The Workstation Agent window

The Workstation Agent (WSA) window is displayed when you have prepared your workstation to make a connection to the host, by downloading and executing the workstation portion of the Client/Server software.

Figure 1. The Workstation Agent window

This Workstation Agent window shows that 0 Session(s) are active. The menu options are "Options" and "Help".

The functions available from the Options pull-down menu on the Workstation Agent window are:

Information

Displays the ISPF WSA Information dialog window. The Information dialog shows you the number of active sessions. Each active session represents a connection between the ISPF Client/Server workstation agent and an ISPF host. The dialog also indicates which communications interfaces (such as TCP/IP or APPC) have been initialized on the workstation, and the TCP/IP Port Number, or APPC Transaction Program (TP) Name. Additionally, the WINSOCK Path, if required, is shown in this dialog. The WINSOCK Path is applicable to Windows environments only.

Enable TCP/IP

This selection toggles between active and inactive when you click it. The change does not take affect until you restart the Workstation agent.

Enable APPC

This selection toggles between active and inactive when you click it. The change does not take affect until you restart the Workstation agent.

Set TCP/IP Port

Displays the Workstation Agent Configuration dialog. The Configuration dialog enables you to change the TCP/IP port number. From a TCP/IP perspective, the port number represents the Workstation Agent. If a port number is not specified in the Configuration dialog, the default Workstation Agent port number (see note) is used.

If you specify a port number, the change takes effect after the Workstation Agent is closed and restarted. The change remains in effect for subsequent invocations of the Workstation Agent. If you later decide to change back to the Workstation Agent default port number (see note), delete the port number in the Configuration dialog and restart the Workstation Agent.

If you change the port number, you must also change the port number specified in the ISPF GUI initialization.

Note: The default port number is 15339.

Set SNA TP Name

Displays the Workstation Agent Configuration dialog. The Configuration dialog enables you to change the SNA Transaction Program name. From an SNA APPC perspective, the TP name represents the ISPF Client/Server Workstation Agent.

If specified, the name is used to construct the names of the two transaction programs required to support an ISPF Client/Server connection. The ISPF Client/Server function appends different single letters to the supplied name to form the actual names of the two APPC transaction programs. The letter S is appended to the name selected to indicate the send conversation TP name used on the workstation and host. The letter R is appended to the name to indicate the receive conversation TP name.

This option is available if your workstation operating system is Windows APPC. For all other operating systems this option is disabled.

If a TP name is not specified in the Configuration dialog, the default ISPF Client/Server TP name is used. If you specify a TP name, the change takes effect after the ISPF Workstation Agent is closed and restarted. The change remains in effect for subsequent invocations of the ISPF Workstation Agent. If you later decide to change back to the ISPF Client/Server default TP name, delete the TP name in the Configuration dialog and restart the ISPF Workstation Agent.

If you change the TP name, you must also change the TP name specified in the ISPF GUI initialization.

Set WINSOCK Path

This option enables you to specify an explicit path to the socket DLL used by the active TCP/IP subsystem in a Microsoft Windows workstation environment. The specification of an explicit path overrides the default DLL search order for Windows.

For example, if the desired DLL is located in directory D:\TCPDOS\BIN then the path would be specified as follows:

  D:\TCPDOS\BIN

The setting takes effect after the ISPF Client/Server workstation agent is closed and restarted. The setting remains in effect for subsequent invocations of the ISPF workstation agent.

This option is only available in a Microsoft Windows environment. For other operating systems this option is disabled.

Set Font

This option enables you to specify the font of your connection through the Workstation Agent window. When you choose "Set font" from the Options pull-down, the Font dialog window appears. Choose from one of the available fonts and sizes that appear in the list. The list of fonts shows the fonts that are registered with your operating system. The change takes place after you re-start the agent, and affects all text in the interface windows except the menu bar and title bar text.

Because the layout of the data in a workstation panel is based on row and column positions, you should use a non-proportional (that is, fixed width or monospaced) font. Using a non-proportional font ensures that the data within the panels lines up correctly. If you use a proportional font, data within columns might not align correctly.

Note: If you are using an AIX® platform, you can change the font of the Workstation Agent by entering this in your .Xdefaults file:

DtProcess*dtFont: <font name>

For example:

DtProcess*dtFont: fixed

gives you a fixed font for the Workstation Agent application. However, this setting is overridden when you use the Set Font option on the Workstation Agent window.

System Register

This option enables you to bypass the Workstation Agent connection panel when you make a client/server connection. Choosing this function on the Options pull-down on the Workstation Agent window displays the System Register panel.