The Eclipse PDE supports host and run-time instances of the workbench project. The host instance provides the development environment. The run‑time instance supports launching a plug-in to test it. Figure 22‑9 shows the project for the report item extension sample, rotated label, in the host instance of the PDE Workbench.
Figure 22‑9 Viewing the host instance of the PDE Workbench
In the host instance, the PDE Workbench provides the following view and editor components:
Package Explorer provides an expandable view of the plug-in package.
Outline provides an expandable view of the project settings.
PDE Manifest Editor displays a page containing the project settings for the currently selected item in Outline.
In PDE Manifest Editor, specify project settings and edit related files to create the plug-in framework on the following pages:
Overview
List general information such as the plug-in ID, version, name, provider, platform filter, and activator class. This page also contains sections that link to the plug-in content pages, extensions, launchers for testing and debugging, deployment wizards, and the settings for the execution environment.
Dependencies
List the plug-ins that must be on the classpath to compile and run.
Runtime
Declare the packages the plug-in exposes to clients. Identify the package visibility to other plug-ins and the libraries and folders in the plug-in classpath.
Extensions
Declare the extensions the plug-in makes to the platform and provide extension details, such as extension point ID, name, description, and schema.
Extension Points
Declare the new extension points the plug-in adds to the platform.
Build
Displays the build configuration settings. A change to a setting on this page updates the file, build.properties.
MANIFEST.MF
Displays an editable page containing the header settings for the manifest file, MANIFEST.MF, that provides descriptive information about an OSGi bundle.
Plug-in.xml
Displays an editable page containing settings for the plug-in manifest file, plugin.xml.
Build.properties
Displays an editable page containing settings for the file, build.properties.
A modification to a setting in a PDE Manifest Editor page automatically updates the corresponding plug-in manifest or build properties file.
Package Explorer provides an expandable view of the plug-in package.