Until now, I was only a user of the Eclipse Platform. Today, I want to know how to create a new simple plug-in with Eclipse 3.1 using the Plug-in Development Environment (PDE). The first goal is really simple: use the PDE to create a kind of Hello World plug-in. What a nice surprise when I have discovered that the Eclipse guys have the idea to create a wizard to do that! This wizard really simplify the creation of a Hello World Eclipse plug-in...

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Here a the steps to create a new Hello World plug-in with Eclipse 3.1:

• In Eclipse, choose the following menu: File | New | Project... | Plug-in Project and click on Next
• Enter "Hello World" in the Project name field. Let the other default values and click on Next
• Let the default values for the Plug-in ID, the Plug-in Version, The Plug-In Name and put a Plug-in Provider. For me, it will be "Baccou Bonneville". Click on Next.
• Choose the "Hello, World" template and click on Next. This template will add a new menu in Eclipse and a new icon.
• Put what you want in the "Message Box Text" and click on Finish.

The wizard will create your Hello World plug-in. You are automatically switched to the Plug-in Developement Environement perspective and you will see the following screen:

Then, click on "Launch an Eclipse application". This will launch a new Eclipse window with your new menu (Sample Menu | Sample Action) and icon. Choose this menu or click on the icon: you will see your "Hello, World" message.

Easy, isn't it?

Click on "Export Wizard" to export your Hello World Plug-in into a distributable zip file that will contains the Plug-in Java Archive (JAR) file. You can copy the JAR file into c:\eclipse\plugins and then restart your Eclipse to see your brand new plug-in in action. Using the Eclipse menu Help | About Eclipse SDK and the button "Plug-in details", you will see that your plug-in is registered in your Eclipse.

I will continue my learning about Eclipse plug-in creation and I will certainly write some others blog notes on that topic...

4 comments

Comments:

Comment from: Newbie [Visitor]

Are there any example programs that can dynamically integrate added plugins on the fly?

Permalink 06/13/06 @ 13:52

Comment from: Fernando [Visitor]

I want create a new editor.. I want select some code from this editor, launch a new SWT window (already created by myself) and then change the code color... How can I do that? Where can I find one efective example? I'm really desperate.. :(

Thank you..

Permalink 11/25/06 @ 15:40

Comment from: Serge Baccou [Member] · http://www.baccoubonneville.com

I have never had to create a new editor. Sorry, I can't answer your question...

Permalink 11/27/06 @ 08:12

Comment from: Adithya [Visitor]

i am new to plug-in development. can you please let me know how i can open a browse window on click of thr new menu item i created using your example?

Permalink 07/12/07 @ 07:12

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