Eclipse RCP Multi-platform builds

Multi-platform builds

Eclipse RCP applications can be cross-built for several platforms using any platform on which eclipse runs.

Previously, before the Mars release, you could install the RCP delta pack in your Target Platform (which was downloadable as a zip file, from the download page).

In the Mars release, that delta pack zip file is no longer available on the download page. The reason for removing it was that p2 can be used instead, so it saves complications in the Platform build, and does not take up redundant space making the same stuff available in multiple ways.

Preferred way of doing multi-platform builds

The preferred way of getting the platform specific artifacts is to just add them to the target platform. There is no need to look-up and download the "DeltaPack" if you follow these instructions.

This is works not only with the Mars release, but also previous releases, as well.

• Open Window/Preferences.
• Find PDE/Target Platform
• Select your (active) target platform
• Click Edit
• Click Add
• Select "Software Site"
• Click Next
• In "Work With" type: http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/4.3 (replace 4.3 with your current version)
• Check "Eclipse RCP Target Components"
• Check "Equinox Target Components"
• Uncheck "Include required software"
• Check "Include all environments"
• Press Finish
• Press Finish
• Press OK

Open your product file and select the "Export" option. You will see that the "Export for multiple platforms" checkbox is available.

Explanation of why it works

The key to doing multi-platform builds is to have the equinox executable feature in your target (but, none of your features should "include" it directly). The "p2 name" for this feature (IU) is org.eclipse.equinox.executable.feature.groupand it's human readable name is Eclipse Platform Launcher Executables. It may be useful to also have the rcp configuration feature in your target. Its p2 IU is named org.eclipse.rcp.configuration.feature.group and its human readable name is Eclipse Product Configuration. They are both available in the Eclipse Project's software repository, and the executable feature is in the ../releases/mars repository, but the rcp config feature is not (bug 470911). It is the executable feature that enables the PDE wizard to enable "Export for Multiple Platforms".

Of course, in addition to those key features, you need all the other prerequisite features, bundles, and platform specific fragments in your target. That's why, in the steps above, large "categories" of prerequisites are given. As your build gets more refined, it is typically better to select only exactly what you need, but this takes some knowledge and experience to know that those are.

The community of previous delta pack users are welcome to add to this wiki any tips and tricks they learn ... and provide concrete working examples. I have opened bug 470913 to track making improvements to these instructions in the future.

What if you really want the traditional Delta Pack zip file?

It is easy to make your own. There are a number of blogs, stackoverflow answers, and similar sources of invormation devoted to the topic. There is even an example in Eclipse Help about p2 tasks that shows how to make one.

Plus, there is an ant script in our Git repository that will create one simply by executing the script in your IDE. (That one is very similar to the one we used to create as part of our download page, in the past). You'll need to make your own copy of that file, and edit it, putting in your own values for some of the variables (or, overriding them via the command line. Of course, you only need to make it one, to use as many product builds for which it is suitable.

One advantage of creating your own delta pack, is that there are a number of ways to create one, things to include, or not, so you can pretty much pick what you need, instead of being locked in to the exact one that was previously provided on the download page.

Old way of using the "DeltaPack"

Note: The download is no longer available as of 4.5.0. Older releases still provide that download.

What was the DeltaPack

The DeltaPack is a distribution from Eclipse that contains platform specific files for all supported platforms and widget sets. It contains:

• SWT Platform Layers

  Various plugins to handle connection to the native OS widgets.

• Various launchers (exe, cmd, etc..)

  Files to launch Eclipse from the command line

• Other platform specific plugins

  Hooks into secure storage, native networking and native Eclipse filesystem hooks

In total there are some 70 plugins to support the complete range of supported operating systems (around a dozen).

Using the "DeltaPack"

The DeltaPack is used to get platform specific artifacts so that you can export your RCP product for multiple platforms.

When do you need it

You need it if you want to export your RCP application to multiple targets (a combination of OS/ARCH/WIDGETSET: e.g. linux/ppc64/gtk ). This is typically done from the product configuration file.

How to get it

You can get it from: http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/downloads/

Click on any of the builds and look for DeltaPack. Please note that [there are discussions on removing the DeltaPack](https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=419246) and getting it the preferred way.

How to add it to your target platform

• Download the DeltaPack as described above
• Unzip it to a location .e.g. "C:\eclipse-4.4M7-delta-pack"
• Open Window/Preferences.
• Select PDE/Target Platform
• Select your (active) target platform
• Click Edit
• Click Add
• Select "Directory"
• Click Next
• In "Location" type: "C:\eclipse-4.4M7-delta-pack\eclipse"
• Press Next
• Press Finish
• Press Finish
• Press OK

Open your product file and select the "Export" option. You will see that the "Export for multiple platforms" checkbox is available.