Eclipse, Ant, CVS with Windows 7

I got a new machine with Windows 7, and started to setup my build environment.

We have an ant script to update from CVS and tag and etc...

Simply adding following ant task I could do this.

<target name="cvs_update">
<cvs command="update -dP">
</cvs>
</target>
<target name="cvs_tag">
<cvs command="tag ABC_${build_time}">
</cvs>
</target>

But, we should install WinCVS/CVSNT to run this task.

In Windows 7 I got a first issue, ant couldn't find the cvs.exe even if the cvs.exe in PATH variable. And if you check the in command prompt by type cvs it will run. But in Eclipse when you run above ant task it will keep saying application cvs not found.

[cvs] Caught exception: Cannot run program "cvs": CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified

Only solution I found is:
uninstall and install CVSNT into a folder, which name doesn't have any spaces (Example Program_Files_(x86))

The 2nd I faced in login

 [cvs] cvs update: Empty password used - try 'cvs login' with a real password [cvs]

The only solution I found is:
Run CVSNT Password Agent.

Eclipse, Java : Inserting Single line "if block"

If we run our program after completing coding, those will not as excepted mostly, or at-least in testing we will find places where we have missed some null check or etc. So we may have to add a if condition to check and to avoid those Exceptions. Mostly those will be a single line "if blocks".

I am talking about cases like below. Say you have following line:

myObject.myMethod();

Here we got a NullPointerException because myObject is null, I wanted added a null check before this:

if(myObject!=null)
     myObject.myMethod();

This is correct, but I mostly don't like this, for future coding and because of the readability, I prefer to add a block as follows. Sometime reader will think that, all the statements which following the above statement also inside the if condition.

if(myObject!=null){
     myObject.myMethod();
}

It was hard for me always, because I had to write if block and copy paste the statement inside. But i found a method to do in Eclipse without  doing  copy paste.

Just go infront of the statement and start typing your if condition and write up to { and press enter key, then you will get what you want.

if(myObject!=null){|myObject.myMethod(); <-- font="">Keep the curser at the | position and press enter.

Okey now you try and let me know your comments.

Part1 : Useful Eclipse Templates for Android Development

I normally setup eclipse templates for repeat coding fragments. If you are not aware of eclipse editor templates, just a small example: just open a java code file and type "syso" (shortcut name) and press Ctrl+space then you will see all  "System.out.println();" will be inserted by eclipse for you.
To see all existing templates and its shortcut open your eclipse, open the window menu and click on Preference. Inside the Preference dialog , navigate to Java --> Editor --> Templates, Now you see full list there. (Eclipse-->Window-->Preference-->Java-->Editor-->Templates)
You can add your own templates there and make use of them in your coding and make your coding fast. Just click "New.." button, fill the "New Template" Dialog and OK.

1. In android, in case if we want to get logs we want to insert "Log.i" statements with proper message. This template will be useful for that.

Name: alog
Context: Java statements
Description: android log statement
Pattern: Log.i(TAG,"::${enclosing_method}:"+"${cursor}");

Now,For Example, in side onCreate  if you type alog and press Ctrl+space you will get:
Log.i(TAG, "::onCreate:" + ""); 

2. In #1 you see, we have to pass a TAG, normally this should be the Class name of the method we define in the top. I used to go for a full qualified name of any class. Sometime this will be useful in case of Custom Views to copy its name to crate layout XML files.


Name: atag
Context: Java type members
Description: android log tag
Pattern: 

@SuppressWarnings("unused")
private static final String TAG = "${enclosing_package}.${enclosing_type}";


Ex: @SuppressWarnings("unused")
private static final String TAG = "demo.DemoAcitity";


3. Inside the activity most we have to find View By Id and call some method on it.


Name: afind
Context: Java
Description: android find view
Pattern: 

${type} ${new_name} = (${type})findViewById(R.id.${cursor});

type afind and press Ctrl+Space, then you will get:
type| new_name = (type)findViewById(R.id.);

for example if that is a button then, type Button or But and press Ctrl+Space then you will get:
Button new_name = (Button)findViewById(R.id.);

Then press Tab cursor will move to new_name
Button new_name = (Button)findViewById(R.id.);

Type the name you want for the variable, then press Tab cursor will move after ".id.":
Button button = (Button)findViewById(R.id.|);
The just press Ctrl+space and choose the id from the list.

So you will end as follows:
Button button = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_add);

In android we mostly do this in onCreate method and assign to member variable. and refer from other method. Now you right click on the variable name choose Refactor  and choose "Convert Local Variable to Field" this will create a Field for you.


here i have uploaded the template file.

Part 2 : Useful Eclipse Templates for Android Development