Welcome to Reflection Desktop, a full-featured desktop application that allows you to run host applications, transfer files, and integrate host data into the latest Windows and Office software applications. For more about Reflection Desktop, see:
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Installing and using Reflection |
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Configuring and deploying Reflection |
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Setting up file transfers |
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Programming with the Reflection APIs |
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Reflection Desktop v16 includes several major new features and enhancements:
Support for centralized management: You can use Reflection Desktop to open sessions that are centrally managed with the Micro Focus Management and Security Server. No other software is required. (See Set up Reflection to Access Management and Security Server and “Create Sessions Using Centralized Management” in the Reflection Desktop Deployment Guide.)
Screen customization: You can use the Micro Focus Plus Screen Designer to customize host sessions and provide a modern interface with new features and capabilities. The Screen Designer provides a number of modern controls that you can add to your host screens to provide a more modern user experience for your host programs. (See Use Micro Focus Plus Screen Designer.)
Simplified deployment: You can save all of your session settings (for keyboard maps, security settings, customized ribbons, etc.) in a single file, called a compound session file. Using compound files simplifies the packaging process for MSI deployments. And if you use compound session files on Micro Focus Management and Security Server, you do not need to create MSI files to deploy these settings. (See “Set up Reflection to Save Configuration Data in Session Files” in the Reflection Desktop Deployment Guide.)
Improved touch user experience with visual keyboards: You can display graphical terminal keyboards and use them with your touch screens or traditional desktops. (See Use the Graphical Terminal Keyboard.)
Event mapping: Using the Events Mapper, you can configure Reflection to initiate Reflection actions, such as Reflection macros, and menu and terminal commands when an event is encountered during a host session. This makes it possible to monitor Reflection/host interactions and synchronize Reflection commands with a defined group of host session events. (See Set up Actions for Reflection Events.)
With Reflection providing terminal emulation, you can use your PC to connect to:
An IBM mainframe as a 3270 terminal or 3287 printer, using Telnet or Telnet Extended (TN3270/E).
An AS/400 or iSeries midrange computer as a 5250 terminal or 3812 printer, using Telnet (TN5250/E).
A UNIX or Open VMS host, using a variety of connection methods.
You can start multiple terminal sessions and even Web pages in a single workspace the same way you'd open multiple documents in most applications.
If you've previously used Reflection or EXTRA! for product emulation, you'll find many new features in Reflection Desktop. These features combine the best emulation features of Reflection and EXTRA! into a single solution, optimized for Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8, WIndows 10, and Microsoft Office.
NOTE:Depending on the version of Reflection you have installed, the details of your license agreement, and the security settings applied by your system administrator, some connection types and features described in this Guide may not be available to you.
Following is a summary of the many new and enhanced user interface, productivity, management, and security features you'll find in Reflection.
User Interface
You can choose from five types of user experiences: Ribbon, Browser, Classic, Classic MDI, or TouchUx. The Reflection Ribbon has the look and feel of Windows 7 and Microsoft Office, including integrated search and theme support. The Reflection Browser has a look and feel similar to the latest Web browsers where screen real estate is maximized. The Classic interface is similar to the legacy Micro Focus Reflection and EXTRA! X-treme terminal emulation applications. The Classic MDI option is similar to the Classic option. (Unlike Classic, it provides a multi-document interface that allows more than one document to be open in a workspace.) And the TouchUx interface provides a touchscreen user experience with an iOS, Android or Windows 8 look and feel.
The Ribbon, Browser, and TouchUx interfaces provide a multiple document interface, in which you can open multiple sessions. These interfaces also allow you to view and interact with Web pages within the Reflection workspace.
Productivity Tools
Tightly integrated with Microsoft Office, Reflection supports productivity features such as Recent Typing, Scratch Pad, Auto Complete, Auto Expand, Spell Check, and Screen History to drive user efficiency. If Microsoft Office 2007 or later is installed, you can leverage host data in e-mail messages, contacts, appointments, notes, tasks, and word-processing documents.
Management
You can create and distribute customized 3270, 5250, and VT session documents that include host specifications, or add Web pages to your workspace or layout. Session documents include pointers to mouse maps, keyboard maps, theme files, hotspot files, and Ribbons that you can use to customize the behavior of the session. You can further customize each session by adding macros, scripts, executables, and other options to context menus.
You can connect to hosts that use IP version 6 (IPv6) addresses. And, you can specify a backup host to which Reflection automatically connects in case of connection failure or interruption.
License metering for Reflection Desktop is available through the optional Reflection Security Gateway and its administrative console.
Security Services
Reflection provides the following security features for determining who can access and use sensitive host data.
User Account Control (UAC) for Installation — Build Microsoft Installer (.msi) packages and lock down features.
Online Certificate Revocation — When making secure connections, check the authenticity of certificates using Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP), a faster alternative to checking Certificate Trust Lists (CTL).
Trusted Locations — Prevent security problems by allowing users to open documents only from trusted locations that you specify in the .
Expanded Information Privacy Support — Protect credit/debit card primary account numbers or other sensitive data that is entered or stored on host screens or in productivity features, such as Screen History.
To reinforce mainframe security, you can add a layer of protection in front of the host with secure token authorization, using the optional Reflection Security Gateway.
Automation and Developer Support
Using the Reflection object-oriented API model, add functionality to terminal sessions and Web pages using .NET API, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), or HLLAPI programming. You can also create and run VBA scripts using functions provided by the VBA development environment. Documentation for the .NET API and VBA are provided from the Help button on the workspace frame.
Layout files give you the ability to access the Reflection .NET API in multiple instances of Reflection simultaneously. API security settings allow you to control access to the application through API or macro calls.
Legacy Support
Reflection Desktop protects the investment you've made in previous products.
You can run sessions you created in EXTRA!, KEA!, IBM Personal Communications, and Micro Focus Rumba.
You can also still run and edit the macros and scripts you created in legacy Reflection and EXTRA!, including encrypted EXTRA! macros. And Reflection supports most types of macros created in Micro Focus Rumba, OpenText HostExplorer, IBM PComm, and Brandon Systems\Jolly Giant QWS3270.
For a complete list of new features, see the Reflection Desktop Release Notes.