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Web Enablement


Web Enablement - Pure HTML Emulation

ApplinX HTML emulation is an out-of-the-box thin client HTML emulation, available in the .NET and J2EE environments. ApplinX is able to turn an existing terminal emulation instantly into a web browser terminal emulation, providing host key and print support and maintaining existing color schemes.

List of Subjects Relevant to Pure HTML Emulation

Note:
If not indicated otherwise, the sections that are referred to below can be found in the Web Application Development documentation.

Introducing Pure HTML Emulation Development

ApplinX HTML emulation is an out of the box thin client HTML emulation, available in the .NET and J2EE environments. The screenshot below displays a host screen in ApplinX HTML emulation in the browser.

ApplinX is able to turn an existing terminal emulation instantly into a web browser terminal emulation, providing host key and print support and maintaining existing color schemes. This does not require any training for end users and can easily replace locally installed terminal emulation software with the thin-client web browser.

Refer to Installing ApplinX Demo Applications in the Getting Started documentation. Also refer to the self-training material included in ApplinX installation.

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The HTML Emulation Toolbar

The following lists the icons which appear on the toolbar, from left to right.

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The toolbar provides common emulation capabilities such as:

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Web Enablement - Instant Web Application

The instant web application allows modernization of core system applications into modern looking web applications with (little or) no coding. Simple web configurations can improve the general "Look & Feel" of the application: designing a template with top and side images and a "company logo" (Inventory System), modifying the style sheet using different fonts, colors, etc. End users get the information quicker and with improved visibility.

List of Subjects Relevant to the Instant Web Application

Note:
If not indicated otherwise, the sections that are referred to below can be found in the Web Application Development documentation.

Introducing Instant Web Application Development

The instant web application allows modernization of core system applications into modern looking web applications with (little or) no coding. Simple web configurations can improve the general "Look & Feel" of the application: designing a template with top and side images and a "company logo" (Inventory System), modifying the style sheet using different fonts, colors, etc. End users get the information quicker and with improved visibility. Also new users can be trained more easily (web-like usage).

Using Screen Groups, the same design can be globally applied to multiple screens. Using Transformations, host patterns can be converted to web components. Such transformations include: formatting the screen's header area, formatting the message line, formatting titles and borders, converting input fields into GUI elements (combo boxes, radio buttons, check boxes), adding a calendar component to date input fields, formatting the host function keys into hyperlinks, buttons or images and removing unnecessary characters.

Refer to Installing ApplinX Demo Applications in the Getting Started documentation. Also refer to the self-training material included in ApplinX installation.

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Instant Driven Development

In this development mode, most host screens remain as Instant HTML pages, meaning they are generated on the fly by ApplinX Framework, without generating specific web pages (JSP or ASPX) for individual screens. Thus, the development process is quicker and simpler, and maintenance efforts are significantly reduced.

Customization of the instant pages is done using Instant Transformations and using Screen Groups. Often, there is not even a need to identify individual screens. Server transformations defined using the Transformation wizard in ApplinX Designer will be displayed in the instant pages. The page used in the kind of development is GXInstantLogicContext (JSP) /GXInstantLogicWebForm (.NET), which contains Instant Transformations registration.

Instant Web Application Development Methodology

Following are some theoretical guidelines regarding development of ApplinX instant web applications, using Instant Transformations and Screen Groups.

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Web Enablement - Composite Web Application

As the composite web application is based on the instant web application, before reading this section, read the previous chapter: Web Enablement - Instant Web Application.

List of Subjects Relevant to the Composite Web Application

Note:
If not indicated otherwise, the sections that are referred to below can be found in the Web Application Development documentation.

Introducing Composite Web Application Development

Using the composite web application it is possible to fully customize and extend your web applications using your Java or .NET development environment. The composite web application enables aggregating information from many core systems into one web page. It is possible to integrate legacy assets on various levels (screen, transaction, data), support various web environments making use of the ApplinX Base Objects (API) and customizing web frameworks.

The composite web application consists of generated web pages that are fully customizable. Upon sending an ApplinX server request such as a PF key, navigation path execution or application map navigation request, the web application attempts to load the page that has the same file name as the ApplinX session's current host screen. If none is found, the web application checks whether the current host screen belongs to a specific screen group and attempts to load a page that matches that screen group name. Finally, if no match is found, an instant page will be loaded with a representation of the current host screen, allowing users to continue working.

It is recommended to carefully read the previous section (Web Enablement - Instant Web Application) as the composite web application is based on the instant web application.

Refer to Installing ApplinX Demo Applications in the Getting Started documentation. Also refer to the self-training material included in ApplinX installation.

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