Link3270 sample programs

The sample transaction NACT has a well documented BMS interface.

The samples are not written to illustrate how a business client should process the data, so the business clients do not perform any special formatting of the data extracted from the user application.

The samples are designed to illustrate the two most common scenarios:

Host Client

The client program executes on the host system, using LINK or EXCI to drive the user application. In this scenario, the sample programs show how you can divide the client logic into a business-client that is concerned only with the business data and its representation in the client end-user environment, and a bridge-client that builds the bridge messages and manages the communication with the bridge. In this way, you can develop the more complex back-end using CICS, and can make it reusable.

The LINK and EXCI samples show how this common logic can be shared.

See Select Link3270 client scenarios for an illustration of the host client.

Workstation Client

The client program executes on a remote workstation, using ECI to drive the user application. In this scenario, a single sample program is used, combining the business logic in the client environment and the interface to the bridge. In this environment, the programmer needs some, but not extensive, CICS knowledge.

See Select Link3270 client scenarios for an illustration of the workstation client.