Installing an Eclipse Plugin that you've compiled from Source?

Question

I've successfully compiled js-test-driver plugin from source (http://js-test-driver.googlecode.com/svn/tags/1.2) and I am attempting to install it on Eclipse 3.5.1 Galileo.

I understand how to install a plugin from an update site; I even understand how to install a plugin from an Archive. But what is the trick to installing a plugin that you've compiled from source?

I've tried adding the directory: C:\temp\test_workspace\js-test-driver-plugin\1.2\eclipse-plugin\features\com.google.jstestdriver.eclipse.updatesite as an Archive site, but it doesn't seem to get added to the list.

This folder also contains site.xml, which I thought would have made this a site that you could install the compiled plugin from.

Note: I have extended the question here for anyone who is interested.

Answer 1

Are you trying to put the plugin within your own workspace rather than in the Eclipse directory? It should go in Eclipse.

These can be hard to fix without directly tinkering with it.

After you compile, try to export as a feature and plugins, then place within Eclipse.

In Eclipse 3.5 and above, you no longer place personally installed plugins/features directly in the features/plugins directory of Eclipse. there is no a "dropins" directory. Under dropins you have a subdir with a name (E.g., MyDriver), and under it the respective features and plugins.

First, however, make sure that if you run another Eclipse instance from within the Eclipse instance in which you compiled the plugin, the plugin now shows up in the second instance of Eclipse.

Answer 2

The simplest way is to use the export wizard: File/Export...

There look for export Deployable plug-ins and fragments, select the compiled plug-in, and then in the lower half of the page select Install into host...

Or you could export your plug-in into a directory, and then copy the directory into the dropins folder.