Where does Eclipse store list of update sites? And can it be copied to another installation?

Question

My Eclipse installation got completely borked and won't start up, so I will likely have to reinstall it (but this is also relevant when upgrading to a new Eclipse version). I want not to have to hunt down all the plugins I had installed. So where does Eclipse store list of available update sites? And if it isn't in plain text, can it be copied into another installation without problems?

Answer 1

Click on File->Export->Install (Installed Software Items to File)

sorry that I did not notice that your eclipse installation is not working. I don't think there is a direct solution to import the installs from eclipse config files (If you can't export from eclipse). Eclipse stores this configuration in the "articles.xml" files inside "eclipse/configuration/../../...."
e.g on my box I checked here: eclipse/configuration/org.eclipse.osgi/bundles/293/data/-750392822/artifacts.xml There will be many articles.xml files like this. I suggest to find one articles.xml files inside your broken eclipse path and then try importing that in new eclipse by help->install new softeare->(the click on) Available Software Sites->Import and then import these articles.xml files. To be honest, I did not try this, but would like to try this..

Answer 2

I don't know where it stores the websites but you can export/import sites from/to eclipse

There is a link like button named "Available Software Sites" on intall update/plugin window. There you can choose all the sites and export those sites and import on another eclipse installlation.