RE: 5250 Documentation

Robert,

I have IBM Manager print preview of 3270 programmers reference
(GA23-0059-07). Is this enough to start with terminal emulation development.
If not, what are the other documents I should refer to?

-Sameer

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
Behalf Of Robert C. Wessel
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 12:32 PM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: RE: 5250 Documentation


Sameer,

There are new features in some newer terminals, but you'll want to start
with the 5250 Functions Reference (SA21-9247).  Unless you have special
requirements, you'll probably not need any of the newer stuff anyway.

A word of advice: You'll obviously want to have some other 5250
implementations  available so that you can do the usual reverse
engineering.  5250 is rather complex, and the implementations have vary
considerable in quality, so don't put too much faith in any one 5250
emulator (TN5250 or otherwise) as regards the performance of the more
obscure features (for example, the implementations of autofill, autoskip,
mandatory enter and the like are just all over the place, and those aren't
all that obscure).  We picked up a few different models of "real" 5250
terminals (used and cheap, of course) for baseline testing, which was
helpful.

-Robert

At 12:15 PM 5/7/03 +0530, sameer wrote:
>Hi Robert,
>
>Are there any latest documents which should give me all functions to be
>implemented without referring to the old out of print documents, in order
to
>develop a terminal emulation?
>
>Sameer
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Robert C. Wessel [mailto:[email protected]]
>Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 12:06 PM
>To: [email protected]; [email protected]
>Subject: Re:
>
>
>Sameer,
>
>You can order many back level and "out-of-print" IBM publications from:
>
>http://www.elink.ibmlink.ibm.com/public/applications/publications/cgibin/pb
i
>.cgi
>
>(Select search and enter SA21-9247 as the publication number).
>
>For the "out-of-print" stuff, this is a POD system, so anything "old" you
>order (at least in my experience) arrives in black and white and on 8.5x11
>paper, which is rather funny if you've ordered a pocket reference card.
>But heck, so long as you can read it...
>
>-Robert
>
>At 02:31 PM 5/5/03 +0530, sameer wrote:
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I am new to this type of technology and have just joined the list.
>>
>>I want to develop a terminal emulation software for Telnet server on 5250
>>and 3270. I checked for the specs on the internet just to find the RFCs.
>>These RFCs seems to be based on the "IBM 5250 Information Display System,
>>Functions Reference Manual", SA21-9247-6". This is one document I could
not
>>find on the IBM site. Can anyone tell me how to obtain this document.
Which
>>are the RFCs I should refer to to get sufficient knowldege about the two
>>protocols.
>>
>>Regards
>>Sameer
>>
>