RPG Structure

RPG Structure is a Visual Studio Code extension to generate free-format RPG qualified data structures for IBM i.

With RPG Structure, you can quickly design structures, templates, and substructures, then export them directly into your RPGLE or SQLRPGLE code.

✨ Features

• Define structure headers with:

  • Name
  • Type (default, template, *auto, *var)
  • Dimension

• Add fields with:

  • Name (required)
  • Type (required, chosen from a predefined list)
  • Size (required, properly formatted)
  • Initialization value (optional)

• Create substructures and add fields inside them, including substructures nested inside other substructures (at any depth).

• Edit existing fields (name, type, length, and initialization value) directly from the tree view.

• Export your structure to the active editor at any position.

• Configuration options:

  • Preferred format for declarations (Dcl-ds, dcl-ds, DCL-DS).
  • Support for templates and dimensional types.

• Import structures:

  • From code (cursor position).
  • From the list of structures available in the source.

• Field dimensions can be added independently (no longer from field creation).

🚀 How to Use

1. Open a RPGLE or SQLRPGLE source in the editor.
2. Click the RPG Structure icon in the Activity Bar.
3. Enter your structure header information (name, type, dimension).
4. Add fields and optional substructures.
5. Click Insert to export the structure into your code.

⚙️ Requirements

• Visual Studio Code v1.75 or higher.
• A RPGLE or SQLRPGLE source open in the editor.

🐞 Known Issues

• None at the moment.

📝 Roadmap

• [ ] Add support for comments on structures and fields.
• [ ] Add configuration options to define the list of available data types.

📦 Version History

See the full changelog here.

Latest

1.3.0 - 2026-07-19

• Fixes: Structures ending with a named end-ds (e.g. end-ds myStructure;) were not recognized when importing.
• Fixes: Field IDs could collide between different nesting branches, causing actions like "Add substructure" to sometimes target the wrong parent structure.
• Added: Ability to edit an existing field's name, type, length, and initialization value from the tree view (pencil icon).
• Added: Ability to add a substructure inside another substructure, supporting nested substructures at any depth.
• Added: The "Configuration" view now starts collapsed by default, while the other views remain expanded.
• Added: Editing a field now proposes the previous length and init value when switching between compatible types (char/varchar, zoned/packed).

💬 Contributing
Issues and pull requests are welcome!
Please open an issue on GitHub with any suggestions or bug reports.

📄 License

This extension is licensed under the MIT License.

🚀 Enjoy using RPG Structure!