Installation Guide

This guide will walk you through installing the z/TPF VS Code Debugger Extension.

Table of Contents

  1. Installation Guide
    1. Prerequisites
    2. Installation Methods
      1. Method 1: Install from VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)
      2. Method 2: Install from VSIX File
      3. Method 3: Install via Command Line
    3. Verify Installation
    4. Initial Configuration
    5. Troubleshooting
      1. Extension Not Loading
      2. Connection Issues
      3. Getting Help
    6. Updating the Extension
    7. Uninstallation
    8. Next Steps

Prerequisites

Before installing the extension, ensure you have:

  • Visual Studio Code version 1.75.0 or higher
  • Network access to your z/TPF system
  • Valid credentials for z/TPF system access

Installation Methods

  1. Open Visual Studio Code
  2. Click on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Search for “z/TPF Debugger” in the search bar
  4. Click Install on the z/TPF Debugger Extension
  5. Reload VS Code when prompted

Method 2: Install from VSIX File

If you have a .vsix file:

  1. Open Visual Studio Code
  2. Go to Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Click the “…“ menu at the top of the Extensions view
  4. Select “Install from VSIX…“
  5. Navigate to and select the .vsix file
  6. Reload VS Code when prompted

Method 3: Install via Command Line 

code --install-extension IBM.ztpf-debugger

Verify Installation

After installation, verify the extension is active:

  1. Open the Extensions view
  2. Search for “z/TPF Debugger” in the installed extensions
  3. You should see the extension listed with a green checkmark

Initial Configuration

After installation, configure your debug connection:

  1. Create a .vscode folder in your project (if it doesn’t exist)
  2. Create a launch.json file with your debug configuration
  3. Configure your z/TPF system connection details

Example launch.json:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Debug z/TPF",
      "type": "ztpf",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${file}",
      "stopOnEntry": false
    }
  ]
}

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Loading

If the extension doesn’t load:

  1. Check the Output panel (View > Output)
  2. Select “z/TPF Debugger” from the dropdown
  3. Review any error messages
  4. Ensure VS Code is up to date

Connection Issues

If you can’t connect to your z/TPF system:

  1. Verify network connectivity
  2. Check firewall settings
  3. Confirm credentials are correct
  4. Review debug configuration

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

  • Check the GitHub Issues page
  • Review existing issues or create a new one
  • Include VS Code version, extension version, and error logs

Updating the Extension

The extension will automatically check for updates. To manually update:

  1. Open the Extensions view
  2. Find the z/TPF Debugger extension
  3. Click Update if available
  4. Reload VS Code when prompted

Uninstallation

To remove the extension:

  1. Open the Extensions view
  2. Find the z/TPF Debugger extension
  3. Click the gear icon
  4. Select Uninstall
  5. Reload VS Code when prompted

Next Steps