Can we access the CICS transactions over the browser?

[Rahul Palli]

Can we access the CICS transactions over the browser? I see this link http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/os/zvse ... ccess.html but I'm not sure if I get it correctly?

Does it suggest that an existing CCIS screen be converted to a browser's base GUI or it says that a new architecture should be deployed to get the new ssreens developed which can be used in browser?

[Robert Sample]

Google is your friend. Google CICS web services and start reading. However basically the answer to your question is yes, CICS transactions can be executed through a browser and results returned from the CICS transactions. Note that the CICS region and the mainframe must be set up to allow such activity and requires your site support group's involvement due to the changes required. An application programmer cannot just decide to start using web services and expect anything to work. Existing transactions and screens can be used -- they look a little odd when viewed via a browser compared to a 3270 device but the data is readable.

[Rahul Palli]

Thanks for the reply Robert.


I understand that there is an IBM supplied utility for converting CICS BMS maps to HTML pages. After converting the BMS maps to HTML, I guess it allows to move the HTML files using FTP to the windows system, and adding necessary CSS designs to it.

But I'm thinking that how does the CICS back end logic being executed when the user does something (press Enter or F3, etc...) in the HTML front-end. Can you please give a explanation on this? That will be helpful.

[Robert Sample]

After converting the BMS maps to HTML, I guess it allows to move the HTML files using FTP to the windows system, and adding necessary CSS designs to it.

FTP is not used -- there is no reason to transfer anything from the mainframe to any other system.

The web browser uses a specific url that is a specific port on the mainframe. That port is reserved to the specific CICS region, and the user keys in a CICS transaction (after the usual CICS sign on process) and hits the enter key. The entered data goes to the CICS region where it is treated as a transaction identifier (anything after the first 4 characters will be treated as transaction data) and CICS starts up that transaction. When the screen is displayed by CICS, the data is transferred through the port to the web browser. Assuming, as you said, that the map has been translated for HTML use, what goes to the browser is the HTML code representing the CICS map. The browser displays the HTML code and so it goes. A PF3 key goes from the browser to the port to CICS and is handled in the usual CICS way.

[Rahul Palli]

Thanks Robert.