2.1.3 Reflection for the Web

To add and configure a Reflection for the Web session:

Add a session and configure settings in MSS

Add your Reflection for the Web session and configure these settings in MSS before you launch the session and configure your preferences.

To add and configure a Reflection for the Web session:

  1. Open Manage Sessions, and click + ADD.

  2. Under Product, select Reflection for the Web.

  3. Select a Session type. The default is IBM 3270.

  4. Enter a unique Session name that does not exceed 64 characters.

    Session names cannot include any of these characters: \ / : * ? " < > ¦

  5. Open the Comments option to enter a comment about this session. Comments are internal notes for the administrator that can be displayed in the Manage Sessions summary list.

  6. Use the additional settings to customize the display and behavior of your Reflection for the Web session:

    Appearance | FTP | Advanced Settings | Applet Parameters

  7. When you are finished with these initial settings, Launch Reflection for the Web to configure further session details.

Appearance

  • Window title. You can change the title bar for the session with special characters.

    Table 2-1 The title can include these special characters:

    Character

    Value

    &&

    a single ampersand

    &c

    Connection Status (whether you are connected and over what transport)

    &d

    Date

    &h

    Host name

    &s

    Session type

    &t

    Transport

    &v

    Terminal session identifier that uniquely identifies this terminal session from others. See specific types:

    &v for IBM 3270 and IMB 3270 Printer sessions

    LU name

    &v for IBM 5250 and IBM 5250 Printer sessions

    Device name

    &v for ALC. UTS Terminal, T27, T27 Printer, and Airlines Printer sessions

    Terminal ID

  • Display session in its own window. Select to launch a session in a frame outside of the browser page.

  • Display session embedded in a web browser window. Select to launch the session in a new browser window.

    Use this option to specify a custom page template, which allows you to format the HTML to add custom text, graphics, or JavaScript for the session. The template jsp must be stored in the /mss/server/web/webapps/mss/templates folder on the MSS server. You can copy one of the sample templates as a starting point for your own template.

    Templates must be stored in the templates folder directly or in a subfolder. If you leave the page template field empty, the embedded session will appear in a new browser window with a simple heading that shows the name of the session. When the specified template is not present, the default embedded page is used. For more information, see the Knowledgebase article: Using Templates in Reflection for the Web.

FTP

Select Enable FTP within this session when you want to include FTP as an option on the File menu for IBM 3270, IBM 5250, HP, VT, or UTS terminal emulation sessions. When enabled, users can open a window that allows them to easily transfer files using FTP.

Show FTP Window as

When you configure a standalone FTP session, use these options to specify the appearance of the FTP window.

  • Select Local/remote lists and console to display lists of files and directories (local and server) are displayed in the top of the FTP window, and an FTP console with a command line is displayed in the bottom.

  • Users can change the FTP window appearance after the session is started by using buttons on the FTP button bar. However, when either Lists only or Console only is selected, users cannot change the FTP window appearance.

Advanced Settings

See: Advanced—More Settings | Applet Parameters

Advanced—More Settings

Click Advanced, and use these settings to customize how the session is displayed, launched, and delivered.

Window Size and Status Bar

  • Use best dimensions for each user

    Based upon the client machine's screen resolution, Management and Security Server is able to determine the best width and height for each user's session window. This setting applies only when the session is displayed in its own window.

  • Use maximized dimensions

    The session will be in a full screen display. This setting applies only when the session is displayed in its own window.

  • Use these window dimensions

    The Width and Height options determine the dimensions of the applet (in pixels).

  • Display status bar

    This option controls whether the status bar appears in the terminal window. The status bar appears at the bottom of the window and includes information such as the cursor position, whether the connection is encrypted, and the type and status of the connection.

Session Auto Launch

Check Auto Launch to automatically launch the session when the session list is displayed. Users cannot override this Auto Launch mechanism.

When this setting is not enabled, users can choose to open a session automatically by configuring Session Attributes, available from the Action button on the session list.

View Session HTML

The session HTML is automatically generated by the Management and Security Server. The Reflection for the Web session HTML is displayed for the special case where the static HTML must be saved in a file.

Copy the HTML into a text editor. Save the file in MSSData/deploy as an HTML file. After you make changes to the session settings, click REFRESH HTML and re-save the file. As noted in MSSData/deploy/deploy.txt, you can also save the session’s configuration file.

When the <session>.html is saved, the session can be assigned to users via Assign Access. The session will appear in the user’s list of entitled sessions with a different icon, but it does not appear in the administrator’s Manage Sessions list (in the Administrative Console).

See Knowledge Base article 7022329 for more information.

Applet Parameters

You can customize the properties of a Reflection for the Web session by adding applet parameters. (You may need to scroll to the Applet Parameters button.)

