5250/AS400 Adaptor

Introduction

With this Adapter that TAST has created, what we do is to navigate through the AS400/5250 emulator and run tests. It allows us to test on AS/400 mainframe screens.

It also allows us to generate macros that allow us to automate tests in systems “transformed to HTML”. That is to say, we record a series of keyboard actions that will be executed later. This recording is saved with a name and in our directory. Then we open TAST and from the Wizards box we import it. Automatically this recording will be converted into a diagram that will reflect step by step all the actions performed. Afterwards we will save it, validate it and run it in the TAST client.

It can be applied in the collection, creation and manipulation of data in any Host in order to streamline processes and automate them, making your application and working methods more efficient.

Initialization Parameters

This executor must be downloaded:

In the initialization process it is necessary to supply the information to connect to the As400 5250 server. That is the information of the Adapter object.

Adapter: 5250
Session Name: name that we want to give.
Host: name that we want to give.
Port: is the terminal port.

Proxy Port: name we want to give it. It is optional

tnEnhanced: is a check box. We have the option to check it or not.

Screen Size: we can choose from different options

SSL: we can choose from several options

Codepage: we have a drop down menu

Predefined Functions

clearAndWriteField: cleans and writes a text in the indicated field. Parameters:
- Parameter Field: Field number starting with 1
- Parameter Offset: Offset in the field starting at 1
- Parameter Value: Text

clearField: clears the field with field number entered in the parameter.

containsText(Text): this function evaluates if within a host screen, there is a specific text that we define in this function.
1.- In the message mapping, the text we want to find is added in the Value field.

getLenghField: gets the length of the field with field number entered in the parameter.

nextScreen: this function directly advances to the next navigation screen (you will have previously had to go through it for it to find it).
It does not require parameters in its coding. (Not activated this function at the moment).

previusScreen: this function directly advances to the previous navigation screen.
It does not require parameters in the encoding. (Function not activated at the moment).

readField(Field,Offset,Length): this function reads a field that we define in the function parameters:
- Parameter Field: Position (numeric) where the field is located, it is visually counted on the screen, since it is not indicated anywhere.
- Parameter Offset: By default the value is always 0, which indicates the first position of the field.
- Parameter Length: Length of the field we are going to read.

readRow(Row): this function reads a particular line on the screen. The whole line.
- Parameter Row: Position (numeric) where the line is located.
  
  This data can be seen at the bottom right of the screen:

readScreen: This function reads the screen on which you are positioned.
Function without parameters.

rowContaintsText(Text,Row): This function checks if a certain text exists on a screen line.
- Parameter Text: Enter the text to search for.
- Parameter Row: Position (numeric) of the line.
  
  This data can be seen at the bottom right of the screen.

waitFor: wait for the time in seconds received in the parameter to elapse.

waitForCursor: this function waits for the cursor to appear on the screen we want to see next.
- Parameter timeinSeconds: Value → time to wait until the cursor appears.

writeAftherLabel (Label, Text): this function writes to the screen any text, after the label that we have defined in the Label parameter has been displayed (on the screen).
- Parameter Label: Value → Text to be displayed.
- Parameter Text: Text that we are going to write.

writeBeforeLabel (Label, Text): this function writes to the screen any text, before the label we have defined in the Label parameter has been displayed (on the screen).
- Parameter Label: Value→ Text to be displayed.
- Parameter Text: Text that we are going to write.

writeField (Text, Field, Offset): this function writes to a given field the value that we define in the Text parameter.
- Parameter Text: Value→ Text to appear.
- Parameter Field: Field that we are going to write.
- Parameter Offset: Position on the field (Position 0).

writeKey (Key): this function executes a predefined key on the screen (ENTER, PF8, PF4, etc…).
- Parameter Key: Value→ Function key.

writeText (Text, Row, Column): this function writes a text at a defined position (line and column).
- Parameter Text: Value→ Text to write.
- Parameter Row: Value→ Row number.
- Parameter Column: Value→ Column number.
  
  This data is obtained from the screen, bottom right.

Macro generation

As already mentioned in the Introduction, with this adapter you can generate macros that allow you to automate tests in “transformed to HTML” systems. We are going to explain how to record a series of keyboard actions and then execute them.

We connect to the emulator:

Right-click to access the Recording Macro and the Record tab.

We name the file to be recorded and accept. The recording will start.

When we finish and end the recording, we will access again with the right button to the Recording Macro and to the Finish Recording tab.

The file, once the test recording is finished, is saved to: C:\Users\xxxxx\OneDrive\Documentos\5250 where xxxxx will vary depending on the name of each user. Later we will need to find this file to import it.

Next, we access the TAST tool.

Check the new diagram box and go to Domain, Project, Folder, Diagram name and Diagram description, as we always do when we design a new diagram. Then the Canvas or blank canvas appears.
Access the toolbar and click on the Assistants box.
A drop-down menu with different options will appear. The options to choose are:
- Import from 5250 to 5250.
- Import from 5250 to HTML.
We import from Assistants the file that we have recorded and saved in the C: Drive.
In either of the two options provided by the Assistants box, a diagram will be automatically generated, which will reflect step by step, the whole recording process of the different actions performed and in which two adapters will appear, the User Object adapter and the 5250 adapter.
Save and validate the diagram.
And finally, we will take it to the TAST client to execute it.