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WebConnect Pro Readme

WebConnect Pro Readme

New Features in this Version

Feature Descriptions

Token Authentication Feature

If configured, this feature causes OC://WebConnect to generate 128-bit random tokens to authenticate connecting clients. Initial client authentication is performed by the customer's web server using any authentication method supported by the web server; e.g., SSL client certificates, user ID & password, etc. At session startup the web server requests the token to pass to the applet from the OC://WebConnect server. The applet must then present the token back to the OC://WebConnect server to be granted permission to start the session. Tokens are good for one use only and expire within a configured timeout interval. Default timeout is 90 seconds. This feature requires the use of the OCS-provided CGI-BIN, cgiinfo, to start sessions. This feature is not supported by ultra-lite clients.

For the highest level of security:

    1 SSL should be run between the web server and the browser, and between the java applet and the OC://WebConnect server.

    2 The directory where cgiinfo resides should be write-protected from anyone other than the system administrator.

    3 The OC://WebConnect Java Administration port should be protected from potential attackers, preferably on the same machine as the web server with IP address specified as local host, or linked to the web server by a private network. At a minimum, the Java Administration port should be located behind the corporate firewall.

New HTML Configurator

In addition to the JDK1.1 Graphical Configuration Utility, this release includes a new HTML-based configurator with side bar, allowing quicker access to configuration panels. The HTML configurator includes additional features, such as trace viewing and download. Use of the HTML configurator requires the OC://WebConnect http server to be installed.

Improved User Interface for Session Startup and Admin

Session Startup Screen has been changed to move admin buttons to sidebar and all sessions to a listbox. When a session is started, the page no longer changes, making it easier to start other sessions. The applet button has been removed. Instead the applet resides transparently in a small frame in the lower lefthand corner of the session startup page.

Three Choices for Print Support

OC://WebConnect offers three solutions for printing to address the different capabilities of the various browsers available.

    1 Native JDK 1.1 printing. This print solution requires a browser with a Java Virtual Machine of JDK 1.1 or later.

    2 OC://WebPrint. This print solution requires the installation of java class files on the user's PC. Double-byte characters are not supported using this print solution.

    3 Java Script printing. This print solution uses Java Script to open a separate browser window for the print output and then print its contents. Only available for browsers supporting Java Script, such as Netscape Navigator and MSIE.

Method of print implementation can be configured for each session or specified at runtime.

Improved Associate Print Feature

This release uses the same TN3270E Associate Printer LU feature introduced in OC://WebConnect version 2.8. This feature allows a user to start his 3287 print session directly from his 3270 display session. The only OC://WebConnect administration required for this feature is to enable it for a 3270 display session. The display-to-printer mapping is configured at the TN3270E server.

Multiple IP Support to Gateway/Host

Supports use of DNS aliasing for associating multiple IP addresses to a single DNS entry for the gateway/host connection. This is typically used for load balancing. This feature will cause OC://WebConnect to cycle through the list of IP addresses returned from the DNS until a successful connection is achieved and session established.

Separate IP Specification for Service Ports

You can now specify a separate IP address for each of the service ports of the OC://WebConnect server. This can be used for IP aliasing of the http server to allow it to co-reside with other web servers on the same machine, each using the standard http port (80). This feature can also be used for security enhancements, such as specifying local host for the Java Administration port to eliminate the possibility of the token being sniffed when the token authentication feature is enabled.

Session Limits per Applet

This feature limits the number of instances of a session that can be started from a given applet. When the session limit is reached, the File->New menu option will be disabled. It is currently up to the web administrator to limit the number of applets that a given user can initiate.

Miscellaneous Security Enhancements

Logging Enhancements

Several log events with more detailed information have been added to this release of OC://WebConnect.

