Opening a File in Eclipse

[eric...@gmail.com]

I'm using Eclipse Callisto on windows to edit coldfusion, html, and
xml files. For some reason, whenever I open a file (by right-clicking
and selecting "open with" eclipse) it opens in a whole new instance of
eclipse.

How can i set things up so that it opens in a new tab - the way that
homesite, or dreamweaver (or any other editor) works?

I hope this isn't a FAQ. I've searched the docs and spent lots of
time looking at the preferences dialog trying to answer this for
myself.
Thanks in advance.

[Andrew Scott]

Sounds like a settings issue, by default it double clicking the file it is
opened by the associated editor, in a new tab.

Seems like you have changed a setting somewhere!

Andrew Scott
Senior Coldfusion Developer
Aegeon Pty. Ltd.
www.aegeon.com.au
Phone: +613 8676 4223
Mobile: 0404 998 273

[eric...@gmail.com]

this is driving me crazy. I can't figure out what I did wrong! You
don't really install eclipse, you just extract it from a zip file, so
I know I didn't mess that up. Next step, I right-click on an xml file
and select "open with" then I browse to eclipse.exe and I also check
the "always open with this program" button. Result: I get a whole new
instance of eclipse every time I click on an exe.

I installed eclipse on my laptop and it does the exact same thing. I
have a computer running ubuntu. Right-click on an xml file and select
"open with" Eclipse isn't in the list so I select "command" and type
"eclipse" Result: the file opens in a whole new instance of eclipse,
not in a new tab.

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone here.

On Aug 26, 9:34 pm, Andrew Scott <andrew.sc...@aegeon.com.au> wrote:
> Sounds like a settings issue, by default it double clicking the file it is
> opened by the associated editor, in a new tab.
>
> Seems like you have changed a setting somewhere!
>
> Andrew Scott
> Senior Coldfusion Developer
> Aegeon Pty. Ltd.www.aegeon.com.au
> Phone: +613 8676 4223
> Mobile: 0404 998 273
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cfeclip...@googlegroups.com
>

> [mailto:cfeclip...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of eric.n...@gmail.com

[Priest, James (NIH/NIEHS) [C]]

Any reason you are not using the latest Eclipse (Europa 3.3)?

The preferred method of installing Eclipse plugins is through Eclipse
itself:

http://trac.cfeclipse.org/cfeclipse/wiki/InstallingCfeclipse

Once CFEclipse is installed you should be able to open the CFEclipse
"perspective"

Window > Open Perspective > Other > CFEclipse

Now if you setup a new CFEclipse project - .cfm/.cfc files should open
in the CFEclipse perspective. And you should be able to right click a
.cfm/.cfc and say "Open with... > CFML Editor"

If you install something like XML Buddy - you should be able to
right-click on your .xml files (from within Eclipse) and say "Open
with... > XML Buddy".

Eclipse isn't really designed to open files directly from the Windows
shell - it's oriented around "Projects". I should probably add something
to the Trac FAQ regarding that. See this post by Mr. Drew regarding the
issue:

http://www.markdrew.co.uk/blog/index.cfm/2007/1/26/Ask-Mark-Why-you-cant
-edit-files-in-CFEclipse-from-straight-from-Windows-Explorer

Jim

[Sonny Savage]

Eric, I don't think the previous responders understood your issue.  Eclipse is not really an editor, it is an IDE.  To properly use it, you need to start Eclipse and add projects to the Project Explorer.  Once the project is added, you open the files within Eclipse and not from Windows Explorer, etc.  It's a different paradigm, and can be difficult for some to get used to.  A work-around is somewhat provided by both the CFEclipse and Aptana plugins in that they provide file system browser views.  You can open the files directly from the file system this way, but you use the advantages provided by using Projects (version control integration, etc.)

[Sonny Savage]

Correction: "...but you LOSE advantages provided by using Projects (version control integration, etc.)"

[eric...@gmail.com]

On Aug 27, 6:55 am, "Priest, James (NIH/NIEHS) [C]"
<Prie...@niehs.nih.gov> wrote:
> http://www.markdrew.co.uk/blog/index.cfm/2007/1/26/Ask-Mark-Why-you-cant
> -edit-files-in-CFEclipse-from-straight-from-Windows-Explorer
>
> Jim

Thanks Jim, that's good info. I hope that bug is closed out
eventually. It sounds like every other IDE already supports this.

[eric...@gmail.com]

On Aug 28, 9:59 am, "Sonny Savage" <sonnysav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Eric, I don't think the previous responders understood your issue. Eclipse
> is not really an editor, it is an IDE. To properly use it, you need to
> start Eclipse and add projects to the Project Explorer.

Yes, I understand and I'm willing to try to adapt my work habits to
the tool.

But what you have to understand is, where I work they've been doing
coldfusion since back when the tags started with db instead of cf.
There are more than 10,000 source files of all different types, on
about five different servers. I'm not creating a new project, getting
a nice requirements/specification document, and happily coding away on
that one single project to completion. Eclipse seems designed to
support that kind of developer.

