WebTerm Frequently Asked Questions

April 2002

CONTENTS

• OVERVIEW
• NEW FEATURES
• SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
• INSTALLATION
• SITE DEPLOYMENT
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• CONTACT INFORMATION
• LEGAL INFORMATION

OVERVIEW

Thank you for using WebTerm™ from Powerlan USA, Inc.

WebTerm integrates VT420, TN3270, and TN5250 terminal emulation windows into Web pages displayed by Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator/Communicator. On Windows-based computers, users can also access WebTerm sessions through Powerlan USA's standalone ThinTerm™ application, as well as other third-party products that embed the WebTerm ActiveX control.

The WebTerm product consists of two essential parts:

• WebTerm Administrator: This program is used to create and modify the WebTerm configuration (.WTS and .THN) and HTML (.HTM) files that define terminal emulation sessions. You only need to install WebTerm Administrator on the computer that will be used for this purpose. End users do not need WebTerm Administrator to access the WebTerm configuration files you create.
• WebTerm Client: This software allows users to interact with terminal sessions inside browser windows, as a standalone desktop application, or as an integrated component of a third party program. You need to install WebTerm Client software on every desktop from which you want terminal emulation capabilities.

NEW FEATURES

RECENT CHANGES (since 1.5.1 release):

• Support for SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) has been added, and is supported in all emulations. Note that under 5250 emulation, SSL is not a "negotiated" option on the normal telnet port; its use is implied when connecting the the special SSL Telnet port (992). Unlike SSH, which requires an intermediary (the SSH client and server), SSL operates point to point.
• Support for SSH (Secure Shell) has also been added. This can be used with any type of emulation. Using SSH, WebTerm "tunnels" the telnet connection between your PC and an SSH server (which may or may not be the host you ultimately connect to). The SSH server will restore the telnet stream to its normal (unencrypted) state and forward it to the desired host. The SSH Client (the Powerlan product "TunnelMate™") acts as the SSH client on your PC, along with an SSH server on the host-side, act as a secure tunnel through which WebTerm can operate.
• A change was made so that multiple 5250E sessions can be run from a single WTS file if no "DisplayName" parameter is specified (Note that when the parameter is specified in the WTS file, the AS/400 only allows one connection with that device name, and there does not seem to be any easy way to recover from this - the session will appear dead)
• Support for 5250E emulation has been added
• Support for 5250E Printing (IBM 3812) has been added
• A problem that caused session resets after improper 3270E responses was fixed
• The Telnet No-op command is now supported under 3270E emulation
• Dead key remapping now works properly under Windows 2000
• An option has been added that allows "Dead Keys" to not be processed naturally. To prevent the natural generation of (typically accented) characters, you must manually add "DEADKEYOVERRIDE=true" on its own line in the WTS file. Note that normal US keyboards do not have any Dead Keys.
• While negotiating a telnet session, WebTerm now allows 3270E mode to be negotiated after non-3270E negotiation has commenced. Previously in this situation, LUNAME naming features were effectively shut off because 3270E mode had been disallowed.
• WebTerm now properly returns text from the current field when an Attention key is hit in SSCP mode
• When receiving a 3270E Bind command, WebTerm now resets the terminal screen
• A fix has been made to the Login Script handler to prevent script failures that had been occurring in certain cases in 1.5.1
• A problem with printer font sizing in the IBM emulations, introduced in 1.5.1, has been rectified
• A change was made to fix a problem in the SetCursorLoc() method under ActiveX
• NOTE: No changes have been made to WebTerm Administrator for this release. The full Windows installer (webterm.exe) for this release will install the most recent version (1.5.1) of the Administrator if this option is selected.
• NOTE: No changes have been made to WebTerm for Macintosh for this release.

