Re: [platform-update-dev] feature enable/disable support - and managing

[Pat McCarthy <patmc@xxxxxxxxxx>]

This will be easier if I ask explicit questions - so here goes:

1. If someone asks how do I use the Workbench to dynamically (after mod and a shutdown/restart) enable/disable installed features -  is the answer:

> A - use the Update Manager perspective to deconfigure the feature
> B - use a yet to be seen dialog/view to select features that should
> be enabled/disabled on next launch
If A, given the current code (using 0405 right now), why must I go back
through a formal re-install of a feature to get it back to enabled (after
a deconfigure).  This does not seem to meet the customer use case
(installed, ok.  Use it.  Don't want it for a while, disable. 
Want it again, enable (but where is enable?)

If B, tell me where it is (what build, what menu/perspective) as I've yet to see this function.

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2. Will an unzipped Workbench ever see itself as a set of installed features?  (That is, will the current configuration shown in the Install/Update - My Eclipse view ever expand the base file:/.../eclipse entry into something like what I see if I formally install a feature to a defined(new) target location?

A - No (is this saying I must formally install the features (such as JDT, Workbench UI, PDE, and so on) after writing the base platform code to the target system?  Then, how can I maintain the platform (based on the assumption that I can only service installed features (managed plugins).

B - Yes - if yes, then when.  This is essential for us to understand behavior for the Workbench with regards to multiple install points.  Or, tell me what the files need to look like and where they go to get it done (I've tried a few fiddles but not had any success).

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With respect to the off-the-wall idea of breaking the full Workbench (SDK +WSWB feature contributions) into separate directories  - here is another attempt to explain it - starting with a set of questions that impact this a bit.

3. Given an existing install of a Workbench in d:\myworkbench\eclipse and a set of product contributions - how does my product launch point get established so that a subset of the Workbench features are enabled along with my product plugin contributions?  Starting with the basic process, is it:

A - do the following :
 - establish a launch point (more on this later)
 - run a headless (or for that matter UI driven) install/configure of the Workbench feature(s) I want enabled in this launch point (or something else)
 - run a headless (or for that matter UI driven) install/configure of my product feature(s) using a product specific target location for the set of installed plugins
 - direct my customer to use the short cut to get to my product, which will include the Workbench features I want in my product (products may want to not include/enable, by default at least, one or more features included in the Workbench base)

B - do the following :
 - establish a launch point (more on this later)
 - use link files to identify where the Workbench base is located (I don't see how a link can tell me what features to include/exclude)
 - run a headless (or for that matter UI driven) install/configure of my product feature(s) using a product specific target location for the set of installed plugins
 - direct my customer to use the short cut to get to my product, which will include the Workbench features I want in my product (could say no to PDE)

C - do the following :
 - establish a launch point (more on this later)
 - write a configuration file (thought this was not to be modified by the user (or product)) that includes the base, excludes the plugins that represent features I don't want, and also includes link files to identify where the Workbench base is located (I don't see how a link can tell me what features to include/exclude)
 - run a headless (or for that matter UI driven) install/configure of my product feature(s) using a product specific target location for the set of installed

D - do the following:  give me the expected scenario if not A, B, or C.

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I'm adding another post on launch point specific issues/questions - so this ends here.

Pat Mc.