Overview of Conversion Steps

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# Overview of Conversion Steps

This documentation describes how to convert a character-based Natural application to a Natural for Ajax application.

The conversion consists of several steps as illustrated in the following graphic:

- Step 1: Map Extraction
  Extracts from each Natural map the information that is required to create a corresponding Natural for Ajax page. For each map, a map extract file is created. This file is intended as input for the map conversion.

  Required tool: Natural Studio which is part of Natural for Windows.

  See Map Extraction for further information.

- Step 2: INPUT Statement Extraction
  This step is required for Natural applications that do not use maps, but use `INPUT` statements for the dynamic specification of the screen layouts.

  Extracts from each `INPUT` statement in the source code the information that is required to create a corresponding Natural for Ajax page. For each `INPUT` statement, a map extract file is created. This file has the same format as a map extract file created by the map extraction process, and it is also intended as input for the map conversion.

  Required tool: Natural for Ajax Conversion utility which is part of Natural Engineer.

- Step 3: Map Conversion
  Processes the map extract files and creates the corresponding Natural for Ajax pages.

  Required tool: Map Converter which is part of the Application Designer development workplace contained in Natural for Ajax.

  See Map Conversion and Customizing the Map Conversion Process for further information.

- Step 4: Code Conversion
  This step requires that the Natural for Ajax pages have already been created.

  Modifies the application code in such as way that it can use the newly created Natural for Ajax pages. The application can still run in a terminal, in the Natural Web I/O Interface client or in batch as before. But it can now also run in a Natural for Ajax session with the new Natural for Ajax pages.

  Required tool: Natural for Ajax Conversion utility which is part of Natural Engineer.

  Code conversion can also be performed manually. See Code Conversion for further information.

The resulting Natural for Ajax application mimics the character-based application. The user interface is not restructured in the sense that several maps are combined into a single page or that complex maps are split into several separate pages. This kind of restructuring is not part of the conversion, but of the normal development of a Natural for Ajax application.