The Interface Mapper is the tool that enables you to define your service interfaces. You can define a service interface for a COBOL application from a COBOL program itself, or in the case of a COBOL CICS application that does not use screens, its commarea(s). You can also define a service interface for a CICS or IMS COBOL, or a CICS or IMS PL/I application using its BMS or MFS maps. The service interfaces you define can cover a broad range -- from those that provide access to a subset of the functions performed by your application, to interfaces that do more than your application in its original form.
For CICS or IMS screen-based service interfaces, you start with screens rendered from the BMS or MFS maps of a COBOL or PL/I application, and build a new interface based on existing screen fields. You have a great deal of creative license as you build your new interface. The Interface Mapper enables you to pick and choose the fields you want to use, how users interact with those fields, and how the fields map to your application.
For CICS commarea-based service interfaces, you start with the input and output commareas of a CICS program and build a new interface based on commarea fields.
The following topics describe the Interface Mapper and the concepts important to using it successfully.