View source for FAQ My runtime workbench runs, but my plug-in does not show. Why?

* [[FAQ How do I create a plug-in?]] contains instructions for writing plug-ins in Eclipse.
* [[FAQ Why doesn't my plug-in build correctly?]] tells you what to do if your plug-in has problems building.
* [[FAQ How do I run my plug-in in another instance of Eclipse?]] explains how to run a plug-in in another instance of Eclipse. 

Despite all these instructions, in some cases, your plug-in builds fine and
the runtime workbench launches but your plug-in still does not show. 
Various configuration-related things could be wrong.

* The plug-in may not be selected in the launch configuration. See [[FAQ How do I run my plug-in in another instance of Eclipse?]] for instructions on how to select plug-ins.
* Your plug-in may rely on other plug-ins not enabled in your current launch configuration. Check the error log. See [[FAQ Where can I find that elusive .log file?]] for messages referring to your plug-in.
* If your plug-in contributes an action to the toolbar and it does not show or if a menu option does not appear, your plug-in may still be activated. The workbench does not automatically add toolbar and menu items to every perspective. Run '''Window &gt; Customize Perspective''' and verify whether your contribution is enabled for the current perspective.
* Your plug-in may not show because it is not yet needed. If all your plug-in does is contribute a view, you may need to show it explicitly by using '''Window &gt; Show View &gt; Other...'''. If your plug-in contributes an editor for a particular type, you may need to configure the file association; see '''Window &gt; Preferences &gt; Workbench &gt; File Associations'''.
* Your plug-in may throw an exception in its static initializer or in its plug-in class instance initializer. Again, consult the log file for error messages involving your plug-in.

== See Also: ==
[[FAQ What causes my plug-in to build but not to load in a runtime workbench?]]

<hr><font size=-2>This FAQ was originally published in [http://www.eclipsefaq.org Official Eclipse 3.0 FAQs]. Copyright 2004, Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. This text is made available here under the terms of the [http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html Eclipse Public License v1.0].</font>