New interface augments Macro 4’s Eclipse mainframe software suite, bringing productivity and collaboration benefits

Global software and services company Macro 4 has introduced an Eclipse interface for its mainframe application performance management software, FreezeFrame. The new interface gives developers and support staff extra features to enhance productivity and collaboration and makes it easier for new or less experienced mainframe support staff to work with z/OS systems.

FreezeFrame helps developers diagnose performance problems by analyzing how efficiently mainframe applications are using system resources. The new Eclipse functionality makes collaboration easier by enabling users to:

Email performance reports or parts of reports to colleagues for discussion

Use built-in virtual sticky notes to post comments on performance problems

Reports can be exported or viewed in browser windows to enable information sharing with colleagues who do not have access to a 3270 or Eclipse interface - this feature also makes it easier to communicate essential performance information to senior management or others who do not have mainframe expertise

The creation of an Eclipse interface for FreezeFrame further expands the range of Macro 4 mainframe software that works within the Eclipse IDE (Integrated Development Environment). Macro 4’s Eclipse solutions enable developers to perform a wide range of mainframe application development and testing tasks using Eclipse, without having to directly access the mainframe environment. M4WorkBench is Macro 4’s Eclipse framework and it is supplied with all available Macro 4 Eclipse interfaces pre-installed.

Customers can upgrade to any of the Eclipse versions of their current Macro 4 software at no additional charge. 
Having a range of tools that all work within Eclipse can improve overall productivity for those supporting the mainframe, according to Michelle Harris, Group Product Release Manager at Macro 4:

“Our products are designed for the various stages of mainframe application deployment, whether in test or production environments, and they work in an integrated way in Eclipse. For instance, if a developer is tasked with managing production applications, they can do this proactively, using FreezeFrame to find out why an application is running slowly. Or, if an application has already failed, they can diagnose the problem reactively, using DumpMaster. And they can easily switch to TraceMaster to analyze the code line by line. All of the products have the standard Eclipse 'look and feel' and they use combined Source Program Mapping to provide a consistent view of the program code."

Eclipse is a key focus area for Macro 4 because its modern interface helps enhance productivity and enables familiar access to mainframe technology in a way that is playing an increasingly important role in attracting a new generation of developers.

Macro 4’s Eclipse solutions for the mainframe will be showcased at the forthcoming ‘Mainframe for the Next Generation’ workshop event which Macro 4 is hosting on 17th October at the company's headquarters in Crawley, UK.