News - Press Release - February 2006

COLE SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES BETA RELEASE OF z/XDC^® z1.7

Primary Features

Ability to run as an FRR

Support for debugging SRB routines

AFTON, Va. , February 13, 2006/ -- Cole Software LLC of Afton, VA is pleased to announce the availability of a beta test program for release z1.7 of z/XDC.

This latest beta version of z/XDC includes the following new features:

Support for running z/XDC as a Functional Recovery Routine (FRR).
Support for debugging Service Request Block (SRB) mode routines.
A "Quick Start" option when using z/XDC's Startup Panel in ISPF.
A "Quick Start" option for any debugging session invoked via XDCCALL(A)/XDCCMD(A).
Display controls for macro expansions.
Security rule extensions.
A new security calls trace.
New security management commands (LIST and SET).
Downward scrolling "through" storage.
A Fullscreen RETRIEVE command facility.
Support for invoking the SET WINDOW CREATE/DELETE commands from scripts.
Various FIND command improvements.
LIST XMS command improvements.
LIST LSTACK command improvements.
An improvement to the User Commands Exit.
XDCCALL(A)/XDCCMD(A)'s initial display is the target program's entry point.
z/XDC artifacts are explicitly labeled in various system structure displays.

Existing z/XDC customers who want to participate in the beta test program for z/XDC z1.7 can send a request to David Cole at dbcole@colesoft.com. However, please review the following information and get approval from the appropriate management before sending your request.

Dave will need CPU and SYSPLEX information for the machines on which you want to run the beta version z/XDC z1.7. These can be the same machine(s) on which you run your current XDC or different ones; it doesn't matter. z/XDC z1.7 coexists quite peacefully with all prior XDCs.
Dave will apply the necessary licensing codes himself to z/XDC z1.7's license module so that it will be able to run on your designated system(s) "out of the box". The licensing codes will expire at the end of June, 2006.
Dave may make additional changes to the beta version z/XDC z1.7 before its final release. If he does, he will send replacement modules. Please install the replacements as soon as you get them.

Please note that for this beta program, z/XDC will be named Z17. This means the following:

The names of all of XDC's load modules will start with "Z17..." instead of "XDC...".
Z17 modules will be able to coexist with older XDCs in your link-list and LPALIBs.
You will have to invoke z/XDC using "Z17" names instead of "XDC" names. (Example: //A EXEC PGM=Z17CALLA,PARM=IEFBR14)
In ISPF, you won't need to change anything. The old XDC panels and CLISTs will all work fine with Z17. To use Z17, in the XDC Startup Panel type Z17 on the command line and then press ENTER. The panel will automatically invoke Z17 instead of your current version of XDC.
If you want to use z/XDC z1.7's new Quick Start option when debugging programs running in TSO, you will need to replace the existing XDCPANEL panel as well as several other members of the current XDC's ISPF interface. The new Z17 panel is, of course, backwards compatible with prior XDC's.
You will be able to run a Z17 version of CDF in parallel with your older XDC version. Dave will provide details when he ships you z/XDC z1.7.
At IPL time, you will have to run a Z17INIT proc (like the XDCINIT proc) that dynamically installs z/XDC z1.7's system interface routines (be sure that the Z17INIT proc runs after the XDCINIT proc.) Z17's system interface and XDC's system interface are completely compatible with each other. You can use them simultaneously without problems.

At this time, the user documentation for z/XDC z1.7 beta is incomplete.

Feedback is essential to the z/XDC z1.7 beta test program. Dave needs feedback from beta test participants, particularly in relation to how they are using the z/XDC z1.7, any problems they encountered with the beta, and what usability changes they'd like to see in the final version. Please note that continued access to the beta test program may depend upon the willingness of participants to provide Dave with adequate feedback.

When you have reviewed the above information and received approval to run the beta version of z/XDC z1.7, you can send a request to Dave at dbcole@colesoft.com. Note that the currrent packaging for z/XDC z1.7 beta is informal, so its installation will differ from a typical installion of z/XDC. Dave will send the details for installing z/XDC z1.7 when he sends you the beta.

For all technical questions and problems regarding z/XDC z1.7 beta, please contact either Dave at dbcole@colesoft.com or Frank Chu at frank_chu@colesoft.com.