G&R » About G&R » News » Glink for Java 6.5 Production Release is ready  

Glink for Java 6.5 Production Release is ready

Glink as a Java Web Start application

You can run Glink for Java as a Java application using the Java Web Start™ technology. This mode is quite similar to the applet mode and requires a server mode installation. In addition the clients must have Java Web Start installed. Java Web Start 1.4.2 is shipped as part of the Java 2 Platform, , and we offer the updated Java platform for download if you don't have it the first time you use Glink for Java R6.5.

When using WebStart you start by accessing web pages from a browser, and on the very first access download Glink for Java as needed to make a mainframe connection. Thereafter Glink is only downloaded if you don't have the latest version. The Glink downloaded by default connects to a Glink for Java server running on the same system as the Web server, and obtains a license and configuration files from it.

The main difference from the applet mode is that a Java Web Start Glink runs independently of the browser, which can be terminated or used for other purposes, leaving Glink running. Web Start also gives you the option of making startup icons on your desktop that 'Web Start' Glink without using the browser.

Glink in web mode, GlinkWeb

Glink in web mode, GlinkWeb, is an extension to the Glink product family that gives you, your customers or partners access to mainframe applications from a browser, without the need for additional software on the workstation.

GlinkWeb is deployed and runs on a web server, and is accessed using a standard browser. GlinkWeb simulates various terminal types such as IBM 3270, IBM 5250, Bull DKU and Bull VIP, allowing the user to access applications on IBM and Bull mainframes from your browser.

GlinkWeb Forms Assistant

You can facelift mainframe screens sent by GlinkWeb using Java Server Pages (JSP). Using the GlinkWeb Forms Assistant you can step through your business application and identify screens that you would like to facelift. The Assistant generates a JSP for each screen identified. The JSP then becomes responsible for generating HTML output to the client. The JSP can be read into the JSP editor of your choice, and modified to give a custom view of the application, quite divorced from the look and feel of the original screens.

SSL support

This release of Glink for Java has support for SSL connections to hosts with SSL support. R6.1 of G&R/Host Links introduces SSL support in G&R/Ggate so that connections to Bull mainframes can be secured using SSL. Optionally the dialog between the Glink for Java client (applet or application) and the Glink for Java server can use SSL.

Enterprise Edition installation packages

The Enterprise Edition is installed on Java-enabled Web servers to provide GlinkWeb and GlinkAPI functionality to server-side Java applications. These packages include a Glink server, and the Glink installation is preconfigured to obtain licenses and configuration data from the server running on the same system. The configuration can be changed to obtain the license and configuration data from a Glink server running on some other system, as long as it has an Enterprise Edition license.

Glink API standard and optimized version

Glink for Java is shipped with an integrated Application Programming Interface (API), enabling customers to control the emulator from their own Java applets, applications or beans.

The Glink API is implemented as a set of Java classes. There are now two versions of Glink. The Standard Glink for Java classes have screen and keyboard handling, so when testing you can see your application driving a visible Glink. The optimized version is used in your production applications.

The API for the optimized version is the same as the standard, except that the Glink window is removed and the screen display calls are ignored. It can only be used from a Java application where the user interface is provided by the application using the Glink API. The optimized version is tailor made for Java beans or Java Enterprise beans running on a server.

When developing an application or a bean, use the standard version, even if you supply your own user interface. You can then see the host dialog in a background Glink window, and quickly spot unexpected situations. When the application is completed switch to the optimized version for efficient run time usage.

Enhancements

• DKU7102 emulation added.
• Added command recall for the synchronous emulations.
• Added language support for various ISO code pages. Any mainframe using an ISO-standard codepage is supported.
• Added language support for GCOS7 systems using Latin 2, Greek, Chinese, Japanese and Cyrillic (Russian). These are mapped to ISO-standards, and supported using the code page enhancements mentioned above.
• The session name is now displayed in the window title and status bar rather than the host CONAME or server address.
• Added screen option "Window appearance". You can configure Glink to be maximized or minimized at start up.
• The logic for manual resizing of the window has been improved, so that the requested size is kept instead of adjusting the size to a matching screen font.
• Added support for ruler type. The ruler is an optional additional indication of the current screen position for the emulator.
• This option is used to choose one of the three available ruler types - a horizontal line, a vertical line or a crosshair with both a vertical and horizontal line.
• Added a print option to suppress blank pages.
• Print icon is now displayed on the button bar during printing.
• Added a print option to set the number of print screen requests to be accumulated before starting the print so that multiple screens can be printed on a single sheet of paper.

See also Release 6.4