The WebFacing Tool converts existing 5250 interfaces to browser-based graphical user interfaces. With little or no modification to your original iSeries applications, you can extend the use of your programs to the Internet or an intranet. Whether your applications are new or were written before the Internet became a viable platform for conducting business, with the WebFacing Tool your applications can be available anywhere that users have access to a browser.

You can use the WebFacing Tool with applications where DDS (data description specifications) source code was used to create 5250 display screens. The tool has user-friendly wizards that facilitate selecting your original application's DDS source, converting the source, and deploying the new browser-based interface to your program as a WebSphere application. The conversion creates JavaServer Pages and JavaBeans that substitute for your DDS code and make Web access possible. After your DDS code has been converted, you can access the application through a browser or continue to use 5250 displays.

Both HATS and the WebFacing Tool target customers who want to transform their host applications into HTML-based Web applications. The WebFacing Tool does this by importing the iSeries DDS maps and generating HTML pages that can be customized by the user. HATS uses the output of the TN5250 server to dynamically transform pages on-the-fly. HATS also provides the ability to execute macros, skip host screens, automate host actions, extract and insert data from the application, call custom business logic, and redirect to other URLs. A HATS application can have a completely different user flow from the original host application. WebFacing does not provide this capability.

HATS provides the ability to act as a low-function HTML emulator for both 5250 and 3270 applications. The WebFacing Tool does not provide emulation functions.

WebFacing is driven by the information contained in the DDS map source files. Because the DDS map contains specific information about each screen, WebFacing knows more about the layout of the host application screen, and therefore can make better decisions on how to transform it. From the customer’s perspective, this may allow the HTML screen to more accurately represent the original application. HATS will automatically transform screens, but may make undesired assumptions in a small percentage of cases. HATS does provide the customer with the ability to adjust default settings or customize a screen completely, thereby bypassing the automatic transformation. In the case where the HATS’ automatic transformation is not the intended customer result, the developer will be required to create a customized screen.

The WebFacing Tool does not automatically convert screens on-the-fly. Developers import the DDS source for each screen they want to transform, and the WebFacing Tool automatically generates code that will render the screen in HTML during runtime. The WebFacing Tool must have the DDS maps for every screen in the application flow. Therefore, standard system-level OS/400® screens and menus are not available for customization in the WebFacing environment. Also, proprietary software that does not allow access to source code cannot be customized by the WebFacing Tool. HATS can automatically transform or customize any screen.

HATS was designed for customers who do not want to make changes to the source of the application. Any new functional enhancements to the application are developed using the J2EE programming model, leaving the original code unchanged.

The WebFacing Tool was designed with the assumption that customers are willing to modify the original host application source code. Sometimes these source code changes are required to improve the transformed application, while other times they are required when unsupported DDS keywords are used.

When any changes are made to the host application screens, the WebFacing Tool requires you to re-import the changed DDS maps and reconvert the screens. When using the on-the-fly translation, HATS does not require any changes to the application. However, if the end user customizes some application screens in the HATS Studio, the HATS application may require some updates, depending on the type of change and how the screen was customized.

Because of HATS’ automatic transformation and wizard-based HTML customization, HATS requires a lower initial skill level than the WebFacing Tool. The WebFacing Tool generates Java source code, but HATS does not generate any code. Both products generate JSP files to control the presentation of the Web page.