# Products sharing a common source framework

### Layout on file system

- The Java source files for two products require a common framework.
- Projects and common framework are in separate directories which have their own source and output folders.

### Steps for defining corresponding projects

1. Open a Java perspective, select the menu item File > New > Project.... to open the New Project wizard.
2. Select Java project in the list of wizards and click Next.
3. On the next page, type "Product1" in the Project name field. Click Next.

4. On the next page, Select "Product1" source folder and click Add Folder....

5. In New Source Folder dialog, type "src" in the Folder name field.

   Click Advanced. Check Link to folder in the file system.

   Click Browse.... and choose the "JavaSourceFiles" directory in "Product1".

6. Click OK to close the dialog.

7. Click again on Add Folder....

8. In New Folder dialog, type "src-common" in the Folder name field.

   Click Advanced. Check Link to folder in the file system.

   Click Browse.... and choose the "JavaSourceFiles" directory in "CommonFramework".

9. Click OK to close the dialog.
10. Check that "Product1/bin" is in the Default output folder field.

11. Click Finish.
12. Repeat these steps for "Product2".
13. You now have two Java projects which respectively contain the sources of "Product1" and "Product2" and which are using the sources of "CommonFramework".

Note: Files in "src-common" are shared. So editing "Common.java" in "Product1" will modify "Common.java" in "Product2". However they are compiled in the context of their respective projects. Two "Common.class" files will be generated; one for each project. If the two projects have different compiler options, then different errors could be reported on each "Common.java" file.

Java projects
Java views

Working with build paths
Creating a new Java project
Creating a Java project with source folders
Creating a new source folder
Using the Package Explorer

New Java Project Wizard
Package Explorer View