Launch Group

In the IDE, you can launch multiple applications at the same time, or in sequential order, using the launch configuration type called Launch Group.

Launches tab

For the Launch Group configuration type, the Launches tab lets you add and delete launch configurations for a group. It also allows you to temporarily disable, reorder, and edit properties of the group entries.
Component Description
Name Displays the name of the launch configuration and provides an option for enabling or disabling it.
Mode Displays the mode that the configuration will run in when the group is launched.
Action Displays the optional action that will be carried out after the configuration is launched.
Up Moves the selected configuration(s) up in the list order.
Down Moves the selected configuration(s) down in the list order.
Add Opens a dialog to add a new configuration to the group.
Edit Opens a dialog to edit properties for a group entry.
Remove Removes the selected configuration(s) from the group.

Common tab

The Common tab lets you select where the IDE stores the configuration. For information about this tab, see the Common tab reference in the general launch configuration description.

Launch group entry properties

If you click Edit after selecting a specific entry in the Launch Group dialog, you can edit the following properties for that entry:
Component Description
Launch Mode Indicates the mode to use for the launch configuration associated with this entry. This dropdown list also provides a mode filter for the launch configurations shown below in the dialog. For example, if you select Debug, only those configurations that support the Debug mode appear, and when the launch group is invoked, the launch configuration is invoked in Debug mode.
Filter text Filters the launch configurations list. You can type descriptive text to display only those configurations with matching names.
Configurations tree Lists all available launch configurations for the selected Launch Mode, filtered by the text in the previous field. You can click a list item to change the associated launch configuration.
Use default mode when launching

Overrides the Launch Mode setting, ensuring that this launch configuration is launched in the mode that's set for the launch group.

A launch configuration can be invoked from either the Debug or Run action (and some comparable Profile action in certain configurations). The launch group itself can be launched in either Debug or Run mode. Selecting the Use default… option tells the IDE to launch this configuration in the same mode used for the entire launch group. Deselecting this option means this configuration gets invoked in whatever mode is currently set for it.

Note: The Use default… option doesn't stop you from creating a launch group that will be unsuccessful. For example, an unsuccessful launch occurs when one or more selected launch configurations can't be launched in the mode specified by the group.
Post launch action
Controls what should be done after each launch. Several actions are available:
  • None — launch the next configuration immediately
  • Wait until terminated — wait until the current launch is terminated
  • Delay — wait a specified number of seconds before launching the next configuration