Most industrial printers use a language specifically designed by the manufacturer. In this case no printer driver is used. Printer commands are sent directly
We advise to use one of the two following settings:
Manufacturer type and Model (MFRTYPMDL): *NONE"
WCST name (WSCSTNAME) :
WCST library (WSCSTLIB) :
or
Manufacturer type and Model (MFRTYPMDL) : *WSCST
WCST name (WSCSTNAME) :QWPDEFAULT
WCST library (WSCSTLIB) : *LIBL
Screen or printer sessions may be suddenly disconnected when running an OS V5.x
This issued is fixed by the following PTFs:
We advise to apply the related PTF in any case.
The AXEL Thin Client offers both session connection (tn5250 protocol) and printer connection (Prt5250 and LPD protocols).
To connect to an AS/400 the AXEL Thin Client must contain 5250 emulation firmware. This emulation is available as a standard feature with most of AXEL Thin Client models. If not, the thin client must be upgrade with a firmware including the I52 option.
There is an OS/400 utility allows the network traffic between the AS/400 and a specific AXEL Thin Client to be recorded and the resultant TCP/IP trace emailed to AXEL for investigation.
1 - Before running the trace
From an AXEL Thin Client, be ready to run the application you want to trace.
2 - Running the trace
Then on the AX3000, run the software you want to trace.
3 - Stopping and editing the trace
Format RR, RNR commands . . . N
Format Broadcast data . . . . N
Format UI data only . . . . . N
Format SNA data only. . . . . N
Format TCP/IP data only . . . Y
Format IPX data only. . . . . N
Select Ethernet data. . . . . 3
Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . *ALL
The trace is now edited. From a Windows box running "Client Access", transfer the spool file and send it by email to our support department.
As with an SNA terminal, a name can be associated with an AXEL Thin Client session. This name is negotiated by the AXEL Thin Client at the connection time.
Note: A unique name must be given to each session.
To associate a name with a session, enter the AXEL Thin Client Setup, select [Configuration]-[Sessions]-[Session X]. Within the displayed box, set the "Terminal Name (DEVNAME)" parameter.
If this name is left blank, a dynamic name will be given by the AS/400 (QPADEVxxx).
This modification will take effect at the next AXEL Thin Client connection (the current session can be closed by pressing <Ctrl><Alt><D> or the AXEL Thin Client can be shutdown by pressing <Ctrl><Alt><Del>).
The AXEL Thin Client supports both a 5250 (122 keys) and a PC/AT keyboard (102/105 keys). The keyboard type is not auto-detected. So the keyboard type must be specified through the AXEL Thin Client Setup.
If the AXEL Thin Client setting is not consistent (A PC keyboard is attached but a 5250 keyboard is declared, or vice versa), the keyboard won’t work. A specific keystroke allows to dynamically modify the keyboard type.
This keystroke is <Ctrl><Alt><K> with a PC keyboard, and <Rest><Alt><K> with a 5250 keyboard.
A bidirectional serial device (scanner, scales, etc.) can be connected to either AUX1 or AUX2.
1 - Receiving Data sent by the serial device
Data sent by the serial device is put into the thin client keyboard buffer in order to emulate keyboard data entry.
As the AS/400 uses an EBCDIC character set and most serial devices use an ASCII character set, the EBCDIC to ASCII converter has to be enabled within the AXEL Thin Client.
To set up this functionality perform the following:
2 - Sending Data to the Serial Device (if required)
This functionality allows a command to be sent to the serial device (for example requesting weight from scales).
To set-up this functionality perform the following:
Pressing <Alt Gr><F2> will send this ASCII string to the serial device.
Various printer drivers are provided by the OS/400 – covering most requirements.
However the printer driver can be customized if required. This is done by the RTVWSCST and CRTWSCST commands. For more information, see the IBM Manual "Printer Device Programming" ref.: SC41-5713-03
This method has the benefit of modifying an existing driver to suite your requirements.
