Getting help

Help for using the product is available in the welcome page, the IBM® Documentation, online and offline, the context-sensitive helps, and language-sensitive help, and cheat sheets.

IBM Documentation online

IBM Documentation contains help topics about the product function and provides tools that you can use to find information. It is available both from a browser and from the product user interface. To open IBM Documentation, do one of these steps:

Open a browser on https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/developer-for-zos/17.0.
Tip: For an easier browse and search experience, open the online help by using this method. The IBM Documentation is not supported by the Eclipse help system. If you open the online help by using Help > Help Contents, you might see multiple error messages in the log and get unexpected or incorrect help search results.
In the product menu bar, click Help > Help Contents. The IBM Documentation opens in a new window. To open the IBM Developer for z/OS® section of the help content, click IBM Developer for z/OS in the table of contents.

IBM Documentation offline

IBM Documentation is available for installation on a workstation. After it is installed on your workstation, the offline documentation contains the full product documentation contents and does not require an internet connection. To learn about IBM Documentation offline and how to install it, see IBM Documentation Offline.

Context-sensitive help

While you are using the product, you can open context-sensitive help that relates to the current view or window. To open the context-sensitive help:

On Windows: Place the cursor in a field and press F1, Ctrl+F1, or Shift+F1.
On macOS: FN+F1

Remote Connection Emulator: To open help for the main Remote Connection Emulator window and for the Edit profile fields, click the ? icon. The corresponding help topic opens in IBM Documentation.

To control where context-sensitive help opens, open the Preferences window and select Help. In the Context help area, you can select the following locations for context help:

In the dynamic help view: This view remains open while you are working in the workbench. Its content changes as you bring focus to different areas of the user interface. This option is available for the main workbench window only. It contains options for opening help contents, searching the help, opening help bookmarks, and opening the help index.
In an infopop: This view opens in a pop-up window below the dialog or area of the window that has focus. This option is available for the main workbench window and for dialogs. From it you can open related links or help preferences, or switch to the dynamic help view.
In a dialog tray: This view slides open at the side of a dialog. This option is available for dialogs only. It contains the same options as the dynamic help view.

Language-sensitive help

Many of the editors available with the product offer language-sensitive help. Language-sensitive help opens the programming language references for programming statements and keywords that are selected in the editor. Language-sensitive help is available in these editors:

COBOL Editor
JCL Editor
PL/I Editor
REXX Editor
z Systems® LPEX Editor

For more information about language-sensitive help, and other help available in the editors, see Getting help while editing source files. If you have trouble using language-sensitive help, see Troubleshooting language-sensitive help.

Cheat sheets

Cheat sheets provide guidance for some of the most common tasks you can do with the product. They also serve as a good overall introduction to product features and how to use them. To open the product cheat sheets:

Click Help > Cheat Sheets.
In the Cheat Sheet Selection window, expand IBM Developer for z/OS.
Select Getting Started Catalog and click OK. The cheat sheets open in a new tab in the workbench.

Welcome page

The Welcome page provides resources to orient you to IBM Developer for z/OS and help you start using a new workspace. If you are new to IBM Developer for z/OS, the Welcome page is a good place to start for learning about major features of the product and links to getting started information. If you are an experienced user, the Welcome page is also a convenient location to read about new features and technologies that are related to the product. Other Eclipse-based products that are installed in your environment also contribute content to the Welcome page.

The Welcome page is displayed the first time that you start the product. If the Welcome page is not currently open, click Help > Welcome.