Improving Domino Designer ICON UK

© Kathy Brown, Julian Robichaux

Improving Your Domino Designer

ExperienceJulian Robichaux :: panagenda

Kathy Brown :: PSC Group


Who We AreJulian Robichaux

panagenda

nsftools.com

@jrobichaux

Kathy BrownPSC Group LLC

runningnotes.net

@runningkathy


The Goals of this SessionUnderstand how Eclipse and DDE work together

especially by using helpful things that “come for free” with Eclipse

Avoid breaking thingsand learn how to fix them when they break

Work more efficiently

Some information will be old hat, some (hopefully) will be brand new


Domino Designer in Eclipse“DDE” to you and me

Is it in, on, with, or next to Eclipse?perhaps we should say “wrapped inside of”

But I thought Eclipse was just an IDE! How can it do all this “wrapping” stuff?


An Informal History of EclipseBegan life as an IBM project to replace the VisualAge IDE

VisualAge had compilers for C, C++, Smalltalk, Java, Cobol, and several other languages

Eclipse developed as a platform (written in Java) that could:run on multiple operating systems

allow development for many different languages & content types

provide (but not require) a GUI

use plugins for extensibility


“The Eclipse platform itself is a sort of universal tool platform -

it is an IDE for anything and nothing in particular.”

http://www.eclipse.org/platform/overview.php




A Very Abbreviated Timeline1999: Development of Eclipse begins at IBM

2001: Eclipse 1.0 released, eclipse.org created

2002: Eclipse 2.0 released

2004: Eclipse Foundation formed, Eclipse 3.0 released under the new Eclipse Public License

2004-2013: New Eclipse “simultaneous release” every year; 3.x through 2011; 4.x starting in 2012


Also in 1999...


Why Are You Telling Me This?Things to understand:

Eclipse has a long, rich history completely outside of Domino

Many (most?) of the “new” DDE things are actually “old” Eclipse things

Name overlaps (view, navigator, workspace, etc.)

Two completely separate JVMs

When you mix two very different (and established) technologies like this, things are bound to be confusing or... difficult


Installing(and Reinstalling)


Considerations: Fresh InstallA well defragged hard drive

Disable virus scan on entire Notes directory if possible, NSF and JAR files in Notes directory at minimum

Disable the Windows Search/Index service

Don’t use an encrypted portion of your disc

Disable Aero on Windows 7


Considerations: VMWareFixed size page file, 1.5 to 2 times your RAM

Defrag first, then restart and fix the page size

Turn off things that pollCD auto-play, Bluetooth, shared or mapped drives

Defrag+compact regularly (or use a fixed size VM)

Keep your VMWare Tools (drivers) updated


Considerations: VMWare


Install TipsIf you’re using VMWare, take a snapshot

Install EVERYTHING (check all the boxes, even if you don’t think you’ll use Sametime, Connections, etc.)

Don’t get clever with your install paths

Reboot when you’re done, then delete the temp folder

If you’re using VMWare, take another snapshot


Upgrade TipsInstall over the old copy, or nuke it and start over?

Always better to nuke (uninstall first, then reboot and delete -- don’t just delete) and start fresh*

If you can’t, at least consider deleting or renaming the framework and the data\workspace\.config folders first (gets rid of old JAR files)

Resist the urge to do the trick where you rename the old directory so you can have multiple versions of the client on your workstation

*Spin your chair 3 times clockwise while throwing salt over your LEFT shoulder


Upgrade Tips“Install Interrupted” and other errors

Often caused by incomplete or improper uninstall of previous client version (registry entries pointing to files that no longer exist, etc.)

Use the IBM “NICE” toolhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21459714

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21459714



ReinstallingBest bet is to uninstall, use the NICE tool, then reinstall

Also reinstall/repair options if you re-run the installer

Command line option: setup.exe /v"REINSTALLMODE=vamus REINSTALL=ALL"


JVM Memory Settings


make sure Xms is smaller than Xmx, for garbage collection purposes

you might have issues with Xmx larger than 1024

NOTE: these settings can get reset after a FixPack install






Understanding Eclipse Configuration


Perspectives and ViewsWhat are they?

