Summary of changes

October 2026, changes for V17R1M0

This edition of the document provides information applicable to Z Data Tools Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 4. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release:

Installation requirements topic for the Eclipse plug-in and VS Code Extension has been updated.
  • Added support for specifying an IMSGROUP to identify the active IMS subsystem in BMP mode. This allows ZDT/IMS to connect to an active IMS subsystem associated with a specified IMSGROUP. See Specifying the IMS Group
  • Added the IMSGROUP parameter to the Miscellaneous IMS subsystem details to document the support identifying an IMS subsystem by its associated IMSGROUP.
  • Added new topic IMSGROUP=identifier parameter to document the support on the HFM1POPI macro to identify IMS subsystems that belong to an IMSGROUP in BMP mode.
  • Added the LIST parameter to the ZDT/IMS installation options to control which IMS subsystems are included in the ZDT/IMS subsystem selection list. See topic LIST
  • Updated the IMS and ZDT/IMS datasets table to document the SDSNLOAD dataset parameter and indicate that it cannot be overridden. See table IMS and ZDT/IMS data sets.
  • Added support for DFSESL DD in FM IMS, both for ISPF & Batch edit in BMP Mode. See topic SDSNLOADn.
  • Added a new topic to document the use of compiler via security profiles. See topic Controlling the Use of the Compiler via Security Profiles.
  • Updated SHOWPLI command section to describe the output messages. See topic Customizing for processing PL/I include books.
  • Added documentation for the DB2ALIB option, including its syntax, purpose, and usage requirements for supporting the GEN command externally with Db2 Administration Tool® load libraries.
  • Updated the PLAN2 option documentation to clarify its relationship with DB2ALIB, including the requirement to specify the plan name when DB2ALIB is used.
  • Updated the restriction in the IMS management of ACBs section. Clarified that ZDT/IMS requires IMS APAR PH40873 (PTF UO06108) to access logical databases in an IMS-managed ACB environment. See IMS management of ACBs.
  • Clarified the preference of the Z Data Tools internal PL/I compilers over the licensed site compiler and documented how to select the internal compiler version using the ALTPLI option. Added a table that documents the order of precedence for internal and external PL/I compilers. See topic Customizing for processing PL/I include books.
  • Enhanced the SHOWPLI command documentation to explain that the command identifies whether Z Data Tools is using the internal or external PL/I compiler. Added the batch and ISPF output messages that indicate which PL/I compiler is in use, including the message displayed when a licensed PL/I compiler is used. See SHOWPLI command.
  • Added new topics under to document how to use and configure a licensed site PL/I compiler, including LINKLIST and batch JCL skeleton configuration, APF authorization requirements, and suppression of PL/I compiler warning messages.

    See topics: Using a licensed site PL/I compiler, Adding the PL/I compiler library to the LINKLIST, Adding the PL/I compiler library to the batch JCL skeletons, Authorizing the PL/I compiler library for batch processing, and Suppressing PL/I compiler warning messages.

  • Added information about the FILEM.PLI.EXTERNAL FACILITY class profile to control use of the licensed site PL/I compiler, including RACF access requirements and handling of RACROUTE STATUS=ACCESS requests. See topic Controlling the use of the PL/I compiler.
  • Updated Changing the JCL skeleton for batch mode to document how to configure the STEPLIB DD statement for a licensed PL/I compiler and how to use the FMNPLI DD DUMMY statement to force the Z Data Tools internal PL/I compiler.

June 2026, changes for V16R1M4

This edition of the document provides information applicable to Z Data Tools Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 4. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release:

Installation requirements topic for the Eclipse plug-in and VS Code Extension has been updated.
  • Updated instructions to the topic Installation requirements for Z Data Tools on Eclipse for generating dynamic software compatibility reports through IBM HCL Software Product Compatibility Reports (SPCR) to help users obtain the latest supported operating systems, hardware requirements, and software prerequisites.
  • A new Installation requirements topic has been added to Z Data Tools on VS Code, describing both host and client requirements. The existing installation requirements topic for Z Data Tools on Eclipse has been updated with current version information and references to SPCR.

February 2026, changes for V16R1M3

This edition of the document provides information applicable to Z Data Tools Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 3. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release:

Z Data Tools has been updated to align its handling of the ISPF Packed format with the global ISPF setting Global_Disable_Pack, when a new Z Data Tools option ISPFGLBL is enabled. See ISPFGLBL:
  • A new ISPFGLBL option is introduced in the Customization Guide. When set to YES, Z Data Tools enforces ISPF global settings; when NO (default), Z Data Tools behavior remains unchanged and independent of ISPF globals.
  • If ISPF globally disables packed data:
    • Users can still read and interpret existing packed data, but cannot save or rewrite data in packed format.
    • PACK-related options and commands (PACK, PACK=ASIS) become unavailable or are ignored, and data is always saved in standard format.
  • Updated multiple User Guide sections to document the enforced behavior when ISPF packed format is restricted.
  • Enhanced panels and informational messages to clearly notify users when ISPF packed data is disabled and explain Z Data Tools resulting behavior. see Editor Options panel.
  • Added new system messages HFMBB674 - HFMBB678 to explicitly indicate when packed format usage, related commands, or options are unavailable or overridden. See Z Data Tools messages.

November 2025, changes for V16R1M2

This edition of the document provides information applicable to Z Data Tools Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 2. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release:

June 2025, changes for V16R1M1

This edition of the document provides information applicable to Z Data Tools Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 1. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release.
  • A new option has been added to use an auxiliary data set when viewing a large non-VSAM data set that will not fit into memory. See the new option in VIEWAUX.

April 2025, changes for V16R1M0 First Edition

This refresh version of Z Data Tools includes the following new support:
  • Z Data Tools provides a Microsoft Visual Studio Code extension client with an intuitive interface to access, edit, and manage data sets and files on z/OS systems. See Z Data Tools on VS Code for more details about downloading the extension.

March 2025, V16R1M0 First Edition

This edition of the document provides information applicable to Z Data Tools Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 0. Here are the enhancements delivered with this version:
  • Z Data Tools provides updated internal COBOL and PL/I compilers with this version. Starting with this version, by default, the internal default COBOL compiler is used and additional internal compilers are provided.

    To determine which Z Data Tools COBOL compiler is to be used, a new option, ALTCOB, has been added. See ALTCOB for more information about the available COBOL compilers.

    To determine which Z Data Tools PL/I compiler is to be used, a new option, ALTPLI, has been added. See ALTPLI for more information about the available PL/I compilers.

    To discover the level of the internal PL/I compiler being used, a new command is available, SHOWPLI, from both batch and the Z Data Tools command line. See Customizing for processing PL/I include books for more information about submitting this command.

    Updated the security configuration to reflect compiler behavior changes; the Facility class profile FILEM.COBOL.INTERNAL is no longer used and has been replaced by FILEM.COBOL.EXTERNAL, due to the Z Data Tools internal compiler now being the default. See Customizing for processing COBOL copybooks.

  • Z Data Tools provides the SHOWCOB command, from both batch and the Z Data Tools command line, to determine which COBOL compiler is being used, internal or external. When the Z Data Tools internal COBOL compiler is being used, more detailed messages are provided with this release to indicate why it is being used. See Customizing for processing COBOL copybooks for more information.
  • ZDT/Db2 IVP updates for supported versions of Db2 Version 12 and later. See the section Verifying the customization of ZDT/Db2 for the updates.