[platform-update-dev] R2.0 startup - Questions on spec/description

[Pat McCarthy <patmc@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Just noticed the new document in the update resources (might have been
worth a shout on the mailing list).

Some questions....

I've been building launch points with 04xx drops of the code - but using a directory that is the equivalent to a full \eclipse root dir copy, which long term would be using optionally with a recompiled (branded) launch exe, and a copy of the org.eclipse.core.boot plugin (to avoid workspace create problems).
File list: Directory of E:\Eclipse-nightly-04-05\WSAD_Launch\eclipse

04/10/2002  01:36a      <DIR>          .
04/10/2002  01:36a      <DIR>          ..
04/09/2002  02:43p      <DIR>          install
04/10/2002  01:16a      <DIR>          install.metadata
04/07/2002  10:26p      <DIR>          plugins
04/07/2002  10:07p      <DIR>          readme
04/07/2002  10:07p      <DIR>          splash
04/02/2002  04:34p              13,436 startup.jar
04/07/2002  11:56p      <DIR>          workspace
04/08/2002  12:23p              65,536 wswb.exe

My 'product' dir has plugins, a branding plugin(feature), and a link file with this content:
path=rw E:/Eclipse-nightly-04-05/eclipse/

My launch point ends up with a platform.cfg like this:
# Wed Apr 10 01:37:51 EDT 2002
version=1.0

stamp=-1006272853864
stamp.features=0
stamp.plugins=-1006272853864

feature.default.id=com.ibm.wsad

site.0.url="" href="file:E:/Eclipse-nightly-04-05/eclipse/">file:E:/Eclipse-nightly-04-05/eclipse/
site.0.stamp=-1013053056919
site.0.stamp.features=0
site.0.stamp.plugins=1013315736933
site.0.updateable=true
site.0.linkfile=E:/Eclipse-nightly-04-05/WSAD_Launch/eclipse/install/links/base.properties
site.0.policy=USER-EXCLUDE

site.1.url="">
site.1.stamp=-7819098123
site.1.stamp.features=0
site.1.stamp.plugins=-7060726275
site.1.updateable=true
site.1.policy=USER-EXCLUDE
eof=eof
 

The alternate launch point works, and allows me to start a branded workbench with new content (local \plugins directory), but this requires some additional options on the .exe first.  I have to add -ws Win32 to get the workbench started.

I've had some success and have been testing some product install scenarios (not quite the same as those defined in the R2.0 startup doc),
but am now wondering if I've been following the expected approach.

I've tried to use my exisitng setup and the launch guidance in the new document.  I've tried this command in the base workbench directory:
E:\Eclipse-nightly-04-05\eclipse>eclipse -configuration file:E:/Eclipse-nightly-04-05/WSAD_Launch/eclipse/install/platform.cfg -feature com.ibm.wsad

But what I get is not the same as my initial approach - the brand does not show up (is in the alternate plugin directory) and I don't get the plugins in the directory associated with the location of the identified configuration.

Some initial questions:
- Does the launch process described expect or allow for plugins stored in separate directories?  If so, is a link file used?  If yes, is it in the base \install\links or the custom location?

Re the scenarios described:

• multiple personalized launch points, shared install, same plugin line-up (update in one seen in others) [this is the ability to say "eclipse -feature foo" and "eclipse -feature bar" and have both come up appropriately personalized against the same install (both "see" the same plugins)


What does same plugin lineup mean?  If I have two launch points I'd expect a different set of plugins (base+product specific).  If the base was updated, yes, I'd like to see the updates in the base used by an alternate launch point.   I just don't see (yet) how the stack of product specific plugins are added to the mix (in a separate directory).  The launch option -feature foo -- does it not identify a product plugin for branding?

• multiple personalized launch points, shared install, different plugin line-up (update in one not seen in others) [this is the ability to say "eclipse -feature foo" and "eclipse -feature bar" and have both come up appropriately personalized against the same install, but each "sees" a configured subset of the plugins)]


This seems to be more like what I described above - but I still don't know if you mean multiple plugin dirs, one for the base install (eclipse) and one each for the products associated to the -feature foo and -feature bar.  How else are you getting to different configured subset of the plugins?
 

• multi-user system: shared launch point (users define shortcut), shared read/only install, same shared plugin line-up, optional user-private plugin additions (updates private to each user)

All for now.   Some pointers might help me see your viewpoint represented in the new startup doc.

Pat Mc.