Through the iWay Emulation Adapter (3270/5250) you can emulate a mainframe application on a familiar web browser. Using the Telnet Designer in web mode, you can navigate the desired mainframe application screens and use either the provided HTM template or generate Java Server Pages (JSP) to create the look and feel of the web interface.

Using the Telnet adapter in web mode has several benefits. You can:

1. Access and re-use online legacy mainframe 3270/5250 applications through a web browser.
2. Use the adapter to simplify screen navigation for the front end user, which can eliminate data entry mistakes as well as reduce the number of screens the user needs to traverse. This enables more productive data capture.
3. Use the adapter to add functionality to existing mainframe applications without affecting the back end application. No programming or changes to the mainframe are required.

Using Telnet Designer in web development mode enables you to create an iWay Emulation Adapter (3270/5250) application using the following techniques:

• Default HTML translation. This technique automatically translates the mainframe application screens into HTML pages. You can use a generic template to surround the mainframe screen with an HTML border. This method is quick and gives the mainframe screens a more web-based presentation. The mainframe screen contents are translated to HTML using the generic template. You can modify the template to make cosmetic changes only, such as adding a company logo, links, colors, and fonts. When you define a template, all mainframe screens that appear in the browser will then contain the template border. A sample template is included with the installation.
• JavaServer Pages (JSPs) for redesign and added functionality. With this technique, you can redesign the look and feel of a mainframe screen and expand the functionality of your online application by combining multiple screens or extracting screen data to one or more newly designed JSP pages. Using JSPs allows you to:
  • Move and hide fields.
  • Present new information.
  • Carry information from one screen to another.
  • Execute data retrievals.
  • Add new functionality to the mainframe application. For instance, you can add a JavaScript routine to edit input.

  Using JSPs requires Java programming skills and some knowledge of the adapter application programming interface (API).

After you create your web application using the Telnet Designer, you can deploy your application immediately to a web application server.