How to use HostAccess

HostAccess’s 3-stage process allows you to implement your unique IT strategy at your own pace. Begin by creating a tailored GUI, shaping a Windows look and feel for host applications.

The next phase is to integrate your host applications into your standard desktop applications. Data can be downloaded into any standard spreadsheet and text into any word processor. At this stage, you are enhancing your host applications using Windows’ Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) and OLE automation. HostAccess’s tight integration of host data with your application server makes data available to each desktop.

Finally, transform your host applications, changing the way they look, feel and respond. HostAccess’s tools give your host applications access to, and control of any desktop resources. Open up your host applications to any PC clients, including COM automation objects and ActiveX controls.

Creating a Windows look and feel

HostAccess’s AiF toolkit allows you to give applications the same GUI as your familiar desktop. Give your host applications any Windows control, including secondary windows, icons and buttons. Host applications can be made faster, clearer and even fully event driven.

AiF is a library of ANSI-compliant escape sequences sent from the host to HostAccess using normal terminal display functions in the host application.

AiF’s phased approach puts you in control of the speed and sophistication of your development programme. In addition, you can drive this development with your current host application design skills, using existing programming languages from COBOL and Basic to FORTRAN and SQL.

Desktop integration

Integrate your host applications into your standard desktop applications using DDE, a standard way of communicating between Windows applications. You can use DDE to use HostAccess as a DDE client to Windows applications giving your host applications almost total control over any other Windows product. You can also use HostAccess as a DDE server - this means you can write Windows programs in applications such as Word or Excel which can send or receive data to and from the host. This is described in Dynamic Data Exchange.

Additionally, HostAccess’s file transfer facilities puts your data where it’s most functional to users, creating a genuine two-way environment.