You can use Reflection methods to navigate through your sessions:

Navigating and Handling Branching in Open Systems Macros

Navigating by Waiting for a Specified Time

Finding and Moving to Screen Locations

Navigating by Waiting for the Host to Return Strings

After sending data to a host, using VT or other non-block mode emulation, you must pause execution until you determine when the host has finished with its reply. Use the WaitForString method for this task. As soon as the final string in a host response has arrived, you can continue execution of your macro.

In some situations the host can reply with more than one response. Use the WaitForStrings method to determine which response the host has made and then apply it to decision branches in your macro.

WaitForStrings4() waits for a specified text string (or strings) to be received from the host.

Function object.WaitForStrings4(ref string[] text, int timeout, ref int stringidx, WaitForOption option)
        

To set up your macro, first record a macro to find out which strings you need to look for. (The macro recorder records the WaitForString method with the correct parameters for your host application.) Then set up a function that includes an array of these strings, as shown below.

To set up your macro to wait for VT host data

1. Open Reflection and start a VT session.
2. On the Tools tab, in the Macros group, click Record Macro.
3. Perform the actions you want to automate with your macro and then click Stop Recording.
4. In the Recording Complete dialog box, choose to save the macro in the current document's project.
5. In the Visual Basic Editor, open the Recording module for the project and find the strings referenced in the WaitForString method (for example, the "[11;14H" string shown below)

   Finding strings recorded for WaitForString3	Copy Code
   'Wait for a string on the host screen before continuing returnValue = osCurrentScreen.WaitForString3(ESC & "[11;14H", NEVER_TIME_OUT, WaitForOption.WaitForOption_AllowKeystrokes)

6. Specify to wait for these strings in your code sample

   Using the strings in the macro

   Copy Code

   Public Sub DetermineWhatScreenArrived() Rem This sample shows how to define and wait for several strings to determine how the host responded. Dim i As Integer Dim strArray(0 To 2) As String Rem define the strings to wait for based on the values observed in a recorded macro. strArray(0) = "11;14H" 'We arrived at Apply Tax Screen strArray(1) = "[11;15H" 'We arrived at Order Totals Screen strArray(2) = "[6;54H" 'We arrived at Shipments not Allowed to Location Screen Rem Define the Screen and terminal variables. Dim osCurrentScreen As Screen Dim osCurrentTerminal As Terminal Set osCurrentTerminal = ThisFrame.SelectedView.control Set osCurrentScreen = osCurrentTerminal.Screen Rem Send the VT PF1 key to finalize an order. osCurrentScreen.SendControlKey ControlKeyCode_PF1 Dim retval As ReturnCode Dim returnStringIndex As Long For i = 0 To 2 Rem Wait for the strings in the strArray(), with a timeout of 3000 ms, and allow keystrokes to be entered while waiting. retval = osCurrentScreen.WaitForStrings4(strArray(), 3000, returnStringIndex, WaitForOption_AllowKeystrokes) Rem Print the string that was received. If retval = ReturnCode_Success Then Rem WaitForStrings requires a zero-based array parameter, but it returns a 1-based index of strings. Rem Use a Select Case statement with 1-based values to determine the host response. Select Case returnStringIndex Case 1 Debug.Print "We arrived at Apply Tax Screen" Case 2 Debug.Print "We arrived at Order Totals Screen" Case 3 Debug.Print "We arrived at Shipments not Allowed to Location Screen" End Select End If Next i End Sub

Navigating by Waiting for a Specified Time

You can navigate through Open Systems screens by waiting for a specified time between commands.

This is useful for navigating Open Systems screens when you don't know the string values returned by the host (required by the WaitForStrings methods). It can also be used to navigate IBM screens.

'Send keys to navigate to screen that contains data
'wait after keys are sent to make sure host screen is ready before sending more keys
Set screen = terminal.screen
    
screen.SendKeys "command"
screen.SendControlKey ControlKeyCode_Return
rCode = screen.WaitForHostSettle(3000) 'settle time
screen.SendKeys "another command"

Finding and Moving to Screen Locations

You can use Reflection Search functions to find locations on the screen that you want to move your cursor to or use as a starting point for a selection.

Sub MoveTheCursor()
    Dim Point As ScreenPoint
   
    'Get the point on the display on which the data table starts
    Set Point = ThisScreen.SearchText("Month ", 1, 1, FindOptions_Forward)

    'Increment the row from the header row to first row of data and get the first row
    Debug.Print ThisScreen.GetText((Point.Row + 2), Point.Column, ThisScreen.DisplayColumns)
   
End Sub