[nfbcs] Looking for tips for programming in a mainframe environment
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Thu Apr 21 03:48:12 UTC 2011
Long live linear thinking! <g>
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Steve Jacobson
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:34 PM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Looking for tips for programming in a mainframe
environment
I see you have received one answer, but I'll take a stab as well. My
answers follow each point.
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.
Many mainframe applications do support tabbing and even have fields set
apart in a common color. I have found that I can usually get by by having
the line up to the cursor read when I press the TAB key. Also in 3270
emulation, there is a place where the cursor position is displayed in rows
and columns. I have programmed Window-Eyes to read the row and column
position when I press a particular key. On screens with which I am very
familiar, I have come to recognize the row and column positions of fields
that I use often.
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.
I really don't get this one. In many cases in a non-mainframe environment
you see only a line at a time unless you are working in a spreadsheet where
column headers can be spoken. However, in a mainframe environment, you have
a free floating cursor and if you have cases where you can't remember the
column heading, you can cursor to that column and then move down a line. I
don't find that one deals with this that often except on screens with which
one is familiar so this just isn't generally a big problem. However, I
scripted my emulator to let me move through a line word by word as I can in
a word processor, and it would be simple to add a key to read a word on a
line below the cursor.
Solutions like this won't work perfectly every time but they will work well
enough to get the job done.
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.
COBOL is more wordy, you are right. One thing I did was create a window
that lets me here the COBOL line without the line numbers at the left. This
substantially reduced the verbage. I would also say that since more actual
words are being used, I can use speech at a faster rate than when I am using
a more symbolic language.
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.
I have not used this particular package, but I would be surprised if the
mouse click doesn't generate coordinates at some level or allow the option
of doing the same thing with program code.
5. I have experience working with C, Java, and visual studio in college
and know I can deal with those
environments.
My question is why program on the mainframe then? All of these questions
appear to be how other programming environments are better, and there are
probably more jobs using those other 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.
This depends upon the COBOL being used. There are some newer versions of
COBOL that have incorporated some elements of modern programming languages,
but it is probably also true that most employers are not using those aspects
of COBOL. From my perspective, it would be far easier to move from object
oriented thinking to linear thinking than the other way around, but don't
forget the object-oriented thinking because you won't be programming forever
in COBOL. If programming on a mainframe means getting a job, I don't see
where any of the above should make it impossible to do. Programmers should
be able to manage writing scripts when they have to for their screen readers
and scripts can be used to increase efficiency. While there are some basic
scripts for 3270 emulation around, for example, there is almost always the
need to tailor them to the specific emulator being used. In that process,
one will get familiar with the script and be able to add personal
enhancements. In 3270 emulation, one also uses the cursor which has
unrestricted movement in general even though you can't type just anyware to
explore the screen.
Sometimes I use the cursor to look at one part of my screen and the mouse
pointer to look at another. There are many little things one does over time
to increase efficiency. In the end, efficiency is not only a matter of
speed. It includes how well your program runs the first time and how long
it takes to find and remove bugs. If you are slower and more accurate, that
will become known in time.
Good luck.
Best regards,
Steve
On Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:16:10 -0400, David W Bundy wrote:
>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.
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