ZOWE and VSCODIUM Automation for PLI Coding

[kraabrsg]

Hi, as of a request here:
#142 (comment)

i will detail a little bit more about how to update components in VSCODIUM.

We use mostly Powershell, because you need nothing else für automating tasks.
What can't be done is adding contextmenues (on right click,e.g.).

We use an extensions called "TASKS" which allows to start Tasks from the statusbar (you can also assign shortcuts to them)

Another extension is called "trigger Task on Save" to update files on the Mainframe when saving.

As for updating powershell scripts, extensions, cli a task is defined to run on "folder open", we use a multiroot workspace.
When installing, the user must open the default *.code-workpsace file and then set the so called Workpace for a specific Product and Release.
With the Multiroot Workspace you can hide files and folder, and the powershell needs to exist once in the default Workspace.
(Otherwise you could get problems locating the powershell files).

We use VSCODIUM, so when the user is installing the package, you have to allow the tasks to run, and allow the tasks to run on "folder open" -> the user have to confirm this or has to set it manually by

Ctrl+SHIFT+P and Tasks: Manage Automatic Tasks in Folder and choose Allow Automatic Tasks in folder and restart VS Code

This has to be done manually, and as far as i know there is no option in a json file to bypass this...

As for the update of the components this works as follow.

For now the file are on a network drive:
POWERSHELL: a json file where the name and the version number is included, this number is also present in the powershell file itself, if the file is newer on the network drive it replaces the local file.
VSIX files: similar to powershell, via codium cli you can list the version installed, you compare the number to the file name on the network drive
ZOWE CLI and ZOWE PLUGINS: in the extracted file there is a package json file with the version, when newer on the network drive

• delete the profiles
• npm install -g zowe-cli.tgz //this updates the new version of the cli
• zowe plugins install "secure-credential-store-for-zowe-cli.tgz"
• zowe plugins install "cics-for-zowe-cli.tgz db2-for-zowe-cli.tgz zos-ftp-for-zowe-cli.tgz ims-for-zowe-cli.tgz mq-for-zowe-cli.tgz"
• zowe profiles create base
• zowe profiles create zosmf
• ....