1. Making HATS a Strategic Investment:
Integration with Relational Systems and
Web Services
Matthew Hardin
Sr. Consultant, Strongback Consulting
matthew.hardin@strongback.us
Kenny Smith
Principal Consultant, Strongback Consulting
kenny.smith@strongback.us
PWR-1212
© 2013 IBM Corporation

2. About Us: Strongback Consulting
 IBM Advanced Business Partner
– Rational, WebSphere, Lotus, Information Management SVP certified
– Strongly focused on Enterprise Modernization and application lifecycle management
– Key Industries Served: Finance, Insurance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Government
– Rational Design Partner for HATS and other Rational enterprise modernization technologies
Discover us at:
http://www.strongback.us
Subscribe to us at
http://blog.strongbackconsulting.com
Socialize with us on Facebook & LinkedIn
http://www.facebook.com/StrongbackConsulting
http://www.linkedin.com/company/290754

3. About HATS
 IBM® Rational® Host Access Transformation Services (HATS) transforms traditional text-
based interfaces into web, portlet, rich client or mobile device interfaces.
 Supports 3270, 5250 and virtual terminal (VT) applications
 Allows for extending these applications as standard web services.
 Rules based engine to transform your existing, proven applications to a modern UI.
 Extend 3270, 5250, and VT green screens as standard Web services.
 Broadens the reach of IBM i applications with support for mobile web access from devices
such as smartphones, tablets, and handheld computers.
 Provides standard JSR 286 and JSR 168 portlet support, including built-in inter-portlet
communication.
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4. About HATS
 With Rational HATS you can easily convert traditional text-based host application screens to
user-friendly GUIs.
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5. HATS Toolkit
 Rational IDE environment
 Wizard driven service accelerators
 Visual page designers
 Visual macro editors
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6. HATS: The Tactical Advantage
 Rational HATS allows you to reuse and repurpose your existing assets.
– Out of the box
– Additional ROI on your existing applications
– Low cost and low risk: No need to rewrite or refactor existing applications
 Cuts training costs.
– Increase productivity and reduce training costs and data entry errors with workflow and navigation
improvements
 Extend your reach.
– Extend host application to new users who do not directly have access to the host system.
 Very Fast Time To Market
– A large financial company went from start to production in 39 days
– Smaller companies could have an application ready in an afternoon
6

7. HATS: The Strategic Advantage
 Extend your existing applications and assets
 Find new streams of revenue for your legacy applications
– Applicable to ISV’s, service providers
 Use to abstract your systems into web services short term to protect long term architectures
– Easy to create web services
– Web services “hide” the underlying technology
 Integrate with external resources
– Any resource!
 Portalization
– Integrate at the glass with other enterprise systems
7

8. Extending with Web Services
 The W3C defines web services as:
“a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over
a network. It has an interface described in a machine-processable format
(specifically WSDL). Other systems interact with the Web service in a manner prescribed by
its description using SOAP messages, typically conveyed using HTTP with
an XML serialization in conjunction with other Web-related standards.”
 The W3C also states:
– REST-compliant Web services, in which the primary purpose of the service is to manipulate XML
representations of Web resources using a uniform set of "stateless" operations; and
– arbitrary Web services, in which the service may expose an arbitrary set of operations.
 Provides a way to communicate between applications running on different operating
systems, with different technologies and programming languages.
 SOAP…. REST…. XML… JSON… HATS does it all.
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9. SOAP Web Services
 SOAP: Simple Object Access Protocol
 XML-based protocol to let applications exchange information over HTTP or JMS (or really
ANY transport).
 Often described by a WSDL: Web Services Description Language
– WSDL is an XML-based language for describing Web services and how to access them.
– Makes services easier for clients to consume.
 SOAP is highly extensible, but you only use the pieces you need for a particular task.
9

10. RESTful
 Use HTTP methods explicitly.
 Are stateless.
– Clients send complete, independent requests.
 Expose directory structure-like URIs.
 Transfer XML, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), or both.
10

11. Creating a web service using HATS
 Create a standard HATS project
 Create macros
 Create Integration Objects
 Create Web Services (REST or SOAP)
 Deploy to WebSphere

12. Key Function in Macros
• Skip-screen
• Skip-screen macros are navigational macros that move the user from one
screen to another screen without displaying intervening screens.
• Prompt
• Prompt macros contain events to request input from users during the host
session.
• They can also set prompts from a user list.
• For example, you can use a prompt macro to ask a user for their user ID
and password before logging them into a host application.
• Extract
• Extract macros contain events to extract host screen information as a
string, data as a table or even a global variable.
• You can use an extract macro to connect to a directory-type host
application and extract the results of doing a search in the directory.

