[DERBY-3031] Improve Derby core plugin packaging & structure (solving MANY problems)

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Open
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Affects Version/s: 10.1.1.0, 10.1.2.1, 10.1.3.1, 10.2.1.6, 10.2.2.0, 10.3.1.4
• Component/s: Eclipse Plug-in
• Environment: Any eclipse supported platform, rcp product, webstart-rcp-product
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Dominik Wagenknecht
• Created: 29/Aug/07 09:32
• Updated: 29/Feb/08 20:40

Description

There are some problems with the current packaging of the core plugin. Since eclipse 3.3 it is highly recommended to package plugins as "jar packages". Additionally all current eclipse plugins come jar'd and signed!

I propose the following packaging:

• Split plugin into several plugins. One plugin per old jar included – this way a plugin is a JAR and not a plugin-folder with n jars in it
• These plugins need their requirements and exports set right thus separating db-server from client-libraries and so on (reduce size)
• Add a feature to get "full" derby support with branding (better representation is never a bad idea)

Why?

• Conform with eclipse. No more plugin-folders. No update-manager hassles. No RCP developer problems
• When jar's are signed webstarting automatically works.
• Feature for better representation & update manager support (preferred installation method nowadays)
• much lighter footprint

How?

• "inject" MANIFEST.MF into existing single jar's, renaming them to conform "eclipse-style" with version indicator (as multiple plugin versions are supported)
• provide download zip with "feature" and "plugins" directories where the feature/plugins live in

This solves the following long-standing bugs:
http://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/DERBY-2175
http://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/DERBY-631

...and includes...:
http://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/DERBY-1488

I always wanted to report this, because currently I'm repackaging every derby update to keep my software running...so is this feasible??
Thank you & Greetings from Vienna!

Issue Links

• incorporates: DERBY-2175 Derby plugin problem with webstart (packaging issue)
• incorporates: DERBY-631 Derby Eclipse plug-in shouldn't use Jar packages in the plugin for better usage in RCP Applications
• incorporates: DERBY-1488 Provide an Eclipse feature for the org.apache.derby.core plug-in