Enterprise Bundle Repository Samples

After opening up the Enterprise Bundle Repository build system, I've added more sample bundlor templates along with Ant/Ivy build files to github.

So while we are trying to come up with a community-based successor to the EBR, if you need to get a new version of one of the bundles in the EBR, you may be able to find a bundlor template to use as a starting point.

Latest draft subsystems spec

The OSGi Alliance has made an early draft of some RFCs available. This includes the subsystems RFC 152 I blogged about earlier: see pages 72-144 of the PDF.

Eclipse Dance Steps

Sometime Eclipse fails to work as expected. The following 'dances', in increasing order of desperation, may help. Remember to maintain a fixed grin throughout and try not to tread on your own toes.

Refresh and clean all projects ("Quickstep")

Click on a project in the Package Explorer. Hit Apple-A (or Ctrl-A) to select all projects. Hit F5 to refresh. Select Project->Clean..., select "Clean all projects", and click Ok.

Open and close all projects ("Foxtrot")

Click on a project in the Package Explorer. Hit Apple-A (or Ctrl-A) to select all projects. Right click the projects and select "Close Project". Right click the projects again and select "Open Project".

Open and close all projects restarting Eclipse in between ("Tango")

Click on a project in the Package Explorer. Hit Apple-A (or Ctrl-A) to select all projects. Right click the projects and select "Close Project". Restart Eclipse. Click on a project in the Package Explorer. Hit Apple-A (or Ctrl-A) to select all projects. Right click the projects again and select "Open Project".

Delete and re-import all projects ("Paso Doble")

Click on a project in the Package Explorer. Hit Apple-A (or Ctrl-A) to select all projects. Press the delete key, select "Do not delete contents", and click Ok. Right click in the Package Explorer and select Import..., then choose General and "Existing Projects into Workspace" and click Next. Browse to select the platform checkout directory and click Choose. Select all the projects for import. Click Finish.

Rebuild the search indices ("Slow Waltz")

Exit the workbench and delete the Java search index:

• go into \plugins\.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.jdt.core
• delete 'savedIndexNames.txt'
• delete all *.index
  Restart

If all else fails

If you're still stuck, try the "Hokey Cokey" by repeating all of the above until you've had enough.

How Infor ION Uses Virgo

Infor have kindly made available a presentation on how their ION integration product is based on the Virgo kernel. They migrated from Equinox 3.5 to Virgo 2.1, added a lightweight web server (in preference to using the pre-built Virgo Tomcat or Jetty servers) and a service wrapper, added Spring integration, upgraded Spring framework, added a watched repository, and then added various enterprise service bundles. This is a perfect example of a Virgo kernel application, a so-called OSGi stackless stack.

The Infor team also helpfully pointed out some enhancements they'd like to see, some of which are already supported or planned for Virgo 3.5.

According to their website Infor is the world's third largest provider of enterprise applications and services, so it's nice to see another large company adopt Virgo.

Thanks to Ian Skerrett for bringing this user to my attention. See his blog for more.