Developing Rich Client Platform RCP Plug-ins Training

System architects, application developers and software engineers who will be designing and/or implementing applications using the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP).

• The course is lab-centric: the slides support the lab exercises rather than the reverse.
• The lab instructions allow students to choose their own level of depth: hints and solutions are provided at the end of each lab and optional challenge learning activities are included. Many labs include diagrams and other supplementary reference material.
• Most labs build on each other but some optional labs are also included.
• Course material is updated regularly based on student feedback.

Each student should have some previous Java programming experience.

Five Days.

Outline of Developing Rich Client Platform (RCP) Plug-ins Training Unit 1: OSGi Bundle Overview

• The Big Picture: Modules
• Background: JAR Files and Their Limitations
• The OSGi Service Platform
• OSGi Bundles
• Native Code Libraries
• Activators and Bundle Lifecycle
• Remote Administration

Unit 2: Threads and SWT/JFace GUIs

• Bundles and Threads: Activators, Tasks, and Thread Executors
• Adding an SWT/JFace GUI
• Display and Shell
• The UI Thread

Unit 3: Bundle Class Loading & Bundle Dependencies

• Background: Classes and Class Loaders
• Typical Class Loader Delegation
• A New Level of Visibility
• Bundle Dependencies
• Require-Bundle vs. Import-Package
• Bundle Version Numbering
• Bundle Class Loading
• Refresh

Unit 4: Avoiding Bundle Dependency Errors

• The Bundle Class Space
• Avoiding ClassCastExceptions
• Avoiding Loader Constraint Violations

Unit 5: Bundle Localization

• Manifest Localization Keys
• Properties Files
• Specifying the Locale
• Accessing Headers Programmatically

Unit 6: Bundle Fragments

• Example Fragment Uses
• The Fragment-Host Header
• Fragments and Dependencies
• The Eclipse Build Properties Editor
• Project Structure vs. Bundle Structure
• The build.properties File
• Eclipse Run Configurations

Unit 7: Dynamic Services (Optional)

• Dynamic Services Big Picture
• Examples: The Services Compendium
• Service Providers
• Service Consumers
• Using Service Trackers
• Filtering on Properties

Unit 8: More SWT/JFace

• Basic Widgets (Label, Text, Button)
• Dispose
• Events
• Listeners

Unit 9: Layouts

• Layouts (FillLayout, RowLayout, GridLayout)
• GridData
• Layout() and pack()

Unit 10: JFace Actions

• Menus
• Toolbars
• Actions

Unit 11: Resource Management

• Preventing Leaks
• Colors, Images, Fonts, GraphicsContext

Unit 12: Tables and Trees

• Tables and Table Styles
• Trees and Tree Styles

Unit 13: Platform Independence (Optional)

• Platform-Independent Status Line
• Platform-Independent Logging
• Platform-Independent Jobs

Unit 14: JFace Viewers (Optional)

• TableViewers
• TreeViewers

Unit 15: Data Binding (Optional)

• The Data Binding Alternative
• Observable: a bean/property/thread combination
• Using a DataBindingContext to create bindings between observables
• Realms, Setting the default realm
• Validation

Unit 16: RCP Overview

• What is RCP?
• RCP Benefits
• Example Plug-ins
• RCP Footprint
• RCP Deliverable Configurations
• The Eclipse Foundation

Unit 17: Plug-ins

• What is a Plug-in?
• Extensions and Extension Points
• Application Structure
• Key RCP Application Classes
• A “Hello, world” Application

Unit 18: The Workbench

• The org.eclipse.ui Plug-in
• Workbench Visual Elements: Menus, Toolbars, Perspectives, Views
• Classes: IWorkbench, etc.
• Classes: EditorPart, ViewPart
• Classes: The Advisor Classes
• Classes: Perspective, View
• Classes: Site

Unit 19: Status

• IStatus
• StatusManager
• MultiStatus

Unit 20: The Selection Service

• SelectionService Overview
• Implementing ISelectionProvider
• Registering a Provider
• Acquiring the Current Selection
• Adding a SelectionListener
• Implementing IPropertySource
• The IAdaptable Interface
• A Complete Example

Unit 21: The Command Framework

• Part 1 — an End-to-End Example
  • The Command Framework
  • The commands Extension Point
  • Command Parameters
  • Handlers
  • The handlers Extension Point
  • The bindings Extension Point

• Part 2 — menus rather than bindings
  • The menus Extension Point
  • LocationURI

• • Command Categories
  • Contexts
  • Programmatic Command Invocation

Unit 22: Core Expressions

• Using Core Expressions
• Example
• The definitions Extension Point
• Handlers
• Command Framework Variables

Unit 23: Jobs

• The Eclipse Jobs API: Advantages
• A “Hello, World” Job
• The Job Class
• Jobs and the Status Line

Unit 24: Preferences

• Preference Terms
• Nodes
• Scopes
• The Default Scope
• The Instance Scope
• Alternative Access to Instance-Scope Preferences
• The Configuration Scope
• Adding a Preference Page
• Adding the Preference Menu Item
• File Access

Unit 25: Deployment

• Product
• Deployment Structure
• Branding
• The Product Configuration Editor
• Exporting
• Deployment Options

Unit 26: Fragments and Features

• Fragments
• Fragment Uses
• Example Fragment.xml
• Example MANIFEST.MF
• Version Numbering
• Features
• Update Sites

Unit 27: Conclusion