URL path components for 3270 display applications

To call a CICS® 3270 application from a web browser, you enter a URL with a path component that starts by calling the application program name DFHWBTTA, DFHWBTTB, or DFHWBTTC, with an appropriate alias transaction and converter program (if required). This alias transaction does not apply to the 3270 application, which runs under its own transaction.

Attention: This topic contains Product-sensitive Programming Interface and Associated Guidance Information.

Using an analyzer program: If you are using an analyzer program like the CICS-supplied sample analyzer DFHWBADX to handle requests, the path component of the URL includes the name of the application program (DFHWBTTA, DFHWBTTB, or DFHWBTTC). It also includes the name of any converter program that you are using and the name of the alias transaction for request processing, such as the default CICS-supplied alias transaction CWBA. As explained in CICS-supplied sample analyzer program DFHWBADX, these elements of the path are extracted by the analyzer program and used to start subsequent processing stages.
Using a URIMAP definition: If you are using a URIMAP definition to handle requests, the path component of the URL is specified in the PATH attribute. With URIMAP definitions, the path component of the URL does not need to include explicit information about the application program, converter program, and alias transaction, although it can still do so. You can specify all these elements in the URIMAP definition, using the PROGRAM, CONVERTER, and TRANSACTION attributes. You can then replace this part of the path component by any path of your choice. To satisfy the requirements of DFHWBTTA, use an asterisk as a wildcard character at the end of the path that you specify in the URIMAP definition. The wildcard allows the remainder of the path component to be varied to control DFHWBTTA.
Using both a URIMAP definition and an analyzer program: You can use an analyzer program in the processing path for a request by specifying the ANALYZER(YES) option in the URIMAP definition. The analyzer program can dynamically modify the converter program, alias transaction ID, and program name that are specified by the URIMAP definition. DFHWBTTA can see these changes.

After providing the information needed to call the application program, the next part of the path component of the URL provides control information to DFHWBTTA:

A keyword to specify if unformatted mode is used
The transaction ID of the 3270 application that you want to use
An input parameter for the specified transaction, using plus signs (+) as a delimiter

Read syntax diagram — Figure 1. Syntax of the path interpreted by DFHWBTTA

Skip visual syntax diagram — Figure 1. Syntax of the path interpreted by DFHWBTTA

DFHWBTTA interprets the path component of the URL as follows:

ignored: The first part of the path is ignored by DFHWBTTA. This part is interpreted by the analyzer or matched to a URIMAP definition, to provide the information needed to call the application program.
UNFORMAT: The 3270 display can operate in two modes: formatted mode and unformatted mode. If this keyword is present, DFHWBTTA simulates a 3270 display operating in unformatted mode. If this keyword is omitted, DFHWBTTA simulates a 3270 display operating in formatted mode.
For more information, see Unformatted mode .
transaction ID: On the initial request, this information specifies the CICS transaction to be run. This element of the path is ignored on a continuation request.
parameter: Specifies an input parameter for the transaction. Use plus signs (+), not spaces, as a delimiter to separate the transaction ID and this data, and between elements of this data.
token: This information is ignored by DFHWBTTA. It can be used by an analyzer program.

Always code the URL in this form.

For example, if you are using the CICS-supplied analyzer program DFHWBADX, you can use the following URL path to issue the CEMT INQ TAS command:

/cics/cwba/dfhwbtta/CEMT+INQ+TAS

cics is used to indicate that no converter program is required.
cwba is the name of the alias transaction for request processing.
dfhwbtta is the name of the application program.
CEMT+INQ+TAS tells DFHWBTTA to access the CEMT transaction and issue the INQ TAS command.

Alternatively, you can set up a URIMAP definition that includes the following attributes:

Path:	       /terminal/*
Transaction:  CWBA
Program:      DFHWBTTA

With this URIMAP definition enabled, you can use the following URL path to issue the CEMT INQ TAS command:

/terminal/CEMT+INQ+TAS

terminal matches the URIMAP definition, which specifies the name of the alias transaction and application program.
CEMT+INQ+TAS is ignored by the URIMAP definition, but tells DFHWBTTA to access the CEMT transaction and issue the INQ TAS command.