The F6 Fix

A software developer\u27s time is valuable, and many Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) have been created to facilitate the developer\u27s coding process. One key feature is the ability to quickly access source code relevant to the developer\u27s current work. Most IDEs provide the ability to open a function\u27s declaration through a shortcut key, but few open the declaration without leaving the current window. This change of context requires developers to reorient themselves in a new setting each time they switch windows, then identify and extract the relevant information they need. Certain IDEs, such as Microsoft Visual Studio, have incorporated the added functionality of viewing a function\u27s declaration from another file without changing screens. The goal of this project is to deliver similar in-context viewing to Eclipse, an open-source IDE. The biggest task of this project has been learning the Eclipse workflow itself. The project juxtaposes most all other school-related projects in that the plugin does not exist in isolation. The documentation for the Eclipse core architecture and the Java Development Tools source code proved to be the most helpful in accomplishing the daunting task of understanding where the extension point for the feature should reside. The plugin must match architectural conventions established by the Eclipse core developers and, especially for a user interface process, mesh with the current workflow a developer experiences. Understanding the existing framework proved to be most crucial in determining the extension\u27s own sub-architecture. Currently, the plugin is installed both as a menu option and shortcut key with the ability to open properly indexed Java source code in a popup editor. The editor is dynamically placed below the cursor\u27s location and allows the same operations provided by Eclipse. The audience can expect to see facilitated source code navigation and manipulation through a sample project using the extension developed