[platform-debug-dev] Adding an Initial Debug Context

[Jeff Turnham <turnham@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

We would like to override the initial
view choices for an "empty" Debug Perspective.   
Rather than showing views that the user
cannot typically do anything with yet (such as Variables), we would like
to just show the breakpoints view, and display an editor or View that acts
as a Welcome Page describing our debug function and providing buttons/links
for the user to get started.

One solution to this is for you to provide
a way for Debug Providers to provide an initial context (in the absence
of a target/launch).   So for example, we could setup a context where
we would not include the views we want to hide, and would include the Welcome
Page view.   In the absence of one of these "initial" contexts,
then you could default to what you are showing today.   

I'm not sure yet whether these "initial"
Contexts should be always active or just active when there is no other
DebugModelContextBinded context active...I'd have to experiment a bit with
the Usability of having the Welcome page stick around vs vanish/re-appear.

The implementation of this for providers,
could just be via another extension point, as in:
(<initalDebugContext> is the only
new tag):

   <extension
         point="org.eclipse.ui.contexts">
      <context
         
  name="Welcome
to IBM Debug"
         
  description="Welcome
to IBM Debug"
         
  id="com.ibm.debug.welcome">
      </context>
   </extension>
   <extension
         point="org.eclipse.debug.ui.debugModelContextBindings">
      <intialDebugContext
         
  contextId="com.ibm.debug.welcome">
      </initialDebugContext>
   </extension>
   <extension
         point="org.eclipse.debug.ui.contextViewBindings">
      <contextViewBinding
         
  viewId="org.eclipse.debug.ui.BreakpointView"
         
  contextId="com.ibm.debug.welcome">
      </contextViewBinding>
      <contextViewBinding
         
  viewId="com.ibm.debug.welcome.WelcomeView"
         
  contextId="com.ibm.debug.welcome">
      </contextViewBinding>
   </extension>


Thoughts?

Thanks...

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Jeff Turnham
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