3.2 Fast Path to 3270 Terminal Emulation

The following fast path provides a brief outline of 3270 display emulations. It is designed to help experienced users quickly begin display and printer emulation using default settings. For more detailed instructions, read the rest of this chapter.

1. Prepare for 3270 emulation.

   Make sure that you are configured as a 3270 user. Contact your System Administrator, or refer to the SNAP-IX TN3270 Administrator's Guide.

2. Start the 3270 emulation program.

   Type the following at the Solaris command prompt:

   tn3270 [-s[/
   path/]stylefile] [-t [/
   path/]convfile] [-e | -b] [-h 
   IDlist]  [-l 
   host list] [-p] [-c config file name
   ]

   

   To start the Motif version of the program, type the following:

   xtn3270 [-s[/
   path/]stylefile] [-t [/
   path/]convfile] [-h 
   IDlist] [-l 
   host list] [-p] [-c config file name
   ]

   

   To start the 3179G emulation program, type the following:

   xtn3179g [-s[
   /path/]stylefile] [-big | -normal | -small] [-cutpaste] [-h 
   IDlist]
    [-l 
   host list] [-p] [-c config file name
   ]

   

   For more information about the command-line options you can use, see Starting the 3270 Emulation Program, or Starting the 3179G Emulation Program.

3. Enable one or more 3270 display sessions.

   Before using a session for 3270 emulation, you must initiate communications with the host (enable the session). When you start the program, if you see a host screen instead of the main screen of the user interface, you already have at least one enabled session. If the session you want to use is already enabled, skip this step and continue with Step Enable one or more 3287 printer sessions (optional).. If the enabled session is not the session you want, do the following:

   1. From the main screen of the program, pull down the Control menu, and choose Display Sessions. From an active 3270 session, press ACTIONS (default keystroke Ctrl + U) to access the main screen.

   2. In the Control Display Sessions dialog box, highlight the session you want to enable.

   3. Choose <Change Status>. The status changes from Disabled to Enabled.

   4. Repeat the enabling process for as many sessions as you need.

   5. Highlight the session you want to use first, and choose <Make Current>. Three asterisks (*** ) mark this session as the current session.

      If your system is configured correctly and the connection to the host is active, the status changes briefly to

      SSCP

      , and then to

      TN3270
      

      .

   6. Choose <Done> to return to the main screen.

   

   Each enabled session appears as a new window on the Motif screen.

   When you return to the main screen, the 3270 emulation program automatically displays the session window containing the current session.

   

4. Enable one or more 3287 printer sessions (optional).

   Before using a session for printer emulation, you must enable it. (You do not need to enable a printer session for local copy printing, which uses a display session.) If the session you want to use is already enabled, or if you are not using any printer sessions, skip this step and continue with Step Begin 3270 emulation as follows: to begin emulation.

   1. From the main screen, pull down the Control menu, and choose Printer Sessions .

   2. In the Control Printer Sessions dialog box, highlight the session you want to enable from the list of sessions.

   3. Choose <Change Status>. The status changes from Disabled to Enabled.

   4. Enable as many additional printer sessions as you need.

   5. Choose <Done> to return to the main screen.

   The SNAP-IX TN3270 product does not display a separate 3270 emulation screen for a printer session.

5. Begin 3270 emulation as follows:

   1. To access the session you want to use, from the main screen, press Esc. If you see the No Active Display Session error message, choose the <Exit Message> push button and then enable a session by following the instructions in Step Enable one or more 3270 display sessions. of this fast path.

      

      Use the mouse to move to the window containing the session you want to use.

      

   2. Follow logon or application instructions to use your 3270 session. For an explanation of information presented on the status line at the bottom of the display for your 3270 session, see Understanding the 3270 Status Line.

6. Switch between active 3270 sessions by pressing the SESS n session selection key that corresponds to the number of the session you want to move to (default keystrokes are Esc 1- Esc 0 for sessions 1-10), or pressing NEXTSESS (default keystroke Ctrl + V) to move to the next session, until you reach the session you want.

   

   The SESS n and NEXTSESS keys are not supported in the Motif program. Use the mouse to move to the window containing the session you want to use.

   

7. Exit emulation by performing the following steps:

   1. Log off all hosts. (Logging off is recommended but not always necessary. The 3270 emulation program can terminate active sessions if you exit emulation without logging off. However, with some host applications this can cause problems when you next try to log on.)

   2. Press EXIT (default keystroke Ctrl + X) to exit emulation and return to the Solaris command prompt.

   3. If any 3270 sessions are active, a message will be displayed asking you to confirm the exit.

   4. Choose <OK> to exit, or <Cancel> to return to 3270 emulation.

For more detailed instructions, read this chapter and Controlling 3270 Emulation, Transferring Files, and Customizing 3270 Emulation.