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Jump into interface implementation in Eclipse IDE

Asked 2010-07-15T12:35:38.327
148

You know how in Eclipse, pressing F3 over a method will take you to its declaration? Well I have a method that is part of an interface; clicking F3 over this naturally takes me to the declaring interface.

Obviously there is an object implementing this interface and this is where the method is actually implemented. I want, when I press F3, to jump to the implementation, not the interface declaration. I know that the implementation may not be known at compile-time, so is there a way for Eclipse to show me all the classes implementing the interface so that I can select which implemented method to view? Right now when this happens I am just manually searching for this to find the implemented method.

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2 Answers

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Here's what I do:

  • In the interface, move the cursor to the method name. Press F4. => Type Hierarchy view appears
  • In the lower part of the view, the method should already be selected. In its toolbar, click "Lock view and show members in hierarchy" (should be the leftmost toolbar icon).
  • In the upper part of the view, you can browse through all implementations of the method.

The procedure isn't very quick, but it gives you a good overview.

answered 2010-07-15T12:46:17.123
133

Well... well... I hope you use Eclipse Helios, because what you asked is available on Helios.

Put your text cursor again on the method and click menu Navigate → Open Implementation. Now if you have more than one implementation of the method, you will get choice to pick which implementation to open.

alt text

By defining a keybinding on Preferences → General → Keys you can even use the feature easier, but before you do that, see if this shortcut is fast enough for you.

Press Ctrl + click and hold. Now move your mouse over the same method. Tadam… you will get choice.

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If you pick Open Implementation you’ll get the same choice as before.

answered 2010-07-15T13:41:05.667

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