Development/Tools/Eclipse

Eclipse

This describes how to use Eclipse to develop KDE 4 applications. It has been tested with Eclipse Ganymede and SUSE Linux 11.1 but should work same or similar with every combination. As an example KDE application we use KTimeTracker from the kdepim module, other applications should work likewise.

Using this description you will be able to

update your working copy of KDE source code using the svn command
build your KDE module using CMake
build your KDE application from within Eclipse using Make
compile and run your application with one click from Eclipse
get auto-completion when editing KDE source code
have an overview and navigation about your classes within Eclipse
have call trees for your functions

Set up Eclipse with KDE

Check your requirements

Trying with a virtual machine I had problems starting Eclipse with less than 1 GB RAM. After assigning 3 GB RAM to the virtual machine, Eclipse finally started.

Install Eclipse

Download Eclipse IDE for C/C++ developers from http://www.eclipse.org. Unpack it to /home/user/eclipse.

Install the CDT

Download the Eclipse IDE for C/C++ Developers (68 MB) from http://www.eclipse.org/cdt/ and unpack it into your Eclipse folder, in our case /home/user/eclipse.

Download kdepim

As said, we use kdepim as example here. So, download ("checkout") kdepim using git (for advanced git-usage see Development/Git/Configuration, especially URL-Renaming):

cd /home/user
git clone git://anongit.kde.org/kdepim

This will check out into /home/user/kdepim. (Our sample setup for this tutorial)

Compile kdepim

Compile kdepim so the usual makefiles are present for all kdepim applications. If you have problems doing this, follow our build instructions.

Import your project into Eclipse

Surprise: To import your project, you cannot use "File -> Import". Rather do: File -> New -> C++ Project -> Makefile project -> Empty Project -> un-tag "use default location" -> choose /home/user/kdepim/ktimetracker. Call it "ktimetracker".

Build your project

Make sure Project -> Properties -> C/C++ Build -> Builder Settings -> Build location -> Build directory is set correctly.

Choose Project -> Build Project

Run the project

Choose Project -> Properties -> Run/Debug Settings -> New. As project, enter ktimetracker, as C/C++ Application, enter /home/user/kdepim/ktimetracker/ktimetracker. Choose Apply -> Ok -> Ok. Now you can click on the "Run" button and start it.

Know-How

Custom builders

If you want to integrate the CMake build step into your build toolchain, you will need to

create a custom builder like this:

echo "cmake . && make -j4 && make install" >/bin/eclipsebuild
chmod 777 /bin/eclipsebuild

Add your builder

Choose Project -> Properties -> Builders. Un-tag all existing builders. Click "new" -> Program -> (name it "Builder for KDE"). -> Location: /bin/eclipsebuild -> Working directory /home/user/workspace/myproject1/kdepim.

Build

Now you can build your project. Every time you restart eclipse, choose myproject1 -> Project -> Properties -> C/C++ Build -> Ok -> Project -> Build.

Revert what eclipse did

To revert what eclipse did to your project simply run

rm -rf .externalToolBuilders/ .project .cproject

Why Subversion does not work

When using Eclipse's svn plugin and building a KDE program, you will get error messages complaining that your svn binary is too old. If you want to try and change this, here is how you get to that error:

Install the Subversion plug-ins

Help -> Software Updates -> Available Software -> Add Site -> http://download.eclipse.org/technology/subversive/0.7/update-site/ -> Add Site -> http://www.polarion.org/projects/subversive/download/eclipse/2.0/update-site/

Now add it: Subversive Site -> Subversive SVN Team Provider Plugin

Subversive SVN Connectors Site -> Subversive SVN Connectors -> SVNKit 1.3.0 Implementation (Optional)

Click on Install

Restart Eclipse

Import your KDE module

Choose File -> New -> Other -> SVN -> Project from SVN -> https://svn.kde.org/home/kde/trunk/KDE/kdepim -> Check out as project configured using the New Project Wizard -> C++ Project -> Makefile Project -> Empty Project. As name, we choose kdepim5 -> Finish

Set cmake as build environment

Choose Project -> Properties -> C/C++ Build -> Builder Settings. Un-tag "use default build command", set "cmake" instead. Choose Project -> Properties -> C/C++ Build -> Behavior. Replace "all" by ".".

Qt integration

There are some instructions available on the Qt Wiki.