Print Margin Configuration

OC://WebConnect Pro allows configuration of margins for both 3287 and screen printing. This feature is only available for enhanced and power user applets. The feature is configured using the HTML configurator. At runtime these values are passed as applet parameters: lmargin, rmargin, tmargin & bmargin. The units are pixels. With the JDK print implementation there are typically 72 pixels per inch. For OC://WebPrint the resolution matches the printer; e.g. 300 pixels per inch for a 300 dpi printer. A print margin reduces the effective page size for drawing; it does not change the logical print format of the print job.

Character Mode Setting

OC://WebConnect Pro offers a character mode and a line mode setting for both 3287 and screen printing. Character mode is required for most double-byte applications. This feature is only available for enhanced and power user applets. The feature is configured using the HTML configurator. At runtime this value is passed as the applet parameter, "charmode", and can assume values of "ON" or "OFF". Line mode will yield faster printing and consume less memory on the user workstation during printing.

Character mode will ensure uniform spacing of characters, and space characters and lines to fit the right and bottom margins, respectively.


Note The international version of Internet Explorer running on Chinese Win95 appears to be incapable of printing a fixed width font. The causes Character Mode printing to have overlapping characters in some cases.

For these cases printing must be performed in Line Mode. However, Line Mode printing may yield unsatisfactory alignment of columns when printing with a proportional font.

3287 Default Format Settings

OC://WebConnect Pro allows the setting of defaults for 3287 parameters MPP (Max Presentation Position), MPL (Max Presentation Line) and LD (Line Density). Currently these must be hand configured in the session file as DfltMPP, DfltMPL and DfltLD under the [3287] section. These values set the default logical page format for a 3287 session. If the print application provides format controls in the datastream, these values will be overridden. A common need for this capability is to change the LU1 default from 132 to 80 columns for standard 8/12" x 11" letter paper when the host print application prints an 80 column job but neglects to issue format controls for this setting.

Depending on the setting of the AutoFit parameter the 3287 Defaults will have different effects. If AutoFit=OFF, the font size rendered by the printer will be dictated by the Line Density parameter or overridden by the host application. If AutoFit=ON, the line density parameter is ignored, including any value specified by the host application, and the font size is computed by the 3287 applet. A font is chosen that will fit DfltMPP characters and DfltMPL lines on the page (or the values specified by the host application), with the specified margin constraints. The largest font that fits the criteria is chosen.


Note JDK printing always assumes an 8 1/2" x 11" page in portrait mode for the purpose of autofit. If other page layouts are required when using the JDK print implementation, AutoFit should be set to OFF, and the font size should be controlled by the Line Density setting.

Applet Parameter Template

In OC://WebConnect Pro, by default, the applet tag is now generated by the OC://WebConnect server from a template html file called "applet.html". This allows OC://WebConnect administrators the capability to customize the applet tag for their installation, but continue to benefit from functionality, such as token authentication, added by letting OC://WebConnect generate the applet tag. Form data is passed from the browser to the web server, which invokes the new cgibin, "cgipipe".

Cgipipe then forwards the form data on to a macro processor in the OC://WebConnect server. The form data is referenced by macros in applet.html, allowing the applet tag to change, based on the form data and other variables derived from configuration settings.

OC://WebConnect returns the applet template, as is, to cgipipe, modified only by whatever macros have been expanded. This data is then output by cgipipe to the web server for return to the browser.


Note cgiinfo has been retained for compatibility with existing installations not wishing to upgrade to the new applet generation method.

Server Platform Requirements

The following platforms are supported for this release of the OC://WebConnect Server:

A minimum of 64MB of RAM is recommended for all platforms to run the maximum number of concurrent sessions.

A maximum of 1,000 sessions per instance (AIX is limited to 950 sessions); no limitation of instances (depending on hardware capacity)

Browser Requirements

OC://WebConnect 3.2 requires a browser that supports Sun's Java Development Kit 1.1 for Enhanced and Power User session types.

Currently HotJava, Internet Explorer 4.0, and Netscape Navigator 4.02 or later provide this support.

Known Problems

Browser Anomalies

Netscape Navigator

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Sun HotJava

Miscellaneous Information


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