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Difference between revisions of "Equinox/p2/Installer"

< Equinox‎ | p2
(How does the installer work?)
(Note that download instructions seem to be out of date (but left them since I have no replacement; they may work if installer build is reactivated). Added links to info on the state of the installer.)
 
(23 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
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Equinox p2 now produces a small SWT-based installer that can be used to install the Eclipse SDK. This article gives details on how to use the installer.
+
Equinox p2 now produces a small SWT-based installer that can be used to install the Eclipse SDK. This article gives details on how to use the installer.  
  
== Why should I use the installer? ==
+
== Why should I use the installer? ==
 +
'''NOTE''': The installer does not seem to be downloadable using the instructions on this page. Apparently [http://www.eclipse.org/forums/index.php/t/276250/ it is not regularly maintained right now] and the [http://dev.eclipse.org/mhonarc/lists/equinox-dev/msg07435.html builds for it have been disabled]. [http://dev.eclipse.org/mhonarc/lists/equinox-dev/msg07435.html Older versions and the current source code] of the installer are available, and the [[Equinox/p2/Director application|director application]] exposes roughly the same capabilities, though at the command line rather than through a GUI.
 +
----
  
Traditionally Eclipse software is obtained in the form of a zip or tar.gz file that is simply extracted onto disk and run. While this simplicity has its advantages, there are also some disadvantages for users:
+
Traditionally Eclipse software is obtained in the form of a zip or tar.gz file that is simply extracted onto disk and run. While this simplicity has its advantages, there are also some disadvantages for users:  
  
* Downloading a 100+ MB zip file over HTTP can be painful on a slow connection
+
*Downloading a 100+ MB zip file over HTTP can be painful on a slow connection  
* If you already have some or all of the plug-ins on your local disk, you are downloading content unnecessarily
+
*If you already have some or all of the plug-ins on your local disk, you are downloading content unnecessarily  
* More advanced compression techniques can't be used, because there is no opportunity to add the decompression code at the other end
+
*More advanced compression techniques can't be used, because there is no opportunity to add the decompression code at the other end  
* You must pick a single mirror at the start, and can't switch mirrors in case of failure
+
*You must pick a single mirror at the start, and can't switch mirrors in case of failure  
* There is no opportunity to check code certificates to ensure the software you are downloading was created by a trusted source
+
*There is no opportunity to check code certificates to ensure the software you are downloading was created by a trusted source
  
The installer leverages p2's inherent support for multi-threading, pack200 compression, dynamic mirror balancing, and certificate validation to address these problems.
+
The installer leverages p2's inherent support for multi-threading, pack200 compression, dynamic mirror balancing, and certificate validation to address these problems.  
  
== How do I use the installer? ==
+
== How do I use the installer? ==
  
* Get the installer for your platform from the [http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/equinox equinox download page].
+
[[Image:P2-installer-wizard.png|thumb|right|300px|P2 installer wizard]]
* Unzip the installer anywhere on your local disk
+
* Run the "p2installer" executable
+
* In the install wizard, select where you want to install the software
+
* When finished, you can delete the installer  
+
  
== How does the installer work? ==
+
*Get the installer for your platform from the [http://download.eclipse.org/equinox/ equinox download page]. The installer zips are listed under the Provisioning section, once you select your version.
 +
*Unzip the installer anywhere on your local disk, eg., <code>/opt/eclipse</code>
 +
*Run the p2 installer executable, eg., <code>/opt/eclipse/p2installer</code>
 +
*In the install wizard, select where you want to install the software, eg., <code>~/eclipse</code>
 +
*Select whether to do a Stand-alone or Shared install:
  
While the installer by default will install the Eclipse SDK, the installer itself is entirely generic. The installer knows what to install by reading an install description specified in p2installer.ini:
+
:*If doing a Stand-alone install, you can delete the installer directory (<code>/opt/eclipse</code>) when done, as your target directory (<code>~/eclipse</code>) will contain a full Eclipse install.
 +
:*If doing a Shared install, all the shared Eclipse SDK plugins will be stored in a default directory, e.g. (<code>C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\.p2</code>) on Windows XP.
  
