Quick Development Environment Setup

Install Java JDK and Eclipse, and Setup the IDE for Simantics Development

1. Get and install the latest 64-bit Java SE Development Kit 8 (JDK 8). You can download the package from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html. Follow the installation instructions for your operating system. It is recommended to always use the latest JDK update.
2. Get and install the latest 4.7 64-bit Eclipse Classic IDE release build. You can find the package from http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/downloads/. You can select freely the installation location for the package, e.g. under your home directory. Just unzip the package to install Eclipse. Alternatively, there is also an installer available.
3. After the installation of Eclipse, check that your Eclipse is set to use the right Java Runtime Environment (JRE):
   • In Eclipse platform, open "Window - Preferences".
   • Open page “Java / Installed JREs”.
   • Set the JRE to point to the previously installed JDK 8.
4. Install the Simantics Graph Compiler:
   • In Eclipse platform, open “Help / Install New Software...”.
   • Set the installation site to "http://www.simantics.org/update/utils" in the “Work with” field and press “Add...”. Give the installation site link a name when asked.
   • Select from the list the latest "Ontology development / Graph feature" and proceed with the installation. Restart Eclipse after the installation.
5. Install the Subversive plug-in to the Eclipse platform:
   • In Eclipse platform, open “Help / Install New Software...”.
   • Select installation site "Oxygen - http://download.eclipse.org/releases/oxygen" to the “Work with” field from the preset list.
   • Click open the "Collaboration" folder and select from the list:
     • Subversive SVN Team Provider

   and proceed with the installation. Restart Eclipse after the installation.

6. After restarting Eclipse, open the SVN Repository Exploring perspective:
   • In Eclipse platform, open “Window / Open Perspective / Other...”.
   • Select SVN Repository Exploring and press “OK”. Eclipse should open the “Install Connectors” dialog.
   • Select latest “SVN Kit 1.x.y” and press “Finish”, and proceed with the installation. Restart Eclipse after the installation.

NOTE: You can also use Eclipse 4.8 at your own risk, but Subversive is not available for it right now so you'll have to install Subclipse instead to get SVN support.

Install Latest Simantics Target Platform

1. In Eclipse platform, activate the Plug-in Development perspective, either from the tab on the upper right corner of the Eclipse platform or from the “Window / Open Perspective / Other...” menu, and select Plug-in Development.
2. Create a new general project in Eclipse by:
   • Selecting “File / New / Project...” menu item.
   • In the "Select a wizard", select “General / Project” and press “Next”.
   • Give the project a name, e.g. "Simantics_target" and press "Finish".
3. Download the following file into the project folder you just created: http://www.simantics.org/download/master/simantics.target
4. In Eclipse Package Explorer (the view on left side of the Eclipse platform):
   • Right-click your previously created project and select "Refresh" from the context menu, or press F5 while the project is selected.
5. Set the target platform up for the development with Simantics:
   • In Eclipse platform, open “Window / Preferences”, and from there the “Plug-in Development / Target Platform” folder.
   • The new target definitions should be available in the list.

   Activate “Simantics x.y.z” and confirm the target platform definition by pressing "Apply" and/or "OK".

   • Wait until Eclipse finishes downloading, this may take a while. After the download is completed, there should be several plug-ins starting with "org.simantics.*" in the Eclipse Plug-ins view (the view on the left side of Eclipse).
6. Keep your platform up-to-date! Updating is as easy as re-downloading the .target file and reloading the target platform from Target Platform preference page:
   • In Eclipse platform, open “Window / Preferences”, and from there the “Plug-in Development / Target Platform” folder.
   • Select the active target platform, e.g. Simantics x.y.z, from the list and press "Reload".
   • Wait until the platform is updated.

Test Your Installation

NOTE: this test/example is out of date, might not work anymore

Test your installation with the Simantics movie tutorial:

1. Download Simantics movie tutorial plug-ins into your Eclipse workspace:
   • Get [1]
   • In Eclipse platform, select “File / Import...” menu item.
   • In the "Select" dialog, select “General / Existing Projects into Workspace” and press “Next”.
   • Select the “Select archive file:” radio button and press “Browse” to find the downloaded movie-tutorial.zip.
   • Press “Select All” and “Finish”.
2. Run movie.product:
   • From the Package Explorer view, open “org.simantics.movie.ui / Movie.product”.
   • From the Overview page of the opened product editor, press “Launch an Eclipse application”.

If you managed to start the movie product, your development platform should be operational.

Happy developing with Simantics!