Using Z and I Emulator for Transformation (ZIETrans)

With HCL Z and I Emulator for Transformation (ZIETrans), you can create Web applications that provide an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for your 3270 applications running on IBM® z Systems platforms and your 5250 applications running on IBM i operating system platforms. ZIETrans applications can access 5250 applications without requiring Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) capacity. In this book, these character-based 3270 and 5250 applications are referred to as host applications. You can also create service-oriented architecture (SOA) assets using Web services that provide standard programming interfaces to business logic and transactions contained within host applications. Data from video terminal (VT) emulation screens can also be accessed.

ZIETrans applications can be given a modern appearance. ZIETrans Web applications can be developed with an interface that matches your company's Web or portal pages, and your users can access them through their Web browsers. ZIETrans Web applications can also be developed to provide access to your host applications from mobile devices such as cellular phones, data collection terminals, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Note: Throughout this document, configuration settings that apply only to ZIETrans Web applications and EJB applications unless otherwise noted, are marked with (Web-only).
ZIETrans has two components:
  • The ZIETrans Toolkit is a set of plug-ins for Eclipse. For more on which versions of Eclipse are supported, see ../../ic_homepage/ZIETrans_SystemReq.html.

    The ZIETrans Toolkit enables you to develop new applications, a step at a time, previewing and saving each change you make. Over time, or as quickly as you like, you can streamline your ZIETrans application, making it easier to use than the host applications whose data it presents, and possibly moving functions from the host applications into your ZIETrans applications. For more information on the development process for building ZIETrans Web applications, see Understanding ZIETrans application development.

    After you have developed a ZIETrans application, you deploy it to a production runtime environment.

  • The ZIETrans runtime code runs as part of a ZIETrans application deployed in the production runtime environment, WebSphere® Application Server, WebSphere Portal, Apache Geronimo web application server with the Tomcat web container, or Oracle WebLogic Server. Users interact with the ZIETrans application through the ZIETrans GUI and data is sent back and forth between the user and the host application.

For more information see Developing and deploying ZIETrans Web applications.