EHLLAPI

Last updated

Emulator High-level Language Application Program Interface (EHLLAPI) is an enhanced version of HLLAPI. [1] It was introduced in 1986 by IBM in association with the IBM 3270 PC [2] to provide access from a DOS PC environment to data on an IBM mainframe. [3] [4]

EHLLAPI can be used to determine screen characters, track and send keystrokes, check the host status and perform file transfers. Typically this API was employed for communication with existing mainframe applications without the need to modify the application code. [5] EHLLAPI could map a screen between different IBM 3270 legacy applications, allowing information to be transferred between the two. [6] It was often used for automated control of applications via keystroke input and screen scraping. [7]

This IBM standard is supported by most terminal emulators. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

IBM AIX Unix operating system from IBM

AIX is a series of proprietary Unix operating systems developed and sold by IBM for several of its computer platforms. Originally released for the IBM RT PC RISC workstation, AIX now supports or has supported a wide variety of hardware platforms, including the IBM RS/6000 series and later POWER and PowerPC-based systems, IBM System i, System/370 mainframes, PS/2 personal computers, and the Apple Network Server.

IBM 3270 family of block-oriented computer terminals introduced by IBM in 1971

The IBM 3270 is a class of block oriented computer terminals introduced by IBM in 1971 normally used to communicate with IBM mainframes. The 3270 was the successor to the IBM 2260 display terminal. Due to the text colour on the original models, these terminals are informally known as green screen terminals. Unlike a character-oriented terminal, the 3270 minimizes the number of I/O interrupts required by transferring large blocks of data known as data streams, and uses a high speed proprietary communications interface, using coaxial cable.

MVS operating system for IBM mainframes

Multiple Virtual Storage, more commonly called MVS, was the most commonly used operating system on the System/370 and System/390 IBM mainframe computers. It was developed by IBM, but is unrelated to IBM's other mainframe operating systems, e.g., VSE, VM, TPF.

Terminal emulator program that emulates a video terminal

A terminal emulator, terminal application, or term, is a computer program that emulates a video terminal within some other display architecture. Though typically synonymous with a shell or text terminal, the term terminal covers all remote terminals, including graphical interfaces. A terminal emulator inside a graphical user interface is often called a terminal window.

Systems Network Architecture (SNA) is IBM's proprietary networking architecture, created in 1974. It is a complete protocol stack for interconnecting computers and their resources. SNA describes formats and protocols and is, in itself, not a piece of software. The implementation of SNA takes the form of various communications packages, most notably Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM), the mainframe software package for SNA communications.

In computing, Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) is a software product for many historic IBM mainframe operating systems and currently the z/OS operating system that runs on IBM mainframes. It includes a screen editor, the user interface of which was emulated by some microcomputer editors sold commercially starting in the late 1980s, including SPFPC.

Computer terminal computer input/output device; an electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying data from, a computer or a computing system

A computer terminal is an electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying or printing data from, a computer or a computing system. The teletype was an example of an early day hardcopy terminal, and predated the use of a computer screen by decades.

CICS transaction management system by IBM

Customer Information Control System (CICS) is a family of mixed language application servers that provide online transaction management and connectivity for applications on IBM mainframe systems under z/OS and z/VSE.

z/Architecture, initially and briefly called ESA Modal Extensions (ESAME), is IBM's 64-bit instruction set architecture implemented by its mainframe computers. IBM introduced its first z/Architecture-based system, the z900, in late 2000. Later z/Architecture systems include the IBM z800, z990, z890, System z9, System z10, zEnterprise 196, zEnterprise 114, zEC12, zBC12, z13, and z14.

GDDM is a computer graphics system for the IBM System/370 which was developed in IBM's Hursley lab, and first released in 1979. GDDM was originally designed to provide programming support for the IBM 3279 colour display terminal and the associated 3287 colour printer. The 3279 was a colour graphics terminal designed to be used in a general business environment.

3270 emulator terminal emulator that duplicates the functions of an IBM 3270 mainframe computer terminal

A 3270 Emulator is a terminal emulator that duplicates the functions of an IBM 3270 mainframe computer terminal on a PC or similar microcomputer.

