Defining external tools

You can create external tool definitions in IBM® Developer for z/OS® to create shortcuts to other stand-alone programs, such as Notepad and Internet Explorer.

To create an external tool definition, complete the following steps:

1. In the workbench, select Run > External Tools > External Tools to open the External Tools window.
2. In the left navigation tree, click Program, and then click New to open the New configuration page.
   
3. In the Name field, type a name for the external tool that you want to create.
   This name is displayed in the External Tools list.
4. In the Location group, do one of the following steps:
   • In the Location field, type the full path of the external tool that you want to run. You can also use environment variables or user variables to specify the location of the external tool. To insert variables into the Location field, click Variables to open the Select variable window. From the list of variables, select the variable that you want to include in this field, and then click OK.
   • Click Browse WorkSpace to browse for the location of the external tool within the projects in your workspace.
   • Click Browse File System to browse for the location of the external tool on the local file system.
5. Optional. In the Working Directory group, do one of the following steps:
   • In the Working Directory field, type the full path of the location where you want this action to be run. You can also use environment variables or user variables to specify this location. To insert variables into the Working Directory field, click Variables to open the Select variable window. From the list of variables, select the variable that you want to include in this field, and then click OK.
   • Click Browse WorkSpace to browse for the location within the projects in your workspace where you want this action to be run.
   • Click Browse File System to browse for the location on the local file system where you want this action to be run.
6. Optional. In the Arguments group, do one of the following steps:
   • In the Arguments field, type the arguments that you want to pass to the external tool when it runs.
   • Click Variables to open the Select variable window. From the list of variables, select the variable that you want to pass as an argument.
7. Optional. In the Common tab, select the Launch in background check box to run the external tool in the background. Clear the check box to run the external tool in the foreground.
8. Optional. In the Display in favorites section of the Common tab, select the External Tools check box. By default, only the most recently used external tools programs are shown in the External Tools menu. Selecting this check box specifies that you want external tool actions to be displayed in this menu before you run programs for the first time.
9. Click Apply.