The plugin.xml file is the basis of your Eclipse plug-in. If you open this file using the Plug-in Manifest Editor you will get a nice graphic interface to the underlying files. This is definitely much easier than editing by hand.
When you open the editor, at the bottom you will be able to see eight tabs:
Overview - This provides an overview of the plugin, the version number, the plugin provider and links to the different editor pages.
Dependencies - lists the plugin-ins that are required for CFEclipse to run (such as: org.eclipse.ui, org.eclipse.jface.text etc)
Runtime - lists the libraries (.jar files basically) that are required for CFEclipse to run, including the plugin itself.
Extensions - this editor lists the contributions that the plugin-makes to the platform, in other words, actions that this plug-in will add to the base eclipse, here you will have actions, toolbars, views, editors etc. This is the core of adding new actions to CFEclipse.
Extension Points - declares new function points that this plugin-in adds to the platform, i.e. things that other plugins that require cfeclipse can use.
Build - this defines what gets exported to the plugin, you have a binary build (what most people download and install as a plugin) and the source build that could include all the source code if we were sending this out too.
It also defines what the runtime jars will be and any other libraries that are just required at runtime.
plugin.xml - the raw XML of the plugin.xml file, if you need to make modifications or just do some cut and paste jobs.
build.properties - this is the file that is generated by the Build page.
In the next topic, I shall go off and explain some of the Extension points and get down and dirty with some Java… bet you cant wait eh?
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