ECF 3.15.5 contains new tooling based upon Bndtools 7.1, that simplifies the project creation, development, debugging, and testing of OSGi Remote Services.
Simplification is provided through the use of Bndtools Workspace, Project, and Bndrun templates, the addition of OSGi Service wizards specifically for creating Remote Service api, impl, and consumer projects with a single wizard, generated bndrun files to allow immediate run/debug of wizard-created projects, the use of bndtools repos for dependencies, and new Eclipse views to support a) the discovery of EndpointDescriptions, and b) runtime inspection and management of the Remote Service Admin service.
Thanks. I will add some suggestions to the installation.md file. My general comment is that since these setups are both new to bndtools and makes it vastly easier to get to a working environment…especially for those new to Bndtools…that the presentation might be emphasized more than ‘another option’. Again I will propose specific text on a new issue.
As for the bnd - oomph setups I’ve already attempted to contact Peter K about adding the ECF (as well as the logging removal fix for Eclipse 2024-12 and below) directly but not yet heard back from him. Perhaps he is indisposed. Also, do you know where the page content for bnd - oomph setups is located/comes from?
We also briefly spoke about that the Oomph Setups page should get a new section for “User”-setups (for people who just want to use bndtools) at the top, which contain Eclipse+bndtools+X setups without bndtools-sourcecode. This is also in the works here.
Below that then will be the “developer”-setups (for people wanting to contribute to bndtools), which is the stuff which is currently on the page.
I agree with your and peterkirs direction here and will help out if needed (Ive already updated and sumplified the ecf setups). Please lmk.
I urge the both of you to keep in the front of your mind first the needs of new bndtools users…who perhaps has never done osgi (or even Eclipse-based) development before.
To me, one of the things this means is making it as easy as possible to get a users own working projects for people that may not be able to spell osgi. This enables network effects. Fwiw tutorials examples enroute wizards all help with this imho.
As a suggestion, for the oomph setup
pages I would have them start with the smallest and most popular and fully functional setup (eg Eclipse Java Developer (with Java?) With bndtools 7.1…with tables etc below with various setups oriented to the target developer (like Eclipse packages…but one focussed around osgi development categories…eg micro services development, remote services development, etc).
One other suggestion for the setup pages: Put a link at top to installing oomph latest…if needed.
Finally, what’s the slack channel(s) that you and Peterkir use?