Eclipse 3.3 Debug Platform Build Notes 

Summary of API changes in 3.3

Launching

• Mixed mode launching - for example, allows an application to debugged and profiled at the same time
• Multiple launch delegates for the same configuration type and mode combination - for example, allows multiple Java profilers to exist in the workbench side by side
• Contribution of extra tabs to existing tab groups - for example, allows a profiler to contribute a profile options tab to an existing tab group in the launch dialog
• Read-only launch configurations - for example, if a launch configuration is stored in the file system in a read-only state, the launch configuration cannot be edited in the launch dialog
• Nested launch configuration working copies - allows a working copy to be created from a working copy that saves back to the parent working copy instead of file system

The following extension points have been added:

• org.eclipse.debug.ui.launchConfigurationTabs - allows a tab to be contributed to an existing tab group in the launch configuration dialog
  • added extension point identifier constant IDebugUIConstants.EXTENSION_POINT_LAUNCH_TABS

The following extension points have been enhanced:

• org.eclipse.debug.core.launchDelegates
  • addition of optional name attribute to allow users to select a launcher when more than one is available
  • addition of optional modeCombination element to specify supported mixed launch modes
• org.eclipse.debug.core.launchConfigurationTypes
  • addition of optional icon attribute to allow an icon to be contributed in the same extension as its type. This can only be used if the icon is in the same plug-in as the launch configuration type.
  • addition of optional delegateName attribute to allow users to select a launcher when more than one is available

The following types have been added:

• added interface org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchDelegate - provides access to a launch delegate extensions and attributes
• added class org.eclipse.debug.ui.AbstractLaunchModeConfigurationTab - abstract implementation of a launch tab that modifies a configuration's launch mode

The following types have been modified in support of launching enhancements:

• org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchConfiguration
  • added method getAttribute(String key, Set defaultValue)
  • added method getModes()
  • added method isReadOnly()
• org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchConfigurationType
  • deprecated method getDelegate(String mode)
  • added method getDelegates(Set modes)
  • added method getPreferredDelegate(Set modes)
  • added method setPreferredDelegate(Set modes)
  • added method supportsModes(Set modes)
  • deprecated method getSupportedModes()
  • added method getSupportedModeCombinations()
  • added method getContributorName()
  • added method getImageDescriptorPath()
• org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy
  • added method addModes(Set modes)
  • added method setModes(Set modes)
  • added method removeModes(Set modes)
  • added method getNestedWorkingCopy()
  • added method getParent()
• org.eclipse.debug.ui.DebugUITools
  • added method getLastLaunch(String id)
  • added method openLaunchConfigurationEditDialog(Shell shell, ILaunchConfiguration configuration, String groupIdentifier, IStatus status, boolean showCancel)
• org.eclipse.debug.ui.AbstractLaunchConfigurationTab
  • added method getId()
• org.eclipse.debug.ui.actions.AbstractLaunchHistoryAction
  • getHistory()
  • getFavorites()

Debug Context Service

A debug context represents the active state of a program being debugged. The active debug context drives the enabled state of debug actions (step, terminate, etc.), source lookup, visible variables, watch expression values, etc. A set of classes and interfaces have been added allowing clients to respond to and provide the active debug context.

The package org.eclipse.debug.ui.contexts has been added with the following types:

• AbstractDebugContextProvider
• DebugContextEvent
• IDebugContextListener
• IDebugContextManager
• IDebugContextProvider
• IDebugContextService
• ISuspendTrigger
• ISuspendTriggerListener

The following types have been modified

• org.eclipse.debug.ui.DebugUITools
  • added method getDebugContextManager()

Debug Commands

Debug commands represent common debug operations implemented by debuggers - for example, step over, suspend, resume, and terminate. The debug platform allows debuggers to provide custom implementations of the operations by implementing debug command handler interfaces. The platform provides a user interface and actions that delegate to the command handlers. As well, the platform provides an implementation of the commands for debuggers that are implementations of the standard debug model. Debuggers may override the standard implementation by directly implementing the command handler interfaces in debug model elements or by registering adapters for the command handler interfaces on debug model elements. The command handler interfaces are to be implemented in a non-blocking fashion, and are designed with an asynchronous API, allowing clients to cancel a command or report failure via the asynchronous request.

