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Edit files directly over SFTP in Eclipse (Remote System Explorer)

I typically edit PHP and Python using VI over SSH in multiple Putty windows.  Arranging the windows is a pain, you lose all of your open shells if your connection hiccups, none of the machines I connect to provide color terminals, and I’m often fight VI’s indenting (and am too lazy to fix it on every machine).

I’ve now switched over to editing files on the server using Eclipse and the Repose System Explorer add-on.  It solves all of the problems mentioned above.

  • From Eclipse: Help -> Install New Software. “Work with: -All available sites-“. In the search box type “remote system”. Check “Remote System Explorer End-User Runtime”, click Next to proceed with the install.
  • After the wizard completed, click Window -> Open Perspective -> Remote System Explorer.  Right-click in Remote Systems, choose New Connection, type in your details.  After you connect, expand “Sftp Files” and you’ll be able to open remote files in the editor.

Thanks Ikool’s Blogbed.

13 Comments

  1. Thanks, I was using that option in Notepad++ up until now, but this might just replace it.

  2. In Eclipse Kepler, RSE is installed via Help -> Eclipse Marketplace -> search for “remote”

  3. Also, make sure you get the latest version for your current version of eclipse. I found it in the folder [Version-Name] – http://download.eclipse.org/releases/%5BVersion-Name%5D – Worked out nice to specify the specific site since the “all available sites” option was hanging for a long time. (check all folders/subfolders related to your version)

  4. Works perfectly in Mars too. I notice it even gives me sudo access without me needing to type a thing. Thanks for this Chris!

  5. Thanks! Here is a bonus question though: is there a way I could set up a tunnel? I need to connect to computer B. But to do so, I need to connect to computer A first. Is there a way I can use an ssh tunnel to edit files on computer B?

  6. Is there any way we can search the remote system java file using ctrl+shift+R option

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