beginner questions

[Mike Swingler]

On Feb 11, 2011, at 2:05 PM, Alan Stange wrote:

> Hello all,
> 
> I'm new to poking around the JDK sources on a Mac.    I'm curious what tool chain most people are using.   Typically, for C++ code I'm just using emacs.  Is xcode able to handle a project the size of the JDK?   If yes, does any one have any pointers on how best to configure xcode handle the JDK sources?

Xcode can handle sub-sections of the native code, but requires a fair amount of hand-holding to recreate the same framework linkages that exist in the Makefiles.

Eclipse in theory could drive the native parts if you have CDT installed, but you'd still have to carve the JDK into multiple projects (at least for the Java side). My personal experience is that Eclipse buckles and groans if you try to get it to put all of the Java sources in one project (sometimes fails, sometimes just spins, depending on how much heap you give it).

Like most things, you have to find a set of tools that work for you, and what you use for the native side will probably be different for what you use on the Java side.

Regards,
Mike Swingler
Java Engineering
Apple Inc.