Still the best out there after 8 years
I haven’t seen any of the bugs talked about in the poor reviews. It works well for the limiting situation of the iPad. It works well with a BT keyboard, and remember that the iOS interface for BT keyboards is problematic.
If you need basic 3270 support, especially if you’re doing a lot of ISPF editing, this is your app.
If you need basic 3270 support, especially if you’re doing a lot of ISPF editing, this is your app.
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Missed it by THAT much and NO support
This handles the basics of logging in and accessing a mainframe, but has several flaws, some critical:
- If SET FULLREAD ON is set in XEDIT to read all NULL characters on the screen (allowing typing after the end of a line with the characters jumping left), the emulator fails to work, with symptom being nothing useful happens after the user presses ENTER or of PF key.
- App has a configuration setting for LU name, but doesn't send it to the host.
- App has a configuration setting for what keys to show in the banner, but doesn't honor it.
- App doesn't control keys to emulate PA1/PA2, critical keys on VM.
- App doesn't honor turning off "Show banner on top of 3270 screen" configuration option.
- Lower banner covers parts of bottom two lines, the input area for the VM/CMS command line on older iPads.
Update: The author declines to examine any of these issues, claiming it must be my unique (actually stock VM) environment and "other users have zero problems" and to "make changes to the 3270 engine could give problems to other users".
- If SET FULLREAD ON is set in XEDIT to read all NULL characters on the screen (allowing typing after the end of a line with the characters jumping left), the emulator fails to work, with symptom being nothing useful happens after the user presses ENTER or of PF key.
- App has a configuration setting for LU name, but doesn't send it to the host.
- App has a configuration setting for what keys to show in the banner, but doesn't honor it.
- App doesn't control keys to emulate PA1/PA2, critical keys on VM.
- App doesn't honor turning off "Show banner on top of 3270 screen" configuration option.
- Lower banner covers parts of bottom two lines, the input area for the VM/CMS command line on older iPads.
Update: The author declines to examine any of these issues, claiming it must be my unique (actually stock VM) environment and "other users have zero problems" and to "make changes to the 3270 engine could give problems to other users".
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Systems Programmer
This app is not as good as it once was. An orange rectangle jumps around the screen as you touch it. You can zoom in, but not pan around. Very irritating.
Still not working for IBM XEDIT
Tested updated version under IBM VM/CMS. Still does not work for IBM XEDIT.
Not for high use
TN3270 had very fast response, but that is about all. It was very cumbersome to use, is limited to 24x80 and 32x80, only 8 macros, and does not support TN3270E luname. Using the keyboard and function keys were a chore, Enter is at the top of the screen. TN3270 uses the iOS keyboard rather than providing a 3270 version. An advantage is the iPad and iPhone are same version saving money.
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VPD for IPAD
Nice Product! Got it configured with SonicWall AES-128 VPN to access MF(s). Plan on trying 3DES from Apple for IPAD. Other than that. Great for MF folks that use IPAD.
About That Bluetooth Keyboard Issue ...
Disclaimer: I am an iPhone/iPad developer, but I am not affiliated in any way with MochaSoft. In fact, I might someday release my own competing TN3270 emulator. This post is neither a "shill" nor a "troll".
But I feel compelled to defend MochaSoft on the Bluetooth keyboard "issue" that was raised in another review. The fact is, this limitation is Apple's responsibility. The iOS keyboard interface does not provide any way for an app to capture the "enter/return" key — so there is NO WAY for TN3270 to treat it as the 3270 "enter" key!
As presently designed, the iOS keyboard interface passes only two things to the app: data keys and the backspace (delete) key. Nothing else — no "function" keys other than backspace are passed to the app. The app can configure the "enter/return" key to either (a) move the cursor to the next text input field, if there is one (similar to the 3270 "tab" function) or (b) dismiss the keyboard. But the app is not notified of either of these actions!
But I feel compelled to defend MochaSoft on the Bluetooth keyboard "issue" that was raised in another review. The fact is, this limitation is Apple's responsibility. The iOS keyboard interface does not provide any way for an app to capture the "enter/return" key — so there is NO WAY for TN3270 to treat it as the 3270 "enter" key!
As presently designed, the iOS keyboard interface passes only two things to the app: data keys and the backspace (delete) key. Nothing else — no "function" keys other than backspace are passed to the app. The app can configure the "enter/return" key to either (a) move the cursor to the next text input field, if there is one (similar to the 3270 "tab" function) or (b) dismiss the keyboard. But the app is not notified of either of these actions!
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This needs to integrate better with a bluetooth keyboard...
I first bought this for my iPhone and it worked pretty well. Not wonderfully but considering it is a mainframe in your hand with a LOT of keys piled in there, it is a really, really good effort - and as I said it is quite useable.
But I recently also bought an iPad and a bluetooth keyboard so that I wouldn't have to bounce around from virtual keyboard arrangement to virtual keyboard arrangement within TN3270 -- or so I thought.
Guess what? The ENTER key is NOT honored on the bluetooth keyboard, so you can type some characters really quickly & accurately on the bluetooth keyboard but then you have to move your hand to the top of the screen to "press" the ENTER key there. Dumb!
That HAS to get fixed - SOON!!! (Please? When it gets fixed my rating will definitely improve. Til then its a 3.)
But I recently also bought an iPad and a bluetooth keyboard so that I wouldn't have to bounce around from virtual keyboard arrangement to virtual keyboard arrangement within TN3270 -- or so I thought.
Guess what? The ENTER key is NOT honored on the bluetooth keyboard, so you can type some characters really quickly & accurately on the bluetooth keyboard but then you have to move your hand to the top of the screen to "press" the ENTER key there. Dumb!
That HAS to get fixed - SOON!!! (Please? When it gets fixed my rating will definitely improve. Til then its a 3.)
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Great app from a long time provider of emulation Clients
This application successfully provides TN3270 emulation on a touch screen interface. TN3270 is a keyboard based application but with the a combination of the ipod keyboard and 'specialty' keyboards they get the job done. Now I can get my mainframe work done from any WiFi hotspot world wide. MochaSoft is a leader in this market and they have done an excellant job here.
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Works great
I'm able to login into our mainframe and perform all the functions.