13. Create a Macro
 Utilize the Host Terminal Emulator to record your macro.
 Utilize the Visual Macro Editor (VME) to edit your macro.
– Add prompts (the inputs of your web service)
– Add extracts (the outputs of your web service)
13

14. Host Terminal
14

15. Host Terminal
 Used for Host Navigation to create:
– Screen Customizations
– Screen Captures
– Transformations
– Macros
 Allows Macro Recording and Editing
 Allows Macro Playback and Testing
Open Play Record Stop Save
Resume
Prompt
Extract
Record
Loop
Prompt
All
Fields
Extract
All
Fields
Step
Into
Step
Over
Step
Return
Step
Over

16. Visual Macro Editor
16
• Allows you to
visually see your
macro flow
• Easiest way to
update existing
macros
• Drag / drop
functionality

17. Visual Macro Editor
17
 Wizard driven for easy editing of:
– Screen Recognition Criteria
– Extracts
– Prompts

18. VME – Adding Actions

19. Macro Editing
• Tabbed Editor – description, timing, name
• Advanced Editor
• Create/edit macro variables
• SQL calls
• Macro Navigator (in Host Terminal)
• Recording macros
• Appending to macros (less preferred method)
• Debugging / testing macros
• Visual Macro Editor – Most of your editing
• Editing Actions
• Rename screens
• Re-ordering screen flow
• Drag/drop screens onto the editors

20. Integration Objects
 Reusable, JEE, Java Beans that encapsulate interaction with a host system.
 Can be created from Macros
20
Integration
Object Java
Beans

21. Integration Objects
 Created automagically!
 Select the macro, right click and select Create
Integration Object
 Once created, the Integration Object will appear
in the HATS Project View in the Source ->
IntegrationObject folder
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22. From Integration Objects to Web Service Support Files
 Utilize wizard from context menu
Right click on the Integration Object
and select Create Web Service
Support Files
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23. Create Web Service Support Files
This is a web service, which may
contain a collection of operations.
Choose the name of your service
to reflect this.
23

24. More
Select the Integration Objects you wish to
include in this service.
Each Integration Object will reflect one
operation of your service.
Click the properties button to alter the input
and outputs selected for each operation.
24

25. Selecting Properties
The selected properties will determine
the inputs and outputs of your service.
See the hPub properties? These are
used internally by HATS and can be
safely excluded.
25

26. Web Service Support Files
26
The artifacts created will reside in the Source -> webserviceclasses folder.

27. Create a SOAP Web Service
27
From the project explorer, right click on the
web service support file you created. Select
Web Services -> Create Web Service from
the context menu.
This will launch the Web Service wizard. This
wizard allows you to generate a WSDL file
and also lets you deploy the service to an
application server.
Optionally, it also allows you to create a
sample client for the service.

28. More
Construct your web service as a Bottom
up Java Bean Web Service. A bottom up
service is built using your existing Java
bean and this wizard will generate the
WSDL and other Java classes to
facilitate the service.
Other options available:
- Generate a client
- Select a server runtime
- Change the EAR for deployment
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29. Service Endpoint Interface
The service endpoint is the
client’s view of the service,
hiding the session bean from
the client.
Here you can modify the
interface to use, the
deployment scope, the
soapAction field for the
generated WSDL and whether
to map to WSDL 1.1 MIME
types.
29

30. Web Service Java Bean Identity
Here you can modify the
WSDL file name and select
which methods to expose via
your service.
In our example, the
getNestedBeanNames
method is not a method we
want to expose.
Once complete, click Finish to
create your WSDL and
service interfaces.
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31. WSDL Example
31

32. RESTful
Like the SOAP services before, you can
begin creating REST based services from
an Integration Object.
Right clicking on the Integration Object in
the projects view allows us to select Create
RESTful Service Files from the context
menu. This will launch the wizard to create
our interfaces.
32

33. Producing REST Web Services with HATS
Specify the class and package
names.
33

34. Producing REST Web Services with HATS
Choose the Integration Object and the HTTP
method type.
Then select the input and output parameters.
34

35. Configuring the JAX-RS Resource Method
Here we can define a great many properties
of our service interface:
- Method Name
- URI suffix
- Mime type that is produced
- Add, edit or remove parameters
Below you see the JAX-RS annotation
signature for the method the wizard will
produce.
35

36. Producing REST Web Services with HATS
Here we could add additional
methods.
Click Finish to complete the wizard
and generate the JAX-RS resource.
36

