Introduction: With ZIETrans, you can create Web applications that provide an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for your 3270 applications running on System z® platforms and your 5250 applications running on IBM i operating system platforms. You can also create service-oriented architecture (SOA) assets using Web services that provide standard programming interfaces to business logic and transactions contained within host applications. Data from video terminal (VT) emulation screens can also be accessed. ZIETrans applications can be given a modern appearance. ZIETrans Web applications can be developed with an interface that matches your company's Web, and your users can access them through their Web browsers. ZIETrans Web applications can also be developed to provide access from mobile devices such as cellular phones, data collection terminals, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). The following figure shows the stages of development, deployment, and runtime for a ZIETrans Web application. The developer uses the ZIETrans Toolkit to develop and test a ZIETrans Web application. When ready, the developer deploys the ZIETrans application by exporting it as a Java™ EE application and installing and running it on a WebSphere Application Server system. Using a Web browser, the user accesses the ZIETrans application. The ZIETrans runtime connects to the target host system through a Telnet server. As the user interacts with the host through the ZIETrans application, the ZIETrans runtime transforms host screens to a GUI. You can configure application server for ZIETrans by following steps below: Method 1: Open the ZIETrans toolkit click on menu bar, click Window -> Show View. Server tab will open below. To add a server Right click -> New-> Server. In the New Server Runtime Environment dialog, expand the IBM folder. Select WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile in the New Server Runtime Environment dialog box and provide path of the server in your directory. Select WebSphere Application Server...

Prerequisites Installation Manager Version 1.8.3, or later, is required to install ZIETrans Toolkit. When you install ZIETrans V1.0 using the Installation Manager, the installation process checks that prerequisite packages and features are already installed. If not, a message is displayed, and the install does not proceed. The following sections list the prerequisite packages and features that must already be installed. HCL ZIETrans For HCL ZIETrans (ZIETrans): One of the following SDP packages, or later FixPacks, including the WebSphere® Application Server version 7.0, version 8.0, or version 8.5 development tools features: Application Developer for WebSphere Software V9.7 If none of the required SDP packages are installed, ZIETrans will not install. If this occurs, use the Install function of the Installation Manager to install one of the required packages along with the required features. Then start the ZIETrans install again. If one of the required SDP packages is installed without the required features, ZIETrans will not install. If this occurs, use the Modify function of Installation Manager to add the required features. Then start the ZIETrans install again. Installing ZIETrans Toolkit To install ZIETrans Toolkit: Verify that your system meets all the prerequisites. For more information see Prerequisites. ZIETrans is structured as an Eclipse offering that is installed to a SDP system using Installation Manager. Select the language for the Launchpad. Click OK. The HCL ZIETrans V1.0 window appears. From this window you can install the product and view release information. Be sure to click Release Notes to review last-minute information. When you are ready to install ZIETrans Toolkit, click Install HCL ZIETrans V1.0 which launches the Installation Manager. Note: If Installation Manager is not installed an error message is displayed. 6. The Installation Manager window appears. 7. On the Install Packages panel, the box for HCL ZIETrans is selected for you. Click Next. Note: An error message is displayed if the...

In continuation to the previous blogs about Automation using PCSAPI and Automation using EHLLAPI API’s, this blog details about the strongest set of ZIEWIN API’s, the HACL (Host Access Class Library) API. Host Access Class Library (HACL) is a set of objects that allows application programmers to access host applications easily and quickly. HCL ZIEWin supports different HACL Layers: [caption id="attachment_8613" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Figure 1 HACL Layers[/caption] Automation Objects (Visual Basic, Word, Excel, etc) : The Host Access Class Library Automation Objects allow ZIEWin to support Microsoft COM-based automation technology (formerly known as OLE automation). The HACL Automation Objects are a series of automation servers that allow automation controllers, for example, Microsoft Visual Basic, to programmatically access ZIEWin Communications data and features. Note: Automation Objects provided by HCL ZIEWin are 64-bit in nature. These can be used only with 64-bit Microsoft Office programs. At present, the following types of automation objects are supported. C++ objects: This C++ class library presents a complete object-oriented abstraction of a host connection that includes: Reading and writing the host presentation space (screen) Enumerating the fields on the screen Reading the Operator Indicator Area (OIA) for status information Accessing and updating information about the visual emulator window Transferring file Performing asynchronous notification of significant events   Java Objects: Java objects provide Java wrappers for all HACL functions. LotusScript Extension: The Host Access Class Library LotusScript Extension (LSX) is a language extension module for LotusScript (the scripting and macro language of Lotus Notes and all the Lotus SmartSuite® products). This LSX gives users of Lotus products access to the HACL functions through easy-to-use scripting functions. ECL Concept - Connections, Handles and Names In the context of the ECL, a Connection is single and unique to a ZIEWin emulator window. Connections are distinguished by their connection handle or connection name. Most HACL objects are associated with a specific connection. Typically, the...

In this blog, we will explore more about EHLLAPI APIs.ZIEWin provides functions to access emulator "presentation space" data (such as characters on the host screen), sending keystrokes to the host, intercepting user-entered keystrokes, querying the status of the host session and uploading and downloading files, etc.

ZIEWin provides an emulator interface to communicate with IBM Mainframe/AS400/VT sessions. This is used for reading & updating host data and interfacing host with other applications.