IJRDE-Effective GUI Implementation in Mainframes

International Journal for Research and Development in Engineering (IJRDE)

www.ijrde.com Vol.1: Issue.1, June-July 2012 pp- 4-11

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Effective GUI Implementation in Mainframes – Windows Based

ROWNAQUE NAZNEEN SHIVANI JAIN

Initial Learning Program Initial Learning Program

Tata Consultancy Services Tata Consultancy Services

Trivandrum , India Trivandrum , India

SHASHANKO ADITYA RAVI PRAKASH SIKARIWAL Initial Learning Program Initial Learning Program

Tata Consultancy Services Tata Consultancy Services

Trivandrum , India Trivandrum , India

ABSTRACT

We are all familiar with some of the many features provides by Windows. These may include multi-

TAB, Address Bar, History of the browsed pages etc. Has anyone imagined having the same

functionalities on a Mainframe screen ? Through this paper, we are proposing a solution to implement

the features – Multi-Tab, Address Bar and Dynamic Graph. All of these will assist in the effective user

interface in Mainframe. Just as in Windows, the Multi-tab option will allow the user to open two browser

pages simultaneously. The address-bar will help the user to go to any particular page within the

application by providing the URL of the page. In any application or business, data is the most important

aspect that defines any piece of information. When the data is organized, analysed and interpreted

efficiently, it is known as statistics. Some of the methods for displaying the statistics are tables and

graphs. A dynamic graph based on the data will help user to understand all the information easily as

well as in an interesting manner.

Keywords – GUI in CICS, Tab in Mainframe, Address Bar in Mainframe, Dynamic Graph in Mainframe

1. INTRODUCTION

Mainframes are very powerful computers that are used widely. They play a central role in critical

applications, bulk data processing and transaction processing. Normally, mainframe is seen as a

technology that is aged and have little amount of dynamism. By implementing the above mentioned

features, the online interface of Mainframes can be made more interactive.

As of now, if a user wants to view multiple pages while working on a specific page, he or she has to come

out of that page in order to view the desired page. As a result, all the data on the current page may be



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lost. These problems won’t occur if the user has an option to open two pages simultaneously. With the

help of new tab, the user can open the desired page side by side with the current page.

If a user wants to go to a particular page, he or she has to follow a specific path. But for a new user, this

can be cumbersome as he or she has no idea about the application. This problem can be avoided with

address bar. If the user provides the URL of the desired page in the address bar, he or she will directly go

to that page without knowing the specific path. In this way the user can go from any page to any page.

Similarly, if the user wants to see some statistics related to a particular application, dynamic graphs can

be generated.

2. ALGORITHMS

Below given are the steps and screen shots for implementing the TAB, ADDRESS BAR and DYNAMIC

GRAPH.

2.1 NEW TAB

1. Create two headings in the map from which new tab will be open.

2. Create a highlighted field for the first page.

3. Create another field which will represent the new tab to be opened. The heading of the new

page can be made dark.

4. The new page map will again include two headings. One heading will be for the new page and

will be highlighted. The other heading will be for the previous page and will not be highlighted.

5. In the first program, when the F1 key is pressed requesting to open the page in new tab, send

the control to second program.

6. In the second program, send the second map and check the cursor position.

7. If the cursor is on the previous tab, send the first map with highlighting the new tab field.

8. If the cursor is on the “close”, send the first map moving “dark” to the new tab field.

Procedure of New tab with screenshots

The following is the first map. If the user wants to create a new tab, F1 key needs to be entered.



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When function key F1 is pressed, the control is sent from the first program to second program. When

second program gets the control for the first time it sends the second map.



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In the second map if the cursor is placed on the “1) loan application” move “reverse” to the

highlight field of the new tab-field in first map and also change the color(here we made the

color blue) and then send the previous

map.

In this way the new tab will remain open as shown below.



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But if the cursor is placed on “close” in the second map, new tab will be closed and the first

map will be send as shown below.



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2.2 ADDRESS BAR

A field is provided in the map where the URL can be typed. On processing, the user should be

automatically directed to the URL.

1. Enter an address in the address bar field.

2. Enter an appropriate key and receive the map.

3. According to the entered address, the control is passed onto a specific program written for a

particular address.

4. After the control is passed, the usual flow within the program will take place.

Procedure with screen shots:

Implementation of address bar in CICS

Here type an address in the address bar field and press F2 as defined for processing this feature.

On pressing of F2,a next page is opened which is designed for the address written in the address bar.



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This is a dummy code showing the COBOL code to include address bar feature in your program. When a

particular URL is entered, control is passed to a different program as shown in picture above.

2.3 DYNAMIC GRAPH

This statistical structure is used to identify the various reporting parameters in an application. For

instance, the below given graph is used to represent the following figures dynamically.

a.) No. of quotes generated

b.) No of customers

c.) No of loans approved

The algorithm is as following:

1) Get the new values of different parameters from the database through the COBOL program.

2) According to the new value obtained, pass any color (defined in CICS) to the respective fields of the

graph.

3) Check if the maximum of graph is reached, then reset the graph range.

4) Press a key to obtain the graph.



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Procedure with screen shots:

This is a dummy code showing how to include a dynamic graph in your COBOL code .The code is given

only according to the variation in the no. of quote generated. The code for the other two parameters of

no. of customers and no. of loans approved can be easily written.



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In the actual graph, range varies according to three parameters as shown above. This is how dynamic

graph looks like in CICS environment. As any of the three parameters changes, color in the graph

increases. As the maximum of graph is reached, color bar again starts from the level 1.This is the

dynamism in the graph.

References

[1] IBM Mainframe Handbook by Alexis Leon.

[2] Murarch’s CICS for COBOL Programmer.

[3] Designing and programming CICS application.

[4] Murarch’s CICS desk reference.

[5] Introduction to the new mainframe: Z/OS Basics – An IBM redbooks publication.

[6] CICS Vs Online system design and implementation techniques by David Lee.

[7] Continuous guidance by our Technical lead Mr. Manikandan Thankappan, Tata Consultancy Services

Documents

IJRDE-Effective GUI Implementation in Mainframes