is used to
denote facilities unique to the Screen Customizer.
IBM(R) Host Access Toolkit Version 5.0
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Before using this information and the product it supports, read the general information in Notices. |
First Edition (September 2000)
This edition applies to the Host Access Toolkit component of IBM(R) Host On-Demand Version 5.0, and to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.
(C) Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1997,
2000. All rights reserved.
Note to U.S. Government Users -- Restricted Rights -- Use, duplication, or
disclosure restricted by GSA, ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.
This book is intended to help you plan and complete the installation of Host Access Toolkit.
Introducing Host Access Toolkit
Planning for Host Access Toolkit
Installing Host Access Toolkit
Migrating from a previous release of Host On-Demand
Introducing the Host Access Toolkit Application Programming Interfaces
The Host Access Toolkit consists of the Host Access Class Library, the Host Access Beans for Java (TM), and the Host Access ActiveX controls. These are APIs that help programmers write custom applications to either run with the IBM Host On-Demand (hereafter referred to as Host On-Demand) product or run standalone as a custom host access application.
Additional components of the Host Access Toolkit are available as part
of the IBM Screen Customizer product. If both the Host Access Toolkit
and IBM Screen Customizer product are installed on the same system,
the Screen Customizer Component Interface and Custom Terminal JavaBean
are available as part of the Host Access Toolkit. This icon
is used to
denote facilities unique to the Screen Customizer.
The Host Access Class Library provides a core set of classes and methods that allow the development of platform-independent applications that can access host information without the need for a graphical display. The library represents an object-oriented abstraction of a host connection that includes reading and writing the host presentation space, enumerating the fields in the presentation space, reading the operator information area (OIA) for status information, transferring files, and performing asynchronous notification of significant events. See Introducing Host Access Class Library for a brief description. For complete information about the Host Access Class Library, refer to the Host Access Class Library Reference publication.
The Host Access Beans provide emulator functions as a set of JavaBeans (TM) that developers can use to rapidly develop custom applications that deliver the specific functions they want. See Introducing Host Access Beans for a brief description. For complete information about the Host Access Beans, refer to the Host Access Beans for Java Reference publication.
IBM Screen Customizer for Host Integration (Screen Customizer)
provides a graphical user interface for IBM Host On-Demand or IBM
Personal Communications 3270 and 5250 sessions. Extensive
customization capability is provided that does not require programming
or modification of host applications. When Screen Customizer is installed,
the Screen Customizer Component Interface and Custom Terminal JavaBean are
available in the Host Access Toolkit. For more information
about Screen Customizer, refer to the Screen
Customizer website; for details of using it in conjunction with the Host Access Toolkit, see
Introduction to the Host Access Beans.
The Host Access ActiveX Controls provide emulator functions as a set of ActiveX Controls that developers can use to rapidly develop custom host access applications. For more information about the Host Access ActiveX Controls, refer to the Host Access Beans for Java Reference.
The Host Access Toolkit is available on a separate CD-ROM, as a component of Host On-Demand; it is shipped with the Host On-Demand product. The Host Access Toolkit CD-ROM contains all of the Host Access programming API's and documentation necessary for writing Host Access applets and applications.
Additional and improved support items of note for the toolkit are:
The packaging of the Host Access Beans and Host Access Class Library class files has been changed. In addition to the single large jar file containing all of the class files (habeans.jar), a set of smaller jar files have been provided that break up the larger jar into smaller functions. This allows greater flexibility in packaging custom applications.
This visual bean is only available after the Screen Customizer is installed, however the documentation for this JavaBean is provided with this toolkit in the Host Access Beans for Java Reference publication. This bean provides a customizable graphical interface for displaying host data.
The Host Access Beans for Java and Host Access Class Library are supported in the Java 2 environment.
The Host Access Beans for Java have been enhanced to support enhanced non-programmable terminal user interface (ENPTUI) level three, for 5250 sessions. This provides graphical user interface (GUI) functionality in support of the 5250 user.
The Host Access Macro JavaBean and the Host Access Class Library Screen Recognition classes have been enhanced to improve recognition of host screens and ease of navigation of host applications.
For more information about what's new in each of the APIs, see each reference publication:
For updates to this information, refer to the README file.
The Host Access Toolkit CD-ROM provides an installation utility for the following operating systems:
Applications or applets developed using the Host Access Toolkit can be used on other operating systems that support Java, however, installation of the toolkit is not supported on those other systems. The necessary toolkit jar files needed to run your application or applet can be packaged with your application or applet and copied to those other systems within the bounds of your licensing agreement.
