Setting up iSphere

Connecting to GitHub

Open the "Git Repositories" view and paste the SSH URL for cloning the iSphere repository into the view. A Clone Git Repository window should open. Confirm the settings and click "Next". Confirm cloning the main branch and click "Next". Validate the suggested repository folder on your computer and click "Finish".

git@github.com:rdi-open-source/isphere.git

iSphere repository SSH URL

Installing the iSphere Ant Plug-in

Next let's install the iSphere Ant Plugin, which provides some Ant tasks that we need to build the plug-in. Open "Help -> Install New Software..." and click the "Add" button. Enter a descriptive name, such as iSphere Ant Plugin and the location of the "iSphere Ant Contribution" zip file that you can find in directory "plug-ins" of the "iSphere Eclipse Setup" project.

Install iSphere Ant Contribution

Setting the Java JREs

Now we need to set the Java JRE that we need to compile the iSphere plug-in. Since we want to be compatible with RDi 9.5.1.3, we use that JRE to compile the classes.

Open "Windows -> Preferences -> Java -> Installed JREs". Click the "Add" button, select "Standard VM" and click "Next". Now select the RDi 9.5.1.3 JRE and give it the name "JRE 1.8.0 IBM J9". Please enter the same as shown. Do not change it:

Install Java JRE

Message The selected JRE does not support the current compiler compliance level of 11 can be ignored.

Setting Clean Up Defaults

The clean up profile is used to add missing source code or to remove unnessary code to/from a Java source file. It can be applied to a source file automatically, when the source file is saved. A shared clean up profile that is used by all developers is important, when the source code is stored in a repository, such as SVN. Then the clean up profile ensures, that there are, for example, no missing @override annotations or unnecessary type casts.

Import the clean up profile from file "Preferences_Java_CodeStyle_CleanUp (iSphere)_3.6.xml" of the "iSphere Eclipse Setup".

Set up the cleanup profile

Setting Code Formatter Defaults

The code formatter profile defines the rules that are applied when a Java source file is formatted. Java source files can be formatted automatically, when the source file is saved. It is important that all developers use the same formatting rules, when the source code is stored in a repository, such as SVN, to avoid changes just because of different formatting styles.

Import the code formatter profile from file "Preferences_Java_CodeStyle_Formatter (iSphere)_3.6.xml" of the "iSphere Eclipse Setup".

Set up the code formatter profile

Setting Code Templates Defaults

The Java code templates are used when creating a new Java file. The provided template modifies the existing "New Java files" template to add the iSphere copyright notice.

Import the code templates from file "Preferences_Java_CodeStyle_Code_Template (iSphere)_3.6.xml" of the "iSphere Eclipse Setup".

Set up the code formatter profile

Setting Save Actions

The save actions are pretty useful if the is a need to automatically perform actions when a source file is saved. We use it to automatically clean up and format our Java source files. Please set your save actions as described below:

Enabled:Perform the selected actions on save
Enabled:Format source code
Enabled:Format all lines
Enabled:Organize imports
Disabled:Additional actions

Set up the save actions

Classpath Variables

Classpath variables are maintained from Window - Preferences - Java - Build Path - Classpath Variables.

ANT_HOME-Path to the IBM shared plugins folder.
Example: c:/Program Files/IBM/SDPShared/plugins/org.apache.ant_1.7.1.v20100518-1145/
Required for the iSphere Ant Contribution project.
IBM_SHARED_PLUGINS-Path to the IBM shared plugins folder.
Example: C:/Program Files/IBM/SDPShared/plugins
Required for the iSphere JUnit project.

Useful settings

The iSphere Projects

The iSphere Git repository follows the standard naming conventions. The main branch contains the actual development code. The tag branches are used for creating tags of iSphere releases. With a tag it is easy to check out a specific version of the project.

Tags Branches
Git tags Git branches

On your computer you will find the following folders:

Git branches

build-Projects used for building the plug-in.
development-Development utilities.
docs-iSphere homepage and update site.
eclipse-Base projects not related to a target IDE.
host-iSphere library.
rse2-Projects specific to a target IDE.

The iSphere Host Project

Checking out the iSphere host project is a bit different from checking out the other projects, because you need to specify the name of your iSphere library at the project properties after you checked it out.

You also need to change the i Project preferences to match the settings below, because we do not store source sequence numbers in the repository:

i Project preferences

Do not forget to change your i Project preferences. All IBM i native source code must be stored in the repository without sequence numbers.

Now switch to the i Projects perspective and right-click the iSphere project. Select Properties and i Project and specify the connection to your host and the name of your iSphere library:

Checking out the iSphere host project

We use ISPHEREDVP for developing iSphere and ISPHERE for the production library. Library ISPHERE is built with the iSphere BUILD command from the command line as described in Library Build.

Now create the library that you associated to your i Project, if it does not yet exist:

CRTLIB LIB(ISPHEREDVP
TEXT('The iSphere Project - Development')