[kepler-dev] Independent developer SDK for Kepler?

[Tony O'Hagan]

On another topic .. related to building src/class jars ...

Since many Actor developers don't (and probably shouldn't) have full access
to your CVS repository it would be expedient to create a software developers
kit (SDK) build of Kepler.  You'd add a new ant task that creates a single
downloadable ZIP that includes separate jars for compiled .class files, JNI
files, config/resource files, icons/image files and .java source files and
instructions to the create an Eclipse project file that uses these jars.

Developers then only need to create a very small Eclipse project that they
can check in to their **local** CVS/Subversion repository.  Their
respository would now only need your jars + their source code + a tiny
build.xml.  They can then link your source code jars to your .class jars in
the Eclipse project to view (but not edit) the snapshot of the Ptolemy and
Kepler source code.  This would remove considerable setup time and effort in
rebuilding the 7,000+ classes and most importantly would allow independent
local version control.  Go one better and include in the ZIP a sample
Eclipse project containing the HelloWorld actor sample.  This would ensure
that the developer had all the needed folders (like src/actors) setup to
build their new actors.  

I suspect that you might then need a different mechanism to ensure that
developers don't use conflicting LSIDs.  

I have considered doing this myself but my lack of familiarity with all the
pieces of the Kepler puzzle would make this a bit risky for me to safely
complete.

Thanks for Kepler,
Tony O'Hagan