The IBM® WebFacing Tool converts existing 5250 interfaces to browser-based graphical user interfaces. With little or no modification to your original i5/OS® applications, you can extend the use of your programs to the Internet or an intranet. Whether your applications are new or were written before the Internet became a viable platform for conducting business, with the WebFacing Tool, your applications can be available anywhere that users have access to a browser.
You can use the WebFacing Tool with applications where DDS source code was used to create 5250 display screens. The tool has user-friendly wizards that facilitate selecting your original application's source members, converting the source, and deploying the new browser-based interface to your program as a Web application. The conversion creates an index page, JavaServer Pages, and XML files that substitute for your original source code and make Web access possible. After your source code has been converted, you can access the application through a browser or continue to use 5250 displays.
Having the interface to your applications based on JavaServer Pages allows for more flexibility in customizing their appearance. When you convert your source code, you select a Web style to determine the look and feel of the pages that will be generated for you. You can further customize the style after converting your source code using the Style properties pages. Styles allow you to define attributes for your Web pages such as graphics, fonts, colors, and layouts. You can use one of the supplied styles or create your own. If you would like to update the appearance of a previously converted project, simply run the WebFacing Tool again and select a new style.
After conversion you can make further changes to your application's user interface by editing the DDS members using the Web Settings view in the IDE or optionally, in the CODE Designer using Web settings, and reconvert the changed members when you're done. You can also enhance the generated index.jsp file using Page Designer. With Page Designer, you can further change the style, add graphics, update page properties, and create a more customized look for your Web-enabled application.
The following diagram show the high-level tasks and files involved in Web-enabling your applications: