Eclipse plugin

[Bruno Medeiros]

Ary Manzana wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> Is anyone interested in making a *great* eclipse plugin? A plugin 
> similar to JDT.
> 
> I know some IDEs out there exist, but none of them is really powerful. 
> For example I think DDT is dead, or out of date.
> 
> My intentions are:
> 
> - To use Walter's code to make the parsing and build a model, since it's 
> the only safe way to guarantee compliance with the current DMD compiler. 
> Then diffing changes in the source should make changes in the plugin 
> quite simple. (not to use ANTLR, for instance)
> - To document every public class, so that other people can join the 
> project "easily". I took a look at the DDT code and I found just a 
> little bit of comment... :-(
> - To use an architecture similar to the one JDT uses. DDT tried this, 
> but I don't know what happened (most of the classes are empty!)... For 
> example PHPEclipse uses many of JDT classes and interfaces (redefining 
> them)... even keeping the same names! (i.e. IJavaElement)
> - To make things with patience. First do the parsing (port the parser), 
> build a model and have an outline. Second singal syntax errors. Third 
> signal simple semantic errors (I believe method "semantic" of Dsymbol... 
> maybe "semantic2" and "semantic3" uses relationships between modules). 
> Fourth, copy JDT architecture. Fifth, add renaming, refactoring, 
> autocomplete, quick fixes, etc. ... In the middle of those points be 
> able to compile everything :-P
> 
> With patience I mean: take a deep look at how JDT is done, then put 
> yourself to program.
> 
> Fourtunately, I've already ported most of the parser (for D 0.168) to 
> Java, I already build a model, have an outline view and singal simple 
> syntax errors. Not just the line number, but the exact positions where 
> the error is present. Also the plugin compiles automatically your code, 
> but I still don't know how to link everything automatically (I'm missing 
> some rule, I guess). And nothing more: I'm currently reading a lot of 
> code from the JDT core plugin, and some Walter's code.
> 
> I think a D plugin for eclipse would be of big utility to the D 
> community. Since I started programing in Java with Eclipse I totally 
> forgot about compiling, getting errors, fixing them, having to 
> "find/search" to do refactoring, etc. And programming like that is so, 
> so fast you only have to focus on your code, really.
> 
> I know, Walter, you think an IDE is something non-essential. But for big 
> projects it is *really* helpful.
> 
> A good IDE, and some good core libraries, is what missing here (IMHO).
> 
> Is anyone interested?

Hi, yes, I'm working on an Eclipse plugin too. I've started very 
recently (about two weeks ago), so I don't have anything significant to 
show yet, but I'm doing this as my degree final project, so I will be 
working on it during all school year.

We definitely should talk and see if we can combine efforts, but the 
approach I was thinking was to build a parser using ANTLR, similar to 
what the previous eclipse plugins did (Blackbird, DDT). However, you 
seem to be far ahead of I've done. You say you've converted the whole D 
frontend to Java? (to descent\internal\core\dom\Parser.java I presume) 
That must have been a lot of work. I'd actually like to know how long it 
took for you to do that, and if it's working correctly. I'm gonna take a 
better look at your code.


-- 
Bruno Medeiros - MSc in CS/E student
http://www.prowiki.org/wiki4d/wiki.cgi?BrunoMedeiros#D