How to change an Eclipse default project into a Java project

Asked 7/10, 2008 at 17:3 Answered 13/11, 2018 at 16:58

148

I checked out a project from SVN and did not specify the project type, so it checked out as a "default" project. What is the easiest way to quickly convert this into a "Java" project?

I'm using Eclipse version 3.3.2.

Bouffard answered 7/10, 2008 at 17:3 Comment(2)

See also Convert Eclipse project type from general to Java – Heinrick 24/5, 2012 at 20:7

I don't understand why this has to be such a difficult thing for Eclipse – Nice 15/4, 2016 at 11:33

128

Open the .project file and add java nature and builders.

<projectDescription>
    <buildSpec>
        <buildCommand>
            <name>org.eclipse.jdt.core.javabuilder</name>
            <arguments>
            </arguments>
        </buildCommand>
    </buildSpec>
    <natures>
        <nature>org.eclipse.jdt.core.javanature</nature>
    </natures>
</projectDescription>

And in .classpath, reference the Java libs:

<classpath>
    <classpathentry kind="con" path="org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER"/>
</classpath>

Command answered 7/10, 2008 at 17:7 Comment(9)

I agree with Lorenzo, editing configuration files by hand is a good way to get into trouble with Eclipse. – Martelli 25/4, 2012 at 18:13

@Ricky It can be done via the UI in certain versions, with certain plugins. – Command 9/4, 2013 at 13:45

@ChrisMarasti-Georg Yes you are right but even so the solution should imply installing those plugins or updating the UI rather than tweaking an xml by hand specially when the user doesn't know what he is doing. Also because that defies the purpose of having an advanced IDE. – Lexie 9/4, 2013 at 17:1

In my case, I just had to add the <nature> tag to <natures />. I had imported an existing Maven project, and Eclipse didn't recognize it as a Java project. However, Eclipse had already correctly configured a Maven <buildCommand> section. HTH. – Orest 12/3, 2014 at 18:42

@flashdisk it should be in the root directory of the project. – Command 16/4, 2015 at 21:8

After doing this you may need to open the project's Properties and configure the Java Build Path to identify where your source directories are found (e.g., 'src') and specify where Eclipse should generate the .class files ('bin'). – Oreilly 3/7, 2015 at 18:6

You can get into trouble editing configuration files like this, but sometimes it's the only way I've found to get past a stuck point. – Ninnyhammer 17/12, 2015 at 19:55

Suggested .project edits worked but not .classpath. What I ended up doing is check the .classpath file of another Eclipse project I had and copying it. Had to clean the build afterwards. Worked like a charm. – Succedaneum 1/3, 2016 at 18:12

Don't forget to add the src directory to the classpath too <classpathentry kind="src" path="src"/> and bin too for that matter <classpathentry kind="output" path="bin"/> – Hough 11/11, 2017 at 20:12

121

Manually changing XML and/or settings is very dangerous in eclipse unless you know exactly what you're doing. In the other case you might end up finding your complete project is screwed. Taking a backup is very recommended!

How to do it just using Eclipse?

Select project.
Open the project properties through Project -> Properties.
Go to "Targetted Runtimes" and add the proper runtime. Click APPLY.
Go to "Project Facets" and select the JAVA facet which has appeared due to step 4. Click APPLY
Set your build path.
If it's a Maven project, you might want to select the project, click Maven -> Update Project configuration...

That did it for me. And Eclipse is configured correctly. Hope it'll work for you too.

Socher answered 28/7, 2010 at 14:53 Comment(10)

Lorenzo has the proper way to do it. Using Indigo: Right click on project > Properties... > Project Facets > Check Java > Apply – Frisk 27/10, 2011 at 18:48

In Eclipse Indigo there is no "Targetted Runtimes" entry in Project Properties, at least I couldn't find it. – Naive 24/4, 2012 at 15:25

@Naive Just go straight to Project Facets. You may need to enable facets for the project. – Martelli 25/4, 2012 at 18:12

@Socher I'm using STS and I don't have "Java facet" under Project Facets". Any ideas? – Suppositive 2/8, 2012 at 14:25

Note that "Project Facets" is only available in the Java EE version of Eclipse (or with WTP installed). See Eclipse Bug 102527 for having this functionality in all versions. – Westward 12/2, 2013 at 20:58

@Socher So I turned my project into an faceted Java project and it works great, but now I have this file that was generated: org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.xml that lists out a specific runtime jdk version. Will this prevent other team members from working on this project if they don't have the same runtime? – Creodont 15/2, 2013 at 14:44

In my case, it was a Maven project, and Update Project... indeed worked. Thanks! – Macaluso 11/7, 2013 at 8:38

didn't work! I dont have "Targetted Runtimes" and "Project Facets" – Isoagglutinin 25/9, 2013 at 10:33

@'robinst' comment: Loading Java EE from Eclipse -> Install New Software allowed me to add project facets, including Java. Thanks. – Inexorable 10/1, 2015 at 22:11

this answer is out of date, see @victor-grazi 's answer below – Negatron 6/5, 2019 at 15:20

In recent versions of eclipse the fix is slightly different...

