Real-time syntax checking of JCL files

The JCL Editor automatically validates the syntax of JCL.

The editor performs real-time syntax checking and provides annotations that describe the errors. If an error is found, a warning icon (Exclamation mark in yellow triangle) is displayed. To see the annotation that describes the error, hover your mouse over the icon. The maximum number of errors that are reported is based on the value that is specified for the Maximum number of problems reported per compilation unit editor preference.

You can customize the appearance of the annotations. The default appearance is a yellow squiggly line under the detected error. To customize, open the Preferences window, and click General > Editors > Text editors > Annotation. Then, select Exclamation mark in yellow triangle Warnings in the annotation types list. Change the appearance by selecting values under Show in. For example, to highlight the error, check the Text as box and select Highlighted from the menu. Use the Color field to define the highlight color.

To validate the data set names that are referenced in JCL files, select Source > Validate JCL or press Alt+V in the JCL Editor.

To turn off real-time syntax checking, select Disable syntax parser on the Real-Time Syntax Checking preference page.

Limitations

  • Command and control statements are color coded, but their syntax is not checked.
  • The syntax of in-stream data, such as COBOL source, is not checked.
  • The JCL Editor uses a different syntax checking engine from the z Systems® LPEX Editor.