I haven't used this but read about it. http://files.zend.com/help/Zend-Server-5-IBMi/i5_zend_5250_bridge.htm

Chris Ringer

I had to evaluate zend bridge for my employer some years ago. I can't remember all the things I didn't like about it, but I gave it an 'S' for sucks.

Lol!! An "S" for sucks, huh? I don't ever recall seeing that on an evaluation form!

That's 'S'urprising. Zend usually makes a solid product. Oh well! 

Don't get me wrong, we used zend framework and php for some time, and I was peachy keen with it. The way to go, IMHO to build websites to run on the i. So naturally, we changed. So much for my HO.

Just not that bridge thingamabob.

Used JWalk and before that GUI/400. Technically it's not a screen scraper. It interprets the 5250 data stream directly, and does not need to hook to a separate 5250 emulator (though it has it's own emulator if you'd like to see an underlying "green screen" panel as is).

For panels that it doesn't recognize (i.e., you didn't do a GUI design), you can tell the client to do an on-the-fly conversion, which results in the gray "green screen" you mention, or you can tell it to just show the emulator. The workstation user can also apply their own customizations for individual panels. This is especially useful for on-the-fly conversions, becuase it allows you to override the conversion choice it made (e.g., not all panels that are arranged in rows and columns are subfiles, but sometimes automatic conversion gives you a list display anyway, so you want to tell it to just show as is).

When the client finds a panel it recognizes, because you did a design, it's reasonably powerful. !--script--ing lets you combine and split panels. It can do tabbed dialogs. You can read tables from the client, to populate drop downs, for example, or to display a graph. Common GUI controls are available, like radio buttons and check boxes.

The designer has a collection tool that gathers from display file source and the *FILE objects, and also goes to the *MSGF object for message references. You can set a look and feel template for when you import new objects or formats. The run time also includes all OS display panels (pretty sure this is the same thing IBM provided with Graphical Access a few years back), so if you give the user access to a WRKSPLF or something like that, they never leave the GUI.

I would suggest you look into BCD Presto and Websmart, and also the products from Profound Logic.  Both BCD and Profound have a product for converting existing green screen programs on the fly, and also for developing new GUI stuff.

I don't have experience with Profound, but their products seem solid and I like the demos I've seen.  A bit pricey though.  I do have experience with BCD and like them a lot.  Solid products and excellent tech support!

Thanks for all the input on this. Viking, I've actually been playing around with both Presto and ProfoundUI. I definitely prefer the ProfoundUI because it actually converts the DDS to HTML and seems to have a lot more functionality that Presto.

What I don't like about Presto is how you have to identify something on the screen that will tell Presto which GUI screen to use. Obviously, that's not an issue with ProfoundUI. You're right tho, ProfoundUI is very pricey, but I can see why. Much easier to work with.

FYI, I've  been using CNX Valence for new GUI development and really like it.  It's really come a long way from when I originally used it some years ago.  It uses the extJs framework and Sencha Architect for designing the applications, and I like the portal too.  There's some learning curve for more complex applications but the results are impressive.

I didn't suggest it to you though since you want to convert existing green-screen applications, and it doesn't do that.

I'll be interested to hear what you end up settling on.

I'll be sure to let you know, Viking. Thanks for the input.