Alan Seiden

Improve Your TN5250 Experience in VS Code for IBM i

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Update: New installations of Code for i include the +uninhibited option by default, as described here.

The open-source TN5250 emulator provides a handy way to launch IBM i 5250 sessions from within VS Code for IBM i.

The one drawback I’ve found in TN5250 is the Cursor in protected area of display error when I accidentally type on a protected area of the screen—an area where input isn’t allowed. The error must be cleared before I can continue to work.

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Amy Lantz

VS Code for IBM i: SELECT Statement [VIDEO]

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In this episode of Getting Started with Code for i, Patrick Behr focuses on the power of the SELECT statement included in the Db2 for i extension.

SELECT lets you quickly generate CSV or JSON files, or update your Db2 for i data, directly from Code for i. Just watch how easy it is!

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Amy Lantz

VS Code for IBM i: Profiles [Video]

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Returning with a new episode in his Getting Started with Code for i video series, IBM Champion Patrick Behr now focuses on how to set up profiles.

Profiles let you define different library lists and filters based on what you’re working on. They give you one-click access between, for example, production and test environments, accounting and warehouse applications, or whatever you need to need to do next.

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Amy Lantz

VS Code for IBM i: Filters [Video]

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In Episode 2 of his Getting Started with VS Code for IBM i series for RPG and COBOL developers, Patrick Behr shows us several ways to efficiently filter and find IBM i source physical file members using Code for i’s Object Browser. (You’ll find Episode 1 here.)

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Amy Lantz

Getting Started with VS Code for IBM i [Video Tutorial]

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Code for IBM i is rapidly gain traction as an efficient, cost-effective alternative to RDi for RPGLE (fixed and free format), COBOL, CL, and Db2 for i development.

To help traditional IBM i developers explore this fast and flexible IDE, Patrick Behr offers this first tutorial in his Getting Started with VS Code for i video series. In it, he demonstrates how to install VS Code and its IBM i Development pack, connect to an IBM i server, set and manage library lists, filter your object browser, and change and compile RPG source.

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Alan Seiden

Compare Source Code with VS Code for IBM i

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Code for i’s source comparison feature recently helped me find a bug. While comparing old vs. new versions of an RPG program, I discovered that a CHAIN had been changed to an SQL SELECT, which was fine, except that an important column name had been forgotten. I created a “before and after” Code for i screen shot for the programmer, who then fixed the mistake.

As documented on the Code for i “Tricks” page, comparing source code takes only two steps. This technique works both for traditional source members and stream files stored in the IFS.

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Alan Seiden

VS Code for IBM i Repositories

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VS Code for iThose of us who help support Code for i, the popular IDE for IBM i based on VS Code, often need to look at the code that makes it work.

Fully open source, the code that runs Code for i is available on Github repositories. From there, the code can be viewed and even enhanced by the public.

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Alan Seiden

How to Report an Issue with VS Code for IBM i

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If you believe you have found a bug or other issue with the Code for IBM i extension, you can post it to the Code for i issue tracker. The maintainers are very good about resolving issues.

Before reporting an issue, though, we recommend checking for (and applying) updates. It is very possible that your issue was already resolved.

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Alan Seiden

How to Update the Code for i Extension

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Code for IBM i has been moving quickly. As the popularity of this Visual Studio Code extension has grown, updates and enhancements have arrived regularly.

If you encounter a bug or issue, installing the latest update may resolve it. Updating Code for i requires only a restart of VS Code. Here are some details to clarify how to restart as well as how to roll back the update, if desired.

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Holly Lacher

Edit IFS Files Using Visual Studio Code for IBM i

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Code for IBM iVisual Studio Code (VS Code) is a lightweight source code editor that runs on multiple desktops, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS. It provides built-in support for PHP, Node.js, Python, and many other languages and runtimes.

Halcyon Tech’s Code for IBM i extension adds the ability to edit IBM i Integrated File System (IFS) files inside VS Code. It’s easy to get set up to access and edit IFS-based code using this popular editing tool.

In just seven quick steps, you can install VS Code and its Code for IBM i extension and begin working with IFS files stored on your IBM i.

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