Generation using the EGL software development kit (SDK)

The EGL software development kit (SDK) is a feature that lets you generate output in a batch environment, even when you lack access to the graphical user interface of your development environment, or lack access to details on how projects are organized, or both. For example, if you store EGL files in a software configuration management (SCM) tool, you can create a batch job that extracts the files from the SCM tool (perhaps after working hours) and then uses the EGL SDK to trigger generation.

To use the EGL SDK, you enter the java EGLSDK command in a batch file or at a command prompt. The command statement itself can take either of two forms:

It can specify a single EGL file and a single EGL build descriptor part. In this case, if you want to generate multiple files, you must write multiple commands. Here is an example of this command, which should be written on one line:
```
java EGLSDK generate -eglpath "c:\myGroup;h:\myCorp" 
  -generateFile "c:\myProg.egl"
  -buildDescriptorFile "c:\myBuild.eglbld" 
  -buildDescriptorName myBuildDescriptor
```
It can specify an EGL command file that includes the information necessary for generating one or more EGL files:
```
java EGLSDK "commandfile.xml"
```

When generating with the EGL SDK, you must specify some information in different ways than when you generate in the workbench:

When generating in the workbench, the .eglPath file specifies the EGL build path, which is a list of directories that are searched to resolve part references. However, when generating with the EGL SDK, you specify the build path in one of two ways:
- If you generate without a command file, you specify the value of eglpath as an argument in the java EGLSDK.
- If you generate with a command file, you specify the value of eglpath in that file.
See Using eglpath with the EGL SDK.
You must specify the genDirectory build descriptor option instead of genProject to specify where EGL will place the generated code.

Please note that debugging information is never included in the generated output, even if you specify a debug build descriptor.

Prerequisites

Make sure that Java™ 1.5 (or a higher level) is on the system where you will generate code. An appropriate level of Java™ code is installed automatically on the system where you install EGL. The Java™ levels on the generation and target systems must be compatible.
Make sure that eglbatchgen.jar is in your CLASSPATH system variable. The JAR file is in the following directory:
```
shared_resources\plugins\com.ibm.etools.egl.batchgeneration_version\runtime
```
shared_resources

The shared resources directory for your product, such as C:\Program Files\IBM\SDP70Shared on a Windows™ system or /opt/IBM/SDP70Shared on a Linux™ system. If you installed and kept a previous version of an IBM® product containing EGL before installing your current product, you may need to specify the shared resources directory that was set up in the earlier installation.

version

The installed version of the plugin. If more than one is present, use the one with the most recent version number, unless you have a reason to use an older version.

If you are generating output to multiple target systems, you must set the CLASSPATH for each.
Here is a command-line CLASSPATH setting, where the example should be typed all on one line:
```
set CLASSPATH="shared_resources\plugins\
com.ibm.etools.egl.batchgeneration_version\runtime\eglbatchgen.jar"
```
If you are preparing one or more COBOL programs, ensure that the Security Manager is running. For details, see Security Manager.
Make sure that the EGL SDK can access the EGL files that are required for generation.
Optionally, develop an EGL command file.
Once you have satisfied the prerequisites, you can issue java EGLSDK commands as explained in EGLSDK.

Running EGLSDK from an alternate directory

To run EGLSDK from an alternate directory, copy both the runtime and lib subdirectories to your alternate directory from the following plugin directory:

shared_resources\plugins\com.ibm.etools.egl.batchgeneration_version\runtime