Eclipse and openLCA
From Documentation
Contents |
Introduction
This tutorial aims at explaining how to run and test openLCA. It describes step by step what needs to be done in order to use the best way openLCA inside the Eclipse framework.
Should you encounter problems, please report it to our online forum (see Test openLCA chapter).
More information about the openLCA project are available here: http://www.openlca.org/index.html.
Install Eclipse
What is Eclipse
"Eclipse is an open source community, whose projects are focused on building an open development platform comprised of extensible frameworks, tools and runtimes for building, deploying and managing software across the lifecycle."
More information available here: http://www.eclipse.org/org/
Download Eclipse
- Go to http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ and download "Eclipse for RCP and RAP Developers". The ZIP file is about 188MB.
- Choose the correct file to download, regarding your O.S and processors type.
Install Eclipse
Simply extract the ZIP file into the directory you want it to be installed, and it will be ready to use.
Define your workspace directory
In the installed directory, click on "eclipse.exe", the following screen will pop-up asking you to define your workspace directory (in this case, I chose a directory on the desktop).
Install the BIRT framework
- In the menu, go to "Help" and "Install new software...".
- In the field "Work with", choose "http://download.eclipse.org/releases/...".
- Develop "Business, Intelligence, Reporting and charting" and select only "BIRT Framework".
- Click on "Next".
- Click "Next" after reviewing the installed items
- Agree the terms of the licence and click "Finish"
- The BIRT Framework installs.
- If you receive a Windows alert that wishes to block the software, please do not block it!
- Do not restart Eclipse (you will do it after the next step)
Install EclipseLink
- Go to http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/index.php and download the latest "EclipseLink OSGi Bundles Zip" file (about 12 MB).
- Extract the files directly into the "...\eclipse\dropins" folder of your Eclipse installation.
- Restart Eclipse.
Install openLCA
Download openLCA source code
Go to http://sourceforge.net/projects/openlca/files/openlca_framework/1.2/Source%20code/ and download the source code of openLCA 1.2 (ZIP file, about 14MB).
Import to Eclipse
- In Eclipse menu, click on File -> Import.
- Choose General -> Archive File, and click on Next.
- Choose your openLCA source code ZIP file and click on Finish.
Install MySQL package
- Go to http://code.google.com/p/guciodb/downloads/list and download the "Essential MySQL package for Windows" ZIP file (4MB).
- Extract it directly into your Eclipse folder (where the eclipse.exe is located).
- Restart Eclipse (File -> Restart).
Run openLCA
- From now on, openLCA is ready to be tested with Eclipse. It will run as usual, as separate software (this means you can also have another normal version of openLCA installed on your computer), but using the same databases.
- Click on "Go to workbench". This is the normal screen of Eclipse to run projects like openLCA.
- On the left side (explorer), select "org.openlca.core.application" and then "openLCA.product".
- Run this project: click on the green arrow
-> Run As -> Eclipse Application.
- openLCA runs as usual...
Test openLCA
- Once openLCA is started, you need to access the databases. To do so, right click on MySQL at Localhost -> Connect.
- If you receive a Windows alert that wishes to block the software, please do not block it!
- openLCA now runs with your projects, as it reaches the same databases you would run normally with openLCA. This means, each change in a project will change the databases.
- You can now use and test openLCA while creating new projects, new databases, modifying processes, etc. just as you do it usually.
- Looking back to Eclipse, you can notice on the bottom part, a new view called "Console". You will find here any problem linked to the normal functioning of the openLCA application.
- If ever you experience any issue, a new line with descriptions will display. Please copy these information and details of what you were doing and report it to us.
- To report any issue, please go to our forum: http://www.openlca.org/openlca-forum/ , register as a user and write your comments in the section "developer".
- This will be much appreciated as it will help us improving openLCA!
In advance, thank you very much!
The openLCA team.
See also
- Get the source code
- Test and compile openLCA in Eclipse
- Create a MAC application bundle
