Using Zcrafter

This page explains how to use Zcrafter's interactive mode to ask questions and get AI-powered help with mainframe development tasks.

What is Interactive Mode?

Interactive Mode is the primary way to use Zcrafter. It provides a chat-like interface where you can ask questions and get help from AI in real-time.

Launching Interactive Mode

To start Interactive Mode, open your terminal and type:

zcrafter

This launches the interactive chat interface. You'll see a prompt where you can start typing your questions or commands.

Two Types of Input

In Interactive Mode, you can use two types of input:

1. Natural Language Questions

These are regular questions or statements in plain English. Just type what you want to know:

What is a S0C7 error?

Analyze this COBOL program for bugs

How do I fix a JCL syntax error?

See the Natural Language Commands page for detailed examples and tips.

2. Slash Commands

These are special commands that start with a forward slash and perform specific actions:

/help

/clear

See the Slash Commands page for a complete reference.

Interface Features

Conversation History

All your questions and answers are saved in the current session. You can scroll up to review previous conversations.

Status Indicators

The interface shows:

• Connection status: Which AI model you're using
• Typing indicators: When the AI is thinking
• Error messages: If something goes wrong

Working with Questions

Asking Questions

Simply type your question and press Enter:

What does this JCL job do?

Getting Explanations

Ask Zcrafter to explain concepts:

Explain how VSAM files work

Debugging

Get help debugging errors:

Why am I getting a S0C4 ABEND?

Best Practices

Ask about best practices:

What are COBOL coding best practices?

Exiting Interactive Mode

To exit Interactive Mode, you can:

• Type /exit and press Enter
• Press Ctrl+C twice
• Type /quit

Your conversation history is not saved between sessions.

Quick vs Interactive Mode

Zcrafter has two ways to use it:

Interactive Mode (recommended for most users)

• Launch by typing: zcrafter
• Chat-like interface
• History within session
• Use slash commands
• Best for exploration and learning

Quick Mode (for single questions)

• Type: zcrafter "your question"
• Get one answer and exit
• No history
• Best for quick lookups

Tips for Using Interactive Mode

1. Be specific: The more detail you provide, the better the response
2. Ask follow-up questions: Build on previous answers
3. Use slash commands: They provide quick access to common actions
4. Experiment: Try different ways of asking the same question

Next Steps

• Learn about Natural Language Commands
• Explore Slash Commands
• Check Troubleshooting if you encounter issues