Auto-save enhancement: save on loss of focus

[philws]

I've used a really good IDE that supports this (optional) feature whereby if you switch to a different application all outstanding changes are automatically saved.

This would have saved my bacon yesterday when I forgot to save some changes in oXygen, saved current changes to that file on filesystem into the version control system, merged other changes to that file back onto the filesystem), switched back to oXygen (thinking that my changes would have been merged in) which prompted me to re-load, which I did.

I've subsequently enabled time-based auto-save, with a very short time interval, but this isn't as good for the usage pattern I have.

[sorin_ristache]

Hello,

You should enable automatic backup copies of teh edited file in Preferences -> Editor -> Open/Save -- Automatic Save and you should set the save interval to 1 minute. Is 1 minute too long for you? Would you want a shorter value available for the time interval between two automatic backup save operations?


Regards,
Sorin

[philws]

Time-based auto-save is less convenient; I've currently set auto-save to 1 minute, but the document is fairly large and it's mildly irritating that oXygen freezes every minute or so for a noticable number of seconds.

The ability to rely on auto-save when loosing focus is far superior since at that point you're not using the tool and the delay during save is clearly irrelevant. In addition, saving on loss of focus also fits with environments where you use a CLI or other tool to manage a version control system from which the document has been checked out.

I really feel strongly this would be a highly valuable addition to the product.

[sorin_ristache]

Thank you for your suggestion. We will consider adding an option for auto save on switching to other application.


Regards,
Sorin

[SSC]

Hello,

I know that this is a pretty old entry from 2008, but I´d like to know if the "Preferences -> Editor -> Open/Save -- Automatic Save" functionality, which Sorin mentioned, is also available in the Eclipse Version of Oxygen?
One of our customers just asked for such a functionality, but I cannot find it in "Preferences -> Editor -> Open/Save -- Automatic Save"

Is it or will it be available in the Eclipse version of the oXygen Author?

Best regards,

Simon

[adrian]

Hi,

For the Eclipse plugin only Eclipse itself can control the saving, Oxygen does not provide an option for this.
One way to achieve this in Eclipse is in Window -> Preferences -> General -> Workspace. Enable the options Save automatically before build and Build automatically.

Regards,
Adrian

[SSC]

Hi Adrian,

for sure Eclipse controls the saving, but I thought you could have implemented such behavior to trigger Eclipse to save it´s editors.

I would not have asked, if such behavior was not available in the standalone version.

In order to trigger Eclipse to save it´s editors, you will just have to call this method:

Code: Select all

org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbench.saveAllEditors(boolean)

For instance like that:

Code: Select all

PlatformUI.getWorkbench().saveAllEditors(true);

For me as a workaround I could create a new PreferencePage and append it to your "Open/Save" PreferencePage, which offers such an auto save preference.

But I´d thought, if I tell you about this issue other customers of yours may be happy, if you would offer this functionality out of the box.

Best regards,

Simon

[adrian]

Hello Simon,

We will consider implementing this in a future version of the Oxygen Eclipse plugin. I've added a feature request for this on our issue tracking tool.

Regards,
Adrian