BS2000 file and library element content types

The contents type of BS2000 files and PLAM library elements is determined by considering their attributes in the following order:
  1. The BS2000 file type (PAM files are definitively treated as binary)
    or the library element type (d, j, m, p, s are definitively treated as text, c, l, r definitively as binary).
    If a custom PLAM element type is defined then it is treated as configured transfer mode.
  2. The CODED-CHARACTER-SET (EDF03DRV, EDF03IRV, EDF041, EDF04F, UTF8, UTFE are definitively treated as text)
  3. The file or element name and its extension according the preference setting can be changed in openFT Transfer Mode.

Text

By default, SAM files, standard ISAM files, and PLAM library elements of textual types (d, j, m, p, s) are assumed to have contents of type text.

Contents of type text are assumed to be EBCDIC encoded (EDF03DRV, EDF03IRV, EDF04-1, or EDF04-F, if CODED-CHARACTER-SET is set accordingly for this resource, or if a Default transfer CCS is defined in command link Window > Preferences > BS2000 Remote IDE). Remote resources of this contents type can be edited with a text editor (e.g. by double-clicking on the resource in the BS2000 Explorer view). The remote resource is then transferred to the client by openFT in text transfer mode and opened with the text editor. When modifications are saved the new contents is transferred back to the remote resource, again in text transfer mode.

Supported characters and symbols depend on the CODED-CHARACTER-SET attribute. The Euro sign €, e.g., is not contained in EDF03DRV, EDF03IRV and EDF04-1. If you open a file having such a restricted CODED-CHARACTER-SET in a text editor, you will be able to enter the Euro sign € in the editor view, but it will be replaced with ? during file transfer. See BS2000 file attributes and Creating new BS2000 files how to set the CODED-CHARACTER-SET accordingly.

Program source files

The contents of program source files or library elements are of type text. In most cases programming language specific text editors are available (if a plug-in supporting this programming language is installed).

In command link Window > Preferences > BS2000 Remote IDE > File Editor Association you can associate the default editor for specified file or PLAM library element types:

Additionally you can define the editor for multiple file name patterns (eg. based on exact file name or its extension).
Double clicking such files or library elements or using context menu Open action in BS2000 Explorer will open the default editor configured in above window.

This functionality will also work in Project Explorer if given project file is linked to BS2000 file or library element or has configured delegate rule.

To define editor for custom PLAM library element type, see Defining PLAM library element types.

When no BS2000 file editor association has been found for given PLAM library element or file, then file will be opened in Eclipse Text Editor.

If option Use 'File' and Eclipse 'File Associations' for [TYPE] as fallback is selected and no association is found matching given PLAM library element, then BS2IDE will look for matching editor from 'File' association type.

In case it is still not found, then standard Eclipse mechanism will be used. The same fallback feature can be also enabled for BS2000 'File' and 'POSIX file' association types.

The default editor is generally associated with the file name extension, if any. This association can be defined in command link Window > Preferences > General > Editors > File Associations. For file names or library element names without an extension specific editors can be opened via the context menu action Open With.

In BS2000 Explorer the default editor for given file, PLAM library element or its type can be also assign directly through context menu Assign Default File Editor.
This feature is enabled only for standard or defined custom PLAM library element types (including its elements).

BS2IDE provides some BS2000 specific Editors, see BS2000 Editors.

openFT Transfer Mode

The openFT transfer mode can be set for given file or element can be set via preference page command link Window > Preferences > BS2000 Remote IDE > openFT Transfer Mode.

Here you can define the selected openFT Transfer Mode (Text, Binary or User Format) for file name and / or specific extension. Each configuration can be set for selected system type (BS2000, Local or Any). If BS2000 system is selected, then this rule will apply only for files that will be downloaded from BS2000 host. Local option will work for files located on local machine that are uploaded to remote host (opposite direction). To make this rule work in both directions, system type Any must be chosen.

Additionally you can select the default openFT Transfer Mode for files or elements that are not defined here.

If you specify for example rule for selected local file to transfer it as Binary and file with the same name already exists on BS2000 host that is either text file or it has specified Text rule of BS2000 type in openFT Transfer Mode preferences, then during upload BS2IDE will ask to choose the correct Transfer Mode for that file.
Note, these preferences are working only when uploading or downloading files from BS2000 host. Thus, in most cases you should prefer to define the CODED-CHARACTER-SET for a BS2000 resource in order to force its treatment as text.

Unicode

Contents type unicode is another variant of text, assumed to be encoded as UTF-8. Remote resources of this contents type may be edited with a text editor. The remote resource is transferred by openFT in text transfer mode. Thereby openFT interprets the CODED-CHARACTER-SET attribute (UTF8) of the remote resource and keeps the UTF-8 encoding.

Binary

By default, PAM files, non-standard ISAM files, and PLAM library elements of non-textual types (c, l, r) are assumed to have contents of type binary.

Remote resources of contents type binary should not be opened with a text editor. They can, however, be transfered by drag and drop, or by copy and paste.

Multi-media files

Multi-media files are binary files with a multi-media extension (e.g. .jpg). They are treated like files with binary contents, but are transferred in binary transfer mode by openFT.