Webization of IBM i applications (AS/400)
Want to see something other than green screens?
Your applications are aging, but more operational than ever, and rewriting them would be not only time-consuming, but also risky, as documentation is often lacking. PHL Web lets you take full advantage of your existing AS/400 or IBM i-based business applications.
PHL Web brings your IBM i up to today’s UX/UI standards.
Modernize the front end without disrupting the back end, while managing timing and costs.
Modernize your 5250 screens and develop new web screens without modifying your RPG code
PHL Web is a unique tool for modernizing your IBM i (AS/400) applications and developing new applications on the same platform. Based on recognized standards such as XML and JSON, this graphic software can be used on the Web to produce Web-accessible applications.
No installation is required on the client workstation.
No knowledge of
PHP, CSS or HTML
required
CONVERSION AND ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING APPLICATIONS
WEB DEV DIRECTLY ON AS/400
Installation and training
in one day
100% web-based graphic interface
The environment is truly 100% Web, with no comparison with competing products. This includes, among other things: complete management of windows and sub-files, and classic Web screen functions such as combo-boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, buttons… PHL Web puts an end to 5250 limitations. And we do all this without making the user or developer feel out of place.
MODERNIZATION THAT RESPECT WHAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
Your applications give you complete satisfaction. You regularly upgrade them to add
new functions and make them communicate with new environments, in particular the
Web. PHL Web can help you modernize your screens while preserving all your applications. In the
in conversion mode, PHL Web replaces character screens with graphic screens, while retaining the source code of RPG applications
existing. It can then enhance applications with sophisticated graphic functions.
Converting 5250 applications with PHL Web: child's play
PHL web doesn’t just convert or create applications
the old-fashioned way. It also industrializes the process by applying rules when converting DDS sources into XML sources. The coordinates of a screen point, defined in rows/columns on IBM i (AS/400), are converted into graphic X Y coordinates and managed to the nearest pixel.
Several conversion levels
Basic conversion produces an “emulator”-type result: function keys are transformed into buttons, but the graphical “look” is only partial.
Extended conversion provides the main Windows-style graphic functions: drop-down lists, sorting on sub-file columns, scrollbars.
Total conversion
is obtained using our SDW development tool. Users will see no difference from their PC work environment.
PHL Portail: the complete runtime environment supplied with all PHL products. It's a high-performance graphics solution that incorporates all the advances of the web and modern workstations.
For developers
The PHL Portal lets you set up programs, create users or groups of users, and assign them the necessary rights according to their responsibilities. It is secured by profile or by user group.
For users
Just like a Windows application, the PHL Soft toolbar can be customized to include the most frequently used applications and utilities. All PHL Soft programs run in the PHL portal.
Frequently asked questions
Does this apply to all types of AS/400?
PHL Soft solutions run on IBMi machines equipped with at least release V7R1 (the oldest release still supported by IBM).
Which web browsers are compatible with PHL Soft?
For developers, iE 11 is required.
On the user side, Chrome, Firefox and Edge can be used (with a few security-related restrictions).
How are PHL Soft solutions installed?
Each customer receives the complete PHL Soft solution kit. Depending on the solutions purchased (PHL Web, PHL XML, PHL Query, PHL Print or PHL Mobile), activation keys are issued to start working.
Why choose PHL Soft solutions rather than rewriting applications?
Rewriting a business application means running the risk of losing all the company's business knowledge, as these applications are generally quite old and often have little or no documentation.
How long will it take to get the new programs into production?
New programs can be implemented very quickly if you work in phases. In the first phase, the application is taken over as is thanks to a rapid one-shot conversion, identical to the 5250. In a second phase, it can be improved over time.
How much does a new program with PHL Soft cost?
The cost of a program generated by a PHL Soft solution is de facto much lower than when applications are redeveloped (it is generally considered that it takes as much time to redevelop an application as to write the initial program).
PHL Soft solutions dispense with the analysis of the existing system as a reengineering phase (unlike program rewriting): the process is therefore far less time-consuming and therefore far less costly than new development.
How are users of the generated programs managed?
The PHL Portal module enables developers and administrators to create users and manage their rights.