Using Eclipse when developing for MoleCuilder

Eclipse Galileo with the following extensions are ideal for working on MoleCuilder:

• CDT >6.0.0
• ECUT >1.0M3
• Eclipse Git >0.5.0
• Linuxtools >0.4.1

Note that some general advice on using eclipse can be found [here ​http://wissrech.ins.uni-bonn.de/inside/wikka/Eclipse].

Configuring CDT

We want to create a new project by cloning the git repository from the server that also contains this TRAC.

Sadly, Eclipse git does not yet contain functionality to do this. Hence, have a look at GettingStarted to create the project in a folder in the eclipse workspace. Right-click in a free spot in the project explorer, select New, there C/C++ and and finally GNU C Autotools Project. Click next. Enter the folder name as the project name, click next twice, then finish.

Right-click on this new project in the project explorer, select Properties. We go through each item on the left-hand list and list the necessary changes:

C/C++ Build

In the Behaviour tab for Build enter all install for Clean enter clean. make sure Build on resource save is deactivated. Make sure that under the Builder Settings tab that Generate Makefiles automatically is activated. Otherwise generation via the autotools process of Makefiles is deactivated!

• Settings: You might prefer Delete build directory over Use make target as the Clean Behaviour, as make distclean breaks sometimes if the Makefile is wrongly changed. On the Tool Settings tab, under Directory specifiers for Arch-independent install directory (--prefix) enter a subfolder of your home directory (i.e. /home/<yourname>/install) or use ${workspace_loc:/espack_jupiter/build64} for the build directory. Under Features and packages enter --enable-hydrogen ... (and ... --enable-cut if Ecut is activated, see below).
• Environment: Add CFLAGS and CXXFLAGS both with values -Wall -g3 -O, to enable maximum warnings during compilation.

C/C++ General

• Code Style: You may wish to download the code style xml-file from [here CodingGuidelines] and import it here.
• Indexer: If eclipse feels very slow, you may wish to change the indexer here. The indexer is responsible for getting you to the right place if you strg-click on a function name or for the tooltips if you hover over a variable or function. Usually Fast C/C++ Indexer is sufficient.
• Paths and Symbols: Under the Source Location tab enter molecuilder/src (and also pcp/src and util/src as part of ESPACK), remove the default project folder.

Task Repository

The Task repository incorporates the ticket system of TRAC into eclipse.

Click Add Task repository, select Trac, enter the default URL of the TRAC, use a sensible label. You have to deactivate Anonymous enter your user name. Use Validate Settings to check whether it is working.

Configuring ECUT

Right-click on the project in the project explorer to get the context menu, select Ecut. Select Apply Connector. Select the CppUnit Connector, select Create build configuration. Click finish. Note: if for Create build configuration the presence of the same-named configuration is admonished, just select No build configuration.

Two new files should have appeared in the main folder of the project: TestRunnerClient.cpp and TestRunnerClient.h. See above for adding --enable-ecut to the configure command line and use clean project and then build project in context menu of project to re-compile.

Under Binaries in the project explorer a new file called TestRunner should have appeared. This file contains all Test cases in a single run.

Finally, we configure a run configuration for this new executable. Select Run from the menu and Run Configurations. Select CppUnit in the list on the left. Click on the new launch configuration in the icon list above. Give the test a decent name, select your project, use the build configuration you created above (CppUnitTest) and finally Search Project for the new executable. Click Apply and Run.

Note that from now no you can easily access the created Profile by its name in the Run menu under Run as.

A new tab should appear called CppUnit with an icon featuring a green letter C and a red letter U. Therein, the errors of the tests are listed. A green bar indicates whether everything ran fine. The green start button re-runs the test executable.

Hence, you can re-run tests easily within eclipse to check whether your new code has not broken anything.

Configuring Eclipse Git

Right-click on the project in the project explorer to get the context menu, select Team. Select share project. Select Git, click Next then click on the single line showing a ".git" repository. Click finish.

Eclipse should now display the current branch in square brackets next to the project name in the project explorer. Furthermore, in the context menu, in the team subitem you find items such as Commit, Branch, ResetTo, ... resembling some of commands of git for easy use inside eclipse.

Linuxtools

The Linuxtools package contain the support for autotools that we have configured above already, but also support for profilers and code checkers such as [valgrind ​http://www.valgrind.org/]. Some general remarks on [debugging ​http://wissrech.ins.uni-bonn.de/inside/wikka/Debuggen] and [profiling ​http://wissrech.ins.uni-bonn.de/inside/wikka/Profilieren] can be found in the Inside wiki in german.

Running valgrind within eclipse has the advantage that memory errors can be directly associated with the respective responsible code lines. Proceed as follows: In the Run menu, select Profile configurations to create a configuration of the command you wish to run under valgrind's authority. Select Profile with Valgrind from the left-hand menu. Click on the new launch configuration in the icon list above. Give the test a decent name, e.g. Valgrinding TestRunner, select your project, use the build configuration you created above (CppUnitTest) and finally Search Project for the new executable, here TestRunner. If you need to run more complex commands, arguments and can be given in the Arguments tab. In the Valgrind options command line options of valgrind can be specified. You might want to change the Leak resolution there to full and check the Show reachable blocks for full report on memory leaks and reachable adresses. Also make sure to have your Project listed in the Source tab, if not Add it. Click Apply and Profile.

Note that now you can easily access the created Profile by its name in the Run menu under Profile as.