This Application Note describes the use of the x3270(1) TN3270 protocol and TN3270E protocol terminal emulation program as distributed with FLEX-ES®.
FLEX-ES provides support for emulated 3270 terminals over the TCP/IP network by supporting the TN3270 and TN3270E protocols. These protocols are a part of the TCP/IP "stack" of protocols. They are designed as an extension of the TCP/IP "telnet" protocol to allow the passage of 3270 data streams over TCP/IP networks.
The actual presentation of an emulated 3270 terminal to a user is done by a 3270 terminal emulation program. Any 3270 emulator which supports TN3270E can be used as a 3270 terminal "front end" with FLEX-ES.
The x3270(1) terminal emulator is, in its original form, freely redistributable software. Fundamental Software, Inc. provides its customers with free access to this original source code, upon request. However, Fundamental Software, Inc. has modified x3270(1) in several ways for use with FLEX-ES. Fundamental Software, Inc. does not distribute the source to these modifications. Instead, it distributes only a compiled version of x3270(1) which incorporates these modifications. Insofar as the portions of the compiled version which are derived from the freely redistributable source and the parts which are derived from Fundamental Software, Inc. modifications to that source are inseparable in the compiled version, the compiled version is subject to the terms of FLEX-ES License Agreement. Please see the volume FSIMM990: Legal Notices document for a full statement of the licensing terms of the original source of x3270(1).
The only significant modification present in the FSI version of x3270(1) is the ability to specify a FLEX-ES emulated 3270 device name to which the terminal emulator will connect. This addition is useful only in conjunction with the FLEX-ES Terminal Solicitor.
This present document is not a complete reference for or tutorial on x3270(1). It covers only a few of the features of this program of particular relevance to FLEX-ES.