How to add a new button to Eclipse IDE

Question

We are using Eclipse IDE for Embedded C development.

I would like to add a new button to the Eclipse IDE, on click of which another EXE has to be called. Kindly let me know the feasibility!

Answer 1

You can write a eclipse plugin written in java and place this into your eclipse-plugin directory. In the plugin MANIFEST you can implement an extension point for view actions.

After this, you will see a button in any view you want.

Short overview:

• Create a plug-in project
• Open MANIFEST.MF
• Add dependencie to org.eclipse.ui
• Add extension point "org.eclipse.ui.viewActions"
• Add view Contribution (The view ID where the aci0on is shown)
• Add Action class

In the Action class you can open a Runtime command window and execute your *.exe file

Than you can export the plug-in project. Select it and call Export, than deployable plug-ins and fragments.

The exported plugin you have to place in your eclipse-plugin directory.

Restart eclipse and you will see the action in your eclipse view, you have specified.

Answer 2

You can add an external tool: next to the run button it is a button called external tools, where you can define commands (e.g. exe files) to launch with the selected parameters.