Default VM arguments in Eclipse debug configuration?

Question

When I implement new features using TDD, I often use the shortcut Shift + Alt + D T to run only the jUnit test case I am currently working on (and not the whole test suite, which takes a few minutes).

This creates a new Debug Configuration for the current Java source and runs it immediately. Now I would like to run the test with assertions enabled (VM option -ea).

Unfortunately, the VM arguments for the new debug configuration starts empty. I always have to go into Debug Configurations... → Arguments and add -ea to the VM arguments input box.

Is there any way to have Eclipse these arguments populated with (project or workspace wide) default options?

Solution 1

Windows → Preferences → JUnit has an option to add -ea every time a new launch configuration is created. It adds the -ea option to the Debug Configuration as well.

The full text next to a check box is:

Add -ea to VM arguments when creating a new JUnit launch configuration

Solution 2

I think you can set this option by editing the definition of the JRE under Preferences → Java → Installed JREs → Select the JRE in question and edit the default VM arguments

Solution 3

Only way I can see to do it is to contribute a new launch configuration, this is not a trivial task but not too hard if you have PDE experience.

There is an eclipse.org article (see "Creating a Launch Configuration") that describes how to construct configurations and launch them.

I guess you could copy the JUnit implementation (see the org.eclipse.debug.core.launchConfigurationTypes extension in org.eclipse.jdt.junit) and add in your chosen defaults to that config. You'd then need to declare a key binding to launch it and package the plugin to your install.

Comments

[Bluehorn]

Thanks! This solves my problem, while it is not exactly the feature I was looking for. With this solution the "VM arguments" in the debug configuration stay empty, and the "default VM arguments" are added silently when launching. I think, Eclipse should at least show the "default VM arguments" that are added in the debug configuration dialog. The downside is that you can't remove from the default VM arguments for a specific configuration (which is not the sense of default that I like :))