Visual Studio with the Code 4 IBM i Plugin is my preferred RPG code development tool. Unlike IBM Rational Developer which is expensive but one could reluctantly argue that it’s worth the cost to access all the latest and greatest enhancements to the evolving RPG language direct from IBM. I wouldnt argue that 😉
Microsoft VS-Code is FREE and the Code 4 IBM i Plugin is actively updated by the open source community. Plus VS-Code is simply a nicer IDE to use. But that is my opinion so try them both and make your own mind up.
Given the availability of VS-CODE… I don’t know why anyone would want to loan an ancient editor like WDSC but…if you just want to play with RDi’s predecessor to get a feel for things, then read on…
Nick Litten – late 2020
Download and Update WebSphere Development Studio Client WDSC7 for free
I’m an IBM i RPG Developer – do I choose SEU, RSE (RDi) or WDSC?
If your caught between using SEU (Stoneage Editting Utility) and RSE (Really Stupidly Expensive) for your IBM-i code development environment – you have one other glaringly obvious choice – WDSC (Wonderful Double Super Codetool).
Personally, I like WDSC because its $FREE and I’m cheap 🙂
Me, early 2012
This was the last iteration of the Websphere Development suite before IBM, rebuilt and rebranded it as the ‘Rational Developer Tool’ and decided to charge $900 per copy. For Freelance RPG Programmers like me that just puts the tool completely out of my budget. how could IBM possibly justify $900 for a single code editor application that was previous free. Compare this to Microsoft MSDN charges where I gladly pay $300 for a license for every single piece of Microsoft Software out there! That is a big thumbs up for MSDN subscriptions and a big raspberry for IBM’s RDi/p costs.
Anyway, enough of my gripes about IBM’s ridiculous software costs for us freelancers lets get the old &free WDSC version installed:
1 – USE A DOWNLOAD MANAGER
The WDSC7 Install CD Set is 7GB so I would strongly recommend using a download manager that will resume if the link is broken. Download managers just help your downloads by making them get to you quicker, download safer and allow you to take a break from the download and the manager will resume when you reconnect with no loss of data.
I use Free Download Manager, because it nicely handles downloads and Torrents (which is where you are going to find WDSC) and of course, it’s free and awesome 🙂
2 – DOWNLOAD W.D.S.C. 7.0.0.8 (the final version)
Download WDSC7 from “Torrent Land” – just search for “WDSC7” and you will find it. I am not personally sharing this software so the choice to download is your responsibility 😉
WebSphere Development Studio Client (WDSC) is a set of application development tools designed for the IBM iSeries server. The WDSC basic edition offers user-friendly, easy-to-learn tools to help providers optimize e-business applications. The advanced edition includes additional functions for the more experienced iSeries Web developer. This is the final *free* release of IBM’s Eclipse based IDE for RPG, Java, CL, DDS, SQL (yadda yadda) editor. It was the last free version before IBM moved to the RDi product which is chargeable. I’ve tested it with Windows XP/7/8 – both 32 and 64 bit.
once the download has completed it should look something like this:
3 – IBM INSTALLER
The original install image for WDSC came with a Windows Installer component (the program that controls the installation of WDSC itself) that gave problems with Win7+ and 64 bit operating systems. Luckily we can simply install the newer version of the IBM installer and then the WDSC install will just use the newer version and install cleanly. note: I have tested this with both 32&64bit installs on Win7, Win8, Win8.1 and currently running on Win10.
You need to install the IBM 1.6 Installer from folder called : AAA FIRST – Install this version of IBM Installer
Once its installed must reboot your machine
note: Once you unzip the file you will see a folder at the top of the list called “AAA FIRST – Install this version of IBM Installer…” this is Install this version and reboot. If you want to download the latest and greatest installer yourself get it from IBM http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27025142
4 – INSTALL WDSC7
Now install WDSC7 itself from the folder called WDSC Disc 1 and click on wdsc-install_win32
Select the options you want to install.
Check the button marked CHECK FOR OTHER VERSION, FIXES AND EXTENSIONS
This will retrieve the very latest and final fixes to update this to the final version (7.0.0.8)
After click the button you should see this screen:
Now its time to say JUST DO IT!
Follow the prompts and get it installed…
When it asks you to insert a new disk, just enter the next folder name ie: ‘WDSC DISC2‘ then ‘WDSC Disk 3‘ etc etc
5 – Finished
Once the installation is complete, you should re-start WDSC (I prefer to reboot to be on the safe side) to verify it is successful.
Click HELP | ABOUT
Check you got the final update to 7.0.0.8:
Grab it before its gone.
thanks
Hello good afternoon.
I am a Developer in Caracas, Venezuela. My question is: Does the WebSphere Development Studio Client (v7.0.0.8) work with version 7.3 of the IBM i?
because i have instaled WDSC (v7.0.0) and I have problems for edit RPG programs (Strhostsvr & Strtcpsvr)
Thanks
Juan Montesinos
Desarrollador TI
Any hint to where to find the CODE (alternative to SDA) editor in the web? or any alternative at all?