This document provides an overview of creating a basic Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) application, including setting up the necessary plug-in project, defining perspectives and views, and implementing core classes like Application, WorkbenchAdvisor, and Perspective. It describes how to add new views to a perspective and launch the RCP application. The key classes involved in startup and initialization of the Eclipse workbench are also explained.

1. The Basic RCP Application
An overview of the code that makes up the skeleton of a basic RCP
application. This includes the basics for advisors and perspectives. This
module also describes the basics of how to launch and debug an RCP
application.
Redistribution and other use of this material requires written permission from The RCP Company.
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2. Creating an Eclipse RCP Application
Use the “Plug-in Project” wizard!
Project Page:
 Specify the plug-in name:
com.rcpcompany.cex (or whatever)
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3. Creating an Eclipse RCP Application
Content Page
 Change information as appropriate
 Activator generated
 We contribute to the UI
 It is an RCP Application!
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4. Creating an Eclipse RCP Application
Templates Page:
 Use “Hello RCP” template
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5. Launch the Application
The launch configuration for the application can
be created in several ways
 E.g. use the “Launch an RCP Application”
in the Overview page of the plugin.xml
editor
Change the name of the application if needed
 Use “Run” → “Open Run Dialog…”
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6. Update the Launch configuration
The arguments of the launch configuration for the application should be
updated with the following extra arguments:
 -clean – cleans all internal caches
 -console – starts the OSGi console
 -consoleLog – prints all log messages on standard output
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7. Eclipse Workbench Start-Up Sequence
The Eclipse workbench is started in the following steps
From the user code the important classes are
 Application (IApplication):

Handles the initialization of the display

Any login dialog

Creates and runs the workbench using the workbench advisor
 WorkbenchAdvisor:

Names the initial perspective

Specifies the window advisor to use

Provides call-outs that is invoked during the life cycle of the workbench
– e.g. postStartup and preShutdown
 WorkbenchWindowAdvisor:

Specifies the action bar advisor to use

Provides call-outs that is invoked during the life cycle of the workbench
window – e.g. postWindowCreate
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8. Eclipse Workbench Start-Up Sequence
 ActionBarAdvisor:

In 3.2: Created all actions (if hard-coded) - filled in the actions in the
menu, tool bar, and status line as needed

In 3.3: Registers all built-in implementations for standard commands

In 3.4 and later: Empty!
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9. The Application (IApplication) Object (3.3 and later edition)
Identified via the extension point org.eclipse.core.runtime.applications
Simply creates a new SWT display and launches the application code
The place to handle login dialogs and similar
Eclipse 3.3 has added a stop() method to gracefully stop an application
public class Application implements IApplication {
public Object start(IApplicationContext context) throws Exception {
Display display = PlatformUI.createDisplay();
try {
int returnCode = PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(display,
new ApplicationWorkbenchAdvisor());
if (returnCode == PlatformUI.RETURN_RESTART)
return IApplication.EXIT_RESTART;
else
return IApplication.EXIT_OK;
} finally {
display.dispose();
}
}
public void stop() {
…
}
}
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10. The WorkbenchAdvisor Object
Specified by the Application object
Identifies the initial perspective to be used in the application – can be
overridden by saved state
Specifies the WorkbenchWindowAdvisor to be used when SWT windows are
created
public class ApplicationWorkbenchAdvisor extends WorkbenchAdvisor {
private static final String PERSPECTIVE_ID = "com.rcpcompany.cex.perspective";
public WorkbenchWindowAdvisor createWorkbenchWindowAdvisor(IWorkbenchWindowConfigurer configurer) {
return new ApplicationWorkbenchWindowAdvisor(configurer);
}
public String getInitialWindowPerspectiveId() {
return PERSPECTIVE_ID;
}
}
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11. The WorkbenchWindowAdvisor Object
Specified by the WorkbenchAdvisor object
Specifies the ActionBarAdvisor to use
public class ApplicationWorkbenchWindowAdvisor extends WorkbenchWindowAdvisor {
public ApplicationWorkbenchWindowAdvisor(IWorkbenchWindowConfigurer configurer) {
super(configurer);
}
@Override
public ActionBarAdvisor createActionBarAdvisor(IActionBarConfigurer configurer) {
return new ApplicationActionBarAdvisor(configurer);
}
....
}
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12. The WorkbenchWindowAdvisor Object
Configures the basic window properties
 Name
 Size
 Presence of basic UI elements

