Zowe Explorer profiles

After you install Zowe Explorer, you need to have a Zowe Explorer profile to use all functions of the extension.

Note: You can continue using Zowe V1 profiles with Zowe Explorer V2.

Configuring team profiles

Zowe CLI team profiles simplify profile management by letting you to edit, store, and share mainframe configuration details in one location. You can use a text editor or an IDE to populate configuration files with connection details for your mainframe services. By default, your team configuration file is located in the .zowe home folder, whereas the project-level configuration file is located in the main directory of your project. You can create profiles that you use globally, given that the names of the globally-used profiles are different from your other profile names.

Note: A project context takes precedence over global configuration.

Creating team configuration files

Create a team configuration file.

1. Navigate to the explorer tree.
2. Hover over DATA SETS, USS, or JOBS.
3. Click the + icon.
4. Select Create a New Team Configuration File.
5. If no workspace is open, a global configuration file is created. If a workspace is open, chose either a global configuration file or a project-level configuration file.
6. Edit the config file to include the host information and save the file.
7. Refresh Zowe Explorer by either clicking the button in the notification message shown after creation, alt+z, or the Zowe Explorer: Refresh Zowe Explorer command palette option.

Your team configuration file appears either in your .zowe folder if you choose the global configuration file option, or in your workspace directory if you choose the project-level configuration file option. The notification message that shows in VS Code after config file creation will include the path of the file created.

Managing profiles

You can edit your project-level or global configuration files.

Follow these steps:

1. Right-click on your profile.

2. Select the Add, Update, or Delete Profile options to edit the zowe config file in place.

   Tip: Use the Intellisense prompts if you need assistance with filling parameters in the file.

3. Save the config file.

4. Refresh the view by clicking the refresh icon in the Data Sets, USS, or Jobs view.

   Alternatively, press F1 to open the command palette, type and execute the Zowe Explorer: Refresh Zowe Explorer option.

You successfully edited your configuration file.

Sample profile configuration

View the profile configuration sample. In the sample, the default lpar1.zosmf profile will be loaded upon activation.

You can use the sample to customize your profile configuration file. Ensure that you edit the host and port values before you work in your environment.

{
  "$schema": "./zowe.schema.json",
  "profiles": {
    "lpar1": {
      "properties": {
        "host": "192.86.32.67"
      },
      "profiles": {
        "zosmf": {
          "type": "zosmf",
          "properties": {
            "port": 10443
          },
          "secure": []
        },
        "tso": {
          "type": "tso",
          "properties": {
            "account": "",
            "codePage": "1047",
            "logonProcedure": "IZUFPROC"
          },
          "secure": []
        },
        "ssh": {
          "type": "ssh",
          "properties": {
            "port": 22
          },
          "secure": []
        },
        "zftp": {
          "type": "zftp",
          "properties": {
            "port": 21
          },
          "secure": []
        }
      }
    },
    "my_base": {
      "type": "base",
      "properties": {
        "rejectUnauthorized": false
      },
      "secure": ["user", "password"]
    }
  },
  "defaults": {
    "zosmf": "lpar1.zosmf",
    "tso": "lpar1.tso",
    "ssh": "lpar1.ssh",
    "zftp": "lpar1.zftp",
    "base": "my_base"
  },
  "plugins": []
}

Working with Zowe Explorer profiles

Important! The information in this section applies to only Zowe CLI V1 profiles unless otherwise noted. Zowe CLI V1 profiles are defined by having one yaml file for each user profile.

You must have a zosmf compatible profile before you can use Zowe Explorer. You can set up a profile to retain your credentials, host, and port name. In addition, you can create multiple profiles and use them simultaneously.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the explorer tree.

2. Click the + button next to the DATA SETS, USS or JOBS bar.

   Note: If you already have a profile, select it from the drop-down menu.

3. Select the Create a New Connection to z/OS option.

   Note: When you create a new profile, user name and password fields are optional. However, the system will prompt you to specify your credentials when you use the new profile for the first time.

4. Follow the instructions, and enter all required information to complete the profile creation.

You successfully created a Zowe CLI zosmf profile. Now you can use all the functionalities of the extension.

If you need to edit a profile, right-click the profile and select Update Profile option.

In addition, you can hide a profile from the explorer tree, and permanently delete a profile. When you delete your profile permanently, the extension erases the profile from the .zowe folder. To hide or delete a profile, right-click the profile and choose one of the respective options from the list.

Validating profiles

Note: The following information applies to Zowe CLI V1 profiles (one yaml file for each user profile) and Zowe CLI team profiles (Zowe CLI V2).

Zowe Explorer includes the profile validation feature that helps to ensure that z/OSMF is accessible and ready for use. If a profile is valid, the profile is active and can be used. By default, the feature is automatically enabled. You can disable the feature by right-clicking on your profile and selecting the Disable Validation for Profile option. Alternatively, you can enable or disable the feature for all profiles in the VS Code settings.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the VS Code settings.
2. Open Zowe Explorer Settings.
3. Enable or disable the automatic validation of profiles option.
4. Restart VS Code.

Using base profiles and tokens with existing profiles

As a Zowe user, you can leverage the base profile functionality to access multiple services through Single Sign-on. Base profiles enable you to authenticate using Zowe API Mediation Layer (API ML). You can use base profiles with more than one service profile. For more information, see Base Profiles.

Before you log in and connect your service profile, ensure that you have Zowe CLI v6.16 or higher installed.

Accessing services through API ML using SSO

Connect your service profile with a base profile and token.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Zowe CLI and issue the following command:

   zowe auth login apiml

2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the login process.

   A local base profile is created that contains your token. For more information about the process, see Token Management.

3. Run Zowe Explorer and click the + icon.

4. Select the profile you use with your base profile with the token.

   The profile appears in the tree and you can now use this profile to access z/OSMF via the API Mediation Layer.

For more information, see Integrating with API Mediation Layer.

Logging in to the Authentication Service

If the token for your base profile is no longer valid, you can log in again to get a new token with the Log in to Authentication Service feature.

Notes:

• The feature is only available for base profiles.
• The feature supports only API Mediation Layer at the moment. Other extenders may use a different authentication service.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Zowe Explorer.

2. Right-click your profile.

3. Select the Log in to Authentication Service option.

   You will be prompted to enter your username and password beforehand.

The token is stored in the corresponding base profile.

If you do not want to store your token, request from the server to end the session of your token. Use the Log out from Authentication Service feature to invalidate the token.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Zowe Explorer.
2. Right-click your profile.
3. Select the Log out from Authentication Service option.

Your token has been successfully invalidated.