Customizing the Outline view

The Outline view shows a symbol tree of the currently active editor. IBM Z Open Editor maps each symbol to a language element of COBOL, PL/I, HLASM, and REXX.

However, you might not want every symbol to display in the Outline view. To control which ones appear, you can modify the User or Workspace settings. At this time, the REXX Outline view displays the internal routine symbol only.

Enabling or disabling Outline view symbols

1. Navigate to your User and Workspace settings using the following VS Code menu command:

   • Windows/Linux: File > Preferences > Settings
   • MacOS: Code > Preferences > Settings

   Note: VS Code provides different scopes for defining these settings. For more information, see User preferences versus workspace preferences.

2. Type Outline in the search box to filter the settings.

3. Enable or disable the Outline view settings based on your needs. Refer to the Outline view symbol mapping reference to understand which settings affect which symbols.

If you would rather modify the Outline view settings in their raw JSON form, run one of the following commands using the Command Palette. Note that it is not recommended to change the Default settings.

Command Palette (⇧⌘P) (Ctrl+Shift+P)	Settings
> Open Settings (JSON)	User
> Open Default Settings (JSON)	Default
> Open Workspace Settings (JSON)	Workspace

Outline view symbol mapping reference

Note that some symbols are used more than once. This is expected behavior.

This table highlights the relationship between Outline view settings in JSON form and UI form.

JSON	Settings Editor
"outline.showBooleans":true

COBOL

Symbol	COBOL Language Element	Visual Studio Code Setting
	PROCEDURE_DIVISION	"outline.showBooleans":true
	DIRECTIVE	"outline.showClasses":true
	PROG_ID	"outline.showConstants":true
	DATA_DIVISION	"outline.showConstructors":true
	MAINLINE_SECTION	"outline.showEnumMembers":true
	LINKAGE_SECTION	"outline.showEnums":true
	WORKING_STORAGE_SECTION	"outline.showEvents":true
	PROCESS	"outline.showFields":true
	ROOT	"outline.showFiles":true
	PARAGRAPH	"outline.showFunctions":true
	ENVIRONMENT_DIVISION	"outline.showInterfaces":true
	DECLARATIVES	"outline.showKeys":true
	ANY_OTHER_SECTION	"outline.showMethods":true
	CONFIGURATION_SECTION	"outline.showModules":true
	COPY	"outline.showNamespaces":true
	ANY_OTHER_DIVISION	"outline.showNumbers":true
	LOCAL_STORAGE_SECTION	"outline.showObjects":true
	END	"outline.showOperators":true
	PROGRAM	"outline.showPackages":true
	IDENTIFICATION_DIVISION, ID_DIVISION	"outline.showProperties":true
	LEVEL_1_HAS_SUBFIELDS, LEVEL_INDICATOR	"outline.showStrings":true
	FILE_SECTION	"outline.showStructs":true
	INPUT_OUTPUT_SECTION	"outline.showTypeParameters":true
	LEVEL_1_HAS_NO_SUBFIELDS, LEVEL_3, LEVEL_X	"outline.showVariables":true

PL/I

Symbol	PL/I Language Element	Visual Studio Code Setting
	PROCEDURE	"outline.showClasses":true
	EVENT	"outline.showEvents":true
	DATAITEM_HAS_SUBFIELDS	"outline.showFields":true
	ROOT	"outline.showFiles":true
	PACKAGE	"outline.showFunctions":true
	LABEL	"outline.showInterfaces":true
	REVERT	"outline.showMethods":true
	INCLUDE	"outline.showNamespaces":true
	END	"outline.showOperators":true
	BEGIN	"outline.showPackages":true
	DATAITEM_HAS_NO_SUBFIELDS	"outline.showVariables":true

HLASM

Symbol	HLASM Language Element	Visual Studio Code Setting
	BRANCH_LABELS	"outline.showClasses":true
	CSECT	"outline.showFunctions":true
	MACRO	"outline.showObjects":true
	DSECT	"outline.showStructs":true
	RSECT	"outline.showStrings":true
	COM	"outline.showInterfaces":true
	LOCTR	"outline.showProperties":true
	LABEL	"outline.showVariables":true

REXX

Symbol	REXX Language Element	Visual Studio Code Setting
	INTERNAL ROUTINE	"outline.showObjects":true