[dsdp-tm-dev] RE: Advanced Remote Launching (was: Is TM/RSE right for us

["Robert Norton" <rnorton@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your response.

> If you like this idea, 
> please get in touch with us on the dsdp-tm-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx 
> mailing list for further exchange of concrete design ideas.

I do like the idea! Based on your description for a generic launch
action framework I put together some class diagrams which I have posted
on the wiki (they are linked at the bottom of this page:
http://wiki.eclipse.org/index.php/DSDP/TM/Launching). Does this
correspond roughly with what you had in mind? 

The most interesting bit is probably the method used to persist the tree
of actions into the ILaunchConfiguration. I decided that each
ILaunchAction implementation should know how to load / save itself using
a given prefix before its configuration keys. This way it ought to be
possible to flatten an arbitrary tree of ILaunchActions without any
naming collisions.

ILaunchActionTypes are contributed via an extension point and contain
all the information necessary to instantiate the corresponding
ILaunchAction using the GUI, including an
ILaunchActionConfigurationPanel (second diagram).

There is no RSE dependency except that certain ILaunchActions might be
implemented using RSE functionality (e.g. a remote shell command
action).

Any thoughts and suggestions much appreciated.

Robert

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin Oberhuber [mailto:martin.oberhuber@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: 15 January 2007 16:21
> To: Robert Norton; dsdp-tm-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Advanced Remote Launching (was: Is TM/RSE right for us?)
> 
> Hi Robert,
> 
> it's great to hear that you want to extend the TM / RSE 
> Launching mechanism, and also think about contributing back 
> your enhancements.
> 
> As Torkild has already pointed out, adding Shell Operations 
> to a Launch by adding them to the LaunchDelegate "hardcoded" 
> should be fairly easy. 
> If you want to have your shell commands independent of the 
> protocol (ssh, telnet, dstore, or whatever contributed), you 
> might want to consider extending 
> org.eclipse.rse.subsystems.shell.core.model.SimpleCommandOperation .
> 
> For some sample code that deals with running commands on the 
> remote side, see org.eclipse.rse.examples.tutorial/ShowJarContents
> as well as the MontaVista ssh processes contribution, which 
> is currently available from Bugzilla at
> https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=159522
> 
> With respect to making such shell (or download) actions as 
> part of a Launch generic, we already have a concept for this. 
> The idea is to have an additional tab in the Launch, where 
> you see a list of entries. Each entry is of type 
> ILaunchAction, where implementations of ILaunchAction can be 
> contributed through plugin.xml. Each ILaunchAction brings an 
> associated UI for configuring it.
> Examples of ILaunchAction could be a 
> RunShellCommandLaunchAction, or a DownloadFileLaunchAction, 
> each of which could use RSE services in turn. 
> The LaunchActionSequencer, which runs one action after the 
> other can even be generic (independent of RSE), just like the 
> LaunchActionManager which would be responsible for persisting 
> the ILaunchAction data into ILaunchConfiguration instances.
> 
> Unfortunately, this excellent idea isn't currently being 
> implemented due to lack of resources. If you like this idea, 
> please get in touch with us on the dsdp-tm-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx 
> mailing list for further exchange of concrete design ideas. 
> It would be great if you could work in this direction and 
> contribute some code. The online place for more details is at 
> http://wiki.eclipse.org/index.php/DSDP/TM/Launching
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> --
> Martin Oberhuber
> Target Management Project Lead, DSDP PMC Member 
> http://www.eclipse.org/dsdp/tm
> 
> 
> Robert Norton wrote:
> > Greetings All!
> > 
> > I've been given the task of adapting Eclipse to the needs of our 
> > developers and have identified that one of our requirements is to 
> > simplify the process of configuring and launching a debug 
> session on 
> > an embedded target (or simulator). Since this is exactly 
> the sort of 
> > thing that TM/RSE is supposed to handle I thought I would 
> give a shout 
> > on this mailing list to see if anyone can offer any suggestions.
> > 
> > The basic problem is that setting up a debugging 
> environment for us is 
> > much more complicated than the default CDT (+ Zylin patches) launch 
> > configuration allows. In particular it might involve 
> starting several 
> > different processes (each with specific options, sometimes 
> on a remote
> > target) in the correct order and finally connecting a gdb process.
> > 
> >  From scanning the available documentation I get the 
> impression that 
> > TM and RSE provide a basic framework which could be used to 
> automate 
> > much of this, but I'm still unclear on exactly how it could be 
> > achieved. For example might it be possible to create a new debug 
> > configuration type tailored to each of our debugging scenarios and 
> > leveraging the RSE functionality? I'm keen to create as general a 
> > framework as possible for starting auxiliary process and 
> would love to 
> > contribute back any code I produce (subject to the 
> agreement of management / legal bods.).
> > 
> > Does anyone have the slightest idea what I am talking about? If so, 
> > can you offer any comments or suggestions?
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > 
> > Robert Norton
> > DSL Unit, Broadcom UK
> 
>