Code4z is an all-in-one VS Code extension pack for mainframe users working with z/OS. Code4z provides language support for IBM COBOL 6.0 and High Level Assembler for z/OS. It includes Zowe Explorer, Explorer for Endevor and extensions for interactive debugging and graphical visualization of COBOL applications. Code4z is free to install and use.
Code4z extensions utilize language servers that are fully compatible with the Language Server Protocol Specification. Additional editor extensions simplify your common workflows and enable you to work with COBOL and HLASM code in the same way you work with other languages in Visual Studio Code.
With the Code4z extension pack you can:
- Utilize syntax highlighting, real time syntax validation and content assist when editing COBOL and HLASM code.
- Utilize graphical visualization of program flow for COBOL programs.
- Automatically retrieve copybooks from the mainframe.
- Trace HLASM macros.
- Retrieve, browse and search Endevor elements.
- Access z/OS Datasets and z/OS Unix file systems, and submit JCLs.
- Debug COBOL code for applications running in a CICS region.
- View and download job output.
- Issue TSO and MVS commands.
- 2022-03-17 - Explorer for Endevor version 1.0.1, see Changelog.
- 2022-02-15 - COBOL Control Flow version 0.4.1, see Changelog.
- 2022-02-11 - Zowe Explorer version 1.22.0, see Changelog.
- 2022-01-31 - HLASM Language Support version 1.0.0, see Changelog
- 2021-09-17 - Debugger for Mainframe version 1.5.1, see Changelog.
- 2021-09-10 - COBOL Language Support version 0.21.0, see Changelog.
- Individual extension prerequisites are detailed in the individual readme files linked below.
COBOL Language Support provides autocomplete, highlighting and diagnostic features for COBOL code and copybooks.
How can we improve COBOL Language Support? Let us know on our Git repository
- Edit COBOL code with syntax highlighting, real time syntax validation, content assist and other advanced features.
- Automatic retrieval of copybooks from the mainframe.
Code completion, highlighting, browsing and validation for High Level Assembler language.
How can we improve HLASM Language Support? Let us know on our Git repository
- Edit HLASM code with syntax highlighting, real time syntax validation, content assist and other advanced features.
- Trace HLASM macros.
Zowe Explorer is a VS Code extension powered by Zowe CLI that streamlines interaction with mainframe data sets, USS files, and jobs. The extension is designed to function along with other extensions and plug-ins to deliver a richer experience.
You can learn more about the Zowe Explorer by watching the Getting Started and Work with Data Sets tutorial videos.
How can we improve Zowe Explorer? Let us know on our Git repository
- Access z/OS Datasets and z/OS Unix file systems, and submit JCLs.
- Create, edit, and work with z/OSMF compatible profiles.
- Store your credentials securely with Secure Credentials Store plug-in.
- View and download job output.
- Issue TSO and MVS commands.
- Leverage the API Mediation Layer token-based authentication to access z/OSMF.
- Install additional extensions.
The Explorer for Endevor extension modernizes the way you interact with Endevor, offering a user-friendly and convenient way to work with elements and inventory locations.
This extension offers best developer experience in synergy with Bridge for Git, a solution which enables you to concurrently work in Git and mainframe.
How can we improve Explorer for Endevor? Let us know on our Git repository
- Add, view, retrieve, edit, and generate elements
- View element details
- Work with Endevor profiles and Zowe CLI base profiles
- Print listings
Debugger for Mainframe provides the debugging interface to InterTest™ for CICS and InterTest™ Batch. This extension provides a modern debug experience for CICS and Batch applications written in COBOL.
How can we improve Debugger for Mainframe? Let us know on our Git repository
- Debug COBOL code for applications running in a CICS region.
- Debug COBOL code for Batch applications.
COBOL Control Flow provides graphical visualization of program flow for programs written in COBOL. The extension is designed to help COBOL developers to quickly comprehend and debug COBOL programs with which they might not be familiar.
How can we improve COBOL Control Flow? Let us know on our Git repository
- Generate interactive graphs of COBOL code
- Navigate through COBOL code and copybooks using the interactive graph.
- Use VS Code’s built-in Git interface to clone source code from Endevor using Endevor’s Bridge for Git.
- Edit COBOL code using COBOL Language Support, taking advantage of all the coding assistance provided by the extension.
- Locate all copybooks in the Git folder structure, and if needed, download other copybooks used in the source code from the mainframe.
- Use VS Code’s built-in Git interface to push, pull and merge changes.
- Search and browse additional code elements in the entire map of Endevor using the Explorer for Endevor extension. The COBOL Language Support extension provides syntax awareness for COBOL elements.
- Download code elements, including their dependencies, into the current workspace using the Explorer for Endevor extension, and synchronize them with the Git project if code modifications are needed.
- Provide InterTest server location, CICS region, credentials and program/transaction name (either by file or input form).
- Obtain the listing and set breakpoints.
- Trigger the CICS transaction and start a debug session.
- Display and change variable values.
- Stop at designated breakpoints, continue from a designated breakpoint and step through the listing.
- Close the debug session.
- Access mainframe files and execute jobs, either from an interactive graphical interface or in the terminal with CLI. Whether you want to view a PDS, allocate a dataset, change a JCL, submit a mainframe compile, or download and upload files, both interfaces provide these capabilities.