Main frame automation(ibm as400)

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Hi,

Iam working on AS400 terminal based Application and automated a process by connecting through IBM EHLLAPI with pcshll32.dll and it is running fine but now the company is not using .dll files for connecting to terminal they are updated to java jar files to open the terminal,now iam unable to connect with as400 because there is no dll files present in the system.

Is there any solution to connect with terminal through the jar file.

Thanks & Regards,
Hemadri

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@hemadri_kamatham Hi Hemadri…Can you help me how to connect AS400(IBM i series personal Communication) using IBM EHLLAPI with UI Path.I am facing issue in connecting AS400 as its not responding.
Please mention the below fields which i need to key in:
Provider:
Connection type:

EHLL dll-
EHLL function-
EHLL session-
EHLL encoding-
EHLL enhanced-(Tick)

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Hi @hemadri_kamatham,

By updated to Java jar files, are we talking about an upgrade from IBM Personal Communicatins to IBM iAccess?

If that is so, the path is a bit more difficult, but IBM provides an EHLL bridge ( some details here: EHLLAPI With the Access Client Solutions Emulator ) that will allow you to still use EHLL for the Java 32-bit launcher of iAccess. You will ned an IBM account to access the download.

I can only trace generic steps, but in essence it goes like this:

  1. JRE 32 bit version is needed (this will not work on Java 64)
  2. The EHLL bridge needs to be installed (it should be downloaded from IBM’s portal (read the article in the above link)
  3. Start iAccess with the bridge, the command line should be something like this: "C:\Users_user_name_\IBM\ClientSolutions\Start_Programs\Windows_i386-32\ acslaunch_win-32.exe " /PLUGIN=PCS -vm "C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_181 "
    note the vm parameter at the end that enforces the exact 32 bit version to be used, just in case more JREs are installed.
  4. Start Access Client Solutions 32-bit (must be 32-bit)

You should be able to connect through EHLL at this point, just as you did for PComm before. Only the DLLs ar located within the bridge install folder (in my case something like C:\Program Files(x86)\IBM\EHLL

The setup is a pain, but it works, I had success with it in several occasions.

1 Like
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Hello @cornel,
thanks for this clear procedure, I was looking for this help since 2 days !

But we are with JRE 64-bit !
Do you know the solution in this case ?

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Hi everyone!

I know this post might be outdated but since there is virtually no info on the internet about making this connection and I’m sure I’m not the only one who had this problem, this is what worked for our specific case.

This has been tested under Windows Server 2019, UiPath version 21.4, and 32-bit iSeries 1.1.7.3. IT WON’T WORK IN 64-BIT, TRY TO SWITCH TO 32-BIT I-SERIES VERSION.

Step 1: Go to IBM support at this link and download this package: EHLLAPI With the Access Client Solutions Emulator

It will ask for registration, go ahead. Then, move to the download page and download the following .exe:

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Step 2: Execute it and install it (this is very important) in the same folder you have the .exe program. If it’s not the default path (it might be) go ahead and look for the folder that is similar to this one (the EHHLAPI folder won’t be there, you are about to install it). Next, next, next and now, go to UiPath and download the latest UiPath.Terminal.Activities (by the time this post was written it was 2.2.0):
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Step 3: Open a .HOD file (the connection file) to your terminal session. It may ask you for a login in the Java terminal. Log there (you’ll need to automate this too or change the settings to avoid iSeries to ask twice for the login). Once you’ve done the first login, stop there. Go to UiPath and put a “Terminal Session” activity somewhere in the code. This is the configuration it worked for me (I’m from Spain, that’s why I selected Windows-1252, but yours could be different). Deselect EHLL enhanced (it wasn’t working for me).

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Step 4: If everything is OK, two things can happen. If the connection is established but the encoding is wrong, the Terminal Wizard won’t show an error but the screen will be black. Try changing the encoding (you can check it somewhere in the configuration). If the connection is established and it’s working, you should be able to see the same info in both terminals. If that’s your case, you’ve successfully connected UiPath to IBM iSeries terminal.

Errors: This activity isn’t very descriptive when it comes to errors. In fact, it doesn’t tell you what’s going on. The things that happen to me the most are the following:

TerminalProxy error: You left Terminal.Host.Session.exe running. Kill the process manually.

Error “error” (literally that’s the error message): No error message at all. It can be thousands of things (and what led me to do all the previous things). Most of the time it’s because Terminal.Host.Session.exe is running (when you interrupt an execution, UiPath doesn’t terminate the process). It also can be related to the application, so kill both.

Timeout: Proceed the same way like in the “error” error.

I hope this is useful for other desperated developers like me who had to deal with this oldie but goodie terminal! Also if you are savvy with C, Java or C#, there is an API you can leverage. Automation using EHLLAPI - HCL SW Blogs

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@GuillermoGomezdeSalazar : i am trying to open HOD file in uipath studio by using “Terminal Session” activity but i am not sure what i should select as a provider name in terminal session Configure connection pop up window.
Can you please help me out with this ?
thanks in advance .
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