Is there any project or interest in a project that puts the flow editor (webMethods Developer) into an eclipse plugin? I consolidated all my other language IDE’s into Eclipse (Java, PHP, Javascript, etc) and would like to see if an Eclipse plugin exists that would let me do flow editing on a webMethods IS.
I believe in new webMethods Access (a wM Fabric 6.5 release) embedds Eclipse (plug-in).Also this article post,
[URL=“API Integration Platform | Software AG”]API Integration Platform | Software AG
HTH,
RMG
Eclipse plugins have been available for webMethods Portal for some time to perform tasks like portlet generation, skin editing, etc. There was also an Eclipse plugin for Glue, but I’m not sure whether it is still being supported in the latest release.
Supposedly, all of Developer was going to move into Eclipse at some future release, but I do not know if those plans are still valid.
Mark
Okay, so the followup question:
How many people would be interested in an Eclipse plugin for webMethods flow editing? Because the flow code is XML, I think it would be a cool project to design a plugin that would use the same HTTP communication with the IS, and convert similar visual flows into the same XML…
Anyone else think Eclipse could be a better tool?
-L
Luke,
I think this would be a great thing to have, but I think the effort to replicate the Flow and pipeline editor in an Eclipse plugin is a pretty large effort.
Mark
I also heard at IW that not only will Developer become an eclipse plug-in, but so will TN console. I think that wm is moving in a direction where all interfaces will either be browser based or an eclipse plug-in
Roger,
We’ve heard a lot of things at IW that seemed to be abandoned later. Perhaps this is still the plan, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
Mark
Well, I can’t argue with that, there is a lot of vapor flying around at IW.
The tools to be unified into Eclipse for December release are really nicely updated Portlet development stuff, Modeler and WorkFlow Designer (the bits that don’t overlap with portlet and Modeler features).
I’m afraid that Developer coding work has not started yet (and to my knowledge was aways planned for 2007). The feeling was combining those other three tools into one was a better next step into Eclipse. The lessons learned, common libs build on GEF, and larger set of experienced plug-in writers within webM should help when Developer coding starts.
-Fred
Fred,
As always, thanks for the details. I’m glad to hear that the plans to embrace Eclipse are still in play.
Maybe WM could throw us a bone in the meantime and give us a java text editor with syntax highlighting and find & replace. Get us up to the early 90’s anyway. 
Mark
If we did that, you wouldn’t be able to say how hard it was in the good old days. ;-).
What I do is use Developer to define the Java service existance and signature and use Eclipse for all the editing (I throw out the java.frags). I’m going to give a webinar about this - unfortunately no plugins to make this nicer than what anyone can go today, but screen shots and demo of how to get is setup for editing and debugging.
Also, I forgot to mention there is some TN work going on also. I think it is just portalization of the administrator and profile definition functions of TN Console. Other bits that are destined for Eclipse then TN Console can totally go away. This stuff won’t be release until well into 2007.
Well, if you’ve got 2GB on your laptop so that you can run IS, Developer and Eclipse, (oh, and maybe a database) then I supposed the Alt-Tab integration with Eclipse might be the way to go. 
Mark