My journey from Plugin-based to Feature-based RCP application

While adding log4j to my own RCP application, I came across many issues (Surely I will discuss in the coming posts how to add log4j to a RCP application), but one them was that- I was not using feature based RCP application. My application was pure plugin based, and so was the product.

But, for using log4j in the application,  it was a must that I export log4j.properties  in the exported product. While doing that, I came to know that it is impossible to customize the export process . In simple words, it is not possible to export some custom file while exporting a RCP plugin based product.

So, I switched to feature based RCP application. It seemed to me at the beginning that it's a heck of work, but, later I realized it will hardly take 10 minutes to do this. Before that, if you are not sure how to create RCP application, check this post - Create a Simple RCP Application

So, let's start!!

Step 1: Create a new feature project. Click File ->  New -> Other -> Plugin-Development -> Feature Project.

Step 2: Click on Next and Provide a project name and leave all the other locations as it is.

Step 3. Click in Finish. A project is now generated with 2 files in it. 

1. build.properties.
2. feature.xml

Step 4. Open the feautre.xml file and go to Plug-ins tab. In Plug-ins and fragments section, add the Plug-in based RCP application. The name of my RCP plugin application was EditorApp. So, I added that.

Step 5. Open feature.xml as a XML document. It will look like this now - 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<feature

      id="MyFeature"

      label="MyFeature"

      version="1.0.0.qualifier">



   <description url="http://www.example.com/description">

      [Enter Feature Description here.]

   </description>



   <copyright url="http://www.example.com/copyright">

      [Enter Copyright Description here.]

   </copyright>



   <license url="http://www.example.com/license">

      [Enter License Description here.]

   </license>



   <plugin

         id="EditorApp"

         download-size="0"

         install-size="0"

         version="0.0.0"

         unpack="false"/>



</feature>

Step 6:  In my case, I wanted to export a properties file to my main root folder for the exported product. So, I added the following lines to the build.properties of the feature project

bin.includes = feature.xml

root=file:log4j.properties

And, I also simply added log4j.properties in file in the root folder of the feature project.

After this stage, the feature project is completed. But, we need to cerate feature-based product of the plugin-based RCP application too so that we can export that. Before that, if you already do not know how to create a product for RCP application, please check this post - Export RCP application as product .

So, now let's create a new product.

Step 1: Create a new product configuration.

Step 2: Go to overview tab. Select features in Product definition section.

Step 3: Select application and product.

Step 4: Go to Dependencies Tab. Click on Add your feature project you just created.. Then save.

Step 5: Now, export the product as Usual.

Step 6: Open the exported product, you will see your exported file in the root folder.

Happy Learning!