IBM i Access Client Solutions 5250 Emulator Tabbed Sessions Configuration

Answer

There are 2 primary configuration panels for the IBM i ACS 5250 emulators tabbed session behavior. One controls global settings that apply to all 5250 sessions. The other controls settings that apply to the individual 5250 workstation file.

The global settings are configured via: Edit -> Preferences -> Tab Setup

The individual 5250 workstation file settings are configured via: Edit -> Preferences -> Appearance -> Tab Appearance

The global settings in the Edit -> Preferences -> Tab Setup -> General tab controls how the 5250 sessions tab controls are handled. The tab for Appearance controls the size, color and font of the currently active tab.

The individual 5250 workstation file settings in the Edit -> Preferences -> Appearance -> Tab Appearance controls what tab control options like Close Tab and Detach Tab are shown for the tab, along with the size, color and font of the tab when it is inactive.

All of these settings and their global vs. individual 5250 session scope is documented in the Help information for each panel.

Here is an example, using tab appearance, on how the global vs. individual 5250 session settings apply. If there are three saved 5250 sessions; SessionA.hod, SessionB.hod and SessionC.hod. From each of those sessions when it is running from Edit -> Preferences -> Appearance -> Tab Appearance the following background colors for Inactive Tab are set; SessionA = Red, SessionB = Green, SessionC = Blue. From Edit -> Preferences -> Tab Setup -> Appearance (tab) the Active Tab Appearance background color is set to White.

When all 3 of these sessions are started if SessionA is active, that tab will have a white background color. While the SessionB tab will have a Green background color and the SessionC tab will have a Blue background color. When a user selects the tab for SessionC that now active tab will have a background color of White, while the SessionA tab will have a Red background color and the SessionB tab will have a Green background color.