PROGRAMMING IN COBOL/400: 2nd Edition

Appendix A. THE 5250 KEYBOARD

THE 5250 KEYBOARD

The iSeries Server versatility allows many different types of workstations to be attached to it. Microcomputers, however, are quickly becoming the most popular workstation devices because of their widespread use in today's computer industry. Before microcomputers, the 5250 dumb terminal was the device used to communicate to IBM midrange computers. The keyboard of the 5250 dumb terminal had a layout similar to today's microcomputer keyboard but it included some additional keys not found on the microcomputer keyboard. As microcomputers became popular workstations on midrange computers, there had to be a system in which the microcomputer could be used in the same manner as a 5250 terminal. To compensate for the differences in keys, 5250 software emulation was developed for microcomputers that would allow a user to communicate in the same manner as with the 5250 terminal.

Figure A.1 contains the 5250 keyboard template used when connecting a microcomputer to an iSeries Server. The first column lists the most common functions used with a 5250 terminal. The second column identifies the microcomputer keystrokes necessary to emulate the original 5250 terminal.

COMMON ENGRAVED KEYS

Many of the engraved keys found on a microcomputer keyboard perform the same functions when the microcomputer is used in 5250 emulation mode. Generally, each of these keys performs a single function:

• The Caps Lock key is used to place the entire keyboard, except for the ...