Mastering the IBM WebFacing Tool

Mastering the IBM WebFacing Tool

by Heikki Arhippainen, Mel Bakhshi, Wilfried Blankertz, Alison Butterill, Naho Fujimura, Aleksandr Nartovich
Released October 2004
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: None

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Book description

The IBM WebFacing Tool, part of IBM WebSphere Development Studio Client for iSeries, is one of the most important tools for IBM eServer iSeries developers. It facilitates quick conversion of existing host applications into Web applications.

WebSphere Development Studio Client for iSeries comes in two editions, Standard and Advanced, each of which support a different level of features. WebSphere Development Studio Client for iSeries Advanced Edition V 5.1.2 introduces support for system screens for the WebFacing applications. This new feature removes one of the biggest limitations of previous versions of the IBM WebFacing Tool.

This IBM Redbooks publication provides helpful guidance to developers who are new to refacing applications using the IBM WebFacing Tool. It also offers advanced techniques to developers who have some experience in using the IBM WebFacing Tool and want to refine their Web applications.

First, this book introduces you to the IBM WebFacing Tool. Then it walks you through a scenario, which involves converting a 5250 application to a Web application. Next it explains how to refine your browser interface and customize a WebFacing application. Finally, it discusses how to integrate and extend your WebFacing application to provide the required and added functions.

Please note that the additional material referenced in the text is not available from IBM.

