Re: what could have been - include HTML in the 5250 data stream

Trevor is exactly right here. RPG OA allows you to intercept any file, which includes a display file. However, unlike a database file which has a relatively small set of available actions, intercepting a display file requires an in-depth understanding of the DDS keywords. A typical example is understanding how indicators are used and/or updated when writing to or reading from a subfile. There are basic rules which can then be modified by a number of keywords.

A solution provider may be able to justify the investment to use RPG OA as an adapter between the 5250 protocol and HTTP/HTML (as some have already done!), but very few end user shops have the resources for that undertaking.

Joe

David,

An Open Access handler for a DSPF does exactly what is being asked. It
provides a translation of the 5250 data stream into.. whatever you want.
There is no reason why an Open Access handler could be written to directly
translate into HTML. The handlers that have been written to date tend to
be aimed toward a particular client delivery, and some of those can then
be delivered as HTML. Since the 5250 OA handler process requires a long
study of DDS keywords, it tends to be a little prohibitive for the average
business to spend time developing.

As for 5250 in HTML, this is already available. IBM i Access for the Web
provides that directly.

Trevor




On 4/9/13 9:10 AM, "David Gibbs" <david@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On 4/8/2013 2:36 PM, Steve Richter wrote:

I am interested to know if it would have ever been possible to
include HTML, CSS and Javascript within the 5250 data stream. After
all, 5250 and HTTP are both stateless protocols. Send the data stream
down to the client. Then independently get back a response stream.

Isn't that kind of what Open Access let's you do?

david