What's new

Version 16.0.8

Db2® for z/OS® Development

• Support for debugging external Java stored procedures is added. You can now debug Java stored procedures from .javaspsql files in Eclipse by setting breakpoints in the Java source, launching the debugger, and stepping through code execution. For more information, see Debugging external Java stored procedures.

  For information about these new functions, see Debugging Java Stored Procedures.

• Support for running and debugging SQL user-defined functions (UDFs) is added. You can now run and debug compiled scalar UDFs with the .udfsql file type from the catalog, editor, project explorer, or a run/debug configuration. Debugging requires UDFs to include the VERSION parameter and have debugging enabled at deployment. For more information, see Running SQL User Defined Functions and Debugging SQL User Defined Functions.

• You can now activate versions of stored procedures (SPs) and user-defined functions (UDFs) that are inactive directly by using the catalog. For more information, see Activate Stored Procedure and UDF.
• You can now export the complete contents of CLOB and other large text columns from the Remote System Details view. For more information Exporting complete CLOB contents to CSV, see Creating and running SQL scripts.

• You can now specify the currentPackagePath property in profile-less tuning or in a tuning profile to define one or more collection IDs used to resolve Db2 packages. For more information, see Tuning SQL statements.

• The two new check-boxes, Remove Carriage Return and Line Feed Characters and Remove Tab Characters, along with the Maximum Column Width setting and Wrap Columns option, are available in the Db2 for z/OS preferences under the Display result sets as plain text in the Console view option.

  For more information, see Configuring Db2 for z/OS tooling.

• Db2 for z/OS connections now support options for password-less Multi-factor authentication (MFA) authentication, as well as an option to dynamically prompt for the user's password when needed.

  For more information, see Authenticating with the database.

16.0.7

Db2 for z/OS Development

Db2 for z/OS Development tooling is enhanced to include these new functions:

• Support for COBOL and PL/I stored procedures is added. You can now deploy, run, and debug COBOL and PL/I stored procedures from .spsql files. A new deployment wizard guides you through selecting the procedure source and required settings. For more information, see Deploying a stored procedure, Running a stored procedure, and Debugging a stored procedure.
• Support for deploying SQLJ stored procedures is added. You can now deploy SQLJ stored procedures using the Deploy Stored Procedure wizard from .spsql or .javaspsql files. The wizard guides you through specifying routine and Java options, including source file, target schema, and JRE compatibility. For more information, see Deploying Java stored procedures.
• You can now run or call stored procedures of any supported LANGUAGE directly from the source DDL.
• The Content Assist for SQL, COBOL, and PL/I now supports providing suggestions for Schema, Table, and Column names. Additionally you can define schema-level filters to limit the proposals to a subset of the catalog's content. For more information, see Working with Java and SQLJ Stored Procedures.
• Support added for deploying User-defined functions (UDFs). You can now deploy UDFs from .udfsql files using the Deploy Routine wizard. For more information, see Deploying User Defined Functions.
• Apply multiple filters of the same column-type in Catalog Navigation. For more information, see Filtering Db2 objects.
• You can now Generate DDL scripts for Db2 objects like Databases, Indexes, Tables, Table Spaces, and Views. For more information, see Generate DDL.
• Improved SQL error messaging:
  • Db2 for z/OS connections now display a default JDBC property retrieveMessagesFromServerOnGetMessage, which provides more detailed and readable SQL error messages.
  • A one time migration adds this property to existing connections as needed.
• Save and Reload stored procedure parameter values when calling or debugging routines.
  • Parameters saved from Data Studio can also be loaded in IBM® Developer for z/OS.
• A new Db2 for z/OS preference toggle whether to Display result sets as plain text in the Console view.

For information about these new functions, see Developing with Db2 for z/OS.

16.0.6

• Deployment of external SQL stored procedures.
• Debugging native and external SQL stored procedures.
• Filtering catalog navigation results by any column type.
• Importing connection profiles from IBM Data Studio.
• Generating declarations (DCLGEN).
• A toolbar for common Db2 for z/OS actions.
• Autofill of prior parameter values when re-executing a query.
• Large object support.
• Consistent feedback from query execution when no rows are returned.
• Viewing multiple result sets returned from a query.

