How to get started with EclipseShell
Install EclipseShell
Head over to the UpdateSite/Download page for information on installing EclipseShell.
Open an interactive EclipseShell
Your main toolbar should contain a button with a drop down list in, with
this icon: 
Open the drop down list (press the little downward triangle) to get the
list of installed EclipseShell environments. Choose the language that
you want to use.
This will open a new editor.
Execute commands, statements, expressions,...
Simply type in some expression like “1+1” into the editor. You can execute this by either- pressing CTRL-ALT-ENTER, this will create a new ‘Region’ that groups all code entered up to now (this is indicated by a range indicator in the lefthand overview ruler). You can re-evaluate this same group of code by placing the editor inside the Region and hitting this shortcut again.
- selecting the code you want to evaluate and pressing CTRL-ENTER. This will not create any Regions, but only take the selected code and evaluate it.
- use the mouse context menu and use the menu items for either of the above mentioned actions
[Optional] Save your command history
If you want to keep the commands you executed in an EclipseShell editor, simply use “Save As…” and choose a filename. To be able to open the history in a matching EclipseShell editor (ie. right language for the file), use the title of the EclipseShell editor as the file extension. Example: a JRuby EclipseShell editor will have the title “rbij”. If you want to save the contents of such a session, name your files “filename.rbij”.
[Optional] Reopen a saved command history
Simply take a previously saved command history file, and open it. You might have to use the context menu of the file and peruse the “Open With” submenu to choose the right editor (you’ll know which one is right when you see the options). Example: if you have your “filename.rbij”, then “Open With” have among its options an entry “Interactive Ruby Shell”.
