IBM Mainframe Forum

Hello I'm new to the board and am unsure where I should post the below to get some guidance.

I have a project that I'm trying to put together, but am unsure of what I need to accomplish the end result.

Here is the scenario.

I'm trying to get information from a mainframe (tn3270 terminal)

So the info would be screen scraped from mainframe where you log into a citrix online web client connecting you to a TN3270 emulation.

Once logged in the information that I'm trying to screen scrap is in or under different locations and or different screens.

This information would be screen scraped and then exported to a format that could be placed into a oracle or sql database for manipulation

Again I apologize for posting in this location, just not sure where it should be posted and what is truly needed.

thank you in advance

Well, a quick browse of forum sections shows 'Other Mainframe Topics' which would certainly be more applicable than 'Suggestions and Feedback' re the forum! No doubt a moderator will move it.

From what you said I would consider this to be a bad solution. Time consuming, long running, and complicated. Why not just write a program that gets the information needed? I am often astonished at how attempts are made to avoid writing programs and where the solution is more complicated than doing it the correct way and writing an application.

I agree with Mongan. It is a ridiculous way to do it. Presumably you are not expecting 400 screens of data at once? Even two would be tedious for the user. And what if he doesn't bother with the second screen?

Ridiculous. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Hello and welcome to the forum,

Your topic has been relocated and given a new subject. If you'd prefer a different subject, post what you'd like here and i'll change the subject.

How/Why was screen-scraping chosen?

If you explain in a bit more detail what you want to accomplish, someone may have an alternate suggestion.

One problem with screen-scraping is that when the "real application" has a screen change, the scraper will continue to run - but incorrectly. Sometimes this is not noticed for quite a while. . .

Why is there reluctance to write the code that is needed to get the desired data?

Presuming that you're using one of the actual real 3270 screen-scraping software products out there, what exactly is the issue, and don't you think it might work better to direct your issue to the product's support team?