Eclipse 'loading descriptor' takes ages

Question

We have a Java Spring MVC based project using Eclipse (Juno - the latest build), using the latest JVM 1.7 and Tomcat 7. Eclipse is pretty fast, and everything is set to default settings. Once it is all loaded up, it is lightning fast, which makes a pleasant change.

However, the only gripe is that if I open a project, it begins 'Loading descriptor', which as far as I can tell is our 185-line web.xml file. Sometimes this might take 5 minutes to load, sometimes might just not load at all. This prevents any changes being made, as the system waits for the descriptor to load before anything else happens. Pressing the stop button on this leaves the system 'waiting' for the cancel to go through, and the only way out seems to be to kill the java process is the task manager. If it does by chance load, then the system runs fine (unless you open another project for reference, then the fun begin again).

Is there some configuration that skips the descriptor (e.g. is it something to do with validation that can be skipped) or would there be some reason that the descriptor might not load properly?

Answer 1

This happens when your Project Explorer is open. Uncheck unnecessary options at Project Explorer's "Customize View" dialog. On the top right corner of the Project Explorer panel there is menu called "Customize View", go to the second tab called "Content" and uncheck unwanted options...