Can an extra plugin directory be specified on command line

Question

With Eclipse 3.4, is it possible to provide an ADDITIONAL plugin directory from command line? Something like:

eclipse -plugin_dir  D:/myproduct/V1.1/plugins -clean

This is just to save copying of plugins everytime.

While copying can be done with script, it's possible that user may not have write permissions to system install eclipse.

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Follow up:

The solution given by @VonC is for reusing same plugins in multiple Eclipses.

I'm looking for a to use Multiple versions of plugins with Same Eclipse. ( If user has Version 1.1 and Vesion 1.2 of my plugin installed )

Resolved:

1. The directory pointed to by -Dorg.eclipse.equinox.p2.reconciler.dropins.directory should end with a directory named 'eclipse'

2. Inside this eclipse where should be directory called plugins,

3. place all the jars at in the plugins directory

4. create a launcher , which launch eclipse with additional command line:

-vmargs -Dorg.eclipse.equinox.p2.reconciler.dropins.directory=AbsolutePath\eclipse

One may want to add -clean also ..

Answer 1

It space is not a big issue, users can copy the system install of eclipse into a work directory and put additional plugins/features in the dropins/ directory.