zxplore

Get connected to the IBM Z Xplore learning platform with a Visual Studio Code dev container.

Includes the Zowe CLI, Zowe Explorer VS Code extension, and Zowe Explorer for IBM CICS Transaction Server VS Code extension, along with pre-configured IBM Z Xplore connection profiles.

For more information, see:

• IBM Z Xplore
• Dev Containers tutorial
• Rancher Desktop (another alternative to Docker Desktop)
• Zowe Explorer for VS Code
• Zowe Explorer for IBM CICS Transaction Server

Connecting to IBM Z Xplore

Due to Zowe Explorer issue 3892 you need to enter your Z Xplore username and password using the Zowe CLI.

You should be prompted to enter profiles.zxplore.properties.user and profiles.zxplore.properties.password in the terminal each time the dev container starts.

Run the following command to check you can connect with the Z Xplore username and password you entered.

zowe files list data-set ZXP.PUBLIC.*

If you need to enter your username and password again for any reason, use the following command.

zowe config secure --user-config

3270 terminal

There is a zti (zxplore) workspace task that will open a Z Xplore 3270 terminal session using the zti terminal emulator.

CICS Zowe profile

The CMCI port used to connect to CICS is unique to you, and may change each time you start your region.

This is a good example of where a Zowe user configuration file is useful.

Either edit the zowe.config.user.json file and add a CICS service profile using the provided cics JSON snippet, or use the cics profile (zxplore) workspace task to create or update a CICS service profile.