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The AS/400 Toolbox for Java is a set of Java classes delivered
as a Java package that enables the internet programming model.
The classes can be used by Java applets and applications to
easily access AS/400 data and resources. The toolbox does not
require additional client support over and above what is
provided by the Java Virtual Machine and JDK.
The AS/400 Toolbox for Java provides support similar to
functions available when using the Client Access/400 APIs. It
uses the OS/400 servers that are part of the base OS/400
operating system to access data and resources on an AS/400
system. Each of these servers runs in a separate job on the
AS/400, communicating with a Java client program using
architected data streams on a socket connection. The socket
interfaces are hidden from the Java programmer by the AS/400
Toolbox for Java classes. Java Beans are provided for most
public interfaces.
The classes do not have an end-user interface, but simply move
data back and forth between the client program and an AS/400
system, under the control of the Java program. They provide
access to these AS/400 resources:
- Database
- JDBC - DB2/400 data can be accessed using a JDBC
driver written to the interface defined by the
Javasoft JDBC specification.
- Record-Level file access - AS/400 physical files
can be accessed a record at a time using the
interface of these classes. Files and members can
be created, read, deleted, and updated.
- Integrated File System - The file system classes
allow access to files in the AS/400 Integrated File
System. Through the integrated file system file classes
a Java program can open an input or output stream, open
a file for random access, list the contents of a
directory, and do other common file system tasks.
- Programs - Any AS/400 program can be called.
Parameters can be passed to the AS/400 program and data
can be returned to the Java program when the AS/400
program exits.
- Commands - Any AS/400 batch command that is not
interactive can be run. A list of AS/400 messages
generated by running the command is available when the
command completes.
- Data Queues - Access to both keyed and sequential
data queues is provided. Entries can be added to and
removed from a data queue, and data queues can be
created or deleted on the AS/400 system.
- Print - Access to AS/400 print resources is
provided. Using the print classes, lists of spooled
files, output queues, printers, and other print
resources can be retrieved. You can work with output
queues and spooled files, answer messages for spooled
files and do other print related tasks. Additionally,
classes are provided to create new spooled files on the
AS/400, and to generate SCS printer data streams.
Writing directly to these classes, applications and
applets can generate output on the AS/400 spool system.
Additional classes:
- Provide the infrastructure needed to manage sign on
information, create and maintain sockets connections to
the AS/400 services, and send and receive data.
- Provide for data description and conversion. The
data description classes allow a Java program to
describe the record format of a buffer of data with an
object. That object is used to convert and handle the
data. The conversion classes provide conversion between
AS/400 and Java data formats. Classes are available to
convert both numeric and character data.
- Provide for the installation and synchronization of
the AS/400 Toolbox for Java package. When the user
chooses to run the AS/400 Toolbox for Java package from
the client workstation, classes are provided to install
the package, and update the package when a PTF is
applied to the AS/400.
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