Adding JDT to NB standalone, or add NB to Eclipse w/JDT+CDT

[Ridgeglider]

I am running the NB 2.6.2 tools and would like to add the JDT plugin. It seems to me there may be two ways to do this. The first way would be to add the JDT plugin to the NBEclipse environment: can anyone suggest which JDT version is appropriate? In other words, which version of Eclipse are the NB 2.6.2 tools based on? Galileo? V0, v1, V2, other?? Unfortunately the typical Eclipse 'Install New Software' menu item is disabled or missing in the NB setup. This complicates adding appropriate plugins unless I'm missing something.

The second method would be to add the NB plugin to a free-standing version of Eclipse. I have Juno working for other reasons and it would be great to simply add the NB plugin to that environment. Will that work, or once again, would I need a different version of Eclipse, and if so, which one? I seem to remember that the NB tools were offered as a standalone, and as a plugin a while ago. Could I just add the nbeclipse.core_2.6.2.jar, nbeclipse.toolchain_2.6.2.jar, nbeclipse.tools_2.6.2.jar, and nbeclipse.doc_2.6.2 folder to a conventional Eclipse Plugin directory?

Any input much appreciated. I have looked at the C:\nburn\NBEclipse\plugins directory, but find the correlation of the Eclipse version numbers relative to the Juno/Indigo/Helios/Galileo names a bit cryptic...

[dciliske]

I seem to remember Tod having a few threads about this on the forum. I'm definitely not the guy to ask; I use Vim and the command line for everything

As for installing the plugins in a fresh Eclipse install, take a look at this wiki article.

-Dan

[tod]

The Wiki How To Page has 7 articles on Eclipse. I would recommend you use Indigo and read the articles on using the plug-ins. HOWEVER, I'm currently doing a course for Pluralsight on Eclipse and I'm wondering why you want to do this? Do you anticipate you will be writing C++ and Java code at the same time? There's nothing wrong with doing it; in the course I recommend that you just download a version of the JDT for Java and a version of the CDT for C++. So I'm wondering if you think that is bad advice? If I were writing Java for embedding in a NB app I would make a combined version so that I could keep all the code in a single workspace and easily switch gears.

In the past I have found (as have you) that it is difficult (if not impossible) to install plug-ins in NBEclipse. Plus it's nice to keep NBEclipse pure as a reference version. If you have any problems with your Indigo Eclipse install you can always see if the problem exists in NBEclipse. I had minor problems with Juno when creating Run configurations and since the latest NNDK is built on Indigo I recommend that. Also use ONLY the 32 bit versions of the JDK and Indigo (even on a 64 bit OS).

Finally, if you want a minimal JDT go for the Classic install. The most popular Java installs tend to include lots of plug-ins. I recommend taking a look at the comparison chart, before selecting a version. The Classic version is WAY over in the rightmost column.

[Shameless plug]I also recommend signing up for a Pluralsight subscription and watching my course when it's finished - (probably August 2013).[/Shameless plug]

[Ridgeglider]

Thanks Tod: you guessed correctly, I want to develop embedded C/C++ and java that work together on an NB target: and want code in one place. Also want reasonable HTML editor, which I seem to remember was included w/JDT (??) Will check out Pluralsight... Please keep us posted when it's up.

[tod]

Here's what I would suggest. Download the CDT version of Indigo 32 bit to start. Then it's pretty easy to add the JDT. That's assuming you want a fairly lightweight Java install. If you're after something more like the Java EE install you may want to do it the other way.

Digression on Web Development
That won't get you a decent HTML editor BUT it's pretty easy to add that manually. Use the Add new software and select the standard Juno release from the Work with drop down. Scroll to the bottom of the list that shows up and open the "Web, XML...." option. (see the image) Near the bottom of that is a web page editor. There are also options for JavaScript development tools. You can also still add in the Aptana suite by adding the following to the available software sites: http://download.aptana.com/studio3/plugin/install -- but it's a pretty heavyweight plug-in.

Personally my favorite tool for web development is Visual Studio with Resharper. You can set up a solution where the files are linked and stay in their Eclipse workspace. You can then easily toggle back and forth between Eclipse and VS. Another (less costly if you don't own VS) alternative is to use something like Sublime Text 2. You can add some plug-ins for JavaScript, CSS, and enhanced HTML intelligence but it's nowhere near as good as VS/R#.