Example: using *HP4 to create HP4WSCST:
Two printer protocols are available: LPD or Prt5250.
Normally the Prt5250 protocol is preferred. (No printer declaration is needed at OS/400 level), but the LPD protocol allows the printer to be shared between different operating systems.
The PRT5250 Protocol
The PRT5250 protocol (RFC 2877) is OS/400 oriented. We strongly recommend using this PRT5250 protocol.
A printer controlled by Prt5250 is seen a real Printer Device. (related command: CHGDEVPRT).
When the AXEL Thin Client is powered up, the AXEL Thin Client auxiliary ports associated with the PRT5250 protocol are automatically connected to the AS/400 through a telnet PRT5250 session. Then, the information of each auxiliary port (with the AXEL Thin Client Setup) is sent to the AS/400. The related printers are automatically created and enabled (no need to use the CHGDEVPRT command). A PRT5250 remains established until the AXEL Thin Client is powered-off.
For more information about the PRT5250 protocol, click here.
The LPD protocol
This protocol (RFCs 1048 and related) is provided as a standard feature by major operating systems (UNIX/Linux, NT, etc.). The main benefit of this protocol is an LPD printer can be shared by different operating systems. But LPD restrictions are:
A printer controlled by LPD is seen as an OUTQUEUE (related command: CHGOUTQ).
The AS/400 host establishes an LPD connection when a print job is sent to the associated OUTQUEUE. This connection is closed when the print job is completed. The disconnection releases the printer. Then this printer is available for other servers.
For more information about the LPD protocol, see click here.
The "rule" function allows the cursor to be located easily among other characters. Three types of rules are available:
Press <Alt Gr><F12> to enable/disable the rule function from a 5250 session.
The serial and parallel ports can be addressed by an RPG program. This is done via the IBM API socket. This API is provided as a standard feature of OS/400.
The scenario is the following. A TCP/IP port is associated with an auxiliary port of the AXEL Thin Client. The RPG program opens a connection to the AXEL Thin Client (using the clients IP address and this TCP/IP port). When the connection is established, a pipe (i.e socket) is available. Data can be read from (or written to) this pipe.
1 - Setting the AXEL Thin Client
Enter the SXEL Thin Client Setup and select [Configuration]-[Ports]-[xxx]-[yyy]. Set "Associated service" to "rtty". Then select "Net Service Parameters" and press <Space>. Modify "TCP port" value if required (default value is 2048).
2 - Using the API Socket
Documentation had been published by IBM. <Click here>. Contact Axel for a sample RPG program.
If a problem occurs when the 5250 printer is established an error code is sent to the thin client .
To establish why a Prt5250 session has been refused, enter the thin client setup and select the menu [Diagnostics]-[Connections].
Within the displayed dialog box, select the REFRESH button and press <CR>. Read the information displayed for the printer printer port. Note the error code at the end of the line:
===> CFGTCPTELN
Option 10 . Autoconfigure Virtual Devices
Note: in event of problem use the *NOMAX value
For V5R4, if power is cut or if the terminal is switched off without using the Ctrl-Alt-Del keystroke combination it may be impossible to reconnect to the session. This problem may also be experienced if the terminal is switched off from the sign-on screen.
This issued is fixed by the cumulative PTFs: SF99315
We advise to apply the related PTF in any case.
Note: If the printer is accessed by a single AS/400, we recommend using the PRT5250 protocol.
An LPD printer is set both at the AXEL Thin Client level and at the OS/400 level.
AXEL Thin Client Level
An LPD printer can be configured with 3 parameters:
Enter the AXEL Thin Client Setup and select [Configuration]-[Aux. Ports]-[xxx]. In the displayed box, set the "Associated Service" to "LPD", then select "Net Service Parameters" and press <Space>.
The displayed box allows to customize the LPD protocol. The following parameters must be set:
OS/400 Level
Note: only an OUTQUEUE can be created but we advise to create first a Printer DEVICE. (The device itself will not be used, only its OUTQUEUE will be used).
