RFGen Screen Mapping

RFGen Screen Mapping

One Product - Many Solutions: Screen Mapping

-Work with any vt100, 3270 or 5250 host screen

-Create applications that run on all barcode terminals

-Enhance customer applications without changing anything on their host system

Screen Mapping

All applications are hardware independentAll applications are hardware independent

All telnet capable terminals supportedAll telnet capable terminals supported

All Windows based terminals supportedAll Windows based terminals supported

All ODBC databases supportedAll ODBC databases supported

3270/5250 transaction mapping supported3270/5250 transaction mapping supported

Double-byte languages supportedDouble-byte languages supported



RFgen Isn’t Just For

ODBC

Anymore

RFgen Isn’t Just For

ODBC

Anymore

RFgen Sales Strategy

Differentiate offering from other vendors

Provide a “single source” solution

Let customers “try before they buy”

Listen and respond quickly to customer needs

Focus on and Sell the right solution

Solution Oriented Selling


Easy to Manage: Once connected, RFgen users can have their own host session (one to one) or share sessions from a pool of open connections. Interaction with the host system is accomplished through a number of easy to use language extensions built into the RFgen VB environment. Using these commands, users can send and receive text, keystrokes, call macros, and generally perform any action that a local user could do.


Saves you Time and Headaches: WhileScreen Mapping allows users to access andupdate host systems using the built-in businessrules, RFgen allows companies to modify thedata collection process to suit theirneeds…without changing anything on thehost system! There is NO NEED TO REWRITEANY SCREENS!

This is where you specify the host connection information, enter the downtime schedule for this host, and choose settings for the other system defaults…

Making The Connection

In Programmers Assistant, click on ‘Configure’. Select ‘Add New Screen Mapping Connection. The ‘Configure Screen Mapping Connection’ dialog box appears…

With the RFgen screen mapping feature, you do not need to be concerned with cross platform compatibility or re-engineering the system’s business rules. RFgen provides easy to use VBA extensions that allow dynamic interaction with the host emulation screens, completing actual transactions while the host handles all of the business rules for you. This process is accomplished with easy point and click development methods.

Advantages of Screen Mapping

To bring up the emulation window, simply “double-click” on the Host icon in the RFGen status bar, and the selected session window will appear.

Double Click - Screen Mapping Session Window appears

Displaying the Environment

Session – This allows the user to control various elements of the session.

Hot Keys – This allows the user to send IBM specific keys to the host system.

Macros – This allows access to the RFGen Screen Mapping system.

Using the Environment

RFGen uses a standard “point-and-click” interface to allows users to interact with the host session as well as the built-in Screen Mapping features…

The Pop-Up Window

RFGen also includes pop-up window to simplify the macro recording process. From this window, users can quickly insert timing and other commands into the script they are recording. To access this pop-up, just right-click on the screen.

Three Levels of Integration

Basic Also known as “Traditional Screen Mapping”, the user has complete control over the host session. All interaction is written and maintained by the user.

Simplified This method takes a “System” approach to Screen Mapping by providing built-in capabilities to navigate host menus and update host screens.

Embedded This method builds upon Simplified Screen Mapping by embedding fields directly into RFGen forms.

RFGen provides three levels of integration capability for the user. They are as follows…

VBA Language Extensions

To support the “Basic” Screen Mapping model, RFGen provides a number of VBA Language extensions.

Users Benefit from these extensions in the following ways…

• Optimized for Specific Tasks

• Coding and Operational Efficiency

• Fully Documented with Examples

• Guaranteed Backwards Compatibility

Connection Availability

Before attempting to send a series of commands to a Screen Mapping connection, it might be prudent to determine if the host is available.

RFGen provides the following command to test the state of the connection to a host system…

ConnAvailable This command returns ‘True’ if the host connection is available.

Example:

If Not ConnAvailable(“CICS”) Then vRsp = RFMsgBox(“Host is off-line, proceed with batch?”, vbYesNo) . .End If

Session Startup and Shutdown

RFGen Screen Mapping is designed to simplify the entire process of interacting with Legacy Host systems. Accordingly, RFGen allows users to specify initial startup and shutdown macros to login and logout of the host system properly.

While these macros are called automatically at session startup and shutdown, users can execute these macros whenever they require…

Multiple Host Support

RFGen Screen Mapping allows users to connect to multiple host systems. At system startup, RFGen will select the first defined host system to be the default host. All Screen Mapping commands will then be directed to that host.

