gwtClassRun: Tutorial

gwtClassRun is designed to be straight-forward and easy to use. However no matter how easy it is, it still useful to provide a tutorial to ease the learning curve. So here is a concise guide to using gwtClassRun, and after this completion, you can confidently use gwtClassRun to the fullest. So let’s get started. It presumed that you have installed gwtClassRun.

 

This tutorial will follow the same content as shown in the video. Do view the video because thereafter the subsequent text content will be easily to comprehend and digest. You might find it useful to refer to the User’s Guide too.

 

The astute thing to do when trying on new thing is use ‘dummy’ project first. I suggest you create a dummy GWT project and then create some EntryPoint class files in the GWT client package so that you can follow along the example. A EntryPoint classes are just those classes that implements the EntryPoint interface.

An example of a EntryPoint class

 

1) Launch your favourite IDE alongside with gwtClassRun. On first launch of gwtClassRun, there is no project defined yet. Hence the screen will show

initially. So the only action user need to do at this stage is to click on AddProject button.

 

2)  Upon clicking AddProject button, the Add Project screen will appear.

 

2a) Fill in the information in the Detail Tab.

Note that name must follow filename convention.  Enter the RootDir of your source code. This refer to the root package directory. Java package always follow physical directory structure. Hence, if a source class file has a package of myproject.client.HelloWorld, then the RootDir is the parent directory of myproject.

The SearchSubDir is optional but including it will improve the performance of gwtClassRun since it will not search other irrelevant directory other than those specified in the SearchSubDir. The directory and its sub-directories searched by gwtClassRun for EntryPoint class will be RootDir append with Search SubDir.

For example, RootDir = c:/gwtproj/myproj/src/    and  SearchSubDir = /project/client/

then search directory will be c:/gwtproj/myproj/src/project/client/

It is important to assign the GWT XML file which is basically the main module descriptor file needed for GWT application. This will be modified by gwtClassRun to reflect the EntryPoint class to execute.

 

2b) In the EntryPoint tab,

nter the optional Default Class that allows one to set to run by a click. Includes the rest of EntryPoint classes. This will be appended as EntryPoint tag in the gwt.xml file with the desired EntryPoint class selected as the first EntryPoint tag. Click Okay to save the project.

 

3)  Update the gwtClassRun project automatically with the EntryPoint classes by clicking on Update option or <ALT+E>.

4) Once updated, a sound will be generated, and the list will have the the count appear in its label (above). Click on the List option <ALT+W>  if you want to view all EntryPoint classes find by gwtClassRun which will be used in Instant Search function.

 

5) Once it done, explore the instant search function.

focus on the Search TextBox,

- type ; char to show all EntryPoint classes,

- press ESCAPE to clear entry or press Clear Button,

- type class;client;m and watch that all keywords in classes are highlighted in RED, and those that do not match are filtered off.

- press SPACE, DOWN, UP keys to navigate in drop down list. Use Mouse hover to see the tooltip that shows the full line.

- Just select anyone using mouse, or type ENTER  to use selected class.  When this is made, a sound and title bar will change to reflect class switch.

 

6) Open up a text editor (If text editor is set to auto-load on change) and watch the gwt.xml file changes as you make the class switch using gwtClassRun.

gwt.xml file content

 

7) Now, run the GWT Host Mode browser and then make the class switch using gwtClassRun. Press refresh on the browser and watch GWT refresh with new content.

 

Yes, this finally reaches the end of the session and you have already covered 100% of gwtClassRun (Really, that’s all to it). Now use gwtClassRun on your project and put some smile on your face . And remember to say your prayer too !