Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

[R.Daugherty]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

well, we're going downhill. The screen shot in the redpaper only has one field instead of two. my hat's off to the webheads for not making things too complicated for me.... Ralph

[R.Daugherty]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

From the redpaper mentioned yesterday by Terry and Joe, an answer to one of your questions as pertains to Webfacing: "There are cases where the application logic requires that one of several different pages be used for output. This changes the normal flow of input and output pages as defined by WebSphere Studio. These exceptions can be handled by a feature called flow control, which can be accessed by the Web Interaction Wizard. While this gives the developer some control over the application, you should remember that this is a browser-based application rather than a 5250 application. It provides different functions than a 5250 application, which has the ability to output multiple formats to one screen." In other words, good luck... Ralph

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

I contacted IBM, the closed beta is closed, they are accepting no more participants, however, they will still accept the DDS survey results....

[frankgw@adelphia.net]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

Brian - Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts! I will be reviewing them with the entire newly created Internet team where I work. Thanks again!

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

Fyi, here's an article we sent out in last week's MNE Alert email. At this late date, we're not sure if the beta program is still going or not. Joe Hertvik Editor-Midrange Network Expert Alert (free sub at http://www.midrangecomputing.com/mne...subscribe.cfm) mailto:jhertvik@midrangecomputing.com ************************ 1. Uncovering IBM's quiet 5250 WebFacing tool beta; it's all about the JavaBeans, isn't it? Plus, how you can join the program by Joe Hertvik In our March 8, 2001 issue, I discussed some information I found on a Client Access Web site about IBM's new WebFacing Tool. The WebFacing Tool is a new capability coming to OS/400 that allows you to convert a 5250 host application screen into a Web GUI application with only a few minor changes (at least, that's what IBM says). At that time, I hadn't found too much else about the tool, but-in perusing the IBM Redpapers Web site this week (http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/Redpapers/ )-I discovered one site with a lot of information about the new tool. Through this site, I discovered the WebFacing Tool is currently in a closed beta and that IBM is soliciting people to join the program. Here's what I found out about the WebFacing Tool and how you can join the beta program, if you qualify. The Redpaper in question is called "IBM WebSphere Development Tools for AS/400: An Introduction (REDP0503)" and Chapter 4 in that Redpaper, "Leverage and Extend 5250 Applications to the Web" is exclusively devoted to the new WebFacing Tool. According to this Redpaper, the WebFacing Tool does the following: "It provides a simple mechanism for facing existing 5250 applications with HTML user-interfaces. This allows users to interact with the same application from a Web browser. The WebFacing Tool consists of two parts: - A Display File (DSPF) to JavaServer Pages (JSP) conversion tool - A runtime intercept to enable the iSeries application to be run as a Web-enabled application or as a 5250 display device application The WebFacing Tool allows users to convert their existing 5250 display file source (DDS) to corresponding JSP and associated JavaBeans. The user interface is converted to JSPs only once (at development time). The WebFacing Tool is not a 5250 emulation or screen-scraper product. This approach provides significant performance improvements over the 'screen-scraping' approach that attempts to convert a 5250 data stream to HTML on the fly." The Redpaper then goes on to say that JavaBeans are used to communicate between the JSPs and the original green-screen application, and the JSPs and the JavaBeans are both deployed to a WebSphere Application Server running on your iSeries. At runtime, then, the application can be invoked from either a browser or a 5250 device, and the iSeries server knows whether to exchange program data with a Web browser or with the 5250 display device. So, what we have is a development environment (for converting DDS to JSPs and JavaBeans) as well as a runtime environment that delivers data in the appropriate format for the user (Web or 5250). This involves a runtime switching function that translates I/O from 5250 to Web publishing, when necessary. The Redpaper also provides an abbreviated WebFacing sample that shows you how the product will work. In addition, IBM has introduced a WebFacing Tool Early Adopter program for selected application solutions providers. This program is basically a closed beta. IBM is working with the solution providers to work out the DDS keyword support required to make WebFacing happen and, in turn, the solution providers are creating Web-enabled applications for the iSeries-AS/400 (that IBM can use as advertising; more on this in a few paragraphs). In addition, there is an application form on the WebSphere Development Tools Web site at http://www-4.ibm.com/software/ad/wdt400/news.html so that other solution providers can apply to participate in the Early Adopter Program. There is a catch, however, to joining the program. To participate in the beta, you need to fulfill the following three requirements: - You must file a customer success story with IBM about how you used the WebFacing Tool to help your business - You must agree to be a reference account so IBM can tell people about your experiences using the WebFacing Tool - You must participate in a joint IBM/solution provider press release If you don't agree to these three items, you can't participate in the beta. However, it might be a small price to pay for getting in on the ground floor of a new OS/400 technology that is just now starting to become visible. The final point about the WebFacing Tool is that-according to the Redpaper-it **will** be part of WebSphere Development Tools for AS/400, which is currently priced at $300 a seat. You also need to be running the WebSphere Application Server for iSeries 400 V3.5 or above to use the tool. And, as I speculated in the March 8, 2001 version of this newsletter, IBM is stating in its Redpaper that: "This tool is designed to take existing iSeries programs and convert them to run on the Web. This is in contrast to WebSphere Studio for AS/400 that is designed to enable new applications on the Web." Given this, it's possible that IBM will position the WebFacing Tool as an interim measure. Something to port your existing applications over to the Web until you can get to their preferred Web development tools, Java-based applications running on the WebSphere Application Server. IBM has a big stake in Java and its WebSphere-oriented solutions and it may not want to make you too comfortable continuing to program in RPG or any of the other old-line OS/400 native programming languages for the Web. So one might expect that IBM will pitch WebFacing as an interim measure--the same way e-RPG (RPG CGI)is sometimes pitched as an interim measure--and then encourage you to move to Java-based development for new apps. However, if WebFacing works well, many existing shops may not move too quickly to Java if they find out they can take existing (and new) RPG code and easily move it to the Web. This will be an interesting scenario to watch play out. The key here is going to be performance and ease of use. If the WebFacing tool is a dog, is difficult to use, or has limited functionality, there won't be much of an issue. But if it has acceptable performance, good graphical capabilities for HTML screen creation, and application extension capabilities, there's going to be a lot of people who'll be tempted to program in RPG for the Web rather than move to the Web-enabling strategies IBM would like them to use. Stay tuned. This could get interesting. And by all means, get into the beta program, if you can. This new WebFacing Tool could shake things up.

