Eclipse Java Web app dev...which package?

murphaph

Ok, maybe a stupid question for the more experienced java guys around here but here goes..

I installed PHP Galileo PDT (PHP developer tools) edition in April and have added bits and pieces to itas I've needed them (Xdebug, subversive etc.) and I now want to try my hand at some basic Java web development as it will help me at work.

I have to say, I find Eclipse a PITA to add anything much of the time but I'm somewhat used to it now (especially for PHP stuff) and don't want another IDE tbh. Soooo, I read that I need to install the WTP plugin to start developing web apps (easily) with Eclipse. I go to "help->add new software", paste in the WTP project url and it takes about 10 minutes to display the available packages for download. I select the WTP3.2.1 and let it start. It runs for about 1 hour downloading and excruciatingly slowly installing before bombing out at around 30% installed. I didn't think to save the errors.

So, I'm thinking I should just start from scratch and install the correct Java Web dev bundle but tbh it's not even clear which one that is! Is it Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers, 213 MB?

TrueDub

murphaph wrote: »

Ok, maybe a stupid question for the more experienced java guys around here but here goes..

I installed PHP Galileo PDT (PHP developer tools) edition in April and have added bits and pieces to itas I've needed them (Xdebug, subversive etc.) and I now want to try my hand at some basic Java web development as it will help me at work.

I have to say, I find Eclipse a PITA to add anything much of the time but I'm somewhat used to it now (especially for PHP stuff) and don't want another IDE tbh. Soooo, I read that I need to install the WTP plugin to start developing web apps (easily) with Eclipse. I go to "help->add new software", paste in the WTP project url and it takes about 10 minutes to display the available packages for download. I select the WTP3.2.1 and let it start. It runs for about 1 hour downloading and excruciatingly slowly installing before bombing out at around 30% installed. I didn't think to save the errors.

So, I'm thinking I should just start from scratch and install the correct Java Web dev bundle but tbh it's not even clear which one that is! Is it Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers, 213 MB?

You'd probably need the Java EE version alright, but I suggest you look for the latest version of Eclipse (3.7.1, called Indigo), rather than Galileo.

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

murphaph

TrueDub wrote: »

You'd probably need the Java EE version alright, but I suggest you look for the latest version of Eclipse (3.7.1, called Indigo), rather than Galileo.

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

Cheers TD. I've downloaded it and installed it as a separate instance rather than trying to get the one instance of Eclipse to support PHP and Java. It is working so far.

Quick question: I believe that the WTP runs a different instance of Tomcat to the one I have installed (has it's own conf files etc. in a .metadata file in the workspace somewhere) and I can't seem to see Tomcat Manager or even navigate to localhost:8080 to see the bog standard Tomcat "successfully installed" page when running through Eclipse. Is it possible to configure this? I checked the users.xml file and it has a gui-manager role user etc. but no dice.

TrueDub

murphaph wrote: »

Cheers TD. I've downloaded it and installed it as a separate instance rather than trying to get the one instance of Eclipse to support PHP and Java. It is working so far.

Quick question: I believe that the WTP runs a different instance of Tomcat to the one I have installed (has it's own conf files etc. in a .metadata file in the workspace somewhere) and I can't seem to see Tomcat Manager or even navigate to localhost:8080 to see the bog standard Tomcat "successfully installed" page when running through Eclipse. Is it possible to configure this? I checked the users.xml file and it has a gui-manager role user etc. but no dice.

Haven't worked much with Tomcat in Eclipse, but the following holds true for most server types:

In the servers view, have you created the server? If so, you can do a certain amount of configuration by double-clicking it.

You can also right-click and do "Explore", which will give you a direct window into the server folders.

murphaph

Ok, so I'm reasonably ok with everything so far. As said, I am trying to get into web development with Java and Eclipse. Now, projects in work all seem to use Maven and so I want to start with Maven too, to gain an understanding of it.

I have been googling like a mad man as I find a lot of the Eclipse docs a bit vague or over my head.

I installed the latest Java EE Eclipse bundle with WTP included. I installed m2e (Maven 2 Eclipse) with WTP support. I now create a new project by clicking New->Project->Maven Project, then selecting project name and location etc. before selecting webapp-jee5 as my Maven archetype and proceeding to create.

I can right click on the project and either run as->run on server or (for example) run as->Maven build/clean/install etc.

Does this sound about right for an Eclipse/Maven/Java Webapp setup in October 2011 (the sand keeps shifting under my feet with the way m2e is now included in the Eclipse project itself and how they appear to only recently have included support for WTP to make Eclipse aware of the webapp nature of the Maven project etc.)

I find the documentation online and the many (seemingly now outdated) tutorials a bit confusing tbh.

TrueDub

Looks about right.

Try testing your Maven setup outside Eclipse by running it from the command line - if you're not sure how to do this check out the Maven website and following the tutorial.