Re: Off topic question on Client/Server. My appologies.

from Al Macintyre

I want this feature also ... on 5350 emulation & when external Ethernet 
connected to AS/400 & when people dial in via PC Anywhere or consultants via 
ECS line.  The As/400 is available 99.99% of the time but we need to 
temporarily disconnect people for backups, updates, various software package 
related tasks & depending on where we are in different duties on different 
nites & fiscal schedules, there is a need for something between the MIS EOM 
etc. personnel & the other people using PCs on the network.

We have PC users across a spectrum from power user to PC novice & really do 
not want to have to be giving system training to beginners ... the network 
should tell the user that the network is down & do so in a user-friendly 
fashion, in which it is clear what the problem is.

PC User tries to start their AS/400 session & either gets a blank screen 
because we have shut down the connection, or they manage to get in & cause 
some problem with the job that needs dedicated access to some files, before 
they even see the message that we do not want them here.  

It would be wonderful if the PC users had a "front end" to the AS/400 sign-on 
screen that they never saw when  AS/400 access is allowed, but when MIS or 
EOM personnel need a dedicated system, they could designate which PC sessions 
are authorized to be connected for the duration & which are to be locked out, 
then when the dedicated tasks are completed MIS or EOM takes an option to 
restart everyone.  The act of "going dedicated" would give us a text screen 
for an explanation of the current scenario in which we include an estimate of 
how long we will be.  

Then when the PC user clicks on AS/400 session they get Blighty's vision 
combined with the text screen that was filled in by whoever asked for 
"restricted state."

In the absense of this, we use techniques that are totally inadequate.
We phone people via voice mail & leave memos on their desks.
We fill up DSPMSG with text regarding PLEASE that over time gets ignored.
We ask PC ANYWHERE users to first sign on as QSYSOPR or QSECOFR & check their 
messages to see if anyone doing anything that might be in conflict with what 
they had in mind.
We vary off comm lines, controllers, sessions, ethernetwork.

>  From:    oleblighty@home.com (OleBlighty)
>  
>  Sorry for the off-topic post but I need some advice and I know there are
>  some knowledgeable Client/Server dudes on the list.
>  
>  What techniques do you use to inform the user that an action is taking 
place
>  on the server and the user should wait around for a length of time.  I am
>  specifically looking for browser based solutions.  I want the user to be
>  able to "click" to start a function on the server, receive a pop-up message
>  informing them to "hold their horses" (maybe show a status bar), and then
>  the pop-up automatically close when the server function is complete (or
>  cancelled by the user).
>  
>  Any suggestions gratefully received.
>  
>  Cheers chaps.
>  
>  Regards,
>  
>  Blighty.

Al Macintyre  ©¿©
http://www.cen-elec.com MIS Manager Programmer & Computer Janitor

Y2K is not the end of my universe, but a re-boot of that old Chinese curse.
Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue.

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