[wtp-dev] Proposal to move to "3.2 Style Builds" using ".qualifier" even

[David M Williams <david_williams@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I'd like to propose we move the same
style of builds we are currently 
doing for WTP 1.5, even in for our WTP
1.0..1 builds. 

The motivation for this is this would
allow us to start using the same ".qualifier" form of plugins
now, 
in WTP 1.0.1, and make for easier transition
in a). our code streams, b). our experience with it, 
and c.) future updates to 1.0.x, and
1.5. In short, its easier to have set of naming rules, than two. 

The only reason this is a "proposal"
instead of me just doing it, is that there's a tiny side effect, 
that does have some tiny risk. 
The compiler we use to produce the byte
codes of our builds is the JDT compiler, and technically 
speaking, there is a difference between
the version of the compiler in 
the "3.1 style" builds vs.
the "3.2 style" builds. I have gotten  word from the JDT
team that the 
byte codes produced should be "as
good or better" in the 3.2 pre-release version, but ... 
But, it does technically mean "a
bigger change" than I'd normally recommend in a point release, 
so wanted to float this as a proposal,
and see if anyone knows of reasons not to do this. 

In this case, I think the tiny risk
is worth the improvement in versioning number rules, especially 
since our 1.0.1 version and our M5 versions
will be fairly close together in time. 

So, if there are objections (or, if
you'd just like more time to consider), let me know. Otherwise, 
I'd propose we do this as soon as this
week's M-build is declared. To do in steps, after weekly M-build 
declared, we'll first do a build with
the 3.2 style build-tools, then I'll give the word that 
the .qualifier can be added to both
streams. Then, if there are some weird unanticipated problems
we would have time to 'back out' or
otherwise react by next week's M-build. 

Thanks,

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The following are some misc. tidbits
that are related, for those interested in the nitty gritty. 

1. All this is gated on us using the
"basebuilder tool" from the platform team. 
I have tried (and tried and tried) taking
just the new "PDE" part of the build (for the new .qualifier
behavior) 
and using the "old" 3.1 compiler,
but it didn't work and I don't think it could easily. 

2. Just FYI, using .qualifier in he
old "3.1 style" builds actually works! but, produces qualifiers

with just the timestamp of each build,
not the version ID in the map file. This is not only 
not helpful for updates, it will later
be confusing when we start to use "cvs tags" as the .qualifier.


3. We can not easily "update"
 from 1.0 to 1.0.1 anyway so no great harm in updating 
all the plugins. (other than the size,
but the 30 megs or so are not all that prohibitive). 

4. I have, btw, tried this on a local
build, and saw no obvious problems. 

5. There is no effect on downstream
components, as they would typically merely 
"require" 1.0 versions, and
they would continue to do that. 

6. Just to be explicit, this does not
effect or change us pre-reqing Eclipse 3.1.x as our base for 
WTP 1.0.1 ... that part is all the same,
and is independent of the basebuilder tool that is 
used to actually create the packaged
bytecodes.