RE: Subfiles in batch job

[Robin Coles <robin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We took a different approach, left the screen program alone and used Albert
York's TNAPI to drive the whole thing through effectively a hidden telnet
session.  You don't need a physical device sitting anywhere and you can read
the screen and write keystrokes, use existing validation and handle errors
without having to change the screen-based program at all.

It made mods to some scary BPCS programs take a couple of days rather than
weeks.

Cheers
Robin

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rich Duzenbury [mailto:rduz@westernmidrange.com]
> Sent: 19 December 2000 03:18
> To: RPG400-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re: Subfiles in batch job
> 
> 
> As far as your question goes, I can't think of any obvious 
> security holes, 
> unless your program allows the user to get access to a 
> command line via 
> QCMD.  Once there, they would be entering commands according 
> to the user ID 
> of the job that has the tube allocated.  Also, I can't recall 
> if the system 
> request or attention keys function...
> 
> This feature is a throwback to the old days, certainly S/36, perhaps 
> earlier.  I experimented with it last in about '85, but never 
> really had 
> any kind of need for a 'ticker' app or information kiosk.
> 
> Oh, if your program doesn't have the screen allocated, it 
> will likely have 
> a signon display.  I suppose it depends on your shop 
> standards whether or 
> not signon displays would be allowed in an insecure, public 
> area.  You 
> could certainly write a special routine to keep the device 
> varied off until 
> you wish to use it.  Perhaps there are even some tubes that 
> might function 
> without a keyboard in the case where you are simply 
> displaying information 
> with no need for user input.
> 
> Regards,
> Rich
> 
> At 04:53 PM 12/18/00 -0800, you wrote:
> 
> 
> >Um.. uhh.. wow.  This is intriguing.  Tell me this then...
> >
> >Wouldn't it be possible to take a dumb tube and stick it out 
> in an area
> >and not sign it on.  Then have an RPG program that had the job do an
> >Override to this display file write to the screen without waiting for
> >a response.  All this going on in a never ending batch job.  So now I
> >have a green screen slide show going on to a device that is 
> not really
> >secure, but it's not signed onto the system anyway, so no 
> body can get
> >access that way?
> >
> >Or even better yet, have it wait for a response now and 
> then.  Or allow for
> >input into the display file.  Then the program could change 
> what it shows
> >or whatever depending on what the person enters.  There is 
> absolutely no way
> >the person can get into the system since it's not signed on. 
>  There is no
> >interactive session waiting to get a command line too.
> >
> >Or am I missing something?
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >Jim Langston
> >
> >Peter Connell wrote:
> > >
> > > Dan,
> > > It just has to be sitting there with the signon display 
> up so that it's not
> > > allocated. The issue here is that it must always be 
> available for the batch
> > > job. However, the batch pgm still waits for a response 
> when you do an EXFMT
> > > so you have to go to the device to press ENTER when the 
> display format
> > > magically appears on the device without anyone having signed on.
> > >
> > > Cheers, Peter
> >+---
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> 
> Regards,
> Rich
> 
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