Automate Data Input Into IBM Emulator (AS/400) 1

[JRodgers]

Hi Folks

I'm currently writing some code in VBA which will automate some data input into our IBM Emulator (AS/400) which runs on VBSCript.

I used to use appactivate and sendkeys but this was not reliable for multiple reasons.
I therefore done some reading on the coding which the emulators run in and created some custom functions to help me.

Here is my custom functions:

Function fwaitforappavailable(SessionID) 
     
    Dim autECLOIAObj As Object 
     
    Set autECLOIAObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLOIA") 
    autECLOIAObj.SetConnectionByName (SessionID) 
     
    If (autECLOIAObj.waitforappavailable(10000)) Then 
         'MsgBox "Application is available"
    Else 
         MsgBox "Timeout Occured when waiting for the application to become available" 
    End If 
     
End Function 
 
 
Function fwaitforinputready(SessionID) 
     
    Dim autECLOIAObj As Object 
     
    Set autECLOIAObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLOIA") 
    autECLOIAObj.SetConnectionByName (SessionID) 
     
    If (autECLOIAObj.waitforinputready(10000)) Then 
         'MsgBox "Ready for input"
    Else 
        MsgBox "Timeout Occurred when waiting for the application to accept input" 
    End If 
     
End Function 
 
 
Function fsendkeys(keyinput) 
     
    Dim autECLPSObj As Object 
    Dim autECLConnList As Object 
    Set autECLPSObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLPS") 
    Set autECLConnList = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLConnList") 
     
     ' Initialize the connection
    autECLConnList.Refresh 
    autECLPSObj.SetConnectionByHandle (autECLConnList(1).Handle) 
    autECLPSObj.sendkeys keyinput 
     
End Function 
 
 
Function fwaitforattrib(SessionID, row, col, waitdata, MaskData, Plane) 
     
    Dim autECLPSObj As Object 
     
    Set autECLPSObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLPS") 
    autECLPSObj.SetConnectionByName (SessionID) 
     
    If (autECLPSObj.WaitForAttrib(row, col, waitdata, MaskData, Plane, 10000)) Then 
         'MsgBox "Attribute " & waitdata & " found"
    Else 
        MsgBox "Timeout Occurred when waiting for Attribute" 
    End If 
     
     
End Function 
 
 
Function fwaitforcursor(SessionID, row, col) 
     
    Dim autECLPSObj As Object 
     
    Set autECLPSObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLPS") 
    autECLPSObj.SetConnectionByName (SessionID) 
     
    If (autECLPSObj.waitforcursor(row, col, 10000)) Then 
         'MsgBox "Cursor is at " & row & "," & col
    Else 
        MsgBox "Timeout Occurred when waiting for cursor" 
    End If 
     
     
End Function 
 
 
Function fsetcursorpos(row, col) 
     
     
    Dim autECLPSObj As Object 
    Dim autECLConnList As Object 
    Set autECLPSObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLPS") 
    Set autECLConnList = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLConnList") 
     
     ' Initialize the connection with the first in the list
    autECLConnList.Refresh 
    autECLPSObj.SetConnectionByHandle (autECLConnList(1).Handle) 
    autECLPSObj.setcursorpos row, col 
     
End Function

and the main code:

Public Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long) 
 
Sub SC05_CSOL_Check() 
     
    For counter1 = 2 To 10 
         
        acolumn = "A" & counter1 
        bcolumn = "B" & counter1 
         
        hno = Sheet1. Range(acolumn).Value 
        bcolumn = Sheet1.Range(bcolumn).Cells.Address 
         
  ''''normally AppActivate "Session A - n3270"'''''''''''''
        Dim SessObj As Object 
        Set SessObj = CreateObject("PCOMM.autECLSession") 
         
         
         ' Initialize the session
        SessObj.SetConnectionByName ("A") 
         ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
         
        fwaitforappavailable ("A") 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsendkeys "[clear]" 
        fwaitforappavailable ("A") 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsendkeys "SC05" 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsendkeys "[enter]" 
        fwaitforattrib "A", 1, 7, "00", "3c", 3 
        fwaitforcursor "A", 1, 8 
        fwaitforappavailable ("A") 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsendkeys hno 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsendkeys "dis" 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsendkeys "[enter]" 
        fwaitforattrib "A", 1, 2, "30", "3c", 3 
        fwaitforcursor "A", 1, 2 
        fwaitforappavailable ("A") 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
        fsetcursorpos 2, 54 
        fwaitforinputready ("A") 
         'need to [mark right] x 3 then [edit copy] here. fsendkeys does not work
         
         
        AppActivate "Session A - tn3270" 
         
        sendkeys "```", True 
        Sleep 500 
        sendkeys "^c", True 
         
         
        AppActivate "Microsoft Excel" 
         
        Sheet1.Range(bcolumn).Select 
        sendkeys "^v", True 
         
    Next counter1 
     
End Sub

The code works great. The thing I need help with is this - I need to use [mark right] and [edit copy] which I thought I could have done through my custom function "fsendkeys" but after reading I found out that [mark right] and [edit copy] come under the autECLMacro class. I have tried to use this but its not working.

Does anyone have any ideas how to A) use the autECLMacro object, or B) a way round this? The code I have above works (using excels sendkeys function) but id rather solve this so that the code can run in the background (if I use ecels sendkeys with the emulator then I cant use the PC when its running).

Many Thanks in advance for reading

Jamie

 

[JesseGrune]

J,

autECLMacro is to use Macro commands. Copy and paste functionality does not need Macro commands to perform the job. Instead of marking an area and then copying it, use:

autECLSession.autECLPS.GetText(row,column, length)

Instead of using sendkeys from a COM object, use SendKeys from:

autECLSession.autECLPS.SendKeys(string,row, column)

autECLPS can be set up independently of autECLSession.

I use GetText and SendKeys functions of autECLPS in all of my automations because I need speed.

If I want to borrow features of other programs, I use Excel to provide speech to Client Access and I use Outlook to add e-mail to Client Access. Instead of paying for a fax service; or, use FAX/400, I can send faxes with Excel.

Let me know if you want a FAQ started on automating Client Access.

Jesse Grune.