Java 1.6 for Plugin Development

Hello Vaclav,

Is there a way how to use Java 1.6 for IDEA Plugin development? I have
heard that it is restricted to 1.5 because of Mac OS X for PowerPCs.
However I would like to use Java 1.6 for a plugin used in my school
project (so for now only for internal use) as the project already uses
features of Java 1.6. Thanks.

As long as you don't publish the plugin on plugins.intellij.net, there's
nothing special you need to do. Just grab a regular IDEA build for Windows,
create an IntelliJ IDEA SDK specifying the 1.6 JDK as base, and go ahead
using the 1.6 features.

--
Dmitry Jemerov
Development Lead
JetBrains, Inc.
http://www.jetbrains.com/
"Develop with Pleasure!"

Hello Dmitry,

I have MacOS X 10.5 and running IDEA under Java 1.6 and I tried:

1) creating a new IntelliJ IDEA SDK
2) dialog popups asking me to select internal Java version and only choice is 1.5 although I have also 1.6 JDK
3) I select 1.5 and can't choose the 1.6 still
4) I create a new 1.6 JDK
5) the JDK is now shown in IntelliJ IDEA SDK as choice in the Internal Java Platform combobox
6) I choose the newly created 1.6 SDK
7) I exit setup
8) when trying to rebuild I'm warned that the IntelliJ SDK for plugin module is not set
9) I set the module to the SDK, but the SDK uses 1.5 Java again

... I haven't found a way how to do what you suggest for Windows, maybe a platform specific problem or intention?

Thanks answer.

-Vaclav Slovacek

Hello Vaclav,

We don't currently distribute a Java 6 compiled version of IDEA for Mac.
If you really want to get it running, you can download the ZIP distribution
of IntelliJ IDEA and unpack the jar files from there into the correct place
under your IntelliJ IDEA.app directory. Then you'll be able to select the
1.6 JDK as the internal JDK for an IntelliJ IDEA sdk.

I have MacOS X 10.5 and running IDEA under Java 1.6 and I tried:

1) creating a new IntelliJ IDEA SDK

2) dialog popups asking me to select internal Java version and only
choice is 1.5 although I have also 1.6 JDK

3) I select 1.5 and can't choose the 1.6 still

4) I create a new 1.6 JDK

5) the JDK is now shown in IntelliJ IDEA SDK as choice in the Internal
Java Platform combobox

6) I choose the newly created 1.6 SDK

7) I exit setup

8) when trying to rebuild I'm warned that the IntelliJ SDK for plugin
module is not set

9) I set the module to the SDK, but the SDK uses 1.5 Java again

.. I haven't found a way how to do what you suggest for Windows, maybe
a platform specific problem or intention?

Thanks answer.

-Vaclav Slovacek

--
Dmitry Jemerov
Development Lead
JetBrains, Inc.
http://www.jetbrains.com/
"Develop with Pleasure!"

Many thanks, Dmitry. Copying lib folder made the trick. For those trying this on Mac too - do not copy the whole content of the zip to the app package. I have tried that and believe me that it does not work - IDEA won't even start. Long live Time Machine!