Since the rise of the personal computer in the 1980s, IBM and other vendors have created PC-based IBM-compatible mainframes which are compatible with the larger IBM mainframe computers. For a period of time PC-based mainframe-compatible systems had a lower price and did not require as much electricity or floor space. However, they sacrificed performance and were not as dependable as mainframe-class hardware. These products have been popular with mainframe developers, in education and training settings, for very small companies with non-critical processing, and in certain disaster relief roles.

Teleprocessing Network Simulator (TPNS) is an IBM licensed program, first released in 1976 as a test automation tool to simulate one or many network terminal(s) to a mainframe computer system, for functional testing, regression testing, system testing, capacity management, benchmarking and stress testing. In 2002, IBM re-packaged TPNS and released Workload Simulator for z/OS and S/390 (WSim) as a successor product.

IBM 3270 PC IBM PC model containing 3270 terminal emulation hardware

The IBM 3270 PC, released in October 1983, is an IBM PC XT containing additional hardware which can emulate the behaviour of an IBM 3270 terminal. It can therefore be used both as a standalone computer, and as a terminal to a mainframe.

IND$FILE is a file transfer program from IBM that was first released in 1983 to allow the transfer of files between an IBM PC running the IBM 3270 emulator (PC/3270) and a VSE, MVS or VM/CMS mainframe. IND$FILE originally worked only with the SEND and RECEIVE commands of the 3270 PC emulator, but today most terminal emulators that have a 3270 mode include it.

Microsoft Host Integration Server is a gateway application providing connectivity between Microsoft Windows networks and IBM mainframe and AS/400 systems. Support is provided for SNA, 3270, 5250, CICS, APPC, and other IBM protocols. Support is also provided for advanced integration with Windows networks and software, such as linking Microsoft Message Queuing applications to IBM WebSphere MQ, binding Microsoft DTC transactions with CICS, and cross-protocol access to DB2 databases on IBM platforms.

Computers can be classified, or typed, in many ways. Some common classifications of digital computers are summarized below. For others see Category:Classes of computers.

The IBM WebSphere Host On-Demand Server, or HOD as it is commonly known is a Java application that runs on a Server that is deliverable via modern web servers such as the Apache web server. The application allows the end user to access IBM 3270, IBM 5250 and other Virtual terminals using the Telnet protocol whether through a secure or unsecured mode of communication. The product in its present form runs on AIX, UNIX, HP-UX, i5/OS, Z/OS, Linux, Solaris and Windows Server.

Distributed Data Management Architecture

Distributed Data Management Architecture (DDM) is IBM's open, published software architecture for creating, managing and accessing data on a remote computer. DDM was initially designed to support record-oriented files; it was extended to support hierarchical directories, stream-oriented files, queues, and system command processing; it was further extended to be the base of IBM's Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA); and finally, it was extended to support data description and conversion. Defined in the period from 1980 to 1993, DDM specifies necessary components, messages, and protocols, all based on the principles of object-orientation. DDM is not, in itself, a piece of software; the implementation of DDM takes the form of client and server products. As an open architecture, products can implement subsets of DDM architecture and products can extend DDM to meet additional requirements. Taken together, DDM products implement a distributed file system.

References

  1. Sometimes termed "Extended" or "Enhanced" HLLAPI.
  2. "A Little History", caseint.com
  3. "EHLLAPI - The Olde Way to Integrate"
  4. Orfali, Robert; Harkey, Dan (1993). Client/server programming with OS/2 2.1. VNR's OS/2 series (3 ed.). Van Nostrand Reinhold. p. 135. ISBN   0-442-01833-9.
  5. "EHLLAPI Functions", IBM.COM
  6. Mindrum, Craig; Andersen Consulting (1998). Netcentric and client/server computing: a practical guide . CRC Press. p.  19-3. ISBN   0-8493-9967-X.
  7. "Introduction to Emulator APIs". Personal Communications. IBM. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
  8. Vandersluis, Kirstan (2004). XML-Based Integration with XAware: Unifying Applications and Data in Today's e-Business World. Maximum Press. p. 59. ISBN   1-931644-02-0.