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Configure a Device Name

In 5250 terminal sessions, the device name (also called the display name or workstation ID) is visible in the sign-on screen when you connect to your host.

You can configure the session to generate unique customized device names. Special characters can be included in the device name value to specify how the device name is displayed and incremented.

If you choose not to configure the device name, the IBM System i automatically assigns a device name for the session in the format QPADEV<####>.

To configure the device name

  1. Open a 5250 terminal session.

  2. Open the Settings window. The steps depend on your user interface mode.

    User Interface Mode Steps
    Ribbon or Reflection Browser With a session open in Reflection, from the Quick Access Toolbar, click .
    TouchUx Tap the Gear icon and then select Document Settings.

  3. Under Host Connection, click Configure Connection Settings.

  4. Verify that the Generate a device name check box is selected.

  5. In the Device name field, enter a device name, then click OK and save your session.

    The device name can be up to ten characters long, and it can include any of the following characters as part of the value:

    Character Usage
    * An alphabetic counter used to create a unique device name. It is replaced by A, B, C and so on. If the entire alphabet is used, the generated device names continue with AA, AB, AC, and so on.
    % The session type. It is replaced by P for printer sessions; S for display sessions.
    = A numeric counter used to create a unique device name. It is replaced by 1, 2, 3, and so on.
    &COMPN Replaced by the local workstation name, left-trimmed, if the generated name exceeds 10 characters.
    &USERN Replaced by the local user name, left-trimmed, if the generated name exceeds 10 characters.
    + Specifies right-trimming instead of left-trimming. Use with &COMPN or &USERN. This character can be placed anywhere in the string.

    !!! note "note"s - You can use only one string in combination with these characters. If you use separated strings, the second string is dropped. For example, %MyDevice= is valid. However, %My=Device is not valid, and will be treated by the system as if it were &My=.

    - You cannot use both `&COMPN` and `&USERN` in the same string.

- If you leave this box blank, the IBM System i creates a device to use for your session.

Examples:

  • Setting Device name to %ABC= generates the device name SABC1 for a display session. If this is rejected, Reflection will try SABC2, SABC3, and so on.

  • Setting Device name to %123* generates the device name S123A for the first display session, S123B for the second session, and so on.

  • Setting Device name to &COMPN* generates puternameA, puternameB, puternameC for the first three sessions when the computer name is Computername.

  • Setting Device name to %My=Device generates SMy. Because only one string literal can be used at a time, the second string literal (=Device) is ignored.

  • Setting Device name to +&USERN* generates karlschmiA, karlschmiB, karlschmiC for the first three sessions when the computer user name is karlschmidt.