How to properly build a plugin/feature

Question

I have developed a little eclipse feature that consists of four plugins I have written.

The whole thing works fine when testing it in a new eclipse application ( Run As...->Eclipse Application ) but now I'm trying to build the feature so it can be installed in other eclipse applications.
I have tried to use the PDE export-wizard to export my feature as a deployable feature but when I try to install the exported feature I get the message There are no categorized items .

The next attempt I made was via an update site project where I added a new category and afterwards added my feature.
Now I build the plugin and I can install it but whenever I try to use it (it's a new editor) it fails to open my editor and gives my some errors that didn't occur during testing my plugin.

Is there a way to build the feature just the way it's built when I launch a new eclipse application? Or do I have to define some additional things in order to get my feature built?

EDIT
The occuring errors:

    eclipse.buildId=4.5.1.M20150904-0015
java.version=1.8.0_45
java.vendor=Oracle Corporation
BootLoader constants: OS=win32, ARCH=x86_64, WS=win32, NL=de_DE
Framework arguments:  -product org.eclipse.epp.package.java.product
Command-line arguments:  -os win32 -ws win32 -arch x86_64 -product org.eclipse.epp.package.java.product

org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench
Error
Tue Jan 05 13:57:28 CET 2016


java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: URI is not hierarchical
    at java.io.File.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at raven.sqdev.editors.sqfeditor.SQFKeywordProvider.getKeywords(SQFKeywordProvider.java:33)
    at raven.sqdev.editors.KeywordScanner.<init>(KeywordScanner.java:34)
    at raven.sqdev.editors.sqfeditor.SQFConfiguration.getKeywordScanner(SQFConfiguration.java:48)
    at raven.sqdev.editors.sqfeditor.SQFConfiguration.getPresentationReconciler(SQFConfiguration.java:57)
    at org.eclipse.jface.text.source.SourceViewer.configure(SourceViewer.java:457)
    at org.eclipse.ui.texteditor.AbstractTextEditor.createPartControl(AbstractTextEditor.java:3427)
    at org.eclipse.ui.texteditor.StatusTextEditor.createPartControl(StatusTextEditor.java:54)
    at org.eclipse.ui.texteditor.AbstractDecoratedTextEditor.createPartControl(AbstractDecoratedTextEditor.java:447)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityPart.createPartControl(CompatibilityPart.java:151)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityEditor.createPartControl(CompatibilityEditor.java:99)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.e4.compatibility.CompatibilityPart.create(CompatibilityPart.java:341)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.MethodRequestor.execute(MethodRequestor.java:56)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.processAnnotated(InjectorImpl.java:898)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.processAnnotated(InjectorImpl.java:879)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.inject(InjectorImpl.java:121)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.internalMake(InjectorImpl.java:345)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.internal.di.InjectorImpl.make(InjectorImpl.java:264)
    at org.eclipse.e4.core.contexts.ContextInjectionFactory.make(ContextInjectionFactory.java:162)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.createFromBundle(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:104)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.doCreate(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:73)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ReflectionContributionFactory.create(ReflectionContributionFactory.java:55)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.workbench.renderers.swt.ContributedPartRenderer.createWidget(ContributedPartRenderer.java:129)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createWidget(PartRenderingEngine.java:971)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:640)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.safeCreateGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:746)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.access$0(PartRenderingEngine.java:717)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$2.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:711)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.createGui(PartRenderingEngine.java:695)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.PartServiceImpl$1.handleEvent(PartServiceImpl.java:99)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.services.internal.events.UIEventHandler$1.run(UIEventHandler.java:40)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Synchronizer.syncExec(Synchronizer.java:186)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.UISynchronizer.syncExec(UISynchronizer.java:145)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.syncExec(Display.java:4761)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.E4Application$1.syncExec(E4Application.java:211)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.services.internal.events.UIEventHandler.handleEvent(UIEventHandler.java:36)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.event.EventHandlerWrapper.handleEvent(EventHandlerWrapper.java:197)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.event.EventHandlerTracker.dispatchEvent(EventHandlerTracker.java:197)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.event.EventHandlerTracker.dispatchEvent(EventHandlerTracker.java:1)
    at org.eclipse.osgi.framework.eventmgr.EventManager.dispatchEvent(EventManager.java:230)
