How HCON sessions process data depends on the type of host connections used. The session profiles are stored in object classes using the Object Data Manager (ODM).
From the user's point of view, HCON supports six types of sessions:
However, there are two types of DFT display sessions, SNA and non-SNA, and two types of SNA standalone printer sessions, LU1 and LU3. These sessions process information distinctly using different protocols between the local system and the mainframe host.
The DFT connection requires installation of a 3270 Connection Adapter. For both types, the user must define the device name in the session profile. The 3270 device driver determines whether it is SNA- or non-SNA-attached to the host, and adjusts accordingly.
Although the user defines a display model number for the SNA DFT session, the model number may not affect how the emulator displays information. See "HCON Screen-Size Management".
For a SNA DFT display session, HCON starts an e789lus process to handle the SNA protocol, along with the e789x or xhconx process to handle the 3270 data stream. For a non-SNA DFT display session, only the e789x or xhconx process is started. See "HCON Processes".
HCON supports a TCP/IP display session to a mainframe host configured with the Telnet 3270 protocol. To set up an HCON TCP/IP display session, install and configure one of the following adapters with TCP/IP:
SMIT options are available to the user in configuring HCON for a TCP/IP display session. The Add TCP/IP Display Session menu option is available to define a TCP/IP display session. The user must provide the host name, which is used for routing and address resolution purposes. The number of concurrent TCP/IP display sessions is limited only by the workstation's memory resources and paging space. The mkhcons command can also be used to create an HCON session profile.
HCON supports three types of printer sessions:
"HCON Printer Emulation"describes the differences among these sessions in more detail.
Session profiles are stored in object classes using ODM. Associated with each HCON user are two object classes. Each object class consists of two files in the user's $HOME directory. The files are created when a user is defined as an HCON user. Session profiles for the user are stored in the $HOME/usrprofs and $HOME/usrprofs.vc object class files. Defaults for user session profiles are stored in the $HOME/usrdflts and $HOME/usrdflts.vc object class files. Global defaults for HCON sessions are stored in object class files in the /usr/lib/hcon directory, along with a list of registered HCON users.
When a session profile is created, the data specified for the profile is stored in the usrprofs object class. Values for options not specified are taken from the usrdflts object class. The new session profile is used to update the usrdflts object class. The values specified for the new profile become the user's defaults for future profiles of that type.