Provides shared functionality to VS Code extensions that access Z Abend Investigator and Z Data Tools resources.

The HCL Z Common Components extension enables centralized credential storage for the Z Abend Investigator and Z Data Tools extensions, and offers menu options to configure Z Common Components connections, streamlining setup across products.

Table of contents

• Requirements
• Integration with Zowe Explorer
• Configuring the extension
• Z Common Components connections
  • Configure a connection
  • Configure a connection in zowe.config.json
  • Remove an existing connection
• Getting help

Requirements

General requirements

• Assumes knowledge of how to install and configure the Z Common Components server.
• Z Common Components must use the AT-TLS feature when configuring TLS support.

Host requirements

• HCL Z Common Components 16.1.0+
  • You must configure and deploy at least one Z Common Components server on the host you intend to use with the extension.

VS Code requirements

• VS Code 1.108.0+
• Zowe Explorer 3.2.0+
  • Assumes the user is familiar with the Zowe Explorer extension before using the HCL Z Common Components extension.

Integration with Zowe Explorer

The HCL Z Common Components extension builds on the strong foundation provided by Zowe Explorer. To preserve the familiar Zowe Explorer user experience, it purposefully avoids contributing highly customized UI elements whenever possible. Instead, it enhances your current workspace by:

• Mapping Z Common Components connections to your Zowe profiles.
• Adding new functionality directly to Zowe Explorer's existing views.

See the Getting help section to report issues related to the Zowe Explorer extension.

Configuring the extension

Configure the following setting under HCL Z Common Components in VS Code Settings.

Credentials: Prompt On Profile Update

Use the Prompt On Profile Update setting to control whether the extension prompts you to update HCL Z Common Components credentials when the associated Zowe profile credentials change.

This is enabled by default.

Z Common Components connections

The extension associates a Z Common Components server connection with a compatible Zowe profile. The connection configuration includes the server host (inferred from the associated Zowe profile), the server port, username, password or pass token, and whether to start the server connection in debug mode.

Configure a connection

1. Open the Zowe Explorer tool window.
2. Right-click the Zowe profile that matches the z/OS subsystem where the Z Common Components server runs.
3. Select Z Common Components > Configure connection.
4. Enter the Z Common Components server port, username, password or pass token, and debug mode.

Alternatively, you can configure a connection from the command palette by running HCL Z Common Components: Manage Connections, selecting a compatible Zowe profile, and choosing Configure Connection.

Configure a connection in zowe.config.json

Important: this is an experimental feature

You can specify the Z Common Components server port and debug mode in a Zowe team configuration profile. Add a zcc object under the profile's properties object:

{
  "profiles": {
    "my-profile": {
      "type": "zosmf",
      "properties": {
        "host": "zosmf.example.com",
        "port": 443,
        "zcc": {
          "port": 2860,
          "debug": false
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

When zcc.port or zcc.debug is specified, the extension uses that value instead of prompting for it. User credentials are still requested when they are not already available.

Remove an existing connection

1. Right-click the Zowe profile with the Z Common Components connection.
2. Select Z Common Components > Remove connection.
3. Confirm the removal.

Alternatively, you can remove a connection from the command palette by running HCL Z Common Components: Manage Connections, selecting the configured profile, and choosing Remove Connection. Removing a connection also removes its linked resources.

Getting help

To ask questions or report issues related to the installation, configuration, or use of this extension, contact HCL Support.

Zowe Explorer issues

The HCL Z Common Components extension depends on Zowe Explorer.
Issues might originate from core Zowe Explorer functionality rather than the extension itself. Examples include:

• Data set and Unix System Services (USS) file browsing
• Job management and submission
• Base Zowe Explorer commands and views

Report issues that are specific to Zowe Explorer to the Zowe Explorer issue tracker.

To determine the source of an issue and the appropriate reporting channel, consider the following:

• Error notifications include the extension name.
• Log entries displayed in the Output view are categorized by extension.