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Working with Z Data Tools
Creating and editing templates
For many tasks performed with Z Data Tools, you can manipulate your view of a data set by applying a template.
Template types and structure
A Z Data Tools template is a collection of information that you can use to select and format records and fields in an application data set.
Data description support
Support for COBOL data description entries

Working with Z Data Tools
- Z Data Tools overview
- Getting started with Z Data Tools
- Viewing and changing data sets
  To view data stored in a supported data set, use the View Utility or the Edit Utility.
- Creating and editing templates
  For many tasks performed with Z Data Tools, you can manipulate your view of a data set by applying a template.
  - Template types and structure
    A Z Data Tools template is a collection of information that you can use to select and format records and fields in an application data set.
  - Template repository
    The template repository is a VSAM KSDS file that is used to associate a data set or resource name with its corresponding template.
  - Managing templates
  - Manipulating the display of fields in records
  - Managing templates with the Template Workbench
  - Specifying scrambling options
  - Mapping fields between templates
  - Copybook View and Print Utility
    Use the Copybook View and Print Utility to view or print field definition information.
  - XML templates
    A Z Data Tools template can be exported to an external XML format using the Template Export utility.
- Working with the Template List
  Display a list of templates and perform actions on them.
- Filtering records with templates
- Managing data sets
- Using Z Data Tools utilities
- Tape Specific Functions
- Disk/VSAM Data Functions
- OAM Functions
- Using UNIX™ System Services and the Hierarchical File System
- Introduction to programming with Z Data Tools functions
- Enhancing Z Data Tools processing
  You can enhance normal processing of a number of Z Data Tools tasks by supplying a procedure that runs in conjunction with the Z Data Tools process.
- Redefines criteria
  Redefines criteria can be specified for a field with a REDEFINES clause, or a field that is the target of a REDEFINES clause.
- Enhanced ISPF: Reference List, Search, Change, and PDSE Workbench
  Z Data Tools provides several enhancements to the basic facilities that are available in an ISPF session: Enhanced Reference List, Enhanced Search, Enhanced Change, and PDSE Workbench.
- Z Data Tools Service Provider for z/OS® Connect Enterprise Edition
  Z Data Tools Service Provider for IBM® z/OS® Connect Enterprise Edition enables client applications to access IBM Z data sources using z/OS Connect.
- Function and panel reference lists

Support for COBOL data description entries

In the COBOL data description entries specified in a copybook, Z Data Tools supports:

ASSIGN clause
OCCURS clause (including OCCURS DEPENDING ON)
PICTURE clause
REDEFINES clause
RENAMES clause
USAGE clause
VALUE clause

Z Data Tools ignores:

BLANK WHEN ZERO clause
DATE FORMAT clause
EXTERNAL clause
GLOBAL clause
JUSTIFIED clause

Note: In general, Z Data Tools treats Numeric Edited fields as alphanumeric. A special code, ZA, is used for unsupported zoned decimals.

Z Data Tools supports all data item level numbers except 88 (condition-names).

The literal value that you specify in a VALUE clause is used in the template to specify the Start value (for numeric fields) or Pattern (for alphanumeric fields) “create attribute” on the Field Attributes panel for that field.

Z Data Tools uses this attribute to initialize the value of the field when creating data or inserting new fields when copying data.