Installations
Last updated
Last updated
This section describes the required steps, to get started with the Agent.Workbench development environment. For this the following installation and configuration tasks have to be done:
Install Agent.Workbench: Go to our GitHub-Site and download the latetst release of Agent.Workbench (for Windows, Linux or MacOS).Just extract the provided archive and place it at a desired location.
Create an Agent Project: After installation, start Agent.Workbench. The first start will execute a benchmark that helps us to classify your machine in case of distributed agent executions. Go to the menu or toolbar and create a New Project. That's it for the moment - simply close Agent.Workbench now.
Install the Eclipse IDE: We recommend to use the Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developer for your developments.
Setup your Workspace: Create a new workspace. This is required, since you need to develop against the bundles of the Agent.Workbench installation.
Define the Target Platform: Create a Target Platform definition that points to the Agent.Workbench installation.
To install Agent.Workbench, navigate to the release section of our repository at github under https://github.com/EnFlexIT/AgentWorkbench/releases. Depending on your operating system, select the installation package. Agent.Workbench is available for Windows, Linux and MacOS.
Extract Agent.Workbench at a desired location on your file system. Afterwards start the executable of the program (e.g. AgentWorkbench.exe, AgentWorkbench.app or AgentWorkbench). After the splash, the main application window appears and and the SciMark 2.0 benchmark will be executed.
To develop your own agent system or work on an existing agent project requires to define a target AWB project. These two options are described in the following.
Use the Repository-Import in the Projects menu to open the Project-Repository Explorer. Such repository is used to provide ready-to-run projects to end users. Additionally it enables to distribute updates of agent projects.
To import a project, simply select the desired project in the tree. If not already installed, the Install button will be enabled and allows you to download, install and finally open the project.
With AWB projects you can define required OSGI/Eclipse-features. If not already installed, the required features will be downloaded and installed. Thereafter, the application will automatically restarted and the project will be opened.
For the time being, save the project and close Agent.Workbench. A description of the project window structure will be provided here.
Creating new OSGI bundles, requires at least to use the Eclipse Plug-in Development Environment (PDE). For this, we recommend to install the Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developer that provides this environment, but also a little more. Navigate to https://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ and download the Eclipse Installer.
Since the installer wants to create directories and copy files to it, execute the program as someone who has the right permissions. For example: if you want to install Eclipse under C:\Program Files\jee-oxygen, you should have executed the installer as the administrator of the system. After the installer has started, select the right version of Eclipse and follow the further instructions.
If you have never worked with Eclipse, you should first take the time to read one of the available beginner tutorials in the web. Some of them are:
the HTMLHelp Center of Eclipse:
http://help.eclipse.org/oxygen/index.jsp
You will recognize the big tree on the left hand site that gives you an impression of the multitude of tools available under Eclipse. The introductory part can be found navigating along Workbench User Guide => Getting started => Basic tutorial
the tutorial site of Lars Vogel (vogella) that offers a lot of tutorial in the context of Java, Eclipse, Plugin development and other. The introduction to the Eclipse IDE (Integrated Development Environment) can be found here:
If you prefer a video tutorial, you might like one of these:
... or simply do what most programmers do, if they have a specific question: ask Google!
Starting your Eclipse IDE the first time, you will be prompted to define a workspace directory. Background: Eclipse organizes Java projects in different, so-called workspaces. For example: while you develop your website code in one workspace, you can develop your agent system in another. Thus it can be avoided to mix-up things that do not belong to each other.
If you are already using Eclipse for a while, you will be probably aware about switching a workspace. For sake of completeness: Go to menu File => Switch Workspace => Other ****and Browse for the desred workspace location.
Having defined your workspace, Eclipse will be opened with a welcome page that points to further information or tutorials - simply close this window.
As next, we have to make sure that we use the right Perspective. Select menu Window => Perspective => Open Perspective => Other. and select the perspective for Plug-in Development.
As next step, the target platform has to be defined, which is described on the next page.
After the benchmark, click New Project in the tool bar or by using the menu Projects => New Project. Define a project title and the folder for your project and click OK.
The agent project will be located in the sub-directory ./projects/ beside the installation of Agent.Workbench, while the structure of the installation looks as shown in the image below. Beside this default location, you can also locate your agent projects at a different location that can be configured via menu Extras => Options (opens the Option Dialog) => [Tab: Directories] => Projects Root Directory and by selecting the desired directory location.