  -vmargs -Dorg.eclipse.equinox.p2.installDescription=http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/testUpdates/sdk-installer.properties
+
== How do I configure the installer?  ==
  
If you look at sdk-installer.properties in a Web browser, you will see:
+
The installer uses the Java system property <code>org.eclipse.equinox.p2.installDescription</code> to fetch the URL of the installer properties file. By default this is set to an [http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/testUpdates/sdk-installer.properties installer website].<br>
  
  eclipse.p2.rootId=sdk
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*Edit the <code>p2installer.ini</code> file to point to a local properties file, for example <code>installer.properties</code>, like so:<br>
  eclipse.p2.metadata=http://update.eclipse.org/testUpdates/
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  eclipse.p2.artifacts=http://update.eclipse.org/testUpdates/
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  ... and other properties ...
+
  
The 'rootId' attribute describes what to install, and the next two attributes describe where to get the metadata and artifacts to be installed. By changing those attributes, you can make the installer install a different piece of software, or install from a different repository.
+
  -vmargs -Dorg.eclipse.equinox.p2.installDescription=./installer.properties
 +
 
 +
*Then modify <code>installer.properties</code> with the properties you want. In particular you will probably want to change the eclipse.p2.bundleLocation and the [[Eclipse Project Update Sites|update site]] you use.<br>
 +
 
 +
==== Example:<br> ====
 +
 
 +
Here the site is set to eclipse 3.6, the bundle pool folder is "bundle-pool" and the directory where eclipse.exe gets installed is "eclipse-win32"
 +
<pre>eclipse.p2.metadata=http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/3.6
 +
eclipse.p2.artifacts=http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/3.6
 +
eclipse.p2.bundleLocation=../bundle-pool
 +
eclipse.p2.installLocation=../eclipse-win32
 +
eclipse.p2.flavor=tooling
 +
eclipse.p2.profileName=Eclipse SDK
 +
eclipse.p2.launcherName=eclipse
 +
eclipse.p2.rootId=org.eclipse.sdk.ide
 +
eclipse.p2.autoStart=true
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</pre>
 +
==== Note also:  ====
 +
 
 +
You can use an installer.properties file to fetch plugins into the p2.touchpoint.eclipse folder, but you cannot then install those plugins unless they contain a Product (that is, they include a eclipse executable).
 +
 
 +
The following will work to download the EMF SDK plugins, but will NOT work to install an EMF-enabled Eclipse install, as the sdk.feature.group does not include the Eclipse SDK itself.
 +
 
 +
eclipse.p2.metadata=http://download.eclipse.org/modeling/emf/updates/releases/
 +
eclipse.p2.artifacts=http://download.eclipse.org/modeling/emf/updates/releases/
 +
eclipse.p2.flavor=
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eclipse.p2.profileName=EMF SDK
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eclipse.p2.launcherName=eclipse
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eclipse.p2.rootId=org.eclipse.emf.sdk.feature.group
 +
eclipse.p2.autoStart=true
  
 
=== Supported installer properties  ===
 
=== Supported installer properties  ===
The following properties are currently supported in the install description file:
 
  
;eclipse.p2.rootId: The root [[Installable Units|Installable Unit]] to be installed
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The following properties are currently supported in the install description file:
;eclipse.p2.rootVersion: The version of the root installable unit to install. If this property is omitted, the installer will select the newest available IU that matches the ''rootId'' property.
+
 
;eclipse.p2.metadata: The URL of the metadata repository to install from
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;eclipse.p2.rootId  
;eclipse.p2.artifacts: The URL of the artifact repository to install from
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:The root [[Installable Units|Installable Unit]] to be installed  
;eclipse.p2.launcherName: The name of the application launcher (e.g., ''eclipse.exe''). This is used in conjunction with the ''autoStart'' property to launch the installed application
+
;eclipse.p2.rootVersion  
;eclipse.p2.autoStart: A boolean property specifying if the installed application should be launched immediately after install.
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:The version of the root installable unit to install. If this property is omitted, the installer will select the newest available IU that matches the ''rootId'' property.  
;eclipse.p2.profileName: The id of the p2 profile to install the application into
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;eclipse.p2.metadata  
;eclipse.p2.installLocation: The application instal location. If ommitted, the user is prompted for a location
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:The URL of the metadata repository to install from  
;eclipse.p2.agentLocation: The p2 agent data location directory
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;eclipse.p2.artifacts  
;eclipse.p2.bundleLocation: The application bundle pool directory
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:The URL of the artifact repository to install from  
 +
;eclipse.p2.launcherName  
 +
:The name of the application launcher (e.g., ''eclipse.exe''). This is used in conjunction with the ''autoStart'' property to launch the installed application  
 +
;eclipse.p2.autoStart  
 +
:A boolean property specifying if the installed application should be launched immediately after install.  
 +
;eclipse.p2.profileName  
 +
:A human readable name of the product being installed. This value is used when referring to the product in the installer dialog.
 +
;eclipse.p2.installLocation  
 +
:The application instal location. If ommitted, the user is prompted for a location  
 +
;eclipse.p2.agentLocation  
 +
:The p2 agent data location directory  
 +
;eclipse.p2.bundleLocation  
 +
:The application bundle pool directory
 +
 
 +
<br>
 +
 
 +
<br>
  
[[Category:Equinox_p2]]
+
[[Category:Equinox_p2|Installer]]

Latest revision as of 15:36, 8 May 2013

Equinox p2 now produces a small SWT-based installer that can be used to install the Eclipse SDK. This article gives details on how to use the installer.