Right click and select Project Properties
Select Project Facets
If necessary, click "Convert to faceted form"
Select "Java" facet
Click OK

Majormajordomo answered 29/11, 2012 at 16:3 Comment(0)

I deleted the project without removing content. I then created a new Java project from an existing resource. Pointing at my SVN checkout root folder. This worked for me. Although, Chris' way would have been much quicker. That's good to note for future. Thanks!

Bouffard answered 7/10, 2008 at 17:22 Comment(1)

Your way works, but an important point: as noted here you must NOT uncheck "use default location". – Proportional 26/7, 2013 at 15:15

In newer versions of eclipse (I'm using 4.9.0) there is another, possibly easier, methods. As well as Project Facets, there are now Project Natures. Here the process is simple get the Project Natures property page up, and then click the Add... button. This will come up with possible natures included Java Nature and Eclipse Faceted Project Properties. Just add the Java Nature and ignore the various warning messages and your done.

This method might be better as you don't have to convert to Faceted form first. Furthermore Java was not offered in the add Facet menu.

Gaynellegayner answered 13/11, 2018 at 16:58 Comment(2)

Thank you. Was looking for this for an hour – Bifoliate 29/3, 2020 at 23:1

This method was very quick and relevant to modern versions of eclipse. The previous answers are pretty dated. – Faggoting 22/12, 2021 at 9:48

Using project Project facets we can configure characteristics and requirements for projects.

To find Project facets on eclipse:

Step 1: Right click on the project and choose properties from the menu.
Step 2:Select project facets option. Click on Convert to faceted form...
Step 3: We can find all available facets you can select and change their settings.

Brecher answered 12/8, 2015 at 12:27 Comment(1)

amazing way to fix this issue. – Everara 17/5, 2016 at 6:19

Joe's approach is actually the most effective means that I have found for doing this conversation. To elaborate a little bit more on it, you should right click on the project in the package explorer in eclipse and then select to delete it without removing directory or its contents. Next, you select to create a Java project (File -> New -> Java Project) and in the Contents part of the New Java Project dialog box, select 'Create project from existing source'.

The advantage this approach is that source folders will be properly identified. I found that mucking around with the .project file can lead to the entire directory being considered a source folder which is not what you want.

Vellicate answered 15/11, 2009 at 16:28 Comment(2)

Working with eclipse Kepler build 20140224-0627, and the "file->new->project...->... from existing sources" seems the easiest way to go. – Asher 9/3, 2014 at 15:49

This works slightly differently in Kepler, the 'Create project from existing source' bit is unnecessary. But yes, this is the best way to do it. – Cloraclorinda 26/8, 2014 at 17:33

You can do it directly from eclipse using the Navigator view (Window -> Show View -> Navigator). In the Navigator view select the project and open it so that you can see the file .project. Right click -> Open. You will get a XML editor view. Edit the content of the node natures and insert a new child nature with org.eclipse.jdt.core.javanature as content. Save.

Now create a file .classpath, it will open in the XML editor. Add a node named classpath, add a child named classpathentry with the attributes kind with content con and another one named path and content org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER. Save-

Much easier: copy the files .project and .classpath from an existing Java project and edit the node result name to the name of this project. Maybe you have to refresh the project (F5).

You'll get the same result as with the solution of Chris Marasti-Georg.

Edit

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Barramunda answered 6/12, 2012 at 19:21 Comment(0)

Another possible way is to delete the project from Eclipse (but don't delete the project contents from disk!) and then use the New Java Project wizard to create a project in-place. That wizard will detect the Java code and set up build paths automatically.

Oreilly answered 6/7, 2015 at 14:46 Comment(0)

Right click on project
Configure -> 'Convert to Faceted Form'
You will get a popup, Select 'Java' in 'Project Facet' column.
Press Apply and Ok.

Euphroe answered 3/6, 2015 at 12:26 Comment(2)

Configure just has 2 options for me: 1. Convert to Maven 2. Configure and detect nested project. Do I need to active anything to see that "Configure to Faceted Form"? – Dogwatch 7/5, 2017 at 19:8

@Dogwatch it looks like your current installation of eclipse does not support that. I am not sure which plugins are responsible for the "Faceted form", but if you download the Eclipse EE version you get it by default. – Declivitous 9/5, 2017 at 9:24

Depending on the Eclipse in question the required WTP packages may be found with different names. For example in Eclipse Luna I found it easiest to search with "Tools" and choose one that mentioned Tools for Java EE development. That added the project facet functionality. Searching with "WTP" wasn't of much help.

Garibaldi answered 20/9, 2016 at 9:39 Comment(1)

to get the facet options I installed new software: Eclipse Java EE Developer Tools, searching for 'tools' in Eclipse Oxygen – Actinon 23/8, 2017 at 8:41

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