Changes in 1.5.1 release:

• The WebTerm product and all of its components are now branded as Powerlan USA, Inc.
• A new public method has been added that makes it easy for your script to ascertain the running version of WebTerm. The method is called GetVersion(). It takes no parameters, and returns a string describing the version (the current response would be "1.5.1")
• Support for new Macintosh models and the Apple Pro Keyboard has been added (using Mac OS 9.0.4)
• Default html now points at URLs on Powerlan web servers
• Default html now includes better JavaScript comments for IE event handlers
• Default html now includes JavaScript for overriding Windows Help while in IE
• Netscape Signing Tool 1.3 now used for JAR file (* Mac users see important note below)
• A problem was fixed that prevented some macros from working properly in version 1.5
• If needed, WebTerm can now Inhibit 3270E sessions (** see below for details)
• "Embedded Null" error has been fixed in 5250 emulator
• Fixed a problem that prevented the AS/400 FTP client from running properly
• Fixed a problem with Delete key in 5250 emulation
• Fixed a problem with 3270 "Erase To Address" function
• Mac USB Keyboards are now properly displayed and can be remapped
• In 3270 emulation, cursor attribute changes are now persistent
• Optimizations were made to 132-column "auto-sized" printing (VT420 only)

** Inhibiting 3270E: In some instances, it may be desirable (or necessary) to deny hosts from starting sessions using the "Enhanced 3270" capabilities of the 3270 emulator. This option can only be turned on by editing a .WTS (or .THN) file directly, and you will only want to do this if you are sure that 3270E is causing problems in your environment. In the file, you will need to locate the end of the line that starts "TELNETCONFIG=". You may or may not see the following data at the end of that line, depending on whether you are using a newly created file or one that you had before this release:

FEATURES ADDED FOR THE 1.5 RELEASE:

• Y2K Certified
  Date functionality behaves consistently for dates prior to, during, and after the Year 2000. WebTerm as been tested on Year 2000-Ready operating systems. For details, see our Web page at http://www.powerlan-usa.com/2000.html
• ThinTerm (Windows only)
  ThinTerm is a Windows application in which the WebTerm Client can present terminal sessions. ThinTerm is an ActiveX container, as is Internet Explorer, in which WebTerm runs. ThinTerm is an excellent alternative to working in a browser for some users. Here are some of the more common reasons to choose ThinTerm over a Web browser: ThinTerm sessions stay active independent of a browser Function keys that can be used with ThinTerm are often not in browsers No loss-of-focus problems common in browsers Resizable windows and fonts Non-reliance on JavaScript and inherent compatibility issues Less system resource allocation than when used with a browser
• 3270E and 3287E "Associated Printing" Support (RFC2355)
  The previous release of WebTerm (V1.1) supported TN3287 printing as specified in RFC1646. The support for 3287printing specified in RFC1646 was unsatisfactory in many companies because it was not capable of automatically associating a printer stream with the terminal stream with which it was co-operating. The system administrator was forced to manually specify a unique printer device name for each terminal. RFC1647, which was recently superseded by RFC2355, addressed this shortcoming by adding "Associated Printing" support, sometimes referred to as "3287E". Support for 3270E has been added to WebTerm on both Windows and Macintosh, but 3287 printing is only available under Windows. Support for TN3287 features on the Macintosh is forthcoming; please stay in touch with us for news about availability.
• Cross-platform JAR file support
  WebTerm can now be installed through Netscape's SmartUpdate facility, a feature available in Version 4.0 and later of Netscape browsers on both Windows and Macintosh. We recommend that you use browser versions 4.5 or later for best integration with this facility. For more information, refer to the Installation section later in this document.
• Control Key Re-mapping (Windows only)
  Under Windows, you can change the normal behavior of your keyboard Control keys by manually editing the WebTerm configuration file with one or both of the following lines: LEFTCONTROLOVERRIDE=/[Terminal Command]
  RIGHTCONTROLOVERRIDE=/[Terminal Command] W ebTerm will override normal control key functionality and transmit the specified terminal command to the host. The following example shows some useful settings for 5250 emulation, using the control keys as FieldExit and Enter keys. LEFTCONTROLOVERRIDE=/[FieldExit]
  RIGHTCONTROLOVERRIDE=/[Enter] T he text to the right of the "=" describes what data WebTerm should transmit to the host. As with the Transmit command in WebTerm automation, either terminal commands or ASCII data can be transmitted.
• Keyboard Macro Support (Previously for Windows only; now also supported on Mac)
  WebTerm provides a wide variety of automation options, the newest of which is Keyboard Macro Support. Keyboard Macro Support gives you the ability to automate tasks or sequences of tasks by assigning them to keys on the keyboard. End users can use a simple keystroke to enter repetitive information or perform cumbersome functions or tasks.
• Multiple Session WTS File Support (Previously for Windows only; now also supported on Mac)
  You can now have WebTerm use the same WTS file for multiple simultaneous sessions. To turn this option on, open a WTS file in WebTerm Administrator and go to the Web Page Settings dialog in the Session menu. Click the check box labeled "Enable single WebTerm settings file (.WTS) to run multiple sessions".
• VT420 Auto Print Mode (Previously for Windows only; now also supported on Mac)
  WebTerm now supports the VT420 Auto Print standard, allowing it to print sequences of data that are painted on the terminal screen. WebTerm begins saving data when it enters Auto Print Mode, and prints all data received until exiting this mode. Entering and exiting this mode can be handled remotely by a host program, or locally via a macro in the WebTerm toolbar.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• Windows: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000
• Macintosh: Mac OS 8.1 (and later)

