How to Integrate Visual Annotate with Eclipse

This technical article explains how to open Visual Annotate directly from within Eclipse IDE.
This tech note refers to:

• ClearCase client V7.1.1+ installed on Windows host
• Eclipse installed on Windows host
• Visual Annotate V3.1 (or higher) installed on Windows host

Installation process:

1. Change the LAUNCH file name to the string that you want to be shown on the menu

2. Edit a new file and copy the following text inside.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><launchConfiguration type="org.eclipse.ui.externaltools.ProgramLaunchConfigurationType">
<listAttribute key="org.eclipse.debug.ui.favoriteGroups">
<listEntry value="org.eclipse.ui.externaltools.launchGroup"/>
</listAttribute>
<stringAttribute key="org.eclipse.ui.externaltools.ATTR_LAUNCH_CONFIGURATION_BUILD_SCOPE" value="${none}"/>
<stringAttribute key="org.eclipse.ui.externaltools.ATTR_LOCATION" value="C:\Program Files (x86)\GoMidjets\Annotate3\gm_annotate.exe"/>
<stringAttribute key="org.eclipse.ui.externaltools.ATTR_TOOL_ARGUMENTS" value="${resource_loc}"/>
</launchConfiguration>

3. Change value in yellow to your EXE location. Usually Visual Annotate is installed to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\GoMidjets\Annotate3\gm_annotate.exe

4. Place this file in folder:
[eclipse-workspace]\.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.debug.core\.launches\

5. Refresh workspace

Usage:

For the first launch:

• When your file is selected, press the "External Tool" toolbar button's drop down list and select "External Tools Configurations…" (or you can press the button while holding the CTRL key).
• Select Program --> [your extension] and press Run

Next time it will be shown in the "External Tool" toolbar button's drop down list, and pressing the button will run the last tool you ran.