Transaction Bracketing is used with Pooled Screen Mapping Connections. It allows users to do the following…

Transaction Bracketing

1. Retrieve a specific connection to the host system.

2. Execute a series of commands against a specific session.

3. Return the connection to the pool when they’re finished.

Note: Transaction Bracketing is performed automatically when you use the RFGen Macro commands.

RFGen Host Screen Navigation is used to simplify the process of moving between different host applications.

RFGen Host Screen Navigation allows users to do the following…

Host Screen Navigation

1. Easily move from screen to screen in the host system.

2. Recover from failed navigation or system input errors.

3. Significantly reduce the complexity of Screen Mapping.

Host Screen Navigation

RFGen introduces the concept of a base screen or “main menu”. The base screen is used as a point-of-reference when moving between different host applications. The methodology is as follows…

1. A “main menu” is linked to a specific RFGen host session.

2. Application Screens are then linked to this “main menu”.

3. Screen requests that are linked to this “main menu” will be automatically routed to this session.

Transaction Macros

RFGen uses a concept called Transaction Mapping to interact with Legacy Host systems. Transaction Mapping works as follows…

1. The user identifies all important data fields and screen regions.

2. The user enters a sample transaction which is recorded and converted into a series of VBA commands.

3. The user can then call the macro, passing it the variable data fields and have the transaction update on the host system.

4. Optionally, the user can “paint” a RFGen form and have it execute directly against the macro once all input fields have been accessed. Any returning data will then be displayed in the appropriate linked fields.

Note: Unlike “Screen Scraping” solutions, RFGen transactions can be used while the host is off-line. These transactions can also comprise multiple host systems or even access ODBC databases.

Main Menu Steps Defined

To create a “main menu”, simply follow these 5 easy steps…

1. Logon to Main Menu – This records all the keystrokes necessary to log onto the main menu.

2. Identify the Main Menu – Select the areas of the screen that will uniquely identify this as the main menu.

3. Return from Navigation Error – This records the keystrokes necessary to recover from an unexpected scripting error.

4. Logoff from the Main Menu – This records the keystrokes necessary to log off from the system.

5. Test Macros – This allows users to quickly test their macros.

The Application Screen

“Application Screens” are where the actual user input will normally take place. These screens are usually linked to macros to send and receive data from the host system.

All “Application Screens” contain two basic functions…

1. Link to Main Menu

2. Go to Application Screen Script

3. Return to Main Menu Script

Application Screen Steps Defined

To create an “Application Screen”, simply follow these 5 easy steps…

1. Go to the Application Screen – This records all the keystrokes necessary to move from the main menu to the application screen.

2. Identify the Application Screen – Select the areas of the screen that will uniquely identify this as the application screen (page 1).

3. Identify Multiple Screen Pages – Select the areas of the screen that will uniquely identify this as an additional page of the application screen.

4. Return to the Main Menu– This records the keystrokes necessary to move from the application screen back to the main menu.

5. Test Macros – This allows users to quickly test their macros.

The Data Entry Transaction

“Transaction Macros” are where the actual data entry into the host system will take place.

All “Transaction Macros” contain the following elements…

1. Link to Application Screen

2. Screen Input Fields

3. Screen Output Fields

4. Transaction Script

Data Entry Transaction Steps Defined

To create an “Transaction Macro”, simply follow these 4 easy steps…

1. Go to the Linked Application Screen – This step tests the code required to navigate to the linked Application Screen.

2. Mark All Significant Data Fields – Select the input fields/areas of the screen that you are interested in sending data to/receiving data from.

3. Enter a Sample Transaction – This starts recording the keystrokes required to input this type of transaction. A fully editable VBA script will then be created based upon the input captured.

4. Test Transaction – This allows users to quickly test their transaction macros.

Embedded Screen Mapping

Embedded Screen Mapping builds on the ‘Simplified’ approach to create the user interface for the wireless device. Using these methods, Screen Mapping applications can be created based entirely on “point-and-click” techniques.

Summary

With the RFGen Screen Mapping Module, you can•Connect to “ANY” Legacy Host

•Connect with “ANY” DOS or CE RF Device

•Customize with Ease

•Rapid Application Development

•Use a Proven Product – Over 1,000 Installations

•Double-Byte Compliant

•WITHOUT MODIFYING THE HOST APPLICATION

Documents

RFGen Screen Mapping