These requirements are based on a typical installation and are only estimates. Sizes can vary by operating system.
For the most up to date information, refer to the README file and to the
Host On-Demand Web site.
The following browsers can be used to run Host Access Beans for Java or Host Access Class Library applets:
The Host Access
Beans for Java are supported in a Java 2 environment. However, the visual components
of the Host Access Beans for Java are built using AWT classes. There are known issues
when building applications or applets that use both AWT components Swing components.
For more information on compatibility between AWT and Swing components, see the Sun
Java website.
The basic steps for installing Host Access Toolkit are:
Previous installations of Host On-Demand do not effect installation of the Host Access Toolkit. Host Access Beans for Java and Host Access Class Library applications and applets written using a previous version of Host On-Demand will work with this version of the Host Access Toolkit.
The Host Access Class Library (HACL) for Java provides a core set of classes and methods that allow the development of platform independent applications that can access host information at the data stream level. HACL implements the core host access function in a complete class model that is independent of any graphical display and only requires a Java-enabled browser or comparable Java environment to operate. The class library represents an object-oriented abstraction of a host connection that includes reading and writing the host presentation space, enumerating the fields in the presentation space, reading the operator information area (OIA) for status information, transferring files, and performing asynchronous notification of significant events.
With HACL, application developers can write Java applets that manipulate data from the data stream presentation space (such as 3270, 5250, and Virtual Terminal) without requiring the users to have the applets residing on their machines. The presentation space represents an virtual terminal screen that contains both data and associated attributes presented by host applications. HACL Java applets can open a session to the host, wait for incoming host data, get specific strings from the imaginary screen, get associated attributes of the strings, set new string values, send data stream function keys back to the host, and wait for the next host response. After an interaction is complete, the applet can switch to other tasks or simply close the session. The entire operation can be done without ever showing host screens.
HACL is a significant improvement over traditional emulator programming interfaces, like EHLLAPI, in several ways. These improvements are:
Host
On-Demand's HACL implementation provides the following additional
benefits:
Finally, applications or applets written for HACL are portable between Host On-Demand and Personal Communications.
The Host Access Beans for Java provide emulator functions as a set of JavaBeans. JavaBeans are components that have configurable properties, use events to communicate, and can be manipulated in visual development environments. (See the Sun JavaBeans API Specification for more information). The Host Access Beans can be used by developers to rapidly develop custom applications that deliver the specific functions they want to include in their host access applications.
Each bean description below is preceded by the icon used to represent the bean in most visual development environments.
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Session - This non-visual bean provides methods and properties for setting up and establishing communications with the host system. The Session bean fires events that allow listeners to be notified of presentation space, operator information area (OIA), and communication changes. |
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Screen - This visual bean provides the graphical interface for displaying the host data from a Session bean. The Screen bean listens to presentation space, OIA, and GUI events fired by the Session bean and interprets the events to display the main text area and the operator information area. It fires keystroke events to registered listeners, and also provides the clipboard cut, copy, and paste functions. |
 |
Terminal - This visual bean combines the Session and Screen beans to provide a composite bean that encompasses both the communication with the host and the graphical interface for displaying the host data. |
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CustomTerminal
- This
visual bean is installed with the Screen Customizer product and provides a
customizable graphical interface for displaying host data. Only KeyPad, KeyRemap and
FileTransfer beans can be "wired" to this bean. The CustomTerminal bean
is not supported as an ActiveX control. |
 |
KeyPad - This visual bean provides a simple grid of buttons which invoke various host functions. |
 |
KeyRemap - This visual bean provides keyboard remap capability. Using KeyRemap, keystrokes can be mapped to alternate characters or directly to host functions. |
 |
FileTransfer - This visual bean provides a toolbar interface for transferring files to and from a host. |
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Macro - This non-visual bean records and plays a single macro. Macro employs advanced screen recognition technology to reliably navigate host applications in any environment. Macro also provides the ability to prompt for user input and extract text from the screen during playback. |
 |
MacroManager - This visual bean provides a toolbar interface for managing multiple macros. The MacroManager bean allows you to record, play, load, delete and edit multiple macros. |  |
Color
Remap - This visual bean provides a simple interface for modifying
the colors displayed by the Screen or Terminal beans.
The
ColorRemap Bean is only supported in Host On-Demand. |
The following diagram shows the major events that are passed between each of the Host Access Beans and the composition of the Terminal bean.
The CustomTerminal
bean is wired similarly to the Terminal bean; however, only KeyPad, KeyRemap, and
FileTransfer beans can be wired to the CustomTerminal bean.
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