# Quickstart

[PowerOn Pro](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=libum.poweron-pro) brings a complete language server, direct integration to Symitar, and an incredible UX to level up your credit union's development toolkit through Visual Studio Code. 

{% hint style="success" %}
**More of a TL;DR developer?**\
\
Feel free to jump down to the [TL;DR](#tl-dr) section where we cover the "essentials" for getting up and running.
{% endhint %}

This quickstart is designed to help you get your first Symitar connection created in the PowerOn Pro extension. Through this quickstart, you will learn:

* How to get PowerOn Pro installed
* Overview of some of the basic concepts of PowerOn Pro
* How to use a Remote Sym

If you run into any challenges or have questions getting started, please join our [Libum Community](https://discord.gg/libum) on Discord.

## Installing PowerOn Pro

There are two methods for installing the PowerOn Pro extension.

1. Using the install link on the Visual Studio Marketplace (ref. [PowerOn Pro](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=libum.poweron-pro))
2. Selecting the Extensions button ( <img src="/files/KsQAbeAD4SiPdoYFkvVp" alt="" data-size="line"> ) in VS Code and searching for "*poweron pro*"

<figure><img src="/files/KVUq0gfVG8L9nsp9W2Sm" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>The PowerOn Pro extension via Marketplace in VS Code.</p></figcaption></figure>

## Getting connected to Symitar

Start by clicking the PowerOn Pro logo ( <img src="/files/oImDlJrKBl4byxO857oK" alt="" data-size="line"> ) on the bottom left of the VS Code status bar. This will launch the PowerOn Pro menu for you to be able to manage your connections.

<figure><img src="/files/QuhXop1iKDMK3dqXx6ry" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Main menu for PowerOn Pro.</p></figcaption></figure>

Next, select "*Click to manage connections...*"

<figure><img src="/files/XmKO938UNrz9oNVqN4SN" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Manage Symitar Connections menu in PowerOn Pro.</p></figcaption></figure>

Select "*Add new Connection +*" followed by either "SSH" or "HTTPs" depending on your connection preference and capability of your Symitar host.

{% hint style="success" %}
**What's the difference between SSH and HTTPs?**\
\
In the context of a Symitar connection, [SSH](/poweron-pro/capabilities.md#direct-integration-to-symitar-ssh) uses what we refer to as the Command Line Interface (CLI) over the SSH protocol (aka *Symulate* or *Episys Text Mode*). This is nifty utility but unfortunately is explicitly disabled for some credit unions and can sometimes be unstable. Additionally, we aren't sure how much longer it will around.<br>

For a connection over [HTTPs](/poweron-pro/capabilities.md#direct-integration-to-symitar-https), an API over the Symitar Application Server is used to make direct calls to the Symitar host. This is a much more stable design pattern and should generally be available to every up-to-date credit union.
{% endhint %}

### Required input (SSH)

This provides a brief overview of each input box you'll receive while creating an SSH connection.

| Field                     | Description                                           | Example                                    |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| **Symitar Hostname**      | The endpoint by which you connect to the Symitar host | `93.455.43.232` or `symitar`               |
| **Symitar Username**      | Your username for the AIX / Symitar host              | `libum`                                    |
| **Symitar Password**      | Your password for the AIX / Symitar host              | `hunter2`                                  |
| **Sym Number**            | The directory (aka Sym) number for your connection    | `627`                                      |
| **Symitar User Number**   | Your "Symitar Quest" user number (just the number)    | `1995`                                     |
| **Symitar User Password** | Your "Symitar Quest" password (just the password)     | [`2dfKQYR!TeXJwe`](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] |

Once you've gone through the prompts, you should expect to see ( <img src="/files/zfsl4aVKYKTxMJW0QBCk" alt="" data-size="line"> ) in the status bar of VS Code (bottom left). Anything different means you may have had an issue connecting or have only be able to establish a partial connection.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Having trouble connecting?**\
\
For any consistent connection issues or even general questions, feel free to let us know on [Discord](https://discord.gg/libum) or by emailing us at <development@libum.io>.
{% endhint %}

### Required input (HTTPs)

Please refer to the Required input (SSH) for the context on the majority of the required inputs as they're nearly identical with the exception of the following:

| Field                           | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | Example |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| Symitar Application Server Port | <p>The port which your SymAppServer communicates over. This is typically <code>42</code> + <code>symNumber</code> unless you're running at the SYSTEM level.<br><br>Read more on <a href="https://learnmore.symitar.com/edocs/#enus/GUID-9B232025-7E67-41F7-84A5-A16A39E99ABF.html">eDocs</a>.</p> | `42627` |

## Setting up a Remote Sym

{% hint style="info" %}
**Really quick...**\
\
Before you get started, you will to complete\
\
**1)** [Setting up Rsync on Windows](/poweron-pro/how-tos/setting-up-rsync-on-windows.md) - this is required in order to efficiently manage a mirror copy of your remote Sym locally (so we can access all of VS Code's APIs)\
\
**2)** Set a root path the [Local Symitar Path](/poweron-pro/resources/settings.md#local-symitar-path) setting - this will act as the location to store all of your Remote Sym folders for PowerOn Pro to manage.
{% endhint %}

From the activity bar (on the left-hand side), select the Symitar Explorer button ( <img src="/files/ccFkZkddDHSnKrVd8w7O" alt="" data-size="line"> ) and if you've already followed [Getting connected to Symitar](#getting-connected-to-symitar) as well as the required dependencies installed on your machine, you should see the "*Open Remote Sym*" in the view.

<figure><img src="/files/qrf06n00AO6AMllD9gUm" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>Remote Syms view within Symitar Explorer activity panel.</p></figcaption></figure>

Select "Open Remote Sym" and you should expect to see a menu giving you a selection from available Symitar connections.

<figure><img src="/files/Vmq1w7QviPILOGcqPXqY" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Open Remote Sym menu with a single available Symitar connection.</p></figcaption></figure>

After selecting the preferred connection, you will find a list of available Syms (based on the individual connections you've created) as a menu as well.

<figure><img src="/files/8Y6mkLl6B9YKcwgldMlN" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>List of available Remote Sym connections in the Open Remote Sym menu.</p></figcaption></figure>

Selecting a Remote Sym here will automatically do the following:

1. Create a new directory ( `/<symitarHostname>/<symNumber>` ) using the configured **Local Symitar Path** as the root
2. Update the VS Code workspace at that local folder
3. Begin synchronizing the configured directories (e.g. `/HELPFILES`, `/LETTERSPECS`, or `/REPWRITERSPECS`)

{% hint style="success" %}
**Appreciate File Icon theming?**\
\
We've created a custom File Icon theme for VS Code (extends the default `vs-seti` icons) that will turn this:\
\ <img src="/files/a6PSOosV0ysVYAFTKnlG" alt="" data-size="original">\
\
into this:\
\
![](/files/eZF2bFjxrWCzNSCSfQVz)\
\
Just open up the Command Palette (`Ctrl + Shift + P`) and type "*File Icon Theme*" and select <img src="/files/4rUd2OQARQjCRGXG1OEE" alt="" data-size="line"> to enable it.
{% endhint %}

## TL;DR

All of the available commands within PowerOn Pro are listed on the PowerOn Pro Commands page and can also be listed by opening up the Command Palette (`Ctrl + Shift + P`) and typing "*PowerOn Pro*".

* To create a connection (SSH or HTTPs), use the `Manage Symitar Connections` command
* If you want to open a Remote Sym you'll need first set a root path in the [Local Symitar Path](/poweron-pro/resources/settings.md#local-symitar-path) setting as well as have both `rsync` and `sshpass` utilities via `WSL` (ref. [Setting up Rsync on Windows](/poweron-pro/how-tos/setting-up-rsync-on-windows.md))

[^1]: ✨ Fun fact, this is the actual password to our User for our NexumAPI Playground. If you work with SymX and don't know what NexumAPI is, [take a peek](https://docs.libum.io/nexum)!


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