Plugins for JCrypTool development
This list contains some recommendations for plug-ins we are using to develop JCrypTool. Code Quality plug-ins are a must use, including the JCrypTool Checkstyle configuration. Other plug-ins are optional.
Use the Eclipse update manager or the Eclipse Marketplace for an easy installation wherever possible.
Execute these plug-ins frequently. FindBugs identifies a lot of nasty bugs that will cause problems sooner or later. Checkstyle configured to use the JCrypTool configuration makes sure all our code has some common structure. You are required to remove the identified warnings before pushing your sources!
Any plug-in project in one of our official JCrypTool Git repositories is required to format its code according to our formatter configuration and to use Checkstyle to verify and rework according to our Checkstyle configuration.
Open the Eclipse preferences and switch to the Java - Code Style - Formatter page. Click on Import... and switch to the JCrypTool doc repository you have previously cloned. Locate the Development folder in there and select the JCrypTool-Formatter.xml file. Click Open and after that Apply in the main preferences dialog:
Checkstyle checks your code for configurable violations. You should use our Checkstyle configuration. Right click and save this file to your disk or clone our doc repository.
Open the preferences, switch to the Checkstyle preference page and click on New.... Select External Configuration File in the Type drop down and enter JCrypTool Checkstyle as Name. Click on Browse... and navigate to the Development folder in the doc repository again. Select the JCrypTool-Checkstyle.xml file and click on Open. Highlight the new JCrypTool Checkstyle entry in the table and click on Set as Default and on OK afterwards:
Checkstyle is enabled now but does not scan your plug-in automatically. Right click on your plug-in in the Package Explorer, select the Checkstyle submenu and Check Code with Checkstyle. All violations will be listed in the normal Eclipse Problems view.
FindBugs on demand scans your code for bugs and various other problems. Scan your code often, at least before pushing it to our repository.
As JCrypTool supports English and German, you are required to provide two resource files for these languages in your plug-in. To make editing easier and less error prone, you should use Eclipse ResourceBundle Editor. This way you can easily make sure, that all resource keys are fully available in both supported languages. Download the archive file and unzip it into the dropins folder in your Eclipse installation.
WindowBuilder is the recommended visual GUI builder for JCrypTool plug-ins. Can be installed via the Indigo Update Site.
We are using JUnit tests to test the JCrypTool Core and certain JCrypTool Crypto plug-ins. EclEmma is the perfect tool to verify that your tests cover all available code.
Generally we do not use UML diagrams but you are of course welcome to design and use diagrams. Our recommended plug-in is Papyrus UML.
EclipseNSIS is used to create the exe-installers for Windows. This plug-in works on Windows operating systems only.
The installation of some e4 Tools are recommended. Use the latest version and copy the update site location URL into your Eclipse update manager. Only install E4 CSS Spy and the Eclipse e4 Tools, others are not required.