[news.eclipse.platform.rcp] Re: Perspective customization questions

[Nick Edgar <nick_edgar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mark,

Mark Powell wrote:
> First, I'd like to programmatically be able to turn off the text next to the 
> perspective icons.  I want this behavior to be the default behavior for my 
> app.

See http://eclipse.org/rcp/faq.html#customPrefs
and specify the following in the perspective_customization.ini file:
org.eclipse.ui/SHOW_TEXT_ON_PERSPECTIVE_BAR=false

Doing it this way is preferable to changing the value programmatically, 
since it allows different product entry points to have different 
defaults.  Of course, you may still allow the user to change the value 
by using:
PlatformUI.getPreferenceStore(). 
setValue(IWorkbenchPreferenceConstants.SHOW_TEXT_ON_PERSPECTIVE_BAR, x);

> Second, I'd like to put the icons for all of the perspectives that I define 
> in the toolbar by default.  I don't want the user to have to "Show 
> perspective" to get each one for the first time, or even to use the 
> short-list menu to get one for the first time.  I want the button for each 
> perspective visible the from the first moment they see the workbench appear.

This is not currently well supported, but is something I'd like to 
address for 3.2.  See the following for a workaround:
https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=84226

Another approach is to use a custom window layout, with your own button 
bar for switching between some well-known perspectives, rather than 
using the built-in perspective bar.  See 
WorkbenchWindowAdvisor.createWindowContents(Shell).

HTH,
Nick