Revision 34 as of 2007-11-09 02:19:10

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Parent page: [:Programming: Programming Applications]

Introduction

Eclipse is an Integrated Development Environment or IDE. The Eclipse was originally created by IBM, but the Eclipse Foundation has since taken over direction and development of the project. Eclipse started out as a Java IDE, but has since grown into much more.

Installation

Install the eclipse package from the Universe repository.

See InstallingSoftware for detailed instructions on using repositories and package managers.

Eclipse and Sun Java

By default, the eclipse which is packaged with Ubuntu runs with the GCJ JVM and not the JVM supplied by Sun Microsystems even if you have installed the Sun version (from the Multiverse repository).

Note: if you're using Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper) you'll need to install sun-java6-jre from the dapper-backports Multiverse repository. Please take a look at UbuntuBackports for more information on using backport repositories.

In order to load eclipse with the Sun JVM, edit the /etc/eclipse/java_home file.

  • Add the path of the Sun JVM above the GCJ JVM entry. 

/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun
/usr/lib/jvm/java-gcj
  [...]

  • To ensure that the change has happened open Eclipse and click on Help -> About Eclipse SDK -> Configuration details look for this line: 

  [...]
-vm
/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun/bin/java
  [...]

As an added bonus you may also enjoy a speed up after doing this.

Sun JVM System Wide

You may also want to use the Sun JVM system wide. Enabling the Sun JVM is a snap using update-java-alternatives.

  • First find out which versions of java you have installed through Ubuntu. 

sudo update-java-alternatives --list

output:

   java-1.5.0-sun 53 /usr/lib/jvm/java-1.5.0-sun
   java-6-sun 63 /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun
  • Next, specify the one you want to become the default. 

sudo update-java-alternatives --set java-6-sun

Note: The JVMs listed may differ depending on the version of Ubuntu you're using and the setup of your system. The important thing is to choose the JVM with sun in the title.

Using Sun Java as the Default JRE for Eclipse Projects

To use the java-6-sun as the default JRE within Eclipse and to have it used in the build path of Java projects click on Window -> Preferences -> Java -> Installed JREs and you will see the current JRE's available to Eclipse. To add java-6-sun click the Add... button. A dialog window will come up with configuration options. First set the JRE home directory by clicking the Browse button and navigating to /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun. After selecting this location the rest of the fields should be filled out automatically. Hit OK, and back in the Installed JREs area, place a check box next to java-6-sun to set it as the Eclipse default JRE.

  • Note: This is already set in Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy)

Java3d

Java3d is now supported for use with Eclipse on Ubuntu, see Java3dUbuntu.

Installing Plugins

One of the great features of Eclipse is the wide variety of plugins available for the platform. See [http://www.eclipseplugincentral.com/ Eclipse Plugin Central] for details on individual plugins. One of the simplest ways to install Eclipse Plugins is through the Update Manager, accessed in Eclipse by selecting Help -> Software Updates -> Find and Install.

Plugin Installation Example

In this example we'll install the [http://rubyeclipse.sourceforge.net/ RDT (Ruby Development Tools)] plugin. This plugin will give Eclipse support for the [http://www.ruby-lang.org/ Ruby] programming language.

To install RDT:

  • Open Eclipse and click on Help -> Software Updates -> Find and Install. This will bring up a dialog allowing you to choose from updates to currently installed features or finding new features to install.

  • Choose Search for new features to install -> Next.

  • Click the New Remote Site button. A dialog opens allowing you to input the location of the plugin you wish to install.

  • In the Name: box place RDT (or Ruby if that's more descriptive).

  • In URL: type http://updatesite.rubypeople.org/release. Then click Ok.

    • You should now see RDT in the list of Sites to include in search: box.

  • Click on Finish

  • A dialog to install RDT should now appear. Click the checkbox next to RDT in the Select features to install: area.

  • Click Next -> Accept the License Agreement -> Next -> Finish

  • A Feature Verification dialog will appear click Install All.

  • After the plugin installs click Yes to restart Eclipse.

That's all there is to it you can now create Ruby projects and enjoy all the features of the Eclipse IDE.

Note: Most plugins will have a link to the url that you can paste into the udpate manager.

Other Plugin Guides

  • See ["PHPEclipse"] for detailed instructions on installing and using that plugin.

