Several topics: 1. Java file merging The code for merging Java files is only in the Eclipse plugin. It uses the Eclipse AST parser and AST rewriter and cannot run outside of Eclipse. If you want to merge Java code, you must run in Eclipse.
In the far future, I hope to enable Java merging outside of Eclipse. The problem is that it's just so easy in Eclipse, and so difficult elsewhere! I think the long term solution is to write a specialized Java parser for Ibator using ANTLR or the like. Parsing Java source code is a non-trivial task and I have no interest in reinventing the wheel - so probably something like ANTLR is the right answer ultimately. If anyone is interested in making an important contribution to Ibator this would be a good area to look into :) 2. Plugin Classloading You must add your plugin classes to Ibator's runtime classpath. This cannot be done with <classPathEntry> elements in the configuration. Outside eclipse, you can do this by using the -cp argument, or by adding to the Ant classpath in the normal ways. Inside Eclipse, you must use the eclipse integrated Ant task and add to the classpath with the Eclipse launch configuration. The Ibator menu option in Eclipse does not allow modifications to the runtime classpath. >From these two answers, you should deduce that the only way to use a plugin AND use Java merging is to use the Eclipse plugin provided Ant task (NOT the Ant task in the base Ibator distribution). If you want to automate this, you will have to run Ant inside Eclipse with headless Eclipse. 3. Maven I'm looking at maven for the Ibator build. If it works out, then I'll also provide a maven plugin to run Ibator. But, this plugin will not merge Java files (see #1 above). 4. The future My current focus is updates to Ibator for iBATIS3. I have some code *sort of* working now, but iBATIS3 is in Alpha stage only - so Clinton and I are working through some bugs in iBATIS3. I have done some refactoring of the Ibator code base to allow for iBATIS3 - but this is mostly internal and should not affect anyone (hopefully). Feel free to checkout the latest Ibator code from SVN and try it out. I don't think you'll see much difference. Note that the iBATIS3 support for Ibator is not in SVN yet - just the base Ibator refactorings. Hope that helps! Jeff Butler On Sun, Jun 21, 2009 at 10:20 PM, Chad McHenry <mchen...@gmail.com> wrote: > I was having trouble using my ibator plugin from eclipse, getting the error > "Cannot instantiate object of type > com.example.ibatis.ibator.plugins.ClassAnnotator" and found an old thread > [1] which references the same error. It appears it is still relevant (I > could only run my plugin via eclipse by putting my plugin classes into > $eclipse/plugins/org.apache.ibatis.ibator.core_1.2.1/ibator.jar). > > For using plugins, is the ant-task still the preferred way to use Ibator? I > use maven, and can use maven-antrun-plugin, but is it still true that any > changes made to generated files will be lost when using the ant version > since it does not merge java files? > > Are there plans, or a roadmap for Ibator? I'm spending a lot of time > getting this plugin working (and actually believe it will be worth it over > the course of multiple projects). I'm wondering if I can contribute back to > the ibator-core, but would hesitate if there is going to be a drastic > redesign for ibatis-3.0. > > ...Chad > > [1] > http://www.nabble.com/Re:-ibator-question-about--element-p19222727.html > >
