Visual Studio Code Extension for Zowe

The Visual Studio Code (VSC) Extension for Zowe lets you interact with data sets that are stored on IBM z/OS mainframes. You can explore data sets, view their contents, make changes, and upload the changes to the mainframe. Interacting with data sets from VSC can be more convenient than using command-line interfaces or 3270 emulators.

Important! To use the VSC Extension for Zowe, you must install Zowe CLI version 2.0.0 or later.

The VSC Extension for Zowe is powered by Zowe CLI. The extension demonstrates the potential for plug-ins powered by Zowe.

Contents

• Prerequisites
• Configuration and usage tips
• Sample use cases

Tip: For information about how to install the extension from a VSIX file and run system tests on the extension, see the Developer README file that is located in the docs folder of this repository.

Prerequisites

After you install the Zowe extension, meet the following prerequisites:

• Install Zowe CLI on your PC.

Important!: To use the VSC Extension for Zowe, you must install Zowe CLI version 2.0.0 or later.

• Create at least one Zowe CLI 'zosmf' profile.

Configuration and usage tips

You can alter the behavior of the extension in the following ways:

• Data set Safe Save: The Visual Studio Code Save functionality will overwrite data set contents on the mainframe. To prevent conflicts, use the Zowe extension Safe Save functionality to compare changes made with initial mainframe contents before saving. For more information, see Use Safe Save to prevent merge conflicts.
• Data set persistence settings: You can toggle the persistence of any data sets that are present under your Favorites tab.

Tip: By default, Visual Studio Code does not highlight data set syntax. To enhance the experience of using the extension, download an extension that highlights syntax, such as COBOL.

Advanced Configuration

WARNING: Specifying these preferences incorrectly, may cause the extension to fail.

Extension preferences can also be modified in the Settings for this extension. They can be customized in the following ways:

• Data set creation settings: You can change the default creation settings for various data set types.
• Temp Folder Location: You can change the default folder location, for where temporary files are stored. In order to set in Settings, use the example below.

"Zowe-Temp-Folder-Location": {
    "folderPath": "/path/to/directory"
  }

Sample use cases

Review the following use cases to understand how to use this extension.

View data sets and use multiple filters

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the DATA SETS bar.
3. Select the profile that you want to filter.
4. Click the Search Data Sets by Entering Patterns magnifying glass.
5. From the drop-down, enter the patterns that you want to filter.
   The data sets that match your pattern(s) display in the explorer tree.

Tip: To provide multiple filters, separate entries with a comma. You can prepend or append any filter with an *, which indicates wildcard searching. You cannot enter an * as the entire pattern.

Refresh the list of data sets

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Click Refresh All button on the right of the DATA SETS explorer bar as illustrated by the following screen:

Download, edit, and upload an existing PDS member

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.

2. Open the DATA SETS bar.

3. Open a profile.

4. Click the PDS member (or PS) that you want to download.

   Note: To view the members of a PDS, click the PDS to expand the tree.

   The PDS member displays in the text editor window of VSC.

5. Edit the document.

6. Navigate back to the PDS member (or PS) in the explorer tree, and click the Safe Save button.

Your PDS member (or PS) is uploaded.

Note: If someone else has made changes to the PDS member (or PS) while you were editing it, you can merge your conflicts before uploading to the mainframe.

Use Safe Save to prevent merge conflicts

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the DATA SETS bar.
3. Open a profile.
4. Download and edit a data set.
5. Click the Safe Save button for the data set that you opened in the explorer tree.
6. Resolve merge conflicts if necessary.

Create a new PDS and a PDS member

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the DATA SETS bar.
3. Select the Create New Data Set button to specify the profile that you want to use to create the data set.
4. From the drop-down menu, select the type of PDS that you want to create.
5. Enter a name for the PDS. The PDS is created.
6. To create a member, right-click the PDS and select Create New Member.
7. Enter a name for the member. The member is created.

Delete a PDS member and a PDS

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.

2. Open the DATA SETS bar.

3. Open the profile and PDS containing the member.

4. Right-click on the PDS member that you want to delete and select Delete Member.

5. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes on the drop-down menu.

   Note: Alternatively, you can select 'No' to cancel the deletion.

6. To delete a PDS, right-click the PDS and click Delete PDS, then confirm the deletion.

   Note: You can delete a PDS before you you delete its members.

View and access multiple profiles simultaneously

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the DATA SETS bar.
3. Click the Add Profile button on the right of the DATA SET explorer bar.
4. Select the profile that you want to add to the view as illustrated by the following screen.

Add and edit information that defines how to create data sets

1. Navigate to to File, Preferences, Settings.
2. In the section Default User Settings, scroll to Zowe Configuration and expand the options.
3. Click the Edit button to the left of the Data Set settings that you want to edit.
4. Select Copy to Settings.
5. Edit the settings as needed.

View Unix System Services (USS) files

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the Unix System Services (USS) bar.
3. Select the profile that you want to filter.
4. Click the Search Unix System Services (USS) by Entering a Path magnifying glass.
5. From the drop-down, enter the path that you want as the root of your displayed tree.
   All child files and directories of that root file are displayed in the explorer tree.

Note: You will not be able to expand directories or files that you are not authorised for.

Refresh the list of files

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Click Refresh All button on the right of the Unix System Services (USS) explorer bar as illustrated by the following screen:

Download, edit, and upload an existing file

1. Click the file that you want to download.

   Note: To view the files within a directory, click the directory to expand the tree.

   The file displays in the text editor window of VSC.

   Note: If you have defined file associations with syntax coloring the suffix of your file will be marked up.

2. Edit the document.

3. Type Ctrl-s or Command-s (OSx) to save the file

Your file is uploaded.

Creating and deleting files and directories

Create a directory

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the Unix System Services (USS) bar.
3. Select a directory that you want to add the new directory to.
4. Select the Create directory button and specify the directory name. The directory is created.

Create a file

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the Unix System Services (USS) bar.
3. Select a directory that you want to add the new file to.
4. Select the Create file button and specify the file name. The file is created.

Delete a file

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the Unix System Services (USS) bar.
3. Select a file you want to remove.
4. Select the Delete button and press yes in the confirmation dropdown. The file is deleted.

Delete a directory

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the Unix System Services (USS) bar.
3. Select a directory you want to remove.
4. Select the Delete button and press yes in the confirmation dropdown. The directory and all child files and directories are deleted.

View and access multiple USS profiles simultaneously

1. Navigate to your explorer tree.
2. Open the Unix System Services (USS) bar.
3. Click the Add Profile button on the right of the Unix System Services (USS) explorer bar.
4. Select the profile that you want to add to the view as illustrated by the following screen.