16.0.4

• Support for creating, deploying, and running stored procedures is added. The SQL editor includes a new wizard, Deploy Stored Procedure and menu actions for running stored procedures. The Run Configurations wizard now includes support for deployed stored procedures. For more information about stored procedure support, see Creating, Deploying, and Running Stored Procedures.
• A new Db2 Templates preference page displays SQL templates included with the product and allows for the creation of additional templates. For more information about defining templates, see Defining SQL templates.
• The SQL editor provides content assistance for built-in functions, stored procedures, and SQL templates. For more information about the SQL editor content assistance, see Inserting code with content assistance.
• The Catalog list is updated:
  • It now includes these Db2 objects: Sequences, Table Spaces, Triggers, User-Defined Functions, User-Defined Types. Nesting support is added to all preexisting references to these objects.
  • These child objects are removed: Schemas > Aliases, Packages > Aliases, Packages > Partitioned Table Spaces, Packages > Sequence Aliases.
  • Functions is renamed User-Defined Functions in these nodes: Schemas, Packages, Views.
  • A new filter option, Include implicit objects, is added to the Query Filter properties for these top-level Catalog filters: Databases, Indexes, Sequences, Tables, and Table Spaces. When this option is enabled, implicit objects are included as children of these objects. The filter label is also updated to show Include Implicit.
  • The Catalog list adds disambiguation labels to objects with identical names. These labels display additional context, such as the schema name, in parenthesis following the name.
  For more information about the Catalog list, see Navigating catalogs.

16.0.3

• A new SQL editor combines familiar editing, formatting, and syntax checking capabilities of the Developer for z/OS source code editors with the Db2 for z/OS Development tools for running and tuning SQL. This new editor introduces a menu action Format SQL and a preference page for setting SQL formatting options. Text editing tools include
  • Bracket matching and automatic closing of bracket pairs
  • Code folding
  • Toggle Line Comment
  • Toggle Word Wrap
  • Toggle Block Selection Mode
  • Show Whitespace Characters
  • Syntax coloring and flagging SQL errors
  • A new z/OS File System Mapping that defines file transfer characteristics for workstation files with the .sql extension and z/OS data sets with the SQL low-level qualifier
  For more information about the SQL editor, see Creating and running SQL scripts.
• Ability to edit table data in the Remote System Details view. The Edit Table function is enabled for database tables that have either a primary key constraint or a unique constraint. For more information about editing table data, see Editing table data.
• Ability to export and import preferences from the Db2 for z/OS, SQL Formatter, and EXEC SQL Statements preference pages. For more information, see Exporting Db2 for z/OS preferences.
• The push-to-client feature now supports Db2 for z/OS connections. For more information about setting up and using the push-to-client feature, see Planning a push-to-client environment. In the push-to-client export wizard, the Db2 for z/OS preferences are on the Global configuration page. For more information about using the push-to-client export wizard, see Exporting push-to-client configuration files.
• Improvements and enhancements to several functions that were introduced in prior releases:
  • Table data sorting and query filtering in the Remote System Details view are improved and expanded.
  • Show Execution Status is supported for a parent items, such as a program file or an SQL script, as well as individual queries. You can filter the contents of the Execution Status window to show only errors and warnings, and link to the Db2 for z/OS documentation for more information about SQL errors.
  • Catalog navigation has been enhanced to show more Db2 objects. For more information, see Navigating catalogs.

16.0.2

• A Catalog folder in database connections enables you to explore schemas, storage groups, databases, and tables, and to filter displayed objects. For more information, see Navigating catalogs.
• Database connectivity is enhanced with several new preference settings, greater control over individual database connections, and the ability to automatically reconnect if a connection is dropped. For more information, see Connect to a Db2 location and Configuring Db2 for z/OS tooling.
• A Test Connection button is added to the SQL Tuning Services Server properties page.

16.0.1

• Enhanced support for the z Systems® LPEX Editor includes the capability for editing SQL files, running or tuning selected statements in an SQL file, and running all SQL statements in an SQL file that is open in the editor. These new functions are supported by a new content type that associates SQL files with the z Systems LPEX Editor as the default editor. For more information about SQL file support, see these topics:
  • Running SQL
  • Tuning SQL
  • Defining SQL content types
• If you update a P2 installation of v16.0.x into which you imported a Db2 for z/OS client license, you might be prompted to restart the product again.

16.0.0