RE: IBM Enhanced Keyboard Differences

[pault@xxxxxxxxx (Paul Tykodi)]

Laura Kett wrote:

We are converting from a AIX-based System/36 emulation to the AS/400.  We
are running OS/400 V4R1 and Client Access V3R1M2 SF41904.  Some of the
special characters (like the square brackets) appear on the screen
differently on the AS/400 Client Access session than they did on our 3151
ASCII terminals.  These same differences are seen when I type on the Client
Access keyboard.  But if I ftp the file back to the RS6000, I see the
normal PC character.

We need Client Access to send and display the same characters as a PC
normally produces.  I know we can remap the keyboard for each user in
Client Access but that won't fix our screwy screens.  I have been reviewing
the National Language Support manual but I haven't been able to effect any
change yet.  Any suggestions?

Our AS/400 settings:
     QCHRID    00697 00037
     QCCSID    0037
     QKBDTYPE  USB
My Client Access settings:
     Host code page 037
     API setting    819

The special characters according to Client Access:
` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = ? ? \ ; ' , . /
~ ! @ # $ % ? & * ( ) _ + { } | : " < > ?
The special characters in standard ASCII mode:
` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = [ ] \ ; ' , . /
~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + { } | : " < > ?

Laura Kett
American Reliable Insurance Company
Scottsdale, AZ

Dear Laura,

When you view a device description for a Client Access display session on your 
AS/400, you will find a parameter called Keyboard language type. The 
abbreviation listed for this parameter defines the language of the attached 
keyboard as perceived by the AS/400. The abbreviation also determines the 
number of keys on the keyboard (102, 122, etc.) and characters supported by the 
keyboard as perceived by the AS/400. It happens that the US language keyboard 
definitions (the keyboard you are using because your AS/400 system is running 
code page 037) don't support the square brackets or the caret. In order to 
generate these characters on your screen, you need to build a keyboard macro as 
follows:

1. At the command line of an AS/400 terminal session press Alt + F4 and a 
blinking R will appear at the bottom of the screen.
2. Press Alt + the key you wanted for the left bracket.
3. Now press Alt + F7 then type ba (the ba will not show on the screen).
4. Press Atl + F4 to end the macro.
5. At the command line of an AS/400 terminal session press Alt + F4 and a 
blinking R will appear at the bottom of the screen.
6. Press Alt + the key you wanted for the right bracket.
7. Now press Alt + F7 then type bb (the bb will not show on the screen).
8. Press Atl + F4 to end the macro.
9. At the command line of an AS/400 terminal session press Alt + F4 and a 
blinking R will appear at the bottom of the screen.
10. Press Alt + the key you wanted for the caret.
11. Now press Alt + F7 then type b0 (the b0 will not show on the screen)
12. Press Atl + F4 to end the macro.

The values B0, BA, and BB are the EBCDIC hexadecimal values that correspond to 
the caret, left square bracket, and right square bracket on an AS/400 running 
the USA system language. 

The macro instructions listed above are the generic instructions that were 
produced for IBM's 5250 software for DOS. In Client Access, you need to find 
the Keyboard Setup screen and move the Current Keyboard bullet from IBM Default 
to User-Defined. Follow the instructions that come with Client Access to 
associate your Macros to the appropriate keystrokes. When you are done save the 
changes to a new Keyboard file and give it a name. You can now distribute this 
file to all of the end user community that is running on the Service Pak listed 
in your e-mail. 

It is generally a good idea (but not a requirement) to create user-defined 
keyboard files with the particular Service Pak that has been deployed across 
all of your production clients. You could probably create an automatic 
distribution of your customized keyboard file as part of a centralized Client 
Access client software management program. I've never done this so maybe 
someone else on the list could explain how to download Service Pak updates that 
point to a User-Defined keyboard file.

In terms of importing ASCII files via FTP, there is a translation table 
parameter that has been mentioned recently on Midrange-l in another thread. It 
needs to be configured to translate the incoming ASCII characters to their 
proper AS/400 EBCDIC equivalences for Code Page 037 in order for them to be 
displayed correctly on your screens. 

Good Luck!

/Paul
--
Paul Tykodi, Technical Director                 E-mail: pault@praim.com
Praim Inc.                                           Tel: 603-431-0606
140 Congress St., #2                                Fax: 603-436-6432
Portsmouth, NH  03801-4019



+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to "MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com".
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---