Introduction to Scripting
- Julio Rios (Unlicensed)
The script editor and scripting commands that come with the QWS3270 Secure application offer a simple and powerful way to design functionality for sessions. The script commands contribute to the following uses.
File transfer
Data Capture
APPENDTODISK appends the screen data to an existing file on a PC
SCREENTODISK copies screen contents to a data file on a PC
VAREXTRACT extracts selected data on a screen to a variable name
VARPROMPT prompts the user for input and stores it in a variable (such as, a userid)
GLOBAL creates or updates a variable that can be shared between scripts
Connection
CONNECT sets up a host connection
CLOSEALL terminates all open QWS3270 PLUS sessions
DISCONNECT terminates the host connection
SESSION starts a predefined session
User Interface
CURSOR locates the screen position of the cursor
MESSAGE inserts a text message that requires an OK to proceed
PASSWORD hides the typed data with * characters
PROMPT sets up a screen prompt
TITLE changes the window title of the current session
TYPE sends character data to the cursor location of the current session
KEY sends 3270 keys to the terminal session
Control Structures
GOTO with LABEL allows branching to the LABEL location,
DO ... WHILE loops through actions as long as a search condition is true
DOWHILE ... ENDWHILE executes statements until a condition is true, then resumes outside the end of the loop
IF/THEN/ELSE/ENDIF branches execution based on the result of a search condition
LOOKLIST looks for two text strings and branches based upon which is found or found first
MERGE combines two inputs into a variable
VAR creates a variable for storage
Execution of other inputs
RUN starts any external program (such as, Notepad)
CALL starts to process another script first, then continues the current script
Control of Script execution
EXIT stops script execution
CLOSE stops execution and closes the whole application without a prompt
SILENT stops all warnings and messages from appearing in script execution, preventing the user from having to take action
WAIT halts the script for a specified time