Menu bar, toolbar, status Line, fast views, and perspective switcher

Progress indicators
public class ApplicationWorkbenchWindowAdvisor extends WorkbenchWindowAdvisor {
....
@Override
public void preWindowOpen() {
IWorkbenchWindowConfigurer configurer = getWindowConfigurer();
configurer.setInitialSize(new Point(800, 600));
configurer.setShowCoolBar(false);
configurer.setShowMenuBar(true);
configurer.setShowStatusLine(false);
configurer.setTitle("Hello Contact Manager");
}
}
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13. The ActionBarAdvisor Object
Specified by the WorkbenchWindowAdvisor object
In 3.2: Created all actions (if hard-coded) - filled in the actions in the menu,
tool bar, and status line as needed
In 3.3: Registers all built-in implementations for standard commands
In 3.4 and later: Empty!
public class ApplicationActionBarAdvisor extends ActionBarAdvisor {
public ApplicationActionBarAdvisor(IActionBarConfigurer configurer) {
super(configurer);
}
protected void makeActions(IWorkbenchWindow window) {
}
protected void fillMenuBar(IMenuManager menuBar) {
}
}
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14. The Perspective Object
Specified by the WorkbenchAdvisor object
Creates the initial perspective in terms of
 Views
 Global actions
 Shortcuts on relevant menus
public class Perspective implements IPerspectiveFactory {
public void createInitialLayout(IPageLayout layout) {
}
}
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15. Lab Exercise
Create the application.
If you have not used the Eclipse debugger before, then introduce an error –
e.g. divide-by-zero – and find the error in the debugger
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16. Adding a View
A new view can easily be added using the
extensions page for the plugin.xml file
 Add a new extension with the name
“org.eclipse.ui.views”
 Select the new line and add a
“New”→”view” using the context menu
 Specify id, name and class as shown here
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17. Adding a View, cont’
Click on the “class” link to create the new View class automatically
Two methods must be implemented
 createPartControl(Composite): Creates the visual content of the view
 setFocus(): Sets the initial focus of the view
public class FirstView extends ViewPart {
@Override
public void createPartControl(Composite parent) {
}
@Override
public void setFocus() {
}
}
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18. Adding a View, cont’
Adding the view to the perspective
 No editor is used
 Views are positioned relatively to other views (or the editor)
 The new view is placed to the left of the (non-existing) editor and will
take all of the room
public class Perspective implements IPerspectiveFactory {
public void createInitialLayout(IPageLayout layout) {
final String area = layout.getEditorArea();
layout.setEditorAreaVisible(false);
layout.addView(”com.rcpcompany.ex.views.FirstView”, IPageLayout.LEFT, 1.0f, area);
}
}
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19. Re-Launch the Application
Now the application includes the new view
Note that
 The are no editor area
 The view tab is present
 The view can be closed
 The view can be minimized
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20. Adding a File→Exit Command (3.3 and later edition)
Added in the plugin.xml file
<extension point="org.eclipse.ui.menus">
<menuContribution locationURI="menu:org.eclipse.ui.main.menu">
<menu label="File” id=”file” mnemonic="F">
<command commandId="org.eclipse.ui.file.exit" />
</menu>
</menuContribution>
</extension>
And to the ActionBarAdvisor object (3.3 edition only)
 Uses predefined exit action
public ApplicationActionBarAdvisor(IActionBarConfigurer configurer) {
super(configurer);
}
protected void makeActions(IWorkbenchWindow window) {
register(ActionFactory.QUIT.create(window));
}
protected void fillMenuBar(IMenuManager menuBar) {
}
 This is not needed for Eclipse 3.4 or later, where the behavior is
defined via the handlers extension point
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21. Re-Launch the Application
Now the application includes the new exit
action
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22. Lab Exercise
Create 4 views altogether
Add the views to the perspective
 The way to position views in a perspective have not be discussed in
details, but…
Create the actions
 Help→About

Hint: the ID is org.eclipse.ui.help.aboutAction
Extras:
 Add the “Show View” command
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23. More Information
“Eclipse Rich Client Platform: Designing, Coding, and Packaging Java(TM)
Applications” by Jeff McAffer and Jean-Michel Lemieux (ISBN
978-0321334619)
 The essential bible for everybody involved in Eclipse RCP. Includes
numerous examples with best practices for RCP applications
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