Getting language-sensitive help

The z Systems® LPEX Editor provides language-sensitive help for Assembler, COBOL, and PL/I files. Language-sensitive help opens the language reference documentation in the IBM® Knowledge Center. For information about setting up language-sensitive help for EXEC CICS®, EXEC SQL, and EXEC DLI statements, see the related topics.

Procedure

To open language-sensitive help, highlight the language element you want help with and then press F1 on Windows or FN+F1 on macOS.

Filtering editor contents

Use the Filter view menu item to filter the contents of the editor by function, instruction type, comment lines, or flow-of-control statements.

About this task

You can filter a source file on the following content:
For COBOL source files For PL/I source files For JCL files
  • Divisions: Shows only program division statements
  • Code: Shows only code statements (and no comments or comments task tags)
  • Comments: Shows only comments
  • Outline: Shows a functional outline of the program, for example, divisions, program ID, copy statements, and paragraph headings
  • Embedded SQL/CICS/DLI: Shows only EXEC SQL, EXEC CICS, and EXEC DLI statements
  • Comment task tags: Shows only task tags defined in the Editor > Task tags Preferences page
  • Copy statements: Shows only COPY and SQL INCLUDE statements
  • Call statements: Shows only CALL statements
  • Procedures: Shows only procedure statements
  • Logic outline: Shows a functional outline of the program, for example, procedures, program ID, include statements, and paragraph headings
  • Preprocessor statements: Shows only preprocessor statements
  • Includes: Shows only include files and SQL includes
  • SQL/CICS/DLI: Shows only EXEC SQL, EXEC CICS, and EXEC DLI statements
  • Comment task tags: Shows only task tags defined in the Editor > Task tags Preferences page
  • JOB statements: Shows only JOB statements
  • EXEC statements: Shows only EXEC statements
  • DD statements: Shows only DD statements
  • PROC statements: Shows only PROC statements
  • Errors: Shows only JCL statements flagged with errors
  • Comment task tags: Shows only task tags defined in the Editor > Task tags Preferences page
Limitations:
  • You cannot filter source files that contain syntax errors or source files for which preprocessor statements have been identified.
  • In the COBOL Editor and PLI Editor, Filter view is not enabled for include files and copybooks.
  • Filters for the COBOL and PLI Editor will always display the first line of the file and possibly some characters of the last line of the file.

Procedure

  1. Open a COBOL, PL/I, or JCL file in the editor.
    Note: The Filter view menu is supported for JCL files open in the z Systems LPEX Editor, but not for JCL files open in the JCL Editor.
  2. Right-click and select Filter view.
    The menu opens with the list of program contents that you can filter on. A filtered source file always shows the first and last lines.
  3. To remove a filter, right-click and select Show All.

Changing text to uppercase

While you edit COBOL, JCL, and PL/I files in the z Systems LPEX Editor, you can use editor actions to uppercase certain code statements in a file.

About this task

The Source > Uppercase All editor action changes lowercase code statements to uppercase. It does not change comments or explicit strings.
Limitations:
  • This command can take a long time to run against large files. If you place focus in the editor while to command is running, the editor can appear to hang. Wait for the command to complete before placing focus in the editor.
  • If a source file contains preprocessed code, then you must do the following to use the Uppercase All action:
    1. Remove preprocessed code from the file.
    2. Run the Uppercase All action.
    3. Run the preprocessor against the file again.
The following table lists the programming elements that can be changed to uppercase for each language:
COBOL JCL PL/I
  • user-defined words
  • reserved words
  • functions
  • compiler directives
  • preprocessor strings
  • JOB name
  • STEP name
  • PROC name
  • PROC STEP name
  • DD name
  • operation
  • key words
  • subkey words
  • key word synonyms
  • symbolics
  • commands
  • control strings
  • error strings
  • labels
  • built-in functions
  • extensions
  • key words
  • language symbols
  • outside margins
  • preprocessor strings
  • preprocessor keywords
  • variable names

Procedure

  • In the z Systems LPEX Editor open on a COBOL, JCL, or PL/I file, right-click and select Source > Uppercase All or press Alt+Shift+K.
    The changes are saved when you save the file.
  • In the LPEX command line, issue the command action uppercaseAll.
    For more information about this command, see the related topics.

Enabling Shift-Out, Shift-In emulation in LPEX Editor for local development

LPEX Editor provides emulation for Shift-Out, Shift-In (SO/SI) support during local development. When this support is enabled, pseudo-SO/SI characters are inserted for DBCS text so that record length and column alignment are the same as on an EBCDIC system.

Procedure

  1. Right-click on the project, folder, or file you want to enable SO/SI support for and click Properties.
    The Properties window opens.
  2. Click Local DBCS Options in the list on the left.
    The Local DBCS Options pane opens on the right.
  3. Select Use SO/SI and then select the encoding that you want to use in the list.