90% of what I do is maintenance. "hey, can you change the wording of
this for me?" "can you get rid of that button?" There are dozens of
other developers - we even have COBOL people. I get a call from
someone who's having a problem. I just need to open their file while
I've got them on the phone. I might have to open three or four
files. Please don't tell me that I have to create a project that I'm
never going to look at again. I just need to open a file and make a
quick edit, but I need to do that 100 times a day.

The projects paradigm seems to fit traditional programming, where you
compile a bunch of files together. If it works with coldfusion at
all, it seems best suited to creating new applications.

But hey, I'm willing to try, and willing to learn. It just seems
silly to take a traditional programming metaphor and force it onto
what is basically a batch processing world (I know that coldfusion is
"object oriented" but we're not fooling anyone - it still runs in
batch).

[Priest, James (NIH/NIEHS) [C]]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: eric...@gmail.com [mailto:eric...@gmail.com]

> The projects paradigm seems to fit traditional programming, where you
> compile a bunch of files together. If it works with coldfusion at
> all, it seems best suited to creating new applications.

Well - it may be that CFEclipse isn't the ideal tool for what you need?
I think the big power of CFEclipse comes when you tie it into the other
plugins available - Ant, SVN, etc. If you are just editing individual
files, than maybe a more traditional, simple text editor might be
better?

One I've been playing with lately is 'e' - it's a clone of Textmate for
the PC. Very slick and they do have a ColdFusion 'bundle' available...
http://www.e-texteditor.com/

Jim

[Jeff Borisch]

eric,

I hear where you are coming from. I like using jEdit for that sort of
thing. It has quite a few useful plugins as well.

Jeff

[Charlie Griefer]

coming in late here, so forgive me if this has been put out there...
but CFE does offer a file explorer view. browse to the file in CFE's
file explorer view rather than in windows explorer.

the use of projects shouldn't really hinder you either tho. i know
it's hard to get used to. i went from CFStudio to HS+ to "wtf is it
with these frickin' projects" in CFE. it was weird. Very weird.

So, with the "it's not just you" out of the way... if your files are
in projects, and somebody asks you to add some formatting to
"foo.cfm", you'd just open the project that contains foo.cfm. ?

--
Charlie Griefer

================================================
"...All the world shall be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies,
and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch
you, digger, listener, runner, prince with a swift warning.
Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed."

[Charlie Arehart (lists account)]

Welcome to the conversation, Charlie. About your last line, well, Eric's
point was that he doesn't have the files in projects.

And to your first point, no one had yet mentioned the File Explorer in the
thread, so good observation there.

Still, while Eric may well say that will suit his needs, I know others who
will say it just doesn't, really. It solves one problem (accessing files
from within CFE without need for projects).

But what it doesn't solve is (for the same reasons Eric outlined) the need
(or preference) to use the operating system file explorer to find files. Or
maybe folks have shortcuts defined for them. Or maybe they find the files
while doing a desktop/filesystem search (with an OS level tool, or Google
desktop). Whatever. They just may have many instances where they wish to
open a file from outside of Eclipse

The fact that Eclipse will open an entirely new Eclipse instance each time
just mystifies them--and keeps many from using the tool at all. Yes, "if
Java programmers needed to do this, then Eclipse would do it already".

Let's just take consolation that it's been added to the list of things to
consider. Since it's really an Eclipse issue, not a CFE one, it may not be
easily solved. I've come to accept that fact, myself. Still, it would just
help a whole raft of people for whom this is a pretty significant detriment
to getting into CFE.

/charlie (A)

-----Original Message-----
From: cfeclip...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:cfeclip...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Charlie Griefer
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:34 PM
To: cfeclip...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Opening a File in Eclipse

[Charlie Griefer]

Hi Charlie:

I understand that Eric's files aren't in projects now... i'm saying if
he wants to fully embrace the Eclipse/CFE goodness... projectize 'em
(yes it's a word that i just made up) :)

in all seriousness... i made the same journey that you and eric and
others are making now. it -is- a different paradigm and a different
way of thinking. but you -do- get used to it. i'm proof of that.

As far as double clicking a file from the OS... i'll be honest, I
dislike the fact that it won't open in the current instance of Eclipse
just as much as you do (yes yes, i do still have files that haven't
been projectized) :)

if it's a minor fix, i'll just right click -> open with -> notepad and
make the change. it's a shortcoming (for me, as i would find this
functionality useful). but it's a tradeoff that i've been willing to
make as i've found the other features of Eclipse (and the various
plugins) to be worth that sacrifice.

[Andrew Scott]

Charlie & Charlie,

You both are not the only ones who struggled to come to grips with Eclipse.

I tried it, went back to dreamweaver (At least CFeclipse was younger then)
and when I made the switch fully and embraced its power.

So much power....

