Using the 3270 Terminal
Using the 3270 Terminal
The 3270 Terminal Display Emulator plug-in provides a user interface that emulates the basic functions of IBM 3270 family terminals. On the back end, the plug-in and the Zowe Application Server connect to any standard TN3270/E server.
This terminal display emulator operates as a three tier program. Due to web browsers being unable to supply TCP networking that terminals require, this terminal display emulator does not connect directly to your TN3270 server. Instead, the Zowe Application Server acts as a bridge, and uses websockets between the server and the browser for terminal communication. As a result, terminal connections only work when the stack of network programs supports websockets and the TN3270 server destination is visible to the Zowe Application Server.
The terminal connection can be customized per user and saved for future sessions using the connection toolbar of the application. The preferences are stored within the configuration dataservice storage, which can also be used to set instance-wide defaults for multiple users.
Keyboard shortcuts
The terminal bundle that is used by tn3270-ng2 has several keyboard shortcuts to execute common TN3270 emulator functionality. The following Action and shortcut table presents the current list of what function is mapped to which key combination.
Be aware that some browsers intercept key combinations that are common to browsers, such as ctrl
+R
or ctrl
+T
, and that the operating system may also intercept certain combinations such as Windows
+R
or alt
+F4
.
Also, be aware that the key combinations listed are only be handled by the terminal if the terminal has focus, which you can determine if the terminal's cursor is visible and blinking or not. To gain focus on the terminal, it is sufficient to click on the terminal's contents. The difference between focus and not focus may be the difference between F5
being interpreted as terminal PF5
, or the browser reloading the page.
Action and Shortcut table
Action | Keyboard Shortcut | Note |
---|---|---|
Back Tab | Shift+Tab | |
Backspace | Backspace | |
Clear | Ctrl+Shift+z | |
Cursor Down | ArrowDown, NumpadArrowDown | |
Cursor Left | ArrowLeft, NumpadArrowLeft | |
Cursor Right | ArrowRight, NumpadArrowRight | |
Cursor Up | ArrowUp, NumpadArrowUp | |
Delete | Delete, NumpadDelete | |
End | End, NumpadEnd | |
Enter | Enter, NumpadEnter | |
Erase End of Field (EOF) | Ctrl+e | Erases from cursor position to end of field |
Erase Field | Ctrl+l | Erases entire field |
Erase Input | Erases contents of all input fields | |
Erase Word | Erases until next word, including whitespace | |
Home | Home, NumpadHome | |
Insert | Insert, NumpadInsert | Toggles insert text mode |
New Line | Shift+Enter, Shift+NumpadEnter | Moves cursor to field on next row |
PA1 | Alt+1 | |
PA2 | Alt+2 | |
PA3 | Alt+3 | |
PF01 | F1 | |
PF02 | F2 | |
PF03 | F3 | |
PF04 | F4 | |
PF05 | F5 | |
PF06 | F6 | |
PF07 | F7 | |
PF08 | F8 | |
PF09 | F9 | |
PF10 | F10 | |
PF11 | F11 | |
PF12 | F12 | |
PF13 | Shift+F1 | |
PF14 | Shift+F2 | |
PF15 | Shift+F3 | |
PF16 | Shift+F4 | |
PF17 | Shift+F5 | |
PF18 | Shift+F6 | |
PF19 | Shift+F7 | |
PF20 | Shift+F8 | |
PF21 | Shift+F9 | |
PF22 | Shift+F10 | |
PF23 | Shift+F11 | |
PF24 | Shift+F12 | |
Reset | Alt+r | Terminal does not lock on bad input, but rejects and auto resets. No use for reset button currently. |
Tab | Tab |
Key sequences
Key sequences allow users to define their own key sequences. Each key sequence is a recorded set of keys with the possibility of using the key modifiers (Ctrl, Alt, Shift), function keys (F1, F2, ...) and the combinations (such as Ctrl+E or Shift+F1). The definition is stored in the _keySequences.json
file.
Default key sequences
- There is a set of predefined key sequences
- Key sequences are accesible via top right menu:
Syntax of the JSON
- All key sequences can be redefined by the user
- Following syntax is required:
keySequences
is an array of individual key sequencestitle
displayed in the key sequences menudescription
is hover help for each item in the key sequences menukeys
is an array of the key strokesnormal
for the "typewriter" keysspecial
for the function, modifiers and other special keys- The value corresponds to the javascript key code
prompt
is used for user input and this input is pasted on the current cursor position
ctrl
,alt
andshift
are key modifiers- If you combine
normal
,special
orprompt
in one array item, only one action will be made in the order ofnormal
,special
andprompt
Example
Review the following demonstration on two simple key sequences:
- Hello, world
- Types
Hello, world
only
- Types
- ISPF command SWAP NEXT
- Presses
Home
to get on the command line/input field Ctrl+E
deletes the input fieldCtrl+E
is predefined in the TN3270 as "EOF - Erase end of field"
- Types
SWAP NEXT
- Hits
Enter
- Presses
The corresponding file _keySequences.json
appears as the following:
{ "keySequences":
[
{ "title": "Hello, world",
"description": "Types Hello, world",
"keys": [ { "normal": "Hello, world" } ]
},
{ "title": "SWAP NEXT",
"description": "ISPF: Swap next command",
"keys": [ { "special": "Home" },
{ "normal": "E", "ctrl": "true" },
{ "normal": "SWAP NEXT" },
{ "special": "Enter" }
]
}
]
}