Plugin Troubleshooting

Some plugins do not seem to function properly when running Eclipse normally, such as [http://www.eclipse.org/birt BIRT]. Running Eclipse with the following options may fix the plugin: 

eclipse -vm $JAVA_HOME/bin/java -ws gtk

User installation

Use this method if you want Eclipse available only for yourself, or if you do not have root access to the computer.

Eclipse

  • Make an opt folder in your home directory: 

$ mkdir ~/opt
  • Unzip eclipse in the opt folder: 

$ unzip eclipse-platform-3.1.2-linux-gtk.zip -d ~/opt
  • Make a bin folder in your home directory, this will be used for the startup script: 

$ mkdir ~/bin

  • Create ~/bin/eclipse with your favorite text editor (e.g vi ~/bin/eclipse) and add the following content: 

export MOZILLA_FIVE_HOME="/usr/lib/mozilla/"
export ECLIPSE_HOME="$HOME/opt/eclipse"

$ECLIPSE_HOME/eclipse $*
  • Finally, allow the script to be executed: 

$ chmod +x ~/bin/eclipse

Gnome icon

  • Create a new launcher on the desktop (right click on the desktop -> Create Launcher) or on a panel (right click on a panel -> Add to Panel -> Custom Application Launcher)

    • Name: Eclipse Platform

    • Command: /home/<your username>/bin/eclipse

    • Icon: /home/<your username>/opt/eclipse/icon.xpm

General Troubleshooting

Below are some reported errors and the appropriate fixes

No Java Virtual Machine found

On vanilla Ubuntu 7.10 using the Add/Remove Applications tool will find a community supported package for Eclipse when set to Show "All open source applications". Checking this will install around 30 packages and create a launcher for Eclipse. Using the launcher, however, results in the following error message: 

A Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK)
must be available in order to run Eclipse. No Java virtual machine
was found after searching the following locations:
/usr/lib/j2sdk1.4-sun/bin/java

The /etc/eclipse/java_home file does not list the above location at all. Of the 11 locations it lists, only those starting /usr/lib/jvm/... also appear in /etc/jvm, but the folder /usr/lib/jvm does not exist.

Installing the Sun Java machine

The Eclipse executable launcher was unable to locate its companion startup.jar

If the following error is encountered when running eclipse from the launcher: 

The Eclipse executable launcher was unable to locate its companion startup.jar file (in the same directory as the executable)

Edit /usr/bin/eclipse with a text editor (e.g sudo gedit /usr/bin/eclipse) and change the content to the following: 

# Eclipse startup script
# JPackage Project <http://www.jpackage.org/>
# $Id$

ECLIPSE_OPTS=""
VM_OPTS=""

# Source system prefs
if [ -r /etc/eclipse.conf ] ; then
  . /etc/eclipse.conf
fi

# Source user prefs
if [ -r $HOME/.eclipserc ] ; then
  . $HOME/.eclipserc
fi

# Set data dir if -data wasn't given.
if ! echo $@ | grep '\-data ' >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -n "$USER_DIR" ]; then
  ECLIPSE_OPTS="$ECLIPSE_OPTS -data $USER_DIR"
fi

# Find our JVM.
# if [ ! -x "$JAVACMD" -a -r /usr/share/java-utils/java-functions ]; then
#   . /usr/share/java-utils/java-functions
#   set_javacmd
# fi

JAVACMD="/usr/lib/j2re1.5-sun/bin/java"

# Set JVM if -vm wasn't given.
if ! echo $@ | grep '\-vm ' >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -n "$JAVACMD" ]; then
  ECLIPSE_OPTS="$ECLIPSE_OPTS -vm $JAVACMD"
fi

# Set JVM args if -vmargs wasn't given.  This needs to be the last option.
if ! echo $@ | grep '\-vmargs ' >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -n "$VM_ARGS" ]; then
  VM_OPTS="-vmargs $VM_ARGS"
fi

# if [ -w $USER_DIR/.metadata/.config/platform.cfg ]; then
#   perl -p -i.bak -e 's|^site\.[0-9]*\.list\.[0-9]*=.*\n||g;' $USER_DIR/.metadata/.config/platform.cfg
# fi

/opt/eclipse/eclipse $ECLIPSE_OPTS $@ $VM_OPTS

Notes

  • This guide has been tested using Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper), Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty), Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy).

    • Except for section 5 User Installation.

      • Not sure if that section is really needed???
        • Yes, it is needed for eclipse 3.3 for Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty) and earlier

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