Applet parameters modify the behavior of the basic session. When you launch a session and change its settings, the new settings are saved in a configuration file. Applet parameters allow you to extend functionality beyond the configuration file.

Refer to Applet Attributes and Parameters in the Reflection for the Web Reference Guide for descriptions and valid values of the standard applet parameters

To add a parameter

  1. Click +ADD.

  2. From the Parameter drop-down list, select a standard parameter, or click <Custom> to add a new one.

  3. Enter a Value, if required.

  4. Click ADD. The parameter is added to the table.

NOTE:Not all parameters are valid for all session types. To check whether a parameter applies to your session, refer to Applet Attributes and Parameters in the Reflection for the Web Reference Guide.

List of current parameters

The applet parameters that are currently assigned to this session are listed in the table. To remove a parameter, check it, and click REMOVE.

Launch Reflection for the Web

When you click LAUNCH, a dialog presents the option to open the session using Zulu Platform x32 Architecture.

This OpenJDK option is used by the Reflection for the Web Launcher that requires no Java plug-in. The administrator can use any supported browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge, to configure Reflection for the Web sessions. See About the Reflection for the Web Launcher.

About the Reflection for the Web Launcher

The Reflection for the Web Launcher is a private client-side application that installs an OpenJDK 8 JRE with Web Start (JNLP) to launch Reflection for the Web sessions. This OpenJDK implementation eliminates the need for Oracle’s JRE and the Java browser plug-in on end-user workstations.

The Reflection for the Web Launcher is currently packaged only for Microsoft Windows (as RWebLauncher.msi).

Installing the Reflection for the Web Launcher

The Reflection for the Web Launcher must be installed on the administrator’s workstation before you can launch and configure a Reflection for the Web session without the Java plug-in.

You can either:

Install the Reflection for the Web Launcher before launching a session

You can prepare your local administrator machine with the Reflection for the Web Launcher before you begin configuring a Reflection for the Web session.

Keep in mind: You, the administrator, will first need to know where to find the Reflection for the Web Launcher installer (.msi) file. Then, after the Launcher is installed, you can immediately begin to configure a session after launching it.

On the administrator machine:

  1. Copy the RWebLauncher.msi from the Reflection for the Web installation, <install_dir>/MSS/server/web/webapps/rweb-client/ex/RWebLauncher.msi to a location on your local administrator machine.

  2. Run the installer to install the Reflection for the Web Launcher.

  3. After the Launcher is installed, proceed as you would to launch and configure a new or existing Reflection for the Web session.

    See Deploying sessions with the Reflection for the Web Launcher.

Follow the MSS Administrative Console prompts when you launch a session

You can download and install the Reflection for the Web Launcher when you launch a new or existing Reflection for the Web session.

Keep in mind: Until the Launcher is installed, the flow of launching a Reflection for the Web session is interrupted by the dialog prompts to download and run the Reflection for the Web Launcher installer (.msi) file. Then, after the Launcher is installed, you need to re-launch the session you want to configure.

NOTE:The dialog buttons and text vary, depending on the browser being used. The dialog text from Mozilla Firefox is included as an example.

In the MSS Administrative Console:

  1. In Manage Sessions, either click +ADD or click an existing Reflection for the Web session.

  2. Click LAUNCH.

    When the Reflection for the Web Launcher is not installed, a dialog may ask you to identify an application to use to launch the session. In some browsers, no dialog appears at all.

  3. If a dialog asks you to select an application because the Reflection for the Web Launcher is not installed, click Cancel.

  4. On the Launching Session panel, click DOWNLOAD.

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    Or, if you are running Internet Explorer 11, you could continue to use the Java plug-in instead of installing the Reflection for the Web Launcher. Click Use Java Plug-in. Your Reflection for the Web session opens in a separate window and is ready to be configured.

    Note: The Java plug-in option will not be available in future releases of MSS.

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  5. Then, click Save File to save RWebLauncher.msi, which contains the Reflection for the Web Launcher.

  6. Click Run and proceed through the Reflection for the Web Launcher Installer Setup Wizard, accepting or modifying the defaults.

  7. After the Reflection for the Web Launcher is installed, return to Manage Sessions.

  8. Continue with Deploying sessions with the Reflection for the Web Launcher.

Deploying sessions with the Reflection for the Web Launcher

Three deployment options (Standard, Hybrid, and Launcher) are provided to match your system’s readiness to move away from Oracle’s Java browser plug-in on client workstations.

For details, see Configure Settings - General Settings > Reflection for the Web Launcher settings.

After you launch the session

After you launch your Reflection for the Web session, configure your preferences.

When you click Save or Exit/Save, the settings are exported to Management and Security Server, and the session is added to the Manage Sessions list.

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