Why should I use the installer?

NOTE: The installer does not seem to be downloadable using the instructions on this page. Apparently it is not regularly maintained right now and the builds for it have been disabled. Older versions and the current source code of the installer are available, and the director application exposes roughly the same capabilities, though at the command line rather than through a GUI.


Traditionally Eclipse software is obtained in the form of a zip or tar.gz file that is simply extracted onto disk and run. While this simplicity has its advantages, there are also some disadvantages for users:

  • Downloading a 100+ MB zip file over HTTP can be painful on a slow connection
  • If you already have some or all of the plug-ins on your local disk, you are downloading content unnecessarily
  • More advanced compression techniques can't be used, because there is no opportunity to add the decompression code at the other end
  • You must pick a single mirror at the start, and can't switch mirrors in case of failure
  • There is no opportunity to check code certificates to ensure the software you are downloading was created by a trusted source

The installer leverages p2's inherent support for multi-threading, pack200 compression, dynamic mirror balancing, and certificate validation to address these problems.

How do I use the installer?

P2 installer wizard
  • Get the installer for your platform from the equinox download page. The installer zips are listed under the Provisioning section, once you select your version.
  • Unzip the installer anywhere on your local disk, eg., /opt/eclipse
  • Run the p2 installer executable, eg., /opt/eclipse/p2installer
  • In the install wizard, select where you want to install the software, eg., ~/eclipse
  • Select whether to do a Stand-alone or Shared install:
  • If doing a Stand-alone install, you can delete the installer directory (/opt/eclipse) when done, as your target directory (~/eclipse) will contain a full Eclipse install.
  • If doing a Shared install, all the shared Eclipse SDK plugins will be stored in a default directory, e.g. (C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\.p2) on Windows XP.

How do I configure the installer?

The installer uses the Java system property org.eclipse.equinox.p2.installDescription to fetch the URL of the installer properties file. By default this is set to an installer website.

  • Edit the p2installer.ini file to point to a local properties file, for example installer.properties, like so:
 -vmargs -Dorg.eclipse.equinox.p2.installDescription=./installer.properties
  • Then modify installer.properties with the properties you want. In particular you will probably want to change the eclipse.p2.bundleLocation and the update site you use.

Example:

Here the site is set to eclipse 3.6, the bundle pool folder is "bundle-pool" and the directory where eclipse.exe gets installed is "eclipse-win32"

eclipse.p2.metadata=http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/3.6
eclipse.p2.artifacts=http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/3.6
eclipse.p2.bundleLocation=../bundle-pool
eclipse.p2.installLocation=../eclipse-win32
eclipse.p2.flavor=tooling
eclipse.p2.profileName=Eclipse SDK
eclipse.p2.launcherName=eclipse
eclipse.p2.rootId=org.eclipse.sdk.ide
eclipse.p2.autoStart=true

Note also:

You can use an installer.properties file to fetch plugins into the p2.touchpoint.eclipse folder, but you cannot then install those plugins unless they contain a Product (that is, they include a eclipse executable).

The following will work to download the EMF SDK plugins, but will NOT work to install an EMF-enabled Eclipse install, as the sdk.feature.group does not include the Eclipse SDK itself.

eclipse.p2.metadata=http://download.eclipse.org/modeling/emf/updates/releases/
eclipse.p2.artifacts=http://download.eclipse.org/modeling/emf/updates/releases/
eclipse.p2.flavor=
eclipse.p2.profileName=EMF SDK
eclipse.p2.launcherName=eclipse
eclipse.p2.rootId=org.eclipse.emf.sdk.feature.group
eclipse.p2.autoStart=true

Supported installer properties

The following properties are currently supported in the install description file:

eclipse.p2.rootId
The root Installable Unit to be installed
eclipse.p2.rootVersion
The version of the root installable unit to install. If this property is omitted, the installer will select the newest available IU that matches the rootId property.
eclipse.p2.metadata
The URL of the metadata repository to install from
eclipse.p2.artifacts
The URL of the artifact repository to install from
eclipse.p2.launcherName
The name of the application launcher (e.g., eclipse.exe). This is used in conjunction with the autoStart property to launch the installed application
eclipse.p2.autoStart
A boolean property specifying if the installed application should be launched immediately after install.
eclipse.p2.profileName
A human readable name of the product being installed. This value is used when referring to the product in the installer dialog.
eclipse.p2.installLocation
The application instal location. If ommitted, the user is prompted for a location
eclipse.p2.agentLocation
The p2 agent data location directory
eclipse.p2.bundleLocation
The application bundle pool directory



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