lekkimworld.comeclipse

Configure Eclipse 3.5 for Notes 8.5.3

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 09:33:14 GMT

For completeness sake I just updated my guide to manually configuring Eclipse 3.5 for Notes plugin development to work with Notes 8.5.3 which went Gold the other day. Please find a like to the guide below.

Configuring Eclipse 3.5 for Notes 8.5.3.

Using a queue to wait for a job to complete

Thu, 19 May 2011 11:36:53 GMT

A question I get often is how to perform an operation synchronously (that is blocking) instead of asynchronously when developing plugins. The question stems from the fact that most operations are done using the Job-framework where code is run in a background thread. But what if you need the result before continuing. What if you don't want to wait or the code doesn't lend itself to that approach?

I find that the easiest way (without resorting to Job scheduling rules) is to use the java.util.concurrent classes to make the calling thread wait for the Job to complete. This approach works for all job-types including Notes based operations using NotesSessionJob.

Code could look like this:

import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue;

public FeedLoader() {
   // define queue to hold a maximum of 1 element
   final ArrayBlockingQueue<Object> queue = 
      new ArrayBlockingQueue<Object>(1);
   
   // create and schedule job
   new NotesSessionJob("Getting Notes username") {
      @Override
      protected IStatus runInNotesThread(Session session, 
       IProgressMonitor monitor) 
       throws NotesException {
         // perform operation and store result
         FeedLoader.this.username = session.getUserName();

         // put stuff in the queue to signal we're done (we 
         // could also have used the queue to return the value)
         queue.offer(new Object());

         // return
         return Status.OK_STATUS;
      }
   }.schedule();
   
   // wait for job to complete (Queue.take() wont return until 
   // the job puts something in the queue)
   try {
      queue.take();
   } catch (Throwable t) {}
}

I'm sure there are other, and probably easier and better, ways to do it but this is how I often do it.

Developing an Eclipse plug-in from start to finish

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:27:36 GMT

Ryan Baxter from IBM who I had the honor of co-presenting with at Lotusphere just published a new article on the appdev wiki titled Developing an Eclipse plug-in from start to finish. The article takes you step-by-step through building a nice plugin and uses the Eclipse WindowBuilder (GUI editor) for taking the hassle out of building the UI.

A very nice Friday read.

Intelligent recommendations

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:03:47 GMT

Just came across the new code.recommenders incubation project over at eclipse.org and wow does that look cool. Very cool indeed especially if you spend part of your day in Eclipse. Actually the uses for this goes beyond code completion just like Mylyn goes beyond code as well (see Imagine combining this with Notes 8!). Imagine this for email addressing and/or collaboration. Think how analytics technology like this could make "recent contacts" so much better. Imagine how spell check could be improved.

jWidgets to make it easier to develop Eclipse based components for composite applications

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:24:27 GMT

Perusing the the Composite Application Wiki I discovered a technology IBM calls jWidgets. Basically they are for Composite Application Java component development what iWidgets are to websites that is a widget framework for easily and more quickly doing stuff. Developing Java components for composite applications is a little hard as you have to manage wires etc. yourself. A framework would make that a lot easier and that's exactly what jWidgets are.

Having the technology available to Lotus Notes (and not just Lotus Expeditor) would be really cool. From an IBM'er I however learned that they haven't been formally tested in Notes, but the technical capability is there. They have only been tested formally in Lotus Expeditor 6.2.2.

jWidgets - Easy Creation of Java Composite Application Components

Lotus Expeditor Toolkit 6.2.2 now available as a ZIP-file

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:15:57 GMT

Lotus Expeditor Toolkit 6.2.2 is now available as a ZIP-file download from the below link. Previously it only available as an ISO-file. Will download and try out.

Lotus Expeditor Toolkit 6.2.2

Bob Balfe: plugin_customization.ini and Eclipse preferences

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 09:26:27 GMT

Bob has, once again, written a very nice post on his blog. This time it's on plugin preferences and how the plugin_customization.ini file fits in and where Eclipse preferences are stored. As this is common cause of concern and questions from plugin developers and admins I wanted to point to the post.

Bob Balfe: plugin_customization.ini and Eclipse preferences

I'm on The Taking Notes Podcast episode 122

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 08:48:34 GMT

On Friday Bruce and Julian let me on The Taking Notes podcast to talk about plug-in development and how to get started with plug-in development. We also talked a bit about the RedWiki we're writing. I think it's a pretty decent discussion about the topic and I hope it's a pleasant listen.

"Let's talk Eclipse plugins! It's not just an Eclipse thing, plugins can be used to extend the functionality of your Lotus Notes client.

Mikkel Heisterberg has been instrumental in helping developers wade through the murky waters of Lotus Notes sidebar app and plugin development for several years, through Lotusphere and user group presentations, blog articles, and onsite training. Bruce and Julian talked to him about how this plugin technology can be used and what's going to be in the new IBM Redbook he's been working on."

The podcast may be found in iTunes or directly using the following link: Taking Notes Episode 122: 2010.09.24 - Sidebar, Plugins, and Notes Client Extensions with Mikkel Heisterberg