Common Use Cases

The following cases describe situations you might face after you begin using SDC and provide steps for setting up your SDC environment for each case.

Multiple Packages with Common Configurations

If you have packages that share common configurations, you can create an environmental policy to set up common configurations.

Let’s say you have two teams – Team1 and Team2. Both teams share a lot of common configurations, but you want Team2 to have some extra software or configuration that Team1 should not have. You can achieve this in the following way:

1. Create two packages: MyEclipse for Team1 and MyEclipse for Team2.
2. Create an Environmental policy called Common Configuration, and specify all common settings such as software, launching properties, JVM properties, and workspace task files.
3. Select the Common Configuration environmental policy on the Configuration tab of both packages (or as many as you need).
   
   
   Selecting the common environmental policy
4. Configure the team-specific settings for each package.

The common configuration is handled via the environmental policy, which can be shared for any packages with common requirements. Specific configuration can then be set up for each team package.

Mimicking a MyEclipse Individual Edition

Using SDC, you can deliver to end users a MyEclipse Secure installation configured with the freedoms of an individual MyEclipse installation. You give your end users control over their installation, but you are able to bundle licenses and keep the installer behind your firewall. Follow the steps below to set a security policy for the package that mimicks an individual edition of MyEclipse.

1. Create a security policy, with all options enabled.
   
   
   
   
2. Create a MyEclipse package using the “No Add-ons” component preset.
   
   
   Selecting no add-ons
3. Assign the new security policy to the package on the Configuration tab. 
4. On the Software tab, turn on the Enable End-user Selection of Components option, and select the Allow Component Preset Selection checkbox.
   
   
   Enabling component selection

Delivering Eclipse-Based Products Using SDC

Delivering Eclipse-based (RCP) products in SDC is a straight-forward task – but it does require a few special steps to be followed. You will set up policies for your product to tailor how your product is delivered, and you will import your software to be delivered by SDC.

Overall steps include:

1. Set up your Access policy to customize the look of your installer, including your EULA.
2. Set up your Securty policy to restrict users to the appropriate actions for your product.
3. Import your Eclipse product (plugins and features) as a third-party library.
4. Create an Eclipse IDE package with your policies, software, and final branding.

 Setting Up Your Access Policy

1. Create a new Access policy called “My Eclipse Product.”
2. Restrict availability to the platforms supported by your product.
3. Make sure to enable Bundled installers if you ship to customers who install behind a restrictive firewall.
4. Set the default shortcut path to be your company name or equivalent organization.
5. Configure your installer’s background image, if you have one.
6. Place your end-user license agreement in the EULA field.

 Setting Up Your Security Policy

1. Create a new Security Policy called “My Eclipse Product.”
2. If creating an RCP application without a workspace or you want to lock down the install:
   – Disallow any end-user changes by turning off all toggles on the End-users tab.
   – Turn off display of updates to end-users to keep a simple user experience.
   – Configure the desired update check interval based on your software roll-out policies.
3. If using normal Eclipse workspace functions and you want to allow normal software addition along side your product:
   – Enable the appropriate set of end-user update options based on your needs.
   – Potentially turn on display of updates to users if they’ll be installing their own software.
   – Configure the desired update check interval based on your software roll-out policies

 Importing Your Product as a Third-Party Library

1. Select Third-Party Libraries in the navigation, and click .
2. Select Import Existing Eclipse Update Site, and click Next.
   
   Note: If you have not set up third-party library signing, a signing certificate notification appears. You can ignore the notification for now.
   
   
   Library import mode
3. Click  to enter a site or  to navigate to one or more update sites to be imported, and click Next.
4. Select the software and versions you want to be available in your library, and click Next.
5. Enter a library title and version, and click Next.

 Creating a Package for Your Software

1. Create a new Eclipse IDE package named for your product.
2. On the Overview tab, set the short title for your product, which is used in the filename as well as the version that represents the release of the software you are working on.
3. Select the RCP Delivery checkbox. This adds an RCP Product tab to the package setup.
   
   
   Specifying RCP delivery
4. Set the package icon to use for your software, preferrably using a 256×256 png such that the shortcut for your product is well branded.
5. On the Software tab, add the third-party library you created. Be sure to include your product plugin and your branding plugin (if you are including a custom splash screen).
   
   
   Adding the third-party library to the package
6. On the RCP Product tab, select the method of delivery, either based on a package or a p2 lineup.
   
   
   RCP Product tab
7. Enter your RCP product information. You must have added your software to the package on the Software tab before you can add the RCP product information on this tab. See Creating an RCP Product Package for more detailed information on entering RCP product information.
8. On the Configuration tab, select your created policies:
   
   Access policy: My Eclipse Product
   Security policy: My Eclipse Product
9. Commit and promote your package.