DVT Auto-Linked

Some of the files that DVT compiles for a project may be located outside the project directory (see What is a Project). In order to benefit from DVTs advanced functionalities on such files, they are automatically linked as if inside the project, under the <project_root>/DVT Auto-Linked virtual folder. A virtual folder is a logical container - it has no physical representation on the disk.

For example, a file physically located in:

/path/to/my/base/classes/file.ext

will be Auto-Linked under the following virtual folder hierarchy:

./<project_root>
├── DVT Auto-Linked/
│   ├── path/
│       └── to/
│           └── my/
│               └── base/
│                   └── classes/
│                       └── file.ext/
└── ...

You can create new files or open existing ones anywhere in the DVT Auto-Linked hierarchy.

For creating new files, you can use the New File Wizard. The files thus created will have a representation on the disk.

For opening existing files, you can right click on any folder in the DVT Auto-Linked hierarchy and select Open from the context menu. A File Chooser will appear that will help you find the file that you want.

In the case of very deep hierarchies, you can define “aliases” for paths using the +dvt_auto_link_root+<alias>=<root_path> directive. These aliases are called DVT Auto-Linked Roots.

For example by adding this line in the project’s default.build:

+dvt_auto_link_root+base_classes=/path/to/my/base/classes/

the following virtual folder hierarchy is created:

./<project_root>
├── DVT Auto-Linked/
│   ├── base_classes/
│       └── file.ext/
└── ...

The specified <root_paths> and <aliases> must be unique, and therefore only the first occurrence is considered.

Aliases may not be names of directories located directly under the filesystem root (like for example /etc or /bin).

Environment variables may be used when specifying root paths, for example:

+dvt_auto_link_root+src=$HOME/a/b/c

Note

• An environment variable may only be used at the beginning of a root path (that is, the following will not work: +dvt_auto_link_root+src=/path/$VAR/a/b/c)

• Only environment variables inherited from the console where DVT was started may be used. Variables defined using +dvt_setenv+ are not allowed.

• The +dvt_auto_link_root+ directive may only be used in the first invocation

More examples

+dvt_auto_link_root+hdl=/a/b/c

All auto-linked files with a path that starts with /a/b/c will be presented in DVT Auto Linked/hdl

+dvt_auto_link_root+hdl=/a/b/c
+dvt_auto_link_root+hdl/d/e/f

The second directive will be ignored because the same “hdl” alias was used.

+dvt_auto_link_root+hdl=/a/b/c
+dvt_auto_link_root+src=/a/b/c

The second directive will be ignored because the same “/a/b/c” path was used.

+dvt_auto_link_root+hdl=/a/b
+dvt_auto_link_root+src=/a/b/c

All files under /a/b/c will be presented under src and the rest from /a/b under hdl.