[R.Daugherty]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

Thanks, Terry. I'll check it out... Ralph

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

What levels of integration with current systems? High - otherwise we'll end up duplicating our complex RPG business logic (Order Entry & Inventory) into the front-end web site. Would any of the many 'catalog/shopping cart' merchant sites that you can outsource to fit the bill, or is your order entry system highly unique? I'd recommend against being too unique, because 99.9%+ of the sites that a surfer visits are NOT your site. Therefore, it doesn't make a lot of sense to try to get them to do something unique for your site... Do a search on your favorite site for "+web +shopping +cart". See if you can find a reputable one that offers what you need. See if it allows you to customize the look and feel, if it's secure, if it offers features you want, and how easily it can integrate with your existing systems. Given your budgets and staffing, you may want to concentrate on integration rather than roll-your-own. If those won't meet your requirements, the next level up might be to purchase and customize a package. Like I said, it depends upon your requirements, but if possible, you should leverage work that's already done to make it easier. Regards, Brian Singleton Midrange Computing

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

It will be a month or two before a final decision is made. I think I'll wait. Good idea... Brian

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

I contacted IBM on this webfacing tool with these questions: 1) Does the web facing tool force recompiling of RPG programs? 2) Is the migration of DDS to JavaBeans transparent to the program (can the program still be used as a green-screen version)? 3) Is it possible to use the WebFacing tool without being a vendor? We are a customer site, but do quite a bit of development here as well. 4) When will the WebFacing tool be GA? Here are the responses: 1 No the WebFacing tool in theory doesn't force a recompile of the RPG/COBOL legacy, actually the PGM is not even aware that it is talking to a browser interface instead of 5250. The reason I am saying in theory, WebFacing will not support all DDS keywords, so you might have to change your programs to accomodate the missing support for some keywords. 2 Yes the progam can drive both 'WebFaced and 5250 screens at the same time since it not aware of the changes 3 The WebFacing program does not have any openings, you can still run the DDS keyword report but and send it in and we will add the results to our database. This will allow us to prioritize future enhancements to WebFacing. 4 The WebFacing tool is not announced by IBM so I can't give you an official date but it should be inside the second quarter of this year. This will be the First Edition of the WebFacing tool, enhancements will be added during the rest of the year. Thought y'all might find this interesting.....

[Terry Winchester]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

Ralph, Here's a link to the PDF on "IBM WebSphere Development Tools for AS/400: An Introduction, REDP0503" (RedPaper). http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/Redpapers/ Check out Webfacing example in Chap 4, it has 3 screen shots http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redb...98b007bbec9/53 8ae9f95fd58d59862569bc00638412?OpenDocument (looks like it requires Websphere Application Server v3.5) Terry

[R.Daugherty]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

Thanks, Mike. That's a bit more info. There was even a sample screen shot... all 2 fields of it... Ralph

[michaelr@railcarmgt.com]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

The following URL will lead to an older IBM presentation. Down around the 25th slide or so, there are some slides that give a very high level mention of the WebFacing tool. http://www-4.ibm.com/software/ad/wdt...esentation.pdf

[David Abramowitz]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

It will be a month or two before a final decision is made. I think I'll wait. Dave

[R.Daugherty]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

I found next to nothing on it, Dave, not even a white paper PDF to download. When they don't have enough of a product to put together a white paper, then that says an awful lot about it. But I did see enough to know it's a conversion of green screen DDS via a tool versus on the fly ala BOS MorphMaster. My opinion is as always: its simpler because the potential of a web page is less. If it's difficult to render web pages manually, it sure as heck isn't being done automatically by IBM software. It isn't for no reason that green screen re-engineering has had to be done in an IDE versus automatically converted since day one. Ralph

[David Abramowitz]

Is the new WebFacing tool the first step to Web enablement?

Ralph Daugherty wrote: IBM does contrast the Host On Demand product I was referring to as being more complex to port to. I am looking into this webfacing discussion with a great deal of interest. One of my clients may be moving to HOD shortly. I have done a great deal of research, and it appears to be a piece of cake. If webfacing is easier, then it may be a consideration. OTOH, The HOD license is about $1,500. with another $1,500. for the customizer. If webfacing requires the full blown Websphere product, then that could put a serious hitch in the gitalong. If I could be directed to a site with 8x11 Webfacing glossies it would be appreciated. Aside from the info in this thread, I have not been able to find any other mention of the product. Dave