Mylyn

1.1. Overview

Programmers perform certain activities, e.g. fixing bugs. These activities are called tasks in Mylyn. Eclipse Mylyn allows to capture the context of a activity in Eclipse by remembering which files were open and filtering away the files which were not involved in this tasks. This sounds simple but can be very effective as the programming can activate a certain task and will be presented with only the files he already opened.

1.2. Getting started

To open the Mylyn task editor select Window -> Show View -> Other. Select "Mylyn" and "Task List".

To create a new task press "New Task" (or press right mouse click -> Select New -> Task). Select Local Repository.

To start working on a task, select activate task. This will remove all elements from your view as you have not selected anything yet.

Remove the task filter by clicking the highlighted button. Now all files are displayed. If you open a file it will be added to your task. If you close the file it will be removed to your task.

Tip

If a object is filtered you can press Alt+Click with the mouse on the object to show all its elements.

Once you have identified all necessary elements you can focus again to the task to filter out the unnecessary elements.

If you have to switch to another task you simply can activate it. The content of the task will be restored.

1.3. Export / Import

Mylyn allow you to export and import your local tasks. Select your categories, right mouse click on your and choose export / import.

Working in team with Mylyn

2.1. Overview

Eclipse Mylyn allows to share issues via a bug database with others. The following will describe only the connection to one example but lots of connectors, e.g. for bugzilla, jira are available.

2.2. Mylyn and Google code integration

Google code offer to host your source try. See Google code hosting .

It is possible to use the Mylyn webconnector to connect your issues with Google code hosting.

Install the Web templates from the Mylyn Incubator update update site: See http://download.eclipse.org/tools/mylyn/update/incubator .

Choose Windows -> Show View -> Other and open the view "Task repositories".

Right mouse click, select "Add Task Repository". Select then Web Templates (Advanced). Please next and select "Eclipse Outliner (Google Code)". Replace the server address with your web address. Leave the /issues at the end.

You can now add a new query for the tasks from your Google code site.

You Google issues will now appear in the task list. If you create new issues they will uploaded to Google.

Summary

Mylyn allow to group and structure activities and relevant files which are related to a certain tasks. What I really starting to appreciate is that if I stop doing something that the task remembers the files which were opened and the placed there I looked. I can only recommend to try this tool it certainly helped me a bit in re-finding the information I used during a certain task.

Thank you

Thank you for practicing with this tutorial.

I maintain this tutorial in my private time.