[nfbcs] Looking for tips for programming in a mainframe environment

[Gary Wunder]

With regard to number one, Scripting can make some of these 
things tabable.  JAWS, for example, can know the terminal 
emulation software and be taught to extract the essential 
elements of various screens.  It can also have keystrokes which 
are dedicated to a particular application so finding certain 
strings or moving to various locations can be triggered  with a 
key press.  You need a good scripter to help and I recommend 
Frank DePalermo of Ability Consulting.  He is findable on the 
web.

Learning to conceptualize by row and column is doable.  The 
problem you are having is the reverse of what we mainframe guys 
had to face when people told us to think in pixels.

With regard to number 6, what you are being asked to do is no 
different from what a Cobol programmer is asked to do when 
encountering the newer languages.  You need to read and become 
familiar with the syntax even though you will find it verbose 
compared with the syntax of newer languages.  The fact that it is 
a bit more wordy should actually make it easier with speech 
because JAWS and WindowEyes know how to pronounce the verbs Cobol 
will use.


If I can help, please feel free to call.  I don't have all of the 
answers but this list is a good place to start.

Gary Wunder

----- Original Message -----
From: "David W Bundy" <Bundy at pobox.com
To: Nfbcs at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:16:10 -0400
Subject: [nfbcs] Looking for tips for programming in a mainframe 
environment


Good afternoon,
I am working with a client who is a programmer developing 
software in a mainframe environment.  His employer has concerns 
about his productivity and I am looking for any tips any of you 
programmers out there may have for him for addressing the 
concerns below.  He uses JAWS and has a Braille display.  He also 
has Window-eyes and a Braille embosser.


1.      I cannot tab through screens in order to navigate them 
rapidly to be more productive.  Most languages automatically 
incorporate these features in the non-host world.  Also, when I 
tab to different fields in the non-host environment, the field 
will be spoken to me.
2.      It is confusing to deal with multi line column headers 
when I can only see one line at a time.  I would only be able to 
see provider on one line and then have to remember that, and its 
location, when going to the next line.  Whereas, in the non-host 
environment, the entire header can be made to be spoken.

Provider

Provider

Provider

ID

Name

Type


3.      COBOL modules are so wordy and it takes more time to 
navigate through them.  Non-host programs are generally smaller 
and perform more actions with lesser verbiage which would be 
easier to cover using my speech display.
4.      In the non-host world elements are placed on the screen 
by pixels, units of measure for each section of a screen using 
visual techniques to place elements.  This would be something I 
can deal with because it is according to a graph which I can 
visualize, 0,0 for left top and width/2,height/2 for center.  You 
must design/create CICS screens using a mouse through ASDD and I 
cannot do this.
5.      I have experience working with C, Java, and visual studio 
in college and know I can deal with those environments.
6.      I am object oriented in my thinking: Objects are items 
with instances, methods, ability to do things, properties, and 
attributes of each item.  COBOL is structural, linear.




David W Bundy
Assistive Technology Consultant
SC Commission for the Blind
POBox 2467
Columbia, SC  29202
(803)898-7094
dbundy at sccb.sc.gov


________________________________
April is Women's Eye Safety Month.  It is estimated that two 
thirds of blindness and visual impairments occur in women; three 
quarters of these occurrences are preventable.  The South 
Carolina Commission for the Blind encourages all women to become 
more diligent in protecting their eye health.  For more 
information about the South Carolina Commission for the Blind 
visit us online at www.sccb.state.sc.us.




_______________________________________________
nfbcs mailing list
nfbcs at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for nfbcs:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/gwunder%40
earthlink.net
xx