Eclipse

I don't remember quite when it was, maybe a year ago, I decided to check out CFEclipse. However, at the time I would compare it directly to Dreamweaver, and I found too many features missing from CFEclipse that I use daily in DW, and so did not bother to check it out further.

However certain circumstances recently made me install Eclipse and give it a new go:

• The xml workgroup I'm participating in have started working with DocBook, and I wanted to check out the Vex editor plug-in.
• There's been a lot of praise of CFEclipse in numerous blogs the last year.
• I have decided that I will start learning Java (I've told my self that for a long time), but now I'm really going to do it (now that I've said it in public I'm kind of obliged). And since Eclipse also is a Java development tool, it was a natural choice. Watch out for a series of "Java for Newbies" posts as I go along.

The framework

So, now that I've installed it and used it for a while,  What do I think of it? The answer is that I dig it. Any negative comments I might have, has to do with some of the plug-ins and not the Eclipse framework itself. The update feature, the project management, the incredible flexible layout functionality the ease of installing new plug-ins, in short everything with the Eclipse framework itself is just great.

The plug-ins

I started out with three plug-ins. The earlier mentioned Vex and CFEclipse (of course), and the XMLBuddy plug-in (after advice from my friend Jared).

I immediately found that the CFEclipse/XMLBuddy combination is KILLER when it comes to mach-ii development. XMLBuddy easily replaces XMLMarker  which I've been using for xml config files from before. And for coding cfc's (the model portion of a mach-ii application) I already feel more comfortable than in DW (and I've been a DW user and fan for a LONG time). If now the Vex plug-in was any good I would be able to code and write my mach-ii tutorials within the Eclipse environment. Sadly I have to say that while not bad, the Vex plug-in can't compete with the freestanding XML Editor from XMLmind for authoring DocBook documents.

I've later also installed the SQLExplorer plug-in and the Eclipse WTP (Web Tools Platform).  The SQLExplorer I've not been able to connect to my DB yet (due to my own stupidity maybe), so I can't say much about it yet (except that it is a bit hard to connect to your DB - if you are not smarter than me that is).

As for the WTP I found the CSS capabilities to be pretty good (not as good as in DW still), and combined with the browser view (I always have my local development projects mapped under localhost) I almost feel that it in time Eclipse can replace DW as web site/application layout/design tool. The other features of WTP I've not played around with yet.

As for the future I've already bookmarked about 30 plug-ins that I will test when time allows. The majority of these deal with XML, UML or DB interaction. One sure winners is the Poseidon UML  plug-in, and I am also excited to see if the Clay DB modelling plug-in can replace DBDesigner 4.

I'll blog back when I have more to tell. If you have suggestions for plug-ins or good advice on the use of Eclipse please leave a comment.