iWEB overview

iWEB is a 5250 to WEB Java Conversion Tool.

It does not have the limit of screen scraper technologies, it uses an Object Oriented Communication channel from the RPG jobs to a Web Java applet via the HTTP server (the original or Apache). All data is transferred in XML.

Converted applications run through the Web Java applet in any browser or portal (Firefox, Netscape, Safari Mozilla, Internet Explorer, etc) and therefore open up the different platforms an iWeb client can use. The Java applet runs as a plug-in.
iWeb bypasses the workstation 5250 and deals directly with the buffer (display memory) of RPG pgm.
Maintenance, Web developments or enhancements are still made with RPG (and CL commands with iWebMaster).

iWeb is made of two modules:


and development utilities:  (included into the RunTime environment)  

Converter highlights

iWEB allows WEB conversion of

  • RPG, RPGLE, SQLRPG, SQLRPGLE, CL, and CLLE interactive modules / programs
    ("interactive modules / programs" are modules / programs dealing with display files)
  • Display files
  • Type *DSPF menus
  • Help panel groups

iWEB conversion requires that the sources of all programs, display files, menus, and panel groups to be converted are available.

  • If the source of a display file is missing, the display file and the programs / modules referring to it are not converted.
  • If the source of a program / module is missing, the program / module is not converted.
  • If the source of a menu is missing, the menu is not converted.
  • If the source of a panel group is missing, the panel group is not converted.

Original sources are not modified by the conversion process.
Regular application maintenance continue to be performed from the original sources, even after conversion.
New development will still be performed through original source codification.
These are very important factors for developers confidence.

Converted programs may execute both in 5250 and in WEB mode, depending from the way they are invoked: from a 5250 screen, or from the HTTP server.

 

There are two ways the Converter operates:

  • Converter Wizard - This is a WEB based procedure, through which a whole object library (including programs, display files, menus, and panel groups) can be converted in a single shot.  
  • Converter command (IWEB/WEBCOMPILE) - A special command (webcompile) allows to convert single modules/programs, display files, menus, and panel groups. This command run as a pre-compiler, it will invokes the iweb-converter and then compile your source.
    You may use the command IWEB/PDMOPT to install a PDM user-option to directly invoke the command IWEB/WEBCOMPILE from your source member (the default option will be "IW")
    (An overview of the iWeb commands is available with the menu IWEB/CMD. Do "GO IWEB/CMD")

The converted objects are as follow:

  • Converted programs are created in a user-specified library.
  • Conversion data related to display files, menus, and panel groups are stored as stream files in dedicated IFS directories.

The objects generated from a conversion can be installed on a different iSeries system (equipped with iWEB RunTime) through special export / import procedures.

Please refer to chapter:
2. Conversion Guide
 

RunTime highlights

Converted programs can execute both in 5250 mode - as they used to, before conversion - and in WEB mode, depending from the path they are invoked: from a 5250 screen, or from the HTTP server.

The RunTime executes via a Java Applet imbedded in anyone of the commercial WEB browsers, thus allowing hyperlinks and the possibility to run iWEB converted applications within a portal.
The client connects to the iSeries server through the iSeries HTTP server: both the Original and the Apache HTTP server are supported.

The converted programs, evoked from the HTTP server, run in batch mode. This is a great advantage for all the iSeries systems where the batch CPW are not fully used, while the interactive CPW may result in a performance bottleneck.
For some details about the Runtime execution flow, please refer to section APPENDIX 3A - Applet features.

All the converted programs benefit of added functionalities, such as:

  • Reordering of subfile (table) columns on the fly
  • Ability to "copy & paste" a subfile into an EXCEL sheet
  • DDS "values" keywords resulting into "selection lists"
  • Spool file conversion to PDF.

Please refer to chapter:
3. Runtime Guide
 

iWebMaster

Rich Web development CL command driven for RPG people
IWeb converts application into Java objects and provides additional customization and development utilities.

A special CL command set (iWebMaster) allows to enhance/develop the primitive converted pages with objects widely used in WEB pages, like
  • Appropriate fonts and colors
  • Background colors and images
  • Hyperlinks to iSeries Server IFS or local files (images, documents, sound files, video clips, etc.)
  • Hyperlinks to WEB pages from other sites
  • Push-buttons to perform local / server functions
  • . . .

All utilities are CL command driven (therefore under the control of RPG programmers).
The concept is to provide CL commands to interface with Java Objects (and their properties and events) with RPG programs.
The advantages of using CL commands are in the fact that they have parameters which can accept variables or expressions. For instance: One can create a "Button" which can call a host program using a variable which could be any field currently on the screen. Another example is the simplicity of showing an article's picture using, to define the path of the image, the expression '/directory/articles/picture/' *cat &FLD01 *tcat '.gif' where &FLD01 is a field (visible or hidden) within a subfile.

Any customizations or enhancement are retained after a DDS or RPG application is recompiled because iWeb uses cascading XML documents to define styles and functions. The root is the original display, any sublevel XML are customizations.

All customization or widget development can be defined for specific user, group, or languages.
One can create a multi-language version of the application without touching the original RPG or DDS, or a specific layout can be defined for specific LOGIN user or one can specify that any fields such as COST% are hidden for a group of user. All this and much more just by using just the iWeb CL commands.

Please refer to chapter:
4. iWebMaster Guide
 

Special utilities

The IWEB runtime includes some special utilities. Such utilities maybe used independently from the converted programs, though thay may be linked to them. They can be used to enrich the services provided to your iSeries users.
  • iExplore is a WEB based solution that allows to explore the full Integrated File System, maintain directories and files, upload new IFS stream files from your PC client. Very useful when your WEB applications need to be feeded with PC files (images, documents, PDFs, etc.) from authorized clients connected via WEB.
  • iExcel can display a DB2 file in a .xls Excel format. It can be easily invoked from an RPG or a CL program.
  • iGraph can display Graphs in a WEB page which can be zoomed and rotated.

Please refer to chapter:
5. External utilities