Developing and deploying ZIETrans rich client applications

ZIETrans gives you the ability to transform access to your existing host applications using rich client GUI applications that run in Eclipse Rich Client Platform (Eclipse RCP).

The Eclipse RCP is a subset of plug-ins provided by the Eclipse platform, which is best known as an open source tooling platform. The introduction of Eclipse RCP enables you to use the core functionality provided by Eclipse to build native client applications targeted for a user’s desktop. More information about the Eclipse RCP can be found at https://www.eclipse.org/.

A rich client environment offers capabilities not available in a traditional Web environment, including:

• Improved response time
• A richer set of user interface (UI) widgets which provide for a more native application appearance, for example, native tab folder control, editable combo boxes, toolbars, menu bars, and tables
• No dependency on WebSphere® Application Server or WebSphere Portal
• Client side processing (distributed, not centralized on a single server)
• Printing 3270E print jobs directly to a user's local printer

Additional information and help about developing rich client applications can be found in the Eclipse Help Contents. Select Help > Help Contents on the menu bar and search for rich client.

The primary architectural difference between a ZIETrans rich client application and a ZIETrans Web application is in where the Telnet socket connection initiates. With a rich client application, the socket connection initiates from a user's workstation, not from the WebSphere Application Server, as it does with a traditional ZIETrans Web application. Because rich client applications will require a client on a user's workstation, these applications are primarily targeted for internal users, who are accustomed to using a traditional, fat client terminal emulator.