How to set ${user} property in Eclipse?

Select Preferences -> Java -> Code Style -> Code Template -> Section Comment -> Type
You can replace the author tag by whatever value you need and it will have an effect on new generated classes.

${user} uses the value of the user.name environment variable. You can check it via System.getProperty("user.name").


There are several solutions:

• define it via command line:
  

  C:/eclipse/eclipse.exe -vmargs -Duser.name="someUserName"
  

• define it via eclipse.ini:
  

  -showsplash
  org.eclipse.platform
  --launcher.XXMaxPermSize
  256M
  -vmargs
  -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.5
  -Duser.name="someUserName"
  -Xms40m
  -Xmx512m
  

My Bookshelf - Part Zero

Each software developer spend some amount of time reading IT books. I have several reading directions and special sequence of  reading. I think it would be interesting to share my virtual bookshelf: books which I've read and books which I'm going to read.

Here are books' categories:

• Design, Patterns, Refactoring and Architecture
• Agile Technique
• Tools
• Learning and Career Development
• Java and JVM Languages
• Other

I'm sure I will extend this list, but this one is OK as start point.

Maybe it will be good to group books by authors as well. Will see. Definitely, I have to try this approach as well.

In the next part I'm going to post about "Design, Patterns, Refactoring and Architecture" bookshelf.

Java Build Tools and Future

It's always interesting to read comparison of Java build tools. There are two major player so far: Ant and Maven. But, I'd like to know more about other tools. 

Here are some interesting links: 

• www.hjug.org/present/Java_Build_Tool_Comparison.ppt - short comparison matrix, it's really useful for overview
• The future of Java build tools - conceptual review, worth reading, especially comments
• http://java.dzone.com/news/maven-or-ant - pros and cons for both Maven and Ant
• http://www.webforefront.com/archives/2009/09/java_build_tool.html - small Maven criticism
• http://kent.spillner.org/blog/work/2009/11/14/java-build-tools.html - "Java Build Tools: Ant vs. Maven", I think it's really famous article in the Internet. Just read arguments of Maven hater.
• http://community.jboss.org/wiki/Gradlewhy - Hibernate moved from Maven2 to Gradle!

Top 3 Java build tools:

• Ant + Ivy (http://ant.apache.org/)
• Maven (http://maven.apache.org)
• Gradle (http://gradle.org/)

I don’t want to mention the other tools. The list isn't small. I'm not sure if it worth spending time for learning/investigating new build tools. We should follow the trends.

Ant and Maven are good enough for any projects. But Gradle evolves really quickly. So, we can get additional "big" player on Java build tools field.

How to use Dropbox as SVN repository?

You probably know about such cool stuff as Dropbox. So, I use it as on-line SVN repository for my own projects. It gives me an opportunity to have my own repository everywhere.
Check this post before go ahead: How to use Subversion & Dropbox to create an effective work management/backup system

So, 1) you have to create SVN repository in some Dropbox folder; 2) do the checkout from this folder on every work machine where you need to do something with your SVN repository. That's it.