7 things IBM’s IDE provides for developer empowerment
IBM’s Developer for z Systems has long been the quality standard for graphical, Eclipse-based mainframe development. In an environment where the competition is fierce, IBM stays at the forefront by creating cutting-edge feature functions that can boost the efficacy of your development practices and tasks.
With that in mind, let’s dive in to seven features of IDz providing a better “quality of life” in everyday development practices:
1. Advanced remote and local search:
Ask any developer and they’ll tell you that searching is in the top three, if not the top two functions used daily. A powerful, flexible and efficient search facility is critical for success. IDz has both ISPF “SuperC” and Java-based GUI search facilities with persistent results available. Additionally, search has features like hover/peek, exportation of results, support for regular expression and hypertext links to bring you directly to the source where the search result was found.
2. Support for Hex (binary/non-display) values embedded in source:
Many, if not most of the applications running out there today have embedded hexadecimal values in the source code. IDz is the only integrated development environment (IDE) on the market today that supports roundtrip editing of hex values in source. This feature is crucial–without it the tooling would simply stop working.
3. Open called programs, copybooks, procs and data files during edit:
Coming from a mainframe background, the procedure to open a COBOL copybook from the source that you are editing involves a series of screen splits, searching and navigating. With IBM’s IDz you have the ability to open copybooks, called programs, procs and data files right from the source that’s open in edit. That process turns into two clicks of the mouse. This is one of the most powerful “context menu” options in the IDE.
4. Access to ISPF tooling:
Access to Command Lists (CLISTs), REXX Execs and ISPF panels comes within reach through the HATS/RCP facility and Menu Manager. Menu manager is a facility that allows you to extend the workbench to interact with previously unreachable ISPF/TSO functionality through the use of custom context menu options that address TSO with REXX Exec, CLIST, batch job or =6.*
5. JES/SDSF Functionality:
Not only does IDz provide completion notification (newly added as “notify”) and locate submitted job capabilities, but it also provides the ability to show job control language (JCL), XDC, search through jobs and spool files and resubmit a job with two clicks of the mouse. This is all available along with standard SDSF functionality around spool output like the ability to cancel, hold or purge jobs.
6. Integration with IBM Data Studio:
This feature set is far and away one of the most impressive, providing deep IBM DB2 tooling for both productivity and optimization. Access to Visual Explain, graphical SQL coding/editing, and stored procedure development tooling (like with wizard-driven generation) make for an extremely powerful asset to any user, with readily available benefits for your efficiency.
7. Automated remote client/workspace administration:
Available only from IBM, IDz’s push-to-client facility allows for easy management of user environments from a central z/OS source. This ability to administer and maintain the end user environment is critical in supporting the GUI development environment, whether this is on a small or large scale. Learn more about this technology here.
Add to this the flexibility of an IDE that supports both Java-style and ISPF-based tooling for COBOL, PL/I, and Assembler, and the picture is clear: no developer is left in the lurch when it comes to powerful functionality under one roof.
Visit the IDz product page for more info.
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