• Netscape Navigator/Communicator 4.0 (and later)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 (and later)

• Windows: 486 processor or better
• Macintosh: PowerPC

• WebTerm Administrator: Approximately 5MB
• WebTerm Client: Approximately 2MB

• 16MB minimum (more recommended)

INSTALLATION

Automatic Installation

It's as simple as that! Now for an explanation (in case you're interested):
The link above points to a web page we've created that resides on one of our web servers. That web page includes a WebTerm session (configured by us using the WebTerm Administrator). This particular session uses WebTerm's 3270 emulation to connect to the United States Library of Congress Information System ("LOCIS"). Users that already have WebTerm installed will just see the session appear in their web page; users that don't will see an automatic installation.

There is information in the web page that tells your browser what to do if you don't have WebTerm installed yet. If you are using Netscape Navigator, the browser will download "webterm.jar"; if you are using Internet Explorer, "webterm.cab" will be downloaded. When the file has fully arrived, the browser verifies that it has a valid digital signature, and if so, asks the user to grant the authority for the installation to proceed. Unless the user denies the install (or if the user's browser preferences prevent it) WebTerm is installed and WebTerm begins to run.

While we have demonstrated the automatic installation process above, a company's system administrator would typically adapt the process to the company's specific needs by taking the following simple steps:

1. Put copies of the CAB and JAR files onto a web server on the local network.
2. Create the desired session files using WebTerm Administrator
3. Embed the session files into simple web pages using WebTerm Administrator
4. Put the web pages and session files onto the company web server
5. Have users browse to the web pages

Traditional Installation

1. If you are installing from the WebTerm CD, locate the WebTerm installer:
   Windows: webterm.exe
   Macintosh: "WebTerm Installer"
   If you do not already have this program, click here
2. Double-click the icon for the installer program.
3. Follow the instructions on your screen.

SITE DEPLOYMENT

Essentially, a set of files roughly similar to what you see in the folder of this ReadMe file should be moved to a web server on your local network and adapted to the specific needs of your company. Further information is available in the WebTerm User Manual, as well as in the online help (installed with WebTerm Administrator).

For information about site licensing, please contact our sales department.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Demo Mode
  WebTerm runs in Demo mode for 15 minutes sessions. To purchase a full license of WebTerm or obtain a 30-day demo license that does not have the 15-minute limitation, please contact Powerlan USA Sales (contact information at end of document). If you have a demo serial number installed in WebTerm and you purchase a full license, you don't need to reinstall; just remove the existing serial number and enter the new one.

  To remove the serial number currently entered in WebTerm, move the files serial.tol and serial.txt out of the WebTerm folder. The location of the WebTerm folder depends on your operating system, as follows:
  

  Windows 95 & 98: ...\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\webterm\
  Windows NT & 2000: ...\WINNT\SYSTEM32\webterm\
  Macintosh: {browser folder}:Plug-ins:WebTerm:

  If these files are not present, you will be prompted for the serial number the next time you launch a WebTerm Session.