Perspectives are layouts of ViewsThink of a painter’s palette

Views are panels or tabs with the tools you needThink of the colors on the palette


Perspectives and ViewsPerspective

View


PerspectivesDefault perspectives:

Debug, Domino Designer, Forms/Views, Java, Java Browsing, Javascript, and XPages


More PerspectivesEach perspective has Views, menu items, and toolbars needed for that focus

For example: the navigator in the Domino Designer perspective has Frameset and Pages, the one in the XPages perspective does not


Customizing PerspectivesMenu option “Customize Perspective...”

Add or remove Eclipse viewsAdd or remove Menu and Toolbar items


Customizing Perspectives“Manual” customization

Move view panes all to the left or right for more screen real estateDrag up OutlineAdd Package Explorer

(Window - Show Eclipse Views)


Saving PerspectivesSave Perspective As...

Always a good idea to do this BEFORE customizing

You CAN make changes in a copy, however if you make them in the default perspective, then your changes will be there whenever you open DDE

i.e. changing IDs opens the default perspective


My Favorite View: Progress

Window - Show Eclipse Views -

Other... - General - Progress


Tips on Views & PerspectivesMake the tab full screen

Double-click the tab title, and double-click again to reset itOr click the small “maximize” icon on the tab barOr use Ctrl-M

Use Reset Perspective when you’ve totally borked it


Working SetsIt’s an Eclipse thing for organizing your projects (Notes DB == Eclipse project)

All applications for a client, or all applications for a project, or only templates, or only production applications, etc.

Switching working sets does NOT release the open applications from memory (!)


Working with ... Working SetsSelect one or more working sets, or no working sets (shows all applications ever opened in the history of time)

Edit Current Working Set

Manage Working Sets


More Working SetsNew in Notes 9, select Applications Not in a Working Set

Working Set preferences“Ask me” is good if you often (ever) open the wrong app


Preferences and SettingsNotes client and DDE shared storage of settings

Eclipse is a cornucopia of pluginsEvery plugin has its own folder in workspace\.metadata

Also a central Eclipse preference store (a tiny bit like Windows registry, but much better behaved)

OSGi handles plugin lifecycle and caching


The Workspace FoldersMain subfolders under the data\workspace folder are:

.config -- OSGi cache, JVM cache, Eclipse startup config

.metadata -- plugin folders, preference files

applications -- third-party plugins you’ve installed

logs -- Eclipse logs, Java core dumps and heap dumps

UDM -- spellcheck files

also a folder for each server you access from DDE(including “Local”), with subfolder for each database


Deleting the WorkspaceRemoves caches, configurations, preferences, settings

including Notes client and DDE UI customizations

Deletes [most] third-party plugins you’ve installed

Deletes extra settings in rcpinstall.properties

Everything will be rebuilt with default settings


The -clean Option-clean is a less nuclear option

Rebuilds the plugin caches and some of the Eclipse/OSGi config files

but you don’t lose your preferences

Make a COPY of your Notes shortcut, change target to:

notes.exe -RPARAMS -clean


Cleaning a Broken DDESpecial workspace folders for each server+db you access

workspace\.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.core.resources (additional DDE project cache)com.ibm.rcp.personality.framework (perspective info)org.eclipse.ui.workbench\workingsets.xmlcom.ibm.designer.domino.ide.resources\wsInfo.xml


Back Up Your SettingsCan’t I just back up my whole workspace folder?

You could, but not always portable between installations/versions

What about my workspace\.metadata folder?Still too much

What about this specific list of folders... ?There is an easier way if you will just stop asking questions


Back Up Your SettingsHat tip to Paul Withers

http://www.intec.co.uk/quick-setup-restore-of-domino-designer

Switch to a non-Domino perspective in DDE (like “Java”)

File - Export - General - PreferencesSaves as a .epf file (text file, you can look to see what’s there)

To import: File - Import - General - Preferences




Back Up Your Settings

Bonus: also backs up your SAVED custom Perspectives


General Settings


File - PreferencesThere are so many settings in DDE, you might not have seen them all -- here are a few useful ones

Please don’t be insulted if you’ve seen some of these before

Not everyone is as smart as you

Newer versions of DDE have new settings

Almost all of the DDE preferences (from File - Preferences) map to Eclipse preferences


Default Language Type


Line Numbering


Spellcheck (or lack thereof)


Colors and Fonts

Basic - Text Font is the default editor font, you can override for Java and JavaScript here,

LotusScript has its own settings under Domino Designer.


HotkeysHelp - Key Assist

or...

Control - Shift - L

or...

File - Preferences - General - Keys


Hotkeys


Hotkeys ShortlistCtrl + / -- toggle single-line comments

Ctrl + Shift + / -- toggle block comments

Ctrl + i -- auto-format

Ctrl + F6 -- switch between editor tabs

Ctrl + M -- maximize or restore a tab

Ctrl + Space -- all sorts of code-completion things


Other People’s Preferenceshttp://notesin9.com/index.php/2012/02/12/notesin9-043-domino-designer-tips-and-tweaks

http://xpagetips.blogspot.com/search/label/Designer%20Tip

http://nathantfreeman.wordpress.com/taming-ibm-domino-designer

http://www.slant.co/topics/67/~what-are-the-best-programming-fonts

http://notesin9.com/index.php/2012/02/12/notesin9-043-domino-designer-tips-and-tweaks/






http://nathantfreeman.wordpress.com/taming-ibm-domino-designer/

http://nathantfreeman.wordpress.com/taming-ibm-domino-designer/




Working With Code


Search TipsOld skool: File - Application - Design Synopsis...

It still exists!


Search TipsSingle code element: Control + F

make sure you use “wrap search”

regular expressions!


Search TipsFull design search: Search - File... (or Ctrl + H)


Search TipsFull design search: Search - File... (or Ctrl + H)

Search entire workspace, all databases in a working set, all design elements in a database (project), or selected design elements

File patterns allow you to specify certain design elements (use the “Choose” button for a list), or use * for all design elements

Non-code elements (forms, views, etc.) have their DXL searched

Regular expressions

Results listed in a Search view (tab) you can leave open


Searching Help - Scopes


LotusScript TipsCode and Comment Templates


LotusScript TipsDetermining the correct error line number

Navigate - Go to erl line...

Needed in DDE 8.5.x, seems to be less necessary in 9.0


XPages TipsChanging the local web server port (8.5.3+)

not just XPages, any DDE local web preview

great if you’re running a local web server (on purpose or unknowingly)


XPages TipsTroubleshooting local web server port conflicts

TCPView from sysinternals.com (now Microsoft Sysinternals)


XPages TipsWhere do all the print statements go for local debugging?

log.nsf -or- data\IBM_TECHNICAL_SUPPORT\console.log

Extra logging infodata\domino\workspace\.config\rcpinstall.properties

see the commented log levels at the bottom of the file

logs to data\domino\workspace\logs\trace-log-0.xml might have to shut down local web preview for logs to flush

notice the “domino” in that path...


XPages TipsThe dreaded “Error 500” on local XPages preview

Turn on runtime error notification (Application Properties, XPages tab)

Test a very basic XPage (is it all XPages, or just that one?)

Add error handling (JavaScript and Java)

Check the logs (see previous slide)

Check for duplicate (previous version) JAR files in notes\osgi:

*April 2012 Clippings Newsletter -- need to get republished


XPages TipsProblems Tab, “configure contents...”

Show only errors “On any element in same project”


XPages TipsTo Build Automatically or Not To Build Automatically

Working Local?

Yes No

Sure, Build Automatically No, Just No


Java TipsGet stack trace line numbers from Java agents and script libraries

No performance penalty


Java TipsSave the whole agent when you save a class in the agent


Java TipsCode templates

Java - Editor - Templates

Ctrl + Space (FTW!)

Default shortcuts to start with:

for, while, try, new, final, toarray

Make your own for fun and profit!

https://www.socialbizug.org/blogs/2ec5d0ed-d04e-4b18-9610-9819fcebca79/entry/using_code_templates_in_dde?lang=en_us




Java TipsTODO and FIXME

Eclipse view: Other - General - Tasks


Java TipsAdding Domino API Javadocs for hover help

Domino Javadoc Generator: http://domino-javadoc.sourceforge.net

https://www.socialbizug.org/blogs/2ec5d0ed-d04e-4b18-9610-9819fcebca79/entry/adding_hover_help_to_domino_designer?lang=en_us

http://domino-javadoc.sourceforge.net

http://domino-javadoc.sourceforge.net




Java TipsCode Snippets

Built-in Eclipse functionality

Right-click code and choose “Add to snippets”

Drag and drop to paste into editors


Java TipsScrapbook pages

from Package Explorer:

Right-Click - New - Other

Java - Java Run\Debug

Scrapbook Page

Use a Console view for outputHighlight code, right-click, execute

System.out.println() goes to console (Other - General - Console)


Java TipsScrapbook Pages

Evaluate String commands, regular expressions, XML parsing, etc.


Java TipsDebugging

you CAN debug Java from DDE

server or client, although debugging a server is a pretty bad idea

see Julian and Mark Myers’ presentation from Lotusphere 2012:

http://londondevelopercoop.com/ldc.nsf/pages/goodies




Java TipsEclipse Tips and Tricks page

http://help.eclipse.org/indigo/topic/org.eclipse.jdt.doc.user/tips/jdt_tips.html




Plugins


Source ControlEven if you aren’t working with a team

Easily roll back specific changesTrack changes (what/when/who)Simple system for having a backup, while working locally


Source Control - SettingSometimes DDE hangs (GASP!)

Turning off On Disk Project syncing can help

Tip!You have to remember to then manually sync


Source Control - Resourceshttps://www.socialbizug.org/blogs/articles/entry/setting_up_source_control?lang=en_us

https://www.socialbizug.org/blogs/articles/entry/using_source_control?lang=en_us

https://www.socialbizug.org/blogs/articles/entry/5_tips_for_source_control_in_domino?

http://xpagetips.blogspot.com/2013/04/source-control-good-stuff.html

https://www.socialbizug.org/blogs/articles/entry/setting_up_source_control?lang=en_us















Extension LibraryDepending on version of Domino, no install required

8.5.3 UP1 or 9

For latest and greatest, go to OpenNTF.org

Install via an Update Sitehttp://bit.ly/UpdateSite Wiki entry on installing an update site

http://bit.ly/UpdateSite

http://bit.ly/UpdateSite


Extension Library Install TipsDo NOT install multiple versions

If you’ve got 8.5.3 UP1 and you go get the latest from OpenNTF.org, REMOVE the library that came with 8.5.3 UP1

Install the Extension Library on DDE AND your server

Get the sample database

Don’t mix and match versions (Server/DDE)


Third Party PluginsFinding third-party plugins

Looks for plugins compatible with Eclipse 3.2 - 3.4 (they might work)

Before you installCompletely restart the Notes client

Take a snapshot if you’re using VMWare


Third Party PluginsFile - Application - Install

You might have to be in a DDE (non-custom) perspective to get the Application - Install menu option

After you installManually shut down and restart the Notes client again (don’t use the “Restart now” option)

X


FreeMemhttp://www.junginger.biz/eclipse/freemem.html

http://www.junginger.biz/eclipse/freemem.html

http://www.junginger.biz/eclipse/freemem.html


QuickRExhttp://www.bastian-bergerhoff.com/eclipse/features

http://www.bastian-bergerhoff.com/eclipse/features/



MultiClipboardhttp://www.bastian-bergerhoff.com/eclipse/features




XPath-Developerhttp://www.bastian-bergerhoff.com/eclipse/features




Writing Your Own PluginsWhat you need:

DDE 8.5.1+

Eclipse 3.4.2 (Ganymede for RCP/Plugin Developers)http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/release/ganymede/sr2

You should use EXACTLY this version (not 3.2, not 3.5, not 4.2...)

Lotus Expeditor Toolkit 6.2.x http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/downloads/toolkits.html

http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/release/ganymede/sr2

http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/release/ganymede/sr2

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/downloads/toolkits.html

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/downloads/toolkits.html


Writing Your Own PluginsHints, tips, and instructions

http://bit.ly/pluginredwiki

http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/lewiki.nsf

Tim Tripcony and Maureen Leland’s Lotusphere 2011 presentation

“AD102: Hacking IBM Lotus Designer (Gently)”



http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/lewiki.nsf/dx/Using_IBM_Lotus_Expeditor_Toolkit_6.2.1_with_IBM_Lotus_Notes_8.5.1?OpenDocument&sa=true

http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/lewiki.nsf/dx/Using_IBM_Lotus_Expeditor_Toolkit_6.2.1_with_IBM_Lotus_Notes_8.5.1?OpenDocument&sa=true


THANK YOU

Julian Robichauxpanagendansftools.com@jrobichaux

Kathy BrownPSC Group

runningnotes.net@RunningKathy

Improving Domino Designer ICON UK

Technology

Transcript of Improving Domino Designer ICON UK