VSC1 THE CHALLENGE BEFORE YOU BEGIN

We’ll be connecting through Zowe Explorer plugin for VS Code.

Get Yourself Connected

To get there, you’ll need your very own userid and password, Since this is the first technical
plus a few pieces of supporting software. challenge, all you need is
about 45 minutes to get
Fortunately, it’s all very simple and shouldn’t take much time at
It’s time to download, equip, and authenticate all. You can also use these instructions to help you get
everything downloaded,
installed, and ready to go.
connected again if you have to switch computers or start all
12 steps 45 minutes over again for any reason.

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1. LOAD UP ON DOWNLOADS 2. INSTALL NODE.JS 3. INSTALL AND RUN VS CODE

Download VS Code and Node.js from the following links Node.js is a flexible code framework for javascript, used on Windows: Run the VS Code installer
Node.js : https://nodejs.org/en/ many popular websites and apps. Zowe Explorer uses it to Mac: Copy VS Code application into the Applications folder
VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/download represent Z resources in a series of menus. Linux: Install the rpm/deb file

For both downloads, you will probably be automatically directed Run the Node.js installer you just downloaded. This will install Everybody: Start VS Code
to the correct version that you should get. not only Node.js, but npm, the Node Package Manager, which
will be needed for some later steps. Optional: Make a shortcut to VS Code in your dock, taskbar, or
For Node.js, select the LTS (Long Term Support) version, as it is menu so you don’t have to search too far for it next time.
more likely to remain stable and consistent throughout the time If you get a message about being unable to validate the
you're working on the contest. software, right-click on the installer and select Open. This will
let you proceed once you verify that it's ok.
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4. INSTALL IBM Z OPEN EDITOR 5. CHECK OUT ZOWE 6. CREATE YOUR PROFILE
Click on the Extensions launcher in the Activity Bar (looks like a The IBM Z Open Editor is useful for editing files specific to the Click on the Zowe icon to launch the Zowe Explorer view. As
set of four boxes, highlighted in red above) and search for "IBM Z platform, and it uses the Zowe Explorer extension to handle you can see, there is an editor area to your right, and three
Z Open Editor". Next, click on the blue "Install" button for it to its connections to the Z system. sections on the left. We'll explore those more later.
install the the editor. The install will happen entirely within VS
Code, just click on Install and let VS Code handle it from there. The new icon you see in your sidebar is how you get to the Next, click the Plus sign next to Data Sets up top. The Plus sign
Zowe Explorer. Get familiar with that icon, you'll be seeing a lot will not appear until you move your mouse into the Data Sets
This may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your of it throughout these challenges. area.
computer and internet connection. When done, the "Install"
button will disappear, and you'll notice a new icon at the We'll give you the info you need for the profile in Step 7.
bottom of the side bar on your left.
*NOTE* - VS Code prompt windows disappear when you
“WHY ARE JES AND JCL IMPORTANT? WHY CAN’T I JUST RUN PROGRAMS?” switch between applications. This may be annoying if you are
When you submit JCL, it goes to the Job Entry Subsystem (shortened to JES). JES looks through the trying to copy/paste information from one window (a web
JCL you submitted and gathers all of the resources needed to accomplish the task. On a heavily-loaded browser) into it. You may want to line up your windows
system, it may be necessary to prioritize some jobs lower than others so that important work gets done side-by-side, rather than switching between them.
faster.

Think of JCL as the order that a waiter writes up, and JES as the kitchen staff that looks at the order
and decides how they’re going to handle it. The L in JCL stands for Language, but it really isn’t a
programming language as much as it is a way for us to effectively describe tasks to the system.

Everything else that shows up in the job output (from step 4) is information about how the job ran. As
you can see, there’s a TON of information in here.
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7. LOGGING IN 8. SETTING YOUR FILTER 9. FIXING CONNECTION ISSUES

Select the “Create a New Connection to z/OS” option that Mouse-over the new connection you just created under DATA If you get an error about invalid credentials, REST API Error, or
comes up. DO NOT select any "Team Configuration File" option. SETS and click the magnifying glass next to it. In the window see a red circle next to your profile name, it is possible that you
that pops up, type in your userid. This will set the filter to your typed in your username or password wrong. Simply right-click
Give your connection a name, like zxplore. user files, which is a good place to start. Hit enter. This may on the profile you created (zxplore, for example) and select
search for a few seconds before returning a result. Update Profile. This will let you re-enter all of your connection
Select that you'd like a zosmf profile type. information, step by step.
Then, unless otherwise directed, use the following URL: Hint: Your ID is not z99999. That is just an examples used for
screenshots. Get used to typing your own ID, you’ll be using it If you want to start all over again, simply right-click on it and
https://204.90.115.200:10443 a lot throughout these challenges. select Delete Profile.

Then: NOTE: at this stage you do not have any datasets; the only Because of the asynchronous nature of the plugin, sometimes
• Enter your ZID username (found in VSC1 challenge), then entry displayed will be your userid – you cannot open this. it's good to quit VS Code before updating, or after deleting a
your ZID password (ex. ZXXXXX). profile, as you may see an error message that is not accurate.
• Select “False – Accept connections with self-signed When in doubt, restart VS Code. This clears up a lot of
certificates" when prompted for self-signed certificates, problems.
• Select https for what protocol you would like to use.
• Then, leave all other parameters blank/default. (just press
Enter until the profile is saved)
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10. STYLING AND PROFILING 11. NAVIGATE TO VSCJCL 12. SUBMIT VSCJCL
Once you find VSCJCL, right-click on it, and select "Submit
Click the + next to Unix System Services (USS) and select the The "Data Sets" section lists all of the data sets and members Job". After a few moments, when you go back to
connection profile you created in Step 7. Repeat the step for which are available under your filter. Edit the filter to include https://ibmzxplore.influitive.com, you should see that the VSC
JOBS down at the bottom section. ZXP.PUBLIC. (note the comma!) challenge has been marked COMPLETE! If not, make sure to
click the button at the end of the instructions:
When done, you should have connection profiles for all three Remember, you will not see Z99999, you will see your own
main areas of the Zowe Explorer plugin. userid which you specified in Step 9.
Find the data set labeled "ZXP.PUBLIC.JCL" and open up the
twistie (triangle) next to it. Congratulations on making this big first step. It's time to
celebrate, and by celebrate, we mean move on to the next
Within there, look for a member (file) labeled VSCJCL. challenge.

NICE JOB! LET’S RECAP NEXT UP…

It’s one thing to follow steps, it’s
You got connected to a real live Z system with your very own another to understand. In the next
userid and password, then set your Zowe data set filter, two challenges, we’ll get to the
navigated through the data sets to find a specific member, bottom of exactly what these data
and then submitted some JCL. As you might imagine, there’s sets and members are, plus dive a
a bigger story about what’s actually going on here. For now, bit deeper into JCL.
just feel proud of a job well done.
You’re making great progress,
let’s keep it all going.