   

• Script Automation with WebTerm
  In addition to its self-contained macro toolbar, WebTerm automation can also be configured using JavaScript or VBScript. Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer support JavaScript. VBScript is useful only in conjunction with Internet Explorer, and only on Windows platforms.

  The syntax for the WebTerm methods using ActiveX is identical to the Plug-in with JavaScript, with minor changes to the OpenConnection and WaitForString completion functions. Please refer to the WebTerm documentation for detailed information.

  If your user audience has both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, be sure to use the default tags and attributes generated in the HTML by WebTerm Administrator. The automatically generated OBJECT and EMBED tag syntax first tries to load the WebTerm Client ActiveX Control. If it fails, will load the WebTerm Plug-in. The OBJECT tag for WebTerm is ignored in Navigator.

   

• Limitations in using Internet Explorer on Macintosh computers
  Because Macintosh versions of Internet Explorer have never supported LiveConnect or ActiveX, it is not possible for a web page to communicate with WebTerm through the WebTerm API. While you can run WebTerm sessions in IE on the Mac, it is not possible to have Javascript "talk" to WebTerm. While we continue to push Microsoft for a solution, we have yet to hear about any such feature in future browser releases.

   

• Limitations in using the Netscape browser on Macintosh computers
  We still have not seen a fix from Netscape to enable the F1 through F4 keys. These keys are important in many host connectivity environments, but they are "eaten" by the browser, and thus not available to WebTerm and/or a host program. If these keys are important to you, you can easily generate the keystrokes via other keys by using WebTerm's keyboard mapping feature. Consult the User Manual for further information. We are hopeful that the next generation of Netscape browsers will fix this problem.

   

• Design Considerations
  As an administrator, when you create a WebTerm session keep in mind that the end users may not have the same configuration as your system. Design Web pages with WebTerm emulation windows that will look good on the browsers used by your audience. For example, consider monitor resolution(s) and Web browser(s) when designing WebTerm enabled pages.

  When WebTerm is installed under Windows, the WebTerm ActiveX control (webterm.ocx) is registered and the ".THN" file extension is registered and handled by ThinTerm. When Web pages open a file of this type, a WebTerm session is opened in a ThinTerm Active X container. If a THN file is run from Windows (e.g. by double clicking the file), it also starts a session in ThinTerm, regardless of whether a Web browser is running or not. The content of THN files is exactly the same as WTS files. The files have different extensions only to facilitate different behavior when launched. As before, WTS files run WebTerm Administrator when launched (e.g. double clicked under Windows). The new THN files result in ThinTerm starting a session using WebTerm. Note that WTS files can be dragged and dropped onto ThinTerm.exe (or an alias) to be opened just as THN files are.

  Many people are surprised to learn that WebTerm settings (.WTS) files can be opened directly in browser windows. This results in "full-page mode" wherein the terminal windows are sized to fit optimally in arbitrarily sized browser windows. When the user resizes the browser window, the pixel dimensions of the terminal window and, consequently, the terminal font size, are resized accordingly. Both Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator can be used to display WTS files in full-page mode.

CONTACT INFORMATION

GENERAL:

Powerlan USA, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Powerlan, Ltd., a publicly traded company based in Sydney Australia. For more information, see:
http://www.powerlan.com.au

EMAIL CONTACTS:

Technical Support:
support.powerlan-usa.com

Sales (Americas)
Email sales@powerlan-usa.com
North American Partners www.powerlan-usa.com/sales_partners_usa.html

International Sales (outside Americas)
Email sales@powerlan-usa.com
International Partners www.powerlan-usa.com/sales_partners_intl.html

LEGAL INFORMATION

WebTerm™ is a trademark of Powerlan USA, Inc. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.

© Copyright 2002, Powerlan USA, Inc.

Copyright © 2003 Powerlan Ltd.