37. REST Example
37

38. 38

39. The HATS Lifecycle
39
Business
Logic
Macros
HATS Runtime
Servlet
Filter
Servlet
Listener
Servlet
Context
Servlet
Request
JEE
Web server
HTTP

40. HATS Business Logic
 Business Logic:
– Java code that can be invoked when ANY HATS event occurs.
– Include and manipulate HATS global variables
 HATS Events:
– Application startup
– Screen recognition
– Error
40

41. HATS Business Logic
41

42. Introducing The IBM Toolbox for Java
A set of Java classes that allow you to use Java programs to access data on your IBM I
servers via their host servers as access points. With these you can utilize:
 Database -- JDBC (SQL) and record-level access (DDM)
 Integrated File System
 Program calls (RPG, COBOL, service programs, etc)
 Commands
 Data queues
 Data areas
 Print/spool resources
 Jobs and job logs
 Messages, message queues, message files
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43. Obtaining the Toolbox
43
 The IBM Toolbox for Java Jar files are installed in the integrated file system of IBM i, under
directory /QIBM/ProdData/OS400/jt400/
 IBM Toolbox for Java is also available in an open source version. You can download the
code and get more information from the JT Open Web site.

44. Example of Using the Toolbox
44

45. Where and How could I use the toolbox in HATS?
46
Terminal
Connection

46. Program Call Markup Language
 A tag language that allows one to call IBM I server programs.
 XML based syntax that fully describes the input and output parameters for the program.
 Extensible Program Call Markup Language (XPCML). XPCML enhances the functionality
and usability of PCML by offering support for XML schemas.
 Allows you to write less code; your calls to the server, utilizing the IBM Toolbox for Java,
handles the interaction and provides the interface.
 Also available to be consumed from within the server environment by other host programs.
 Available since IBM I v5r3
47

47. Consuming PCML with HATS
 PCML: Program Call Markup Language
48

48. Consuming PCML with HATS
49

49. PCML calling code example
50

50. Consuming PCML with HATS
 Utilize within Business Logic to call out to other host programs.
– Retrieve other records
– Lookup data that could be inserted into your host application
 Use within Screen Customizations
– Retrieve result sets for a search
– Get a list of values a user could select to auto populate other fields
51

51. SQL Integration with IBM i
 The IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver allows you to use JDBC API interfaces to issue
structured query language (SQL) statements to and process results from databases on the
IBM i.
– JDBC is an API that enables Java programs to connect to a wide range of databases.
52
Hats
Application
JDBC
Driver
IBM i

52. SQL: Structured Query Language
 A programming language designed for managing data held in relational database
management systems.
53
SELECT Book.title AS Title, COUNT(*)
AS Authors FROM Book JOIN Book_author
ON Book.isbn = Book_author.isbn GROUP
BY Book.title;
Title Authors
---------------------- -------
SQL Examples and Guide 4
The Joy of SQL 1
An Introduction to SQL 2
Pitfalls of SQL 1

53. Utilize SQL within Business Logic
Problem: Your host applications often have short, cryptic record identifiers and often the
description is not included with them on the current screen.
Solution: Use HATS Business Logic and JDBC to query the database for the full description
that you store in a global variable. Then utilize that variable within the Screen Customization.
54

54. 55
JPA tooling
• JPA Faceted projects wizard
• JPA Entity wizard
• Persistence XML Editor

55. Calling RDBMS From Macros
 Use the Advanced Editor
 Insert raw SQL
 Save result set to macro
variable
 Macro variable only exists for
the lifecycle of the macro
 Use result set to enter data on to
later subsequent screens
56

56. Using servlet filters
 For security
 For further integration
 Intercept inbound request or outbound response
 Authentication to an external LDAP registry
 Single Sign On
– Could be used in conjunction with Enterprise Identity Manager (EIM)
57

57. Have we mentioned that HATS is a JEE Application?
58

58. Resources
 Check out all our links for our presentations, including this one
–https://delicious.com/strongback/tag_bundle/Innovate2013
–“one link to rule them all”
59

59. About Us: Strongback Consulting
 IBM Advanced Business Partner
– Rational, WebSphere, Lotus, Information Management SVP certified
– Strongly focused on Enterprise Modernization and application lifecycle management
– Key Industries Served: Finance, Insurance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Government
– Rational Design Partner for HATS and other Rational enterprise modernization technologies
Discover us at:
http://www.strongback.us
Subscribe to us at
http://blog.strongbackconsulting.com
Socialize with us on Facebook & LinkedIn
http://www.facebook.com/StrongbackConsulting
http://www.linkedin.com/company/290754

60. 61
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2013. All rights reserved. The information
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