The package org.eclipse.debug.core.commands has been added with the following types:

• IDebugCommandHandler
• IDebugCommandRequest
• IDisconnectHandler
• IDropToFrameHandler
• IEnabledStateRequest
• IResumeHandler
• IStepFiltersHandler
• IStepIntoHandler
• IStepOverHandler
• IStepReturnHandler
• ISuspendHandler
• ITerminateHandler

Note that the "use step filters" setting has been moved to the org.eclipse.debug.core plug-in from org.eclipse.debug.ui. This is to allow the toggle step filters command to work properly in absence of the UI plug-in. The following API methods have been added to DebugPlugin:

• setUseStepFilters(boolean useStepFilters)
• isUseStepFilters()

The same methods that existed in DebugUITools now delegate to these new methods.

Pluggable Detail Panes

The variables, registers, and expressions views in Eclipse 3.3 support pluggable detail panes. A new extension point - org.eclipse.debug.ui.detailPaneFactories - is used to contribute factories that create detail panes for specific selections. The platform provides a default text details area that displays textual details based on a debug model presentation's computeDetails(...) method. Clients can contribute detail pane factories with enablement expressions that can create one or more detail panes for specific objects/selections. The user is allowed to choose between available detail panes using a context menu. See IDetailPaneFactory and IDetailPane.

Source Lookup

Source lookup is driven by the active debug context. When a context is activated the debug platform displays source for that context. Clients may provide a custom implementation of source lookup by implementing the source display interface directly on their debug model elements, or by providing an adapter for the source display interface. The debug platform provides a standard implementation of source display for debuggers that are an implementation of the standard debug model - i.e. implementations of IStackFrame that have an associated ISourceLocator.

The following interface has been added:

• org.eclipse.debug.ui.sourcelookup.ISourceDisplay

Console

• Added DebugPlugin.ATTR_CONSOLE_ENCODING - this launch attribute specifies the encoding used by the console. When unspecified the default system encoding is used. This constant replaces the now deprecated IDebugUIConstants.ATTR_CONSOLE_ENCODING.
• Deprecated IDebugUIConstants.ATTR_CONSOLE_ENCODING.
• Added support to set the background color to text consoles - see new methods TextConsole.setBackground(Color) and getBackground()
• Added property constant to indicate background color of a console has changed - IConsoleConstants.P_BACKGROUND_COLOR.
• Added preference constant IDebugUIConstants.PREF_CONSOLE_FONT, which is used to specify what font should be used in the console.

Expressions

• added org.eclipse.debug.ui.actions.IWatchExpressionFactoryAdapterExtension - this is an interface that can be optionally implemented by IWatchExpressionFactoryAdapter's. Allows the Create Watch Expression action to be dynamically enabled based on the selected variables.

Breakpoints

• Added new optional interface for breakpoint organizer extensions. Breakpoint organizer delegates may optionally implement the IBreakpointOrganizerDelegateExtension interface. The new interfaces supports add and remove operations on collections of breakpoints to allow for more efficient drag and drop operations in the breakpoints view.

Memory Renderings

• Memory renderings can optionally implement the new interface IRepositionableMemoryRendering to support repositioning. The API allows a memory rendering to be positioned to a user specified address.

Debug Popup Anchor

• The specifications on the constructor for DebugPopup have been updated to reflect the change allowing null to be passed as the default anchor point. This change allows consumers of the popup to force a default location for the popup to appear when an otherwise valid anchor point is not available.

3.3 RC4 - June 8, 2007

Problem Reports Fixed

3.3 RC3 - June 1, 2007

Problem Reports Fixed

3.3 RC2 - May 25, 2007

Problem Reports Fixed

3.3 RC1 - May 18, 2007

Problem Reports Fixed