Configuring Content Assist for COBOL Programming

Proposals

By default, Content Assist automatically shows list of proposals when you start typing in the Procedure Division of a program. If Enable auto activation is disabled, to show proposals, you need to press Ctrl+Space.

Proposal lists include COBOL statements, identifiers and, for COPY statements, any copybooks that are part of the project. You can optionally configure for the following to be included in the proposal lists:

Include system copybooks in copybook proposals

Check this for the proposal lists for COPY statements to also include copybooks that are external to the workspace but are included in the project using the COBCPY environment variable.

Include reserved words

Check this to see COBOL reserved words in the proposals list. Enabled by default.

Include code templates

Check this to see COBOL code templates in the proposals list. Enabled by default.

Include extension methods

Check this to see any available extension methods in the proposal lists.

Include XML special registers

Enables the display of the XML special registers as identifiers in the IntelliSense lists.

Enable legacy fuzzy matching

Disabled by default. With this checked, you receive proposals of words that not only start with the letters you type but that might be spelled differently but are similar to what you are typing. This can help receive relevant proposals in cases when words are misspelled.

If this is unchecked, you only receive proposals that start with the letters you have typed.

Insertion

You can specify whether Content Assist adds items from the proposal lists that you select in insert or in overwrite mode. To switch between the two modes in the editor, press and hold Ctrl while you are typing.

Completion inserts

Click this to enter proposals in the code in insert mode. When this option is selected, you can force overwrite mode while you type by pressing and holding Ctrl.

Completion overwrites

Click this to enter proposals in the code in overwrite mode. When this option is selected, you can force insert mode while you type by pressing and holding Ctrl.

Insert single proposals automatically

Check this to automatically insert a proposal in the code, if it is the only item in the list.

Completion overwrite foreground

Font color to use to highlight the text to overwrite. Only applies when Completion overwrites is enabled.

Completion overwrite background

Background color to use to highlight the text to overwrite. Only applies when Completion overwrites is enabled.

Case of reserved words

Specifies the case of reserved words that will be inserted in the code:

• By dialect - Default. Content Assist inserted reserved words using the case required by the COBOL dialect of the project or the program.
• Upper case - Content Assist inserts reserved words in upper case.
• Lower case - Content Assist inserts reserved words in lower case.

Case of identifiers

Specifies the case of identifiers that will be inserted in the code:

• As declared - the case of the inserted identifiers is as in their declaration.
• Upper case - Content Assist inserts identifiers in upper case.
• Lower case - Content Assist inserts identifiers in lower case.

Auto Activation

Enable auto activation

Checked by default. Enables Content Assist to automatically display a list of proposals for statements and identifiers when you start typing. The list updates as you type.

If this option is disabled, to see Content Assist proposals, you need to press Ctrl+Space.

Auto activation delay (ms)

Specify the time delay (in milliseconds) between typing a character and receiving Content Assist proposals.