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Manage preferences with other software distribution systems
Values for Eclipse preferences are determined from four sources.
From highest to lowest priority, these are:
- a value explicitly set using a Preferences dialog, API, or the DMS agent, or
- a default value set in the customization file identified by a -pluginCustomization command line parameter, or
- a default value set in the customization file contained in the product plugin identified by a -product command line parameter, or
- an ultimate default value set in the plugin code that defines the preference.
The command line options are described in the Eclipse online help at http://help.eclipse.org/help30/topic/org.eclipse.platform.doc.isv/reference/misc/runtime-options.html.
The customization file is a Java properties file, conventionally named plugin_customization.ini, and is described in http://help.eclipse.org/help30/topic/org.eclipse.platform.doc.isv/guide/product_configproduct.htm
A software distribution system such as Tivoli Configuration Manager can be used to manage preferences by distributing different versions of a customization file to each client. Then, as long as no explicit preference value is set on any client, the default values provided in the customization file will be used at runtime.
A good strategy is to use both the -pluginCustomization and -product command line parameters. The product plugin, which is also the means by which client branding is performed (that is, customizing banners, icons, and background images for the platform) can contain a plugin_customization.ini file with default settings common across all deployed clients. Any preference settings that need to be managed individually can be provided in a second file located outside the Eclipse plugin directory (for example, C:\salescenter_preferences.ini) and referenced by the -pluginCustomization parameter.
Related concepts
Deploy customizations to the IBM Sales Center
Configuration management mechanisms