Plugin - Tomcat

Install

Download from http://www.eclipsetotale.com/tomcatPlugin.html

Install using a link file or using the standard method:

Link File

To use a plugin link file, Plugin - Link Files.

Unzip tomcatPluginV321.zip into your external plugin repository (on my workstation):
```
\repository\eclipse\plugins\tomcat-plugin-v321\eclipse\plugins
```

Create a plugin link file:

eclipse\links\tomcat-plugin-v321.link

…containing…

path=/repository/eclipse/plugins/tomcat-plugin-v321

Start Eclipse with the -clean flag:
```
eclipse -clean
```

Standard

Unzip it in /plugins

Setup

If the Tomcat icons are not shown in the toolbar, Window, Customize Perspective…, Commands, and check Tomcat in Available command groups
Set Tomcat version and Tomcat home : Window, Preferences, select*Tomcat* and set Tomcat home and version.
```
../../images/howto/eclipse/tomcat-preferences.gif
```
This plugin launches Tomcat using the default JRE checked in Eclipse preferences window.
To set a JDK as default JRE for Eclipse open the preference window:

Window, Preferences, Java, Installed JREs.

Note: This JRE must be a JDK (This is a Tomcat prerequisite).
The plugin sets up the Tomcat classpath and bootclasspath.

Use Preferences, Tomcat, JVM Settings, only if you need specific settings.

Setup Project

Right click on your project and select Properties, Tomcat:

Tick “Is a Tomcat Project”.
Copy the project name to the “Context name”.
Tick the three boxes,
- “Can update context definition”,
- “Mark this context as reloadable” and
- “Redirect context logger to Eclipse console”.
Set the “Subdirectory to set as web application root (optional)” to the project folder within target e.g. /target/ad_server:
```
../../images/howto/eclipse/tomcat-properties.gif
```

Note: Before starting, making sure there is no project with the same name deployed to the webapps folder.

Usage

Build the war file as normal.
Make sure the Tomcat plugin knows where the source is for all your modules; Window, Preferences, Tomcat, Source Path.
Add break points to your code (as required).
Start Tomcat (using the toolbar icon).
Your application is running… (no need to “Run As”).

Note: Tomcat should watch your code. A mvn package will update the files in the target folder - Tomcat should automatically use the updated files.