Convert RPG to ILE CGI or JAVA and DDS to HTML
RDW, the RPG/DDS-to-Web conversion tool add on module to WebSmart, will help you modernize legacy applications to 'True' web applications faster. You can use RDW to help incorporate discrete units of RPG business and programming logic and DDS screens into your WebSmart programs, or to migrate entire programs into WebSmart where you can modify them to make them work in a web environment.
On this page:
 What is RDW
RDW is the RPG and DDS to Web Conversion component of WebSmart. You can use
RDW to help incorporate discrete units of RPG business and programming logic and DDS screens into
your WebSmart programs, or to migrate entire programs into WebSmart where you can
modify them to make them work in a web environment. For example, you could convert
a complex pricing routine from RPG to PML and encapsulate the resulting code in the
IDE for use in any WebSmart program. Or if you are an experienced WebSmart
programmer you can migrate an entire interactive application into the IDE and make the
necessary modifications to make it work in WebSmart.
The HTML conversion provides a robust foundation for developing the user interface of a web application. Developers can fine-tune the HTML or use template include files to have a commercial-quality web page appearance. The amount of modifications will vary greatly based on the RPG code and your level of experience using WebSmart.
The WebSmart IDE, where you work with the converted code, is also where your application development can continue to take place in a completely managed environment.
A closer look at WebSmart, PML and RDW
WebSmart is our award winning iSeries web application development solution that lets you rapidly create new, true web apps or modernize legacy iSeries apps. WebSmart uses its own highly productive language, PML, to generate web applications in several target languages: ILE RPG, ILE RPG Free-format and JAVA servlets, in conjunction with HTML. The powerful PML language also allows developers to create their own functions based on new or existing ILE procedures or JAVA classes. RDW is used in WebSmart to migrate green screen programs or to re-use existing RPG code into existing WebSmart programs. RDW takes RPG or RPGLE source code and instantly converts it to PML and can also
take the DDS source code for the associated display file of interactive programs and
convert it to HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Browser development with WebSmart can integrate with legacy applications by making direct program calls and by binding to existing ILE modules. Learn more about WebSmart.
How it Works
The conversion component is extremely simple to use.
- First select the menu option to convert RPG from within the WebSmart IDE.
- Next you are prompted to select a source file, and the IDE retrieves a list of RPG members and displays them to the user. It also prompts for the source file for any associated display file DDS.
- Once you've made your selection, the IDE displays the converted PML and HTML.
- From there, you can select all or part of the converted code for use in a WebSmart created application. Once the code is inside the IDE, developers can fine-tune the HTML to have a commercial-quality web page appearance.
Benefits of Converting RPG / DDS for use in WebSmart
Once converted, all the benefits of using as a development platform are available to developers, including:
- Code reuse – either logic (PML) or presentation (HTML).
- Repository-based functionality (business and presentation rules attached to database definitions).
- Working in an enterprise team environment with complete, robust Change Management features that include code sharing between developers, check-in/check-out processes and more.
- Gives you the ability to deploy code to more than one target -- either ILE RPG or RPG Free-format, or JAVA servlets, providing a migration path for possible platform-independence.
- Servers supported: Standard HTTP, HTTP powered Apache, Tomcat and WebSphere.
Distinguishing Features from other Offerings
RDW puts WebSmart in the realm of a whole new product category for Web Development and Deployment. Most other offerings claim to convert source code, but have no supporting development platform specifically designed for highly productive Web Application Development.
This component not only converts source, but also incorporates the resulting converted code in the IDE where it can continue to be used in a completely managed environment. In addition, the converted code can be used to produce web applications in native iSeries ILE objects, or as JAVA servlets. This last option provides a productive migration path for millions of lines of legacy RPG application code to potential platform independence.
Other offerings claim to interpret source or intercept data streams on the fly. This is the essential model used for screen-scraping solutions and web-facing. RDW eliminates the need for web-facing because source conversion takes place only once as part of an initial conversion and development process. Resulting WebSmart applications consist of 100% compiled objects and use a deployment model that is analogous to the most popular web application implementations such as JSP, ASP and Coldfusion.
If you have any questions, would like to evaluate WebSmart or want to schedule a Live Web Demo presentation please contact us. We look forward to you seeing the many benefits of WebSmart.
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