[platform-core-dev] On demand loading and installation of components

[Peter Manahan <manahan@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,
        I'm
going to be looking at ways to implement the following scenario it probably
has a name already.  On demand install ? I'm using component to mean
a unit of usable function (could contain multiple features/plugins/bundles
etc)

User is using Eclipse based product.

1. During normal use enables something that doesn't exist (say triggers the PDE capability)
2. However the PDE isn't installed. But some "magic" happens.
3. This spell causes a sequence of events that at the end installs the component that was missing.  (leave how it installs it aside for now ) Now the user is happily using the PDE because it is such a cool tool.

The problem space  is a a set  products
encompassing thousands of plugins and features all using the same eclipse
instance/runtime.

Expand the idea of a not installed component
to a not-installed component that also requires service to the product
before it can be installed. So rather than a straight download from an
update site something like an install program and the user popping CD's
etc in may need to occur.

So this kind of capability requires
support from the runtime.  Can anyone point me in a direction to start
looking at this?  Browsing the runtime dev page the Dynamic Support
and Stub Plugin thoughts look promising so I expect this isn't a new topic
of discussion.

Thoughts, opinions , pointers to some
doc are all welcome.

Thanks,

-----------------------------------
Peter Manahan
IBM Rational Tools
Common Install
------------------------------------
manahan@xxxxxxxxxx