    at org.eclipse.osgi.framework.eventmgr.ListenerQueue.dispatchEventSynchronous(ListenerQueue.java:148)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.event.EventAdminImpl.dispatchEvent(EventAdminImpl.java:135)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.event.EventAdminImpl.sendEvent(EventAdminImpl.java:78)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.event.EventComponent.sendEvent(EventComponent.java:39)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.services.internal.events.EventBroker.send(EventBroker.java:85)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.UIEventPublisher.notifyChanged(UIEventPublisher.java:59)
    at org.eclipse.emf.common.notify.impl.BasicNotifierImpl.eNotify(BasicNotifierImpl.java:374)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.model.application.ui.impl.ElementContainerImpl.setSelectedElement(ElementContainerImpl.java:171)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ModelServiceImpl.showElementInWindow(ModelServiceImpl.java:494)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.ModelServiceImpl.bringToTop(ModelServiceImpl.java:458)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.PartServiceImpl.delegateBringToTop(PartServiceImpl.java:724)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.PartServiceImpl.bringToTop(PartServiceImpl.java:396)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.PartServiceImpl.showPart(PartServiceImpl.java:1166)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPage.busyOpenEditor(WorkbenchPage.java:3234)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPage.access$25(WorkbenchPage.java:3149)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPage$10.run(WorkbenchPage.java:3131)
    at org.eclipse.swt.custom.BusyIndicator.showWhile(BusyIndicator.java:70)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPage.openEditor(WorkbenchPage.java:3126)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPage.openEditor(WorkbenchPage.java:3090)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.WorkbenchPage.openEditor(WorkbenchPage.java:3080)
    at org.eclipse.ui.ide.IDE.openEditor(IDE.java:541)
    at org.eclipse.ui.ide.IDE.openEditor(IDE.java:500)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.ui.javaeditor.EditorUtility.openInEditor(EditorUtility.java:360)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.ui.javaeditor.EditorUtility.openInEditor(EditorUtility.java:167)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.ui.actions.OpenAction.run(OpenAction.java:268)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.ui.actions.OpenAction.run(OpenAction.java:233)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.ui.actions.SelectionDispatchAction.dispatchRun(SelectionDispatchAction.java:275)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.ui.actions.SelectionDispatchAction.run(SelectionDispatchAction.java:251)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.ui.packageview.PackageExplorerActionGroup.handleOpen(PackageExplorerActionGroup.java:376)
    at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.ui.packageview.PackageExplorerPart$4.open(PackageExplorerPart.java:538)
    at org.eclipse.ui.OpenAndLinkWithEditorHelper$InternalListener.open(OpenAndLinkWithEditorHelper.java:48)
    at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer$2.run(StructuredViewer.java:854)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.JFaceUtil$1.run(JFaceUtil.java:50)
    at org.eclipse.jface.util.SafeRunnable.run(SafeRunnable.java:173)
    at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer.fireOpen(StructuredViewer.java:851)
    at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer.handleOpen(StructuredViewer.java:1168)
    at org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredViewer$6.handleOpen(StructuredViewer.java:1275)
    at org.eclipse.jface.util.OpenStrategy.fireOpenEvent(OpenStrategy.java:278)
    at org.eclipse.jface.util.OpenStrategy.access$2(OpenStrategy.java:272)
    at org.eclipse.jface.util.OpenStrategy$1.handleEvent(OpenStrategy.java:313)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:84)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:4362)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1113)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:4180)
    at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:3769)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$4.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1127)
    at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:337)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1018)
    at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.E4Workbench.createAndRunUI(E4Workbench.java:156)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench$5.run(Workbench.java:654)
    at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:337)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.createAndRunWorkbench(Workbench.java:598)
    at org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(PlatformUI.java:150)
    at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.application.IDEApplication.start(IDEApplication.java:139)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.app.EclipseAppHandle.run(EclipseAppHandle.java:196)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:134)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:104)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:380)
    at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:235)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:669)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:608)
    at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1515)

Answer 1

You cannot use File to read objects in a plugin jar directly. Use the FileLocator class in the plugin to get a URL you can use:

Bundle bundle = FrameworkUtil.getBundle(getClass());

URL url = FileLocator.find(bundle, new Path("path within the plugin"), null);

url = FileLocator.toFileURL(url);

FileLocator.toFileURL may unpack the plugin to a temporary location to give you a URL which you can use to read the file.

This should find anything that is in the Bundle-Classpath for the plugin.

You can read from a different plugin by getting the Bundle for the plugin using:

Bundle bundle = Platform.getBundle("plugin id");