Version 4.2.6 for Mainframes (Update)
 —  Natural for Ajax  —

Map Extraction

This document covers the following topics:


General Information

The Map Extractor is the first tool that is used in the process of converting a map-based application to a Natural for Ajax application. It analyzes the code of a Natural map and creates from each map a file that contains information about the map, the so-called "map extract file".

The map extract files have the extension .njx and are not human-readable. They are intended as input for the second step of the process, the map conversion.

The Map Extractor is used only to process character maps. GUI elements contained in maps are not extracted.

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Using Natural for Ajax Tools

The map extract files can be created using Natural for Ajax Tools, which is an optional plug-in for Natural Studio. See Using the Map Extractor in the Natural Studio Extensions documentation which is provided for Natural for Windows.

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Using the Mass Function

For mass processing of maps, the Natural program MAP2NJX is provided. The program is delivered in the plug-in library SYSPLNJX.

MAP2NJX is working only on the local environment. It is called in the following way:

MAP2NJX library-name map-name

In the parameter map-name, the asterisk (*) notation can be used.

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Location of the Files

The location of the map extract files depends on the settings in the configuration file ConfigNJXPLG.dat (see Configuring the Servers in the Natural Studio Extensions documentation which is provided for Natural for Windows).

If an application server and a Natural Web I/O Interface server has been specified for the active environment, and if a file-system path to the application server environment has been specified, and if an Application Designer project has been created for the current library, and if this Application Designer project contains a nat subdirectory, then the Map Extractor writes the resulting map extract files to the nat subdirectory of this Application Designer project.

If the above information is not available for the active environment, the Map Extractor stores the files as follows:

The names of the map extract files are derived from the map names (for example, MYMAP.NSM results in MYMAP.NJX).

If the function is applied to several maps and the extraction fails for some of them, a log is displayed and is stored at the location described below:

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