z/OS language definitions
A language definition serially connects the translators used to build artifacts. The association of a language definition to an artifact provides instructions for how the artifact should be built.
You can create and maintain language definitions that specify the steps, or translators, performed on each buildable file during a build, and also the scanners used to collect source code data about file dependencies.
You can create language definitions for a project area, and you can use the same language definition for several buildable files. For example, one CICS® COBOL language definition can be associated with all of your CICS COBOL source files.
You can assign language definitions to certain files when you create a file. You can also automatically associate certain files with certain language definitions by specifying one or more file extensions in the Language Definition editor. For example, if you specify cbl as a language definition file extension, then any (COBOL) files with that .cbl extension will automatically be associated with that language definition. For more information about creating a zFile, refer to this topic: Creating zFiles and associating them with language definitions.
You can conditionally run translators in language definitions. If you want to run any translator conditionally, specify the condition for the translator that must be met before the translator can run. See Creating a z/OS language definition for more information about conditionally running translators.
When a language definition is running, the return code of each
translator is available in a property called STEPnum_RC,
where num is the number of the translator. For
example, the return code of the first translator is available in the
property STEP1_RC. The return codes enable other
conditions specified later in the same language definition to determine
whether an artifact runs, depending on the return codes of previous
translators.
From the Team Artifacts navigator, you can create, view, or modify language definitions by expanding these nodes: .
You can also create a language definition by selecting from the main menu.
A language definition can contain either zero, one, or more translators. A language definition without a translator defines a source code scanner; for example, COBOL copybooks are not buildable files, but they still must be scanned for file dependencies. You can create, view, or modify translators from the Team Artifacts view by expanding these nodes: .
You can also create a translator by selecting from the main menu.
For more information about translators, see z/OS translators.