IMS Explorer overview

The IMS Enterprise Suite Explorer for Development (IMS Explorer) is an Eclipse-based graphical tool that simplifies common IMS tasks that are related to IMS application development and IMS database and program view definition.

IMS Explorer is a component of IMS Enterprise Suite. IMS Enterprise Suite components are available to IMS customers at no additional cost.

Application programming and database definition support

IMS Explorer includes graphical editors that you can use to import, visualize, and edit all types of IMS database definitions, as well as the program view and schema definitions that application programs need to access IMS databases.

You can also access and manipulate the data that is stored in IMS databases with IMS Explorer by using standard SQL.

The IMS Explorer supports all IMS database types, and also supports secondary indexes and logical relationships.

IMS mobile services support

Start of changeYou can create, publish, test, and manage IMS mobile services by using IMS Explorer for services that run on IBM® z/OS® Connect Enterprise Edition V2.
Note: IMS Explorer is not compatible with IBM z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition V3. For IBM z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition V3, the service creation function is provided through the IBM z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition V3 API toolkit, available from the Mainframe development tool downloads page at https://developer.ibm.com/mainframe/products/downloads/.
End of change

IMS Explorer for Development provides the tools to define the connection properties and interaction properties for invoking an IMS transaction. You can also use the tool to generate the metadata for the input and output messages of a transaction from the COBOL copybook or PL/I structure of the IMS application. Finally, you can tie these properties and metadata together into a RESTful service definition, enabling the IMS transaction to be invoked by using a RESTful service interface.

Cross-product integration and platform support

IMS Explorer runs on Windows systems and supports cross-product integration (shell-sharing) with the following products:

  • IBM Developer for z Systems®
  • IBM Data Studio
  • IBM Problem Determination Tools Plug-ins for Eclipse
  • IBM Explorer for z/OS
  • IBM CICS Explorer® Software Development Kit (SDK)
  • IBM Rational Team Concert

Getting started

If you are new to the Eclipse development environment, you can learn the basics by viewing the Eclipse Basic tutorial. Click the link, then click the Show in Table of Contents icon in the information center to see the entire tutorial.

In addition, several video tutorials on YouTube are available to help you get started with IMS Explorer.

You can link directly to getting started information and launch IMS Explorer wizards from the IMS Explorer Task Launcher by clicking Help > IMS Explorer Task Launcher.