Eclipse tools for embedded C++ and Java development are now commonplace. But as a sure sign of how Eclipse technology is going mainstream, new Eclipse tools for other languages and different types of applications are popping up, including two examples that show Eclipse taking on new areas.
Aonix helps launch ADT project
Aonix is leading a new Eclipse-based initiative to create an Ada Development Toolkit (ADT) project and will collaborate with the Eclipse Foundation toward that end. With this new initiative, Aonix is offering the open source community its Eclipse plug-in technology and has proposed that the Eclipse Foundation use AonixADT in the ADT project as the core baseline technology. Opening AonixADT to the user community through an authorized Eclipse project will provide the Ada community free access to the open and extensible AonixADT solution.
Because AonixADT can be used with a large set of existing plug-ins for third-party tools, including support for source-code configuration management, it is a powerful application-building enabler. Aonix, an early participant in the Eclipse open tools movement, has provided ADT plug-ins for Aonix and GNAT compilers since 2004. With Eclipse Foundation sanctioned Ada plug-ins, the Ada community has even better options for development.
In our April Eclipse Perspective and News column, we heard about advances in the C Development Tools project. The ADT project strives to bring similar benefits to Ada users. “We’re very pleased with the offer from Aonix to lead an ADT Project initiative,” said Doug Schaefer, QNX Software Systems, Eclipse CDT Project Lead. “Adding Ada to the Eclipse list of supported languages is further evidence of its broad acceptance as the best possible cross-language, cross-industry development IDE.”
The ADT project benefits any organization using popular Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOSs) that support Eclipse in their development toolkits. Plug-ins built on a standard ADT project baseline would work together with other standard Eclipse plug-ins supported by products such as Luminosity from LynuxWorks, Momentics from QNX Software Systems, and Workbench from Wind River Systems, to name a few.
AonixADT provides Ada project awareness, an Ada language-sensitive editor, Ada language compile and build capabilities, and a complete Ada debugger interface. ADT project awareness allows full library hierarchy manipulation, and Ada program units can be conveniently inserted or removed from Ada projects. The language-sensitive editor provides complete language awareness with syntax color coding and template completion. Symbolic debugging is integrated within the Ada language-sensitive editor. The build interface offers complete access to the Aonix ObjectAda compile and build capabilities.
VirtualLogix introduces easier-to-use virtualization tools
VLX Developer is an Eclipse-based graphical environment helping designers configure, build, and optimize virtualized platforms in which multiple Operating Systems (OSs) and their associated application stacks are consolidated onto shared hardware. Using an environment developers are familiar with simplifies virtualization integration into existing development processes.
VLX Developer provides a step-by-step process to define key hardware and software aspects of configuring and building multiple OSs within a virtualized platform. In addition, the tool’s monitoring capabilities help developers analyze and tune hardware resource allocation to the OSs, resulting in an optimal system design.
Previously, VLX contained command line level controls for system configuration and build. The addition of a graphical environment allows developers to accomplish the following tasks quickly and easily while monitoring and displaying data performance:
Configuration: Allows different guest OSs to be configured with respect to memory partition, root file system, console output, and other parameters
Build: Allows developers to select each component of the system, such as an OS, the virtualization engine, or a root file system, then build each component and link the components together, resulting in a system memory image
Monitor: Provides a graphical display of the CPU usage for each OS running on the platform and the time spent for each context switches between OSs, enabling users to evaluate, optimize, and qualify system-level performance aspects of their virtualized platforms
VLX Developer tools provide preconfigured system profiles and defaults while enabling developers to adjust and add new parameters easily. VLX Developer is available either as an Eclipse plug-in or a stand-alone rich client platform program.
