complex javadoc for the projects using an ant script (including UML charts,
  crosslinked library APIs and design documents).
  
* After importing a new eclipse project, the developer has always to
  configure the javadoc location. He has to know its location to enter 
  it and has to know the correct URL syntax. These steps might be often 
  skipped after importing. So as a result the developer has no access to
  the "correct" javadoc.

So I suggest, that the place where the "javadoc location" of the project is stored should be changed. It should be saved as a "project setting" and not as a binary file within the ".metadata/" directory

So after importing the project, the javadoc location is defined and the javadoc can be accessed from the developer from within the IDE.
The project settings are usually saved in a version control system and are 
delivered to developers importing the project, the ".metadata/" is usually not. 


(There are already other tickets within the eclipse- bugdatabase regarding variables within the javadoc location string, but to me that would be an optional second step after fixing the storage-location issue.

The current location is: 
 WorkspaceDir\.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.core.resources\.projects\ProjectName\.indexes\properties.index )

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Create new java procect and specify it's javadoc location  
2. Export the project and reimport it on another computer: 
   the project's javadoc location is undefined.