Andrew Scott
Senior Coldfusion Developer
Aegeon Pty. Ltd.
www.aegeon.com.au
Phone: +613 8676 4223
Mobile: 0404 998 273

[atomi....@gmail.com]

I am absolutely certain, with all the appropriate empathy, that all the
enterprise / power users are happy working with versioned projects and
ant point release web application deployments. Some may not be able to
wrap their heads around such a solution. But, that is absolutely no
fault of the Eclipse developers.
Others may have clients that will on occasion directly edit files on the
production servers. If that is the case, I wouldn't hold it against
the developers if they tagged the entire deployed web application.
As is the case with our current real estate problem, not everyone needs
to purchase a home - especially on sub prime mortgages, same goes with
the Eclipse IDE. If in all honesty you have a problem with project
development, don't hesitate to use another editor as has been suggested.

Now as has been pointed out, there are developers who prefer to use OS
based search tools. There may be hope for you in some proposed
solutions: https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=201154 .

Lastly, there shouldn't be a reason to keep source files outside of your
projects. If you are keeping source files outside of your projects, you
are doing it wrong (with the exception of linked folders for less common
cases). If you really want to bust some balls head on over the Eclipse
bug site - you'll likely find more convincing arguments as well.

[Jass, Hugh]

I'm sorry if that last post seemed crude (or obnoxious). It's just that it seems more than half of the emails I've been getting from the CFEclipse list have been about this tedious issue. I have always gotten value from a lot of the questions asked here and I don't want to leave the list.
Thanks for understanding.

[eric...@gmail.com]

On Aug 29, 7:09 am, "Priest, James (NIH/NIEHS) [C]"

<Prie...@niehs.nih.gov> wrote:
> I think the big power of CFEclipse comes when you tie it into the other
> plugins available - Ant, SVN, etc.

You're right, it has a lot of things that make it (I can already tell)
indispensable. I particularly like the outline view.

Today I created one project per server with a single linked folder. I
think I can almost live with that. I miss being able to sort by
change date, but that's a small thing. I also miss a *real* linked
split view (what are they thinking letting you have two windows of the
same file and being able to edit them both?) but being able to split
the screen between two different files is awesome.

This is a very helpful newsgroup by the way. Thanks to everybody.

[Charlie Arehart (lists account)]

But it's just not true that half the messages have discussed this. There is an AWFUL lot of other discussion here.

 

This subject comes up over and over because new folks come to CFE and hit the issue. All the assertions of how dumb those people are for wanting to use the feature just does nothing for engendering their enthusiasm for making the transition.

 

Perhaps some regard it like Java itself: if you can't cut it, don't use it. That's one approach, I suppose.

 

/charlie

 

---

From: cfeclip...@googlegroups.com [mailto:cfeclip...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jass, Hugh
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 7:59 PM

To: cfeclip...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Opening a File in Eclipse

[Charlie Arehart (lists account)]

Good to hear that your needs may be satisfied, Eric.

I'd like to pick up on one point you mention: why is it that we can't see
the modified date/time for a file in the file view? Is there again some
difference in use/style where most folks just don't miss that? It's another
thing I've missed, for sure, since I preferred to keep files in descending
date order (most recently updated first) in the "other" CFML editors I've
used. :-)

/charlie

-----Original Message-----
From: cfeclip...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:cfeclip...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of eric...@gmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 11:10 PM
To: CFEclipse Users
Subject: Re: Opening a File in Eclipse

[Jass, Hugh]

I suppose so. I do understand that for most folks, developing in coldfusion is a livelihood, and I would be beleaguered if I didn't say how happy I am that people are pushing to use Eclipse in the way it was meant to be used. But whatever new features get put in to CFEclipse, they should be put in with the best of intentions.

Mark has had great direction in trying to keep CFEclipse functionality within the Eclipse workflow and maintaining a _small_ CFEclipse _core_ plugin. Thats a hard job and it makes him a big stud in my book.

All that aside, we're really all on the same coin here - kinda. For example, the File Explorer View, CFUnit, and the Framworks Explorer I never use. And I wish Templates were used instead of Snippets.I think any type of functionality outside the basic editor engine and templating system belongs outside the core CFEclipse plugin. Plainly speaking, I don't think CFEclipse is perfect either.

And although I love Eclipse, it is ultimately a glorified editor and not having it wouldn't stop me from using Ant, Subversion, Java or Coldfusion.

On 8/29/07, Charlie Arehart (lists account) <charli...@carehart.org> wrote:

[Priest, James (NIH/NIEHS) [C]]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charlie Arehart (lists account)

> I'd like to pick up on one point you mention: why is it that
> we can't see
> the modified date/time for a file in the file view? Is there
> again some

I missed that at first - but now all my files live in SVN - so I don't
really care about dates - I care about version - and the Subclipse
plugin does show me the version # in the Navigator.

I like the "Workbench" term used in Eclipse. If I go look out at my
workbench it's covered in tools. Screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, etc.
Now if I need to fix something on my motorcycle - I park the motorcycle
next to the workbench so I have ALL my tools nearby. But if I need to
fix something small in the house - I don't drag my workbench inside with
me - I pick up a screwdriver and carry it in.

Eclipse is a big, sometimes clunky, tool - but when you need to do heavy
lifting - I don't think it can be beat. But for smaller tasks - I don't
think it may be the best tool to use.

Jim