PDE/Meetings/20091015

Attendees

• Darin Wright
• Curtis Windatt
• Susan McCourt
• Chris Aniszczyk

Target UI Discussion

Overview

3.6 Changes

• Targets to be based on a single profile
• UI should move towards a 'p2 style' where "artifacts" (IUs) can be added from one or more repos
• Targets will have some control over repo list
• Avoid disrupting 3.5 workflows

Target model and API will see some significant changes in 3.6

• Remove usage of preferences bug 283731
• Targets will be based around a p2 profile bug 287619
• These changes may result in changes to UI code (using IUs instead of ResolvedBundles)

Users / Workflows

1) p2 User

• Understands what a repository is
• Wants a set of IUs
• Needs help managing repo list, but may also want control
• Wants to view content as IUs
• Cares more about managing IUs then managing where they come from

2) File System User

• User builds a directory or installation containing all of the bundles they want
• Wants to just point at that location (possibly using variables)
• Doesn't want to manage repos
• Manages target contents granularly (unchecking things in content tab)
• Wants control over where each bundle is coming from

3) RCP developer

• Missing dependencies, import errors, compile errors for unknown classes
• Wants to quickly add missing stuff to target
• Grows target over time
• May need control over repo list
• Might find a default repo list useful

4) New user

• Doesn't understand repos, a default list very useful
• Most likely to just need the default target, but may need to expand
• Targets need to be shareable without additional work (repo list included in target)

5) Release Train Participant - A person craft a target about what he knows constitute his base (e.g. WTP: Platform, EMF, ...) - As new I/M builds get produced, he needs to keep the target up-to-date to be sure to run the latest and greatest. - Having a "check for update" button seems to be something of prime importance (and would get us some brownie points :)) - Having a revert could also be useful though maybe less crucial - He may wants to share its target definition with teams upstream from him, so being able to export this target as an IU could also be interesting (I think this got discussed in the past)

6) Bundle developer (Added by Jeff after the meeting)

• Gathers together a mess of "SDKs" from EclipseRT projects and elsewhere. These include runtime binary bundles as well as source bundles.
• May use Software Sites but likely does not want to follow dependencies as typical SDK features are more like kitchen sinks than precise runtime configurations.
• Wants to have multiple simultaneous and likely conflicting sets of bundles (e.g., Carbon and Cocoa, RAP and RCP, ...)
• Would likely love to have per project target platforms as a replacement/augmentation for the Automated Management of Dependencies support
• Wants to share his target
• May want to lock the target to specific versions or may want it to float to latest in the given repo. Perhaps on a per bundle or feature basis
• Definitely wants to add individual bundles from Software Sites
• Likely needs to add dirs of bundles and features by unzipping zip's etc.
• May or may not care which repo bundles come from
• Want some nice shorthand for lists of bundles to deal with build and p2 integration. Current features are heavy-weight (project based, lots of cruft, ...)

UI Proposal

Profile backs the target

• Content tab may need to display IUs
• We want abilty to manage contents by feature

Add a repo tab to manage repositories

• Repos could be managed by profile bug 285683

Location tab

• Display a list of Root IUs
• Display a folder/installation to support old workflows
• Root IUs can be deleted

Add Button

• Directory
• Installation? Could be done in a p2 or file system fashion
• IU (needs better name)
• Remove feature option

Add IU wizard

• Similar to what we have now
• Needs to select repos stored in target
• User must be able to add a new repo (don't force them to use the repo tab)

Repository Tab

• Way of managing the list of repositories
• Could look like the Software Site preference page

Integrate search option bug 291227

• Quick way to add an IU to the target
• Could fit as another option under the Add button