POM XML formatting broken or disabled on Eclipse EE 2025-06.

[garretwilson]

I'm using Eclipse EE 2025-06, and I can't get the formatter to do anything for POM XML files. It's as if there is no formatter at all. Was this accidentally disabled or removed?

[garretwilson]

After more testing, it seems that sometimes the formatter does things, and sometimes it does nothing. Take for example this snippet, using tabs:

	<dependencyManagement>
		<dependencies>

			<dependency>
				<groupId>com.example</groupId>
				<artifactId>foo</artifactId>
				<version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
			</dependency>
			
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>bar</artifactId>
  <version>1.1</version>
</dependency>			
		</dependencies>
	</dependencyManagement>

Note that I pasted in the second dependency.

Watch what happens when I manually indent a line <dependency>:

	<dependencyManagement>
		<dependencies>

			<dependency>
				<groupId>com.example</groupId>
				<artifactId>foo</artifactId>
				<version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
			</dependency>
			
			<dependency>
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>bar</artifactId>
  <version>1.1</version>
</dependency>			
		</dependencies>
	</dependencyManagement>

Still nothing. The formatter does nothing. But let me bring the <dependency> line back:

	<dependencyManagement>
		<dependencies>

			<dependency>
				<groupId>com.example</groupId>
				<artifactId>foo</artifactId>
				<version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
			</dependency>
			
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>bar</artifactId>
  <version>1.1</version>
</dependency>			
		</dependencies>
	</dependencyManagement>

Now when I initiate format, the formatter jumps into action … but it only moves <dependency> to the correct spot:

	<dependencyManagement>
		<dependencies>

			<dependency>
				<groupId>com.example</groupId>
				<artifactId>foo</artifactId>
				<version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
			</dependency>
			
			<dependency>
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>bar</artifactId>
  <version>1.1</version>
</dependency>			
		</dependencies>
	</dependencyManagement>

What if I put various indentations?

	<dependencyManagement>
		<dependencies>

			<dependency>
				<groupId>com.example</groupId>
				<artifactId>foo</artifactId>
				<version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
			</dependency>

	<dependency>
		<groupId>com.example</groupId>
	<artifactId>bar</artifactId>
<version>1.1</version>
					</dependency>			
		</dependencies>
	</dependencyManagement>

Nothing. The formatter does nothing.

So in this example the most I could get it to do is move a single line <dependency> to the correct position, but only in certain arbitrary circumstances.

[danthe1st]

I think the formatter is only "broken" if you don't have anything selected. If a part of the pom.xml is selected, it will format that. If you select all and then press Ctrl+Shift+F, it will format the entire file.

This might be #1835 and it might be the case that this isn't in Eclipse 2025-06 yet.

[laeubi]

@danthe1st @mickaelistria I still see the issue with the latest eclipse sdk.

1. open file eclipse.platform.releng.aggregator/eclipse-platform-parent/pom.xml
2. press CTRL+SHIFT+F --> nothing happens
3. press CTRL+A, then CTRL+SHIFT+F --> all whitespace replaced by tab

Peek.2025-10-02.10-37.mp4

[mickaelistria]

eclipse-lsp4e/lsp4e#1337 will fix it in LSP4E.