Table of contents

  1. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  2. Preface
    1. The team that wrote this redbook
    2. Become a published author
    3. Comments welcome
  3. Part 1: IBM WebFacing Tool and sample application
    1. Chapter 1: IBM WebFacing Tool in the iSeries Developer Roadmap
      1. The decision to modernize
      2. iSeries Developer Roadmap (1/2)
      3. iSeries Developer Roadmap (2/2)
      4. WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries and WebSphere Development Studio Client for iSeries
      5. Focus of this IBM Redbook
    2. Chapter 2: WebFacing environment
      1. Selecting the right system (1/3)
      2. Selecting the right system (2/3)
      3. Selecting the right system (3/3)
        1. Hardware considerations
        2. Using IBM Eserver Workload Estimator to plan a server configuration
        3. Software considerations
        4. WebFacing server
      4. WebFacing performance considerations (1/2)
      5. WebFacing performance considerations (2/2)
        1. OS/400 operating system
        2. WebFacing server
        3. WebFacing subsystem
        4. Java Virtual Machine considerations
        5. WebSphere Application Server
        6. The WebFacing application
      6. References to other resources of documentation
    3. Chapter 3: Guidance for using this redbook
      1. IBM WebFacing Tool scenario in this redbook
      2. Sample 5250 application
      3. Converting the sample 5250 application
      4. Comparing the WebFacing application with the 5250 application
      5. Improving the WebFacing application
        1. Refining the generated user interface
        2. Integrating with other Web applications
  4. Part 2: Moving to a WebFacing application
    1. Chapter 4: 5250 sample application
      1. Setting up the environment
        1. Restoring the FLGHT400 library
        2. Setting up the user profile
      2. Application overview
        1. The Flight Reservation System
        2. Application files
        3. The database files
      3. Using the Flight Reservation System application (1/3)
      4. Using the Flight Reservation System application (2/3)
      5. Using the Flight Reservation System application (3/3)
        1. Starting the application
        2. Creating a new reservation
        3. Generating reports
    2. Chapter 5: Converting a sample 5250 application
      1. Overview of the conversion
      2. Prerequisites for starting the conversion
        1. Applying the latest fixes
        2. Starting the servers
      3. Converting the 5250 sample application (1/4)
      4. Converting the 5250 sample application (2/4)
      5. Converting the 5250 sample application (3/4)
      6. Converting the 5250 sample application (4/4)
        1. Getting started with the IBM WebFacing Tool
        2. Creating a WebFacing project
        3. Converting the DSPF source files
        4. Running the sample application in the WebSphere Test Environment
    3. Chapter 6: Approaching customization of a WebFacing application
      1. Running the WebFacing application (1/2)
      2. Running the WebFacing application (2/2)
        1. Starting the application
        2. Creating a new reservation
        3. Reporting the reservation
      3. Refining the sample WebFacing application (1/2)
      4. Refining the sample WebFacing application (2/2)
        1. Refining the user interfaces
      5. Features not supported in a WebFacing application (1/2)
      6. Features not supported in a WebFacing application (2/2)
        1. Replacing with another Web application
        2. Using other tools to integrate with the WebFacing application
  5. Part 3: Refining the generated user interface
    1. Chapter 7: Refining the browser interface
      1. Why enhance the WebFacing user interface
      2. Techniques to extend the generated Web application
        1. Ways to control the appearance of command key buttons
      3. Selecting and customizing the WebFacing style (1/6)
      4. Selecting and customizing the WebFacing style (2/6)
      5. Selecting and customizing the WebFacing style (3/6)
      6. Selecting and customizing the WebFacing style (4/6)
      7. Selecting and customizing the WebFacing style (5/6)
      8. Selecting and customizing the WebFacing style (6/6)
        1. Choosing a WebFacing style when creating a new WebFacing project
        2. Creating your own style
        3. Modifying the chrome area
        4. Managing the WebFacing styles
      9. Modifying the appearance of the application area
      10. WebFacing properties (1/4)
      11. WebFacing properties (2/4)
      12. WebFacing properties (3/4)
      13. WebFacing properties (4/4)
        1. Conversion time properties
        2. Run-time properties
        3. Style properties
      14. Modifying static Web pages
        1. Changing the layout of the launch page (index.html)
        2. Customizing the signon window
      15. Changing record JSPs with Page Designer
        1. Where record JSPs are located
      16. Customizing the Web user interface through Web Settings (1/4)
      17. Customizing the Web user interface through Web Settings (2/4)
      18. Customizing the Web user interface through Web Settings (3/4)
      19. Customizing the Web user interface through Web Settings (4/4)
        1. Prototyping your modifications of the generated JSPs
        2. Key labels
        3. Key order
        4. Display size
        5. Visibility
        6. Location
        7. Program-defined HTML
        8. User-defined HTML
        9. Appearance and text
        10. Insert HTML
        11. Options for VALUES
        12. Create graphic
        13. Create hyperlink
        14. Insert into script
        15. Send to browser
        16. Dynamic key label
      20. User-defined JavaScript for WebFacing (1/2)
      21. User-defined JavaScript for WebFacing (2/2)
        1. Example: Disabling the pop-up radio buttons for the VALUES keyword
    2. Chapter 8: Customizing the sample application
      1. JavaServer Pages (1/2)
      2. JavaServer Pages (2/2)
        1. JSPs generated during the conversion
        2. Modifying a JSP with mainly static contents
      3. Working with record JSPs (1/4)
      4. Working with record JSPs (2/4)
      5. Working with record JSPs (3/4)
      6. Working with record JSPs (4/4)
        1. Understanding how WebFacing builds browser pages at run time
        2. Enhancing record JSPs
        3. What to do if you have an error
      7. JavaScript (1/4)
      8. JavaScript (2/4)
      9. JavaScript (3/4)
      10. JavaScript (4/4)
