| Note |
|---|
|
As of July 25th, 2023, there is a content freeze on this page. |
Introduction
Welcome to Genie. Genie is Profound Logic Software’s intuitive, non-intrusive, 100% browser-based tool that modernizes and enhances RPG, CL, COBOL, menu, or i5/OS system screens. Genie produces standard HTML with no need for PC Clients, ActiveX Controls, or Applets. This means you can deploy Genie to hundreds of users without installing anything on their machine.
...
The Genie Visual Designer allows developers to customize their green-screen applications into interactive web applications while removing the limitations of legacy systems. By default, without any developer intervention, Genie automatically translates all of your system’s screens to a browser equivalent. Some of your screens may need additional enhancements, in which case the Visual Designer is used to perform tasks such as adding images, database-driven dropdowns, charts or calendars to existing screens. The Genie Visual Designer has a simple point-and-click, drag-and-drop interface.
Figure 1.2: Cluttered green-screens become intuitive web interfaces
...
The Genie Visual Designer provides you with codeless point-and-click support for dozens of graphical elements. Below are some of the GUI elements included in the designer:
AJAX Containers - The AJAX container brings in content from other Web applications. It integrates with PHP, RPG/CGI, Java, PHP, .NET, and other Web technologies. The content is typically dynamic and can accept information from the screen as parameters. You can place the container anywhere on the screen, size it in any way, and specify properties to control borders, backgrounds, vertical and horizontal scrolling, etc. |
Buttons - You can turn existing screen elements into buttons or add new buttons for new functionality. Buttons can initiate function keys, bring up pop-up dialogs, or execute code. |
HTML5 Charts - Genie is packaged with many different types of charts, and they are extremely easy to integrate with your applications. Simply pick the chart type and point at the DB2 table on the IBM i for chart data. Chart data can also be retrieved from an existing 5250 screen. Or, if you want to generate chart data on the fly, this can be done in any Web capable language that can produce XML.
 Image Modified |
Checkboxes - Any existing application field can be turned into a checkbox. You simply specify which values represent a checked state. |
Date fields with pop-up calendars - Adding a pop-up calendar to any field is very simple and requires no coding. Genie supports many different date formats. Genie can also add calendars to all date fields on a global level. |
Field Set Panels - This element offers an easy way to organize screen information into professional-looking panels. |
Graphic Buttons - Graphic buttons act just like regular buttons, but allow the combination of icons and/or text to be placed within the button. |
HTML Containers - The HTML container allows you to create your own custom elements using HTML code. The HTML code can be static or dynamic. Dynamic HTML can utilize values from other fields on the screen. |
Hyperlinks - Hyperlinks can link to other applications, initiate function keys, submit menu options, bring up dialogs, or execute code. |
Images - Image files stored on the System i IFS or on a Web server somewhere else can be displayed using this element. You can display dynamic images just as easily as static ones. For example, you can display a product image based on a product number in your inquiry application. |
List Boxes - A list box allows the user to select one or more items from a list. In Genie, the list can be a static list of items or a dynamic list loaded from a DB2 table. |
Output Fields - An output field displays application text on the screen. In Genie, output fields can be styled in many different ways. |
Password Fields - Password fields are textboxes that mask the characters that are typed into them. They are similar to non-display input fields on the green-screen. |
Radio Buttons - Genie allows you to easily turn existing application elements into radio button groups, so that the user can pick from several different choices. All you have to do is arrange the radio buttons on the screen and relate them together. |
Select Boxes - The select box allows the user to pick a value from a drop-down list of items. You can provide the items as a static list or as a database-driven dynamic list. |
Tab Panels - Genie's tab panels provide a super-easy way to organize information on a cluttered green-screen. Everything is done in a point-and-click manner. Simply pick some tab names, and then drag and drop the elements onto the various tabs you created.
 Image Modified |
Text Areas - A text area is a multi-line input control. You can join multiple textboxes on the green-screen into one multi-line field. |
Textboxes - The textbox element is a standard input box that accepts free-form text entry or text entry based on auto-complete suggested values from a DB2 database or from a custom list. |
Spinners - A spinner is a textbox control equipped with two spin buttons that display an arrow. The spinner allows the user to navigate through a range of value using the arrow buttons to increase or decrease the value held by the field.
|
With each of the elements, you have complete control over the look and feel, as well as functionality. The elements have hundreds of properties that you can modify, and all of these changes can be made with the designer’s user-friendly properties panel.
...
Genie ensures that you are getting the most from your system. With Genie, you can go from starting your modernization efforts to having a partially modernized system in less than a day. You have all the tools necessary, however, to take it as far as you need. You will be able to reap the benefits of modernization without investing a lot of time, effort, and money into the process.
Related Videos