Include and access binary (non-Java) files in an Eclipse plugin

Question

I want to include some binary not Java-related files in my Eclipse plugin, so I can access them later from within the Java code of the plugin.

1) As far as I understand I can add some files and folders to include in a build in the "Build / Binary Build" section of the Build Configuration:

Unfortunately the folder "folder-to-include" and all files beneath are not copied to the "bin" folder (or anywhere else) after building the plugin. Did I misunderstand that dialog? I always thought of the "bin" folder as the "root" of the built project / plugin. What is the proper way to include binary files in the build?

2) If I managed to include my files in the built plugin, how do I determine the path to them so I can open and work with them in one of the Java classes of the plugin?

Answer 1

Everything you check in the build should be included in the plug-in jar at the top level (the bin directory is handled specially).

To find an object in a plug-in use:

URL url = FileLocator.find(bundle, new Path(path), null);

where path is a relative path in the plug-in and bundle is the plug-in Bundle. You can get the Bundle from the BundleContext passed to the plug-in activator or by using Platform.getBundle("plugin id")

The URL returned from this will use the bundle scheme, to convert it to a file URL use:

URL fileURL = FileLocator.toFileURL(url);

The file URL returned may be in a temporary location.

Update: When you run your plug-in from with Eclipse (with Run / Eclipse Application) then no jar is built and the folders are not copied anywhere. You still use the FileLocator API to access the folders and the paths are the same.