Printer Device Creation (the DEVD parameter is the printer, other parameter value are always the same).
===> CRTDEVPRT DEVD(AXPRT01) DEVCLS(*VRT) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) FONT(11)
Outqueue Modification (to associate it with the AXEL Thin Client auxiliary port):
===> CHGOUTQ OUTQ(AXPRT01) RMTSYS(*INTNETADR) RMTPRTQ('PARALLEL') CNNTYPE(*IP) DESTTYPE(*OTHER) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*NECP2) INTNETADR('192.168.1.240')
Where:
The run the following command to start the outqueue:
===> STRRMTWTR OUTQ(AXPRT01)
Enter the AXEL Thin Client Setup and select [Configuration]-[Ports]-[xxx]-[yyy]. In the displayed box, set the "Associated Service" to "Prt5250", then select "Net Service Parameters" and press <Space>.
The displayed box allows the Prt5250 protocol to be customized . The following parameters must be set:
This function allows developers to send ASCII data from RPG programs to AXEL Thin Client auxiliary ports or screen session.
1 - Setting a Screen Session
Enter the AXEL Thin Client Setup and select [Configuration]-[Sessions]-[Session X] then [Addtional Parameters]
//
Transparent mode : yes
On/off ASCII sequence : . . . .
//
Enable the transparent mode and select the transparent sequence (default value: @%@)
2 - Setting a Printer Session
Enter the AXEL Thin Client Setup and select [Configuration]-[Ports]-[Auxiliary Ports]-[xxx] then [Enhanced parameters]
//
Transparent Mode : yes
On/off ASCII sequence : . . . .
//
Enable the transparent mode and select the transparent sequence (default value: @%@)
3 - How to use
4 - Examples
Transparent sequence is @%@
1) Screen session data flow:
Data received by the AXEL Thin Client: @%@1/1Bat/2F@%@ (446C44F161F1C281A361F2C6446C44)
Data send to the AUX1 port: <ESC>at/ (1B61742F)
2) Printer session data flow :
Data received by the AXEL Thin Client: @%@/1Bat/2F@%@ (446C44 61F1C281A361F2C6446C44)
Data send to the printer: <ESC>at/ (1B61742F)
Whatever the selected printer protocol (Prt5250 or LPD), the printer is considered by OS/400 as an "OUTQUEUE type 3812" with the "Host Print Transform (TRANSFORM)" mode enabled.
The printer is handled by the AS/400 with the information given either by the PRT5250 protocol, either by the CHGOUTQ with the LPD protocol.
When the "Host Print Transform (TRANSFORM)" parameter is set to "YES", the AS/400 converts EBCDIC characters of the printer flow into ASCII characters. But sometimes this basic operation is not enough for a enhanced print function (attributes, fonts, etc.). Another parameter, "Manufacturer Type and Model" (MFRTYPMDL) allows to specify the printer driver.
A printer driver list is provided as a standard feature. But when it's required, a customized driver can be created. Click Here.
To know what is the printer driver advised by IBM, we strongly recommend to visit this site where printer manufacture are listed:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1019605
The AXEL Thin Client 5250 emulation allows function keys to be programmed. For example a series of keystrokes can be recorded and played back by pressing a single key. The recorded data is stored in non-volatile memory so is not affected by switching off.
Recorded keystrokes can be assigned to any of the 24 function keys (<F1> to <F12> or <Shift><F1> to <Shift><F12>).
Reminder: on a PC keyboard, <Alt Gr><F4> and <Alt Gr><F5> are the <Memor> and <Exec> keys of a 5250 keyboard.
Programming a Function Key
To record a series of keystrokes proceed as follows:
Note: for each session there is a maximum of 1500 keystrokes recordable. Each individual function key has a maximum 256 keystrokes recordable.
Processing a key sequence
To execute a series of keystrokes that have been recorded:
Deleting a Recorded Function Key
To delete a series of keystrokes proceed as follows: