Overview

The External Product Interface, or EPI, allows CA OPS/MVS systems running on processors that use VTAM to interface with any VTAM application that supports IBM 3270 (SLU2) type virtual terminals. The EPI appears to VTAM as a real 3270 terminal that can emulate any number of 3270 type virtual terminals connected to any number of VTAM applications.

Note: The EPI supports virtual IBM 3278 models 2, 3, and 4 only. Extended attributes and programmed symbols are not supported in the initial release. For information about the OPSVIEW panels that control EPI virtual terminals, see the OPSVIEW User Guide.

The OPS/REXX programming language enables you to automate operator actions and tasks; REXX programs can drive 327X sessions with other VTAM applications. Specifically, the EPI enables you to create REXX programs to:

Log on to a VTAM application.
Enter commands and data from a virtual terminal keyboard.
Read data from the virtual terminal screen.
Log off from VTAM.

In addition, the EPI gives you a way to share a session. For example, a single session with OMEGAMON (running in VTAM mode) can be shared by multiple OPS/REXX programs without requiring each program to go through the logon/transaction/logoff sequence. Through a mechanism similar to ENQ/DEQ logic, used to share data sets between z/OS tasks, the EPI enables you to share VTAM sessions between OPS/REXX programs.