How to configure Eclipse via the command line?

Question

It is possible to install plugins in Eclipse via the command line:

eclipse -noSplash -application org.eclipse.equinox.p2.director -r <url> -i <comma separated list of ids that need to be installed>

It is possible to configure Eclipse via the UI, eg enable line number. How to change the configuration via the commandline as well?

Attempts

1. It works to automate the configuration by changing the configuration via the UI, subsequently create a ZIP of the configuration directory and deploy it on other computers as well
2. Running user@host ~ $ eclipse -noSplash -application org.eclipse.equinox.p2.director results in:

...

-help | -h | -?
  Prints this command line help information.
-list | -l [ <comma separated list> ]
  Lists all IU's found in the given repositories. IUs can optionally be listed.  Each entry in the list is in the form <id> [ '/' <version> ].
-listInstalledRoots | -lir
  Lists all root IU's found in the given profile. Each entry in the list is in the form <id> [ '/' <version> ].
-listFormat | -lf <list format string>
  Formats the list of IUs according to the given string. Use ${property} for variable parts, e.g. ${org.eclipse.equinox.p2.name} for the IU's name. ID and version of an IU are available through ${id} and ${version}.
-installIU | -installIUs | -i <comma separated list>
  Installs the listed IU's. Each entry in the list is in the form <id> [ '/' <version> ].
-uninstallIU | -uninstallIUs | -u <comma separated list>
  Uninstalls the listed IU's. Each entry in the list is in the form <id> [ '/' <version> ].
-revert <comma separated list>
  Revert the installation to a previous state [ the number representing the previous state of the profile  as found in p2/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.engine/<profileId>/ ].
-destination | -d <path>
  The folder in which the targeted product is located.
-downloadOnly
  Only download the artifacts.
-metadatarepository | metadatarepositories | -m <comma separated list>
  A list of URL's denoting meta-data repositories.
-artifactrepository | artifactrepositories | -a <comma separated list>
  A list of URL's denoting artifact repositories.
-repository | repositories | -r <comma separated list>
  A list of URL's denoting co-located meta-data and artifact repositories.
-verifyOnly
  Only verify that the actions can be performed. Don't actually install or remove anything.
-tag <name>
  Tag the provisioning operation for easy referencing when reverting.
-listTags
  List the tags available
-profile | -p <name>
  Defines what profile to use for the actions.
-flavor | -f <name>
  Defines what flavor to use for a newly created profile.
-shared | -s [ <path> ]
  Use a shared location for the install. The <path> defaults to ${user.home}/.p2
-bundlepool | -b <path>
  The location where the plug-ins and features will be stored. Effective only when a new profile is created.
-profileproperties <comma separated list>
  A list of properties in the form key=value pairs. Effective only when a new profile is created.
-iuProfileproperties <path>
  Path to a properties file containing a list of IU profile properties to set.
-roaming
  Indicates that the product resulting from the installation can be moved. Effective only when a new profile is created.
-p2.os
  The OS to use when the profile is created.
-p2.ws
  The windowing system to use when the profile is created.
-p2.arch
  The architecture to use when the profile is created.
-p2.nl
  The language to use when the profile is created.
-purgeHistory
  Remove the history of the profile registry.
-followReferences
  Follow repository references.

Eclipse does not seem to support changing the configuration via the commandline.

Answer 1

I don't think that's generally supported, especially considering each plug-in manages its own set of perferences. However, the Oomph project might be of some help, depending on your actual goal (you didn't say what your end goal is). It's intended as a general purpose configuration management tool for Eclipse. See this answer for some more info.