Setting up a feature project

Similar to plug-ins and fragments, PDE treats platform features as projects. PDE attaches a special "feature" capability to these projects to be able to run nature-specific builders. The project must have a feature manifest.

PDE provides a wizard for setting up a feature project. Typically, you use this wizard to set up a feature once you are done developing plug-ins and fragments. However, you can create the feature at any stage of development and add new plug-ins later.

Example: Setting up a feature for plug-ins and fragments

Assuming that you have followed the previous examples, you should have "XYZ Plug-in" and "German Fragment" in your workspace already.  We will create a sample feature and package these artifacts to be ready for delivery.

  1. Bring up the feature wizard (New->Project->Plug-in Development->Feature Project)
  2. Set the name of the project to "com.example.feature" and press Next.
  3. Set the feature name to "Sample Feature"  and the feature version to "1.2.2". Set the provider to "Example".
  4. In the following page, check the plug-in (XYZ Plug-in) and the fragment (German Fragment). 
  5. Press Finish.

You should now have the "com.example.feature" project in your workspace.  The project should have
"feature.xml" file and feature manifest editor will open for editing.