Exporting a plugin from inside eclipse is the 'quick and dirty' method to get an output binary for quick local tests. It does not generate an update site, and so this mechanism is only really suitable for local smoke-testing.
To export a plugin, you have the choice of exporting to a specific local directory, or to install in the eclipse instance you are currently running.
To export to a folder, you can follow this short guide on Exporting Plugins. Once this action is complete, you should have your deployable units in the folder you selected. The units can then be placed into your ${eclipse.home}/dropins folder.
The danger with this is that it will not install any dependencies. If you are installing low-level plugins such as foundation, this shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, you’ll have to install all of your dependencies into the instance. The two easiest ways to achieve this are to either install JBoss Tools or to install our Target Platform.
If you’re having problems determining what dependencies are missing, you can open your OSGi console Window → Show View → Console and browse to your OSGi Console. In the OSGi Console, you can attempt to start your plugin as follows:
osgi> ss myplugin
"Framework is launched."
id State Bundle
198 RESOLVED org.myplugin.core_1.0.0.v20140602-1527
osgi> start 198
osgi>If there are any specific errors in resolving dependencies, it will tell you here.
This stackoverflow article indicates some of the problems with this method.
This guide explains how to export your plugins into your currently-running eclipse instance.
This method will attempt dependency resolution only to verify that the plugin can be installed. If some dependencies are missing, this method will refuse to install your plugin, and will indicate what dependencies are missing. This can lead to a situation where your plugin is compiling properly because you have your Target Platform configured in Eclipse, but it cannot install.
If this happens, you may consider installing all of your dependencies into the instance. The two easiest ways to achieve this are to either install JBoss Tools or to install our Target Platform.