How do you manually install the eclipse-CDT plugin from an archive/zip on ubuntu?

Question

I have successfully installed Eclipse 3.5 and Java 1.5. I would like to install CDT without using Eclipse's "install new features" (nor can i use the Eclipse-CDT installer) option because this computer is offline.

What I did:

1. I downloaded the archive of cdt from CDT's official download page.
2. I used file-roller to unzip everything into the eclipse folder (the plugins/features now have a ton of cdt files)
3. I started Eclipse with -clean
4. When I clicked the New Project. The GUI dialog box did not show C/C++... and there was no C/C++ perspective

Eclipse appeared to have ignored my unzipping CDT.

Have you ever installed CDT using the offline archive?

What steps have I missed?

Answer 1

On eclipse 3.5, instead of unzipping onto the eclipse folder, try "Help" -> "Install New Software..." then "Add" and instead of typing an update site, choose "Archive". Then follow the instructions.

Answer 2

That should have worked. Unzipping on top of the distribution is a more-or-less officially supported installation path. You seem to have confirmed that the files ended up in the right place.

It could be that the cdt version doesn't match the Eclipse version.

Try Help -> Software Updates..., and see if you can turn a feature on.

Try Help -> About Eclipse Platform, then the various info buttons in there, and see if you can find an error or a list of disabled features. Check the enabled list too...

As a last resort you could try removing the contents of the configuration directory at the eclipse root. Back it up first, and don't delete config.ini. Restart with -clean.