Host-based projects

z/OS® Projects can be defined individually through the z/OS Projects perspective on the client, or z/OS Projects can be defined centrally on the host and propagated to the client on an individual user basis. These "host-based projects" look and function exactly like projects defined on the client except that their structure, members, and properties cannot be modified by the client, and they are only accessible when connected to the host.

The base directory for host-based projects is defined (by the client administrator) in /var/zexpl/pushtoclient/keymapping.xml, and is /var/zexpl/pushtoclient/projects by default.

To configure host-based projects, the project manager or lead developer needs to define the following types of configuration files. All files are UTF-8 encoded XML files.
  • Project instance files are specific to a single user ID and point to reusable project definition files. Each user who works with host-based projects needs a subdirectory, /var/zexpl/pushtoclient/projects/<userid>/, containing one project instance file (*.hbpin) for each project to be downloaded.
  • Project definition files define the structure and contents of the project and can be reused by multiple users. Project definition files (*.hbppd) list the subprojects contained by the project and are located in the root project definition directory or one of its subdirectories.
  • Subproject definition files define the structure and contents of the subproject and can be reused by multiple users. Subproject definition files (*.hbpsd) define the set of resources required to build a single load module and are located in the root project definition directory or one of its subdirectories.
  • Subproject properties files are properties files with variable substitution support and can be reused by multiple subprojects. Subproject property files (*.hbppr) support variable substitution to allow sharing of property files among multiple users and are located in the root project definition directory or one of its subdirectories.

Host-based projects are also eligible to participate in the multiple group setup. This eligibility means that host-based projects can be defined also in /var/zexpl/pushtoclient/grouping/<devgroup>/projects/.

When a workspace is bound to a specific group, and there are project definitions for a user in this group and in the default group, the user receives the project definitions from both the default and the specific group.