        1. Considerations for using JavaScript to enhance WebFacing applications
        2. Refining WebFacing display files with JavaScript
      11. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (1/14)
      12. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (2/14)
      13. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (3/14)
      14. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (4/14)
      15. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (5/14)
      16. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (6/14)
      17. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (7/14)
      18. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (8/14)
      19. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (9/14)
      20. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (10/14)
      21. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (11/14)
      22. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (12/14)
      23. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (13/14)
      24. Entering Web Settings through CODE Designer (14/14)
        1. Using CODE Designer to add or modify Web Settings
        2. Refining FRSMAINX menu display
        3. Refining the Maintenance menu display
        4. Refining the Create Order display
        5. Refining the From City selection display
        6. Refining the FRS407DF display
  6. Part 4: Integrating with other Web applications
    1. Chapter 9: Introduction to integration
      1. What is integration
      2. The need for integration and challenges
      3. Programmatic approach
      4. Using other products
        1. iSeries Access for Web
        2. HATS LE
        3. Lotus Instant Messaging and Web Conferencing
    2. Chapter 10: Dealing with unsupported features
      1. Replacing the query function with a Web interaction (1/6)
      2. Replacing the query function with a Web interaction (2/6)
      3. Replacing the query function with a Web interaction (3/6)
      4. Replacing the query function with a Web interaction (4/6)
      5. Replacing the query function with a Web interaction (5/6)
      6. Replacing the query function with a Web interaction (6/6)
        1. Structure of the service program
        2. Creating the Web project
        3. Configuring the iSeries run time
        4. Creating the output JSP
        5. Adding the Table Web component
        6. Configuring the table’s attributes
        7. Creating the Web interaction
        8. Testing the Web interaction
        9. Integrating the Web interaction with the WebFacing application
        10. Testing the Web interaction within the WebFacing application
      7. Extending the WebFacing application with Database Web Pages (1/2)
      8. Extending the WebFacing application with Database Web Pages (2/2)
        1. Creating the database Web pages
        2. Testing the database Web pages
      9. Displaying spooled files by calling another WebFacing application
        1. Programs involved
        2. Testing the function using the 5250 interactive session
        3. Converting the application
        4. Integrating the WebFacing application with the existing application
      10. Using the traditional program to replace the unsupported feature
        1. Traditional program with a display file
      11. Integrating a HATS LE project into the WebFacing application
        1. Installing HATS LE on WebSphere Application Server Version 5
        2. Configuring and administering HATS LE
        3. Integrating HATS LE within the WebFacing application
        4. Testing the command key action
      12. Extending functionality through iSeries Access for Web
        1. iSeries Access for Web
        2. Using the command key within the WebFacing application
        3. Defining the Web Settings to link the iSeries Access for Web
      13. Working with spooled files using the IBM WebFacing Tool
        1. Defining a report service command key
      14. Using the built-in system screen support
    3. Chapter 11: Integration with other Web applications
      1. Invoking the WebFacing application from other applications (1/5)
      2. Invoking the WebFacing application from other applications (2/5)
      3. Invoking the WebFacing application from other applications (3/5)
      4. Invoking the WebFacing application from other applications (4/5)
      5. Invoking the WebFacing application from other applications (5/5)
        1. How a WebFacing application is invoked
        2. Static call of a WebFacing application
        3. Dynamic call of a WebFacing application
      6. Web Site Designer (1/12)
      7. Web Site Designer (2/12)
      8. Web Site Designer (3/12)
      9. Web Site Designer (4/12)
      10. Web Site Designer (5/12)
      11. Web Site Designer (6/12)
      12. Web Site Designer (7/12)
      13. Web Site Designer (8/12)
      14. Web Site Designer (9/12)
      15. Web Site Designer (10/12)
      16. Web Site Designer (11/12)
      17. Web Site Designer (12/12)
        1. What is Web Site Designer
        2. Using Web Site Designer
        3. Designing the Web site
        4. Navigations and site maps
        5. Applying page templates to your Web site
        6. Integrating multiple projects together in a Web site
        7. Using Web Site Designer with a WebFacing application
        8. Creating a Web site with the WebFacing application
        9. Applying the same page template
      18. Adding an existing WebFacing project to another WebFacing project
        1. Using two or more WebFacing projects in a Web site
        2. Running the Web site with multiple WebFacing applications
    4. Appendix A: Differences in WebSphere Development Studio Client for iSeries V5.1 and V5.1.2
      1. WebFacing project structure
      2. Code generated by the IBM WebFacing Tool
      3. Web Site Designer changes
    5. Appendix B: Additional material
      1. Locating the Web material
      2. Using the Web material
        1. System requirements for downloading the Web material
        2. How to use the Web material
    6. Related publications
      1. IBM Redbooks
      2. Other publications
      3. Online resources
      4. How to get IBM Redbooks
      5. Help from IBM
    7. Index (1/3)
    8. Index (2/3)
    9. Index (3/3)
    10. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: Mastering the IBM WebFacing Tool
  • Author(s): Heikki Arhippainen, Mel Bakhshi, Wilfried Blankertz, Alison Butterill, Naho Fujimura, Aleksandr Nartovich
  • Release date: October 2004
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: None