# Preferences Extension XML Reference

Describes a preferences extension, which adds one or more panels to the IDE properties dialogs. These dialogs include IDE Properties, Project Properties, and Application Properties (also known as "workspace properties"). For each of these dialogs, you can specify one or more panel with the <panel> child element.

For more information on building preferences extensions, see Adding Support for Preferences.

Note: The <extension-xml> element is the root for any extension descriptor. For this kind of extension, the <extension-xml> element's id attribute value must be "urn:com-bea-ide:settings".

For more information on specifying a preferences extension, see IPropertyPanel.

<extension-xml>
<ide-preferences>
<panel>
<workspace-preferences>
<panel>
<project-preferences>
<panel>

## <ide-preferences> Element

Specifies one or more panels that should be included in the IDE Properties dialog.

<extension-xml>
<ide-preferences>

### Syntax

    <ide-preferences>
        <!-- panel elements that define user interface for the properties panel -->
    </ide-preferences>

### Hierarchy

Parents: <extension-xml>.

Children: <panel>.

## <workspace-preferences> Element

Specifies one or more panels that should be included in the Application Properties dialog.

<extension-xml>
<workspace-preferences>

### Syntax

    <workspace-preferences>
        <!-- panel elements that define user interface for the properties panel -->
    </workspace-preferences>

### Hierarchy

Parents: <extension-xml>.

Children: <panel>.

## <project-preferences> Element

Specifies one or more panels that should be included in the Project Properties dialog.

<extension-xml>
<project-preferences>

### Syntax

    <workspace-preferences>
        <!-- panel elements that define user interface for the properties panel -->
    </workspace-preferences>

### Hierarchy

Parents: <extension-xml>.

Children: <panel>

## <panel> Element

Specifies a panel to appear in a properties dialog.

<extension-xml>
<ide-preferences>
<panel>

or

<extension-xml>
<workspace-preferences>
<panel>

or

<extension-xml>
<project-preferences>
<panel>

### Syntax

    <panel
        class="implementationClassName"
        label="labelForThisPanelInDialog"
        [priority="numberForDisplayRanking"]
    >

### Attributes

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
class | Required string. The fully-qualified name of the panel's implementation class. This class must implement IPropertyPanel.
label | Required string. The name that should appear in the properties dialog, and which the user clicks to select the panel.
priority | Optional int. A number indicating the ranking for this panel in the list of panels.

### Hierarchy

Parents: <ide-preferences>, <workspace-preferences>, <project-preferences>.

Children: None.