Terminal Emulation session with IBM Personal Communcations of AS/400

[Chriskhansen]

Hey,

Trying to setup a Terminal Session, and seemingly struggling to do so..

Using the "Open Terminal Session" from PAD, and HLLAPI as provider, and HLLAPI DLL PATH to: mypath/ehlapi32.dll

I set the session name to "A", and I am receiving the following error:

Robin.Core.ActionException: Error during Communcation emulator ---> Robin.Shared.Runtime.TerminalEmulationActionException: Exception of type 'Robin.Shared.Runtime.TerminalEmulationActionException' was thrown.

   at Robin.BridgeToHLLAPI.HLLAPIActionsImpl.<>c__DisplayClass16_0.<Open>b__0()

   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---

   at Robin.Modules.TerminalEmulation.Actions.OpenTerminalSession.Execute(ActionContext context)

   at Robin.Runtime.Engine.ActionRunner.RunAction(String action, Dictionary`2 inputArguments, Dictionary`2 outputArguments, IActionStatement statement)

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

[fraenK]

Did you double check that you have the right DLL/version from IBM and that PAD has permissions to access it?

[Chriskhansen]

Hey fraenK,

I am not sure how to authorize whether I have the right DLL/version from IBM to be fair.

PAD indeed has access to it 🙂

[ZS440 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Chriskhansen 

You need to start PCOM from the workstation profile (*.WS) first.
Make sure that PCSWS.EXE is present in the running process.
In this state, the Open terminal sesseion action will allow the PAD to access the PCOM.
If you are using the default installation
HLLAPI DLL path : C:\Program Files\ibm\Personal Communications\EHLAPI32.dll
Session name :A

try it.

[Chriskhansen]

Hey, I am very inexperienced with PCSWS and PCOM etc. 

How do I start PCOM from my workstation profile? 

I tried using the PCOMSTRT command as listed here, https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEQ5Y_6.0.0/com.ibm.pcomm.doc/books/html/quick_beginnin...
but received an identical error.

Pcsws.exe is one of the running processes

[ZS440]

@Chriskhansen 

Start by specifying .ws in the Run DOS command action. (I didn't use any arguments.)
Or start it by double-clicking directly on .ws
Then use open terminal session.

This is how I operate without problems.

I don't know anything more.

[Chriskhansen]

Thank for you effort - just to sum it up.

I basically open my instance, from a .ws file located on my desktop. I ensure that the service PCSWS.EXE is running, and I refer to PAD to initiate a terminal emulation, and receive the error originally described.. 

[Chriskhansen · Accepted solution]

Turns out - if I open the session from a .ws file, and make sure to NOT do anything at all (not even login), I can connect to this Session by granting the matching session name. So the solution is to open from the .ws and not do anything at all, and then connect using the name you have been granted. Seems a bit scuffed, but it works.

[Henry11]

I experienced the same as you. I gave up IBM client access. Instead I tried BlueZone client which worked well.

I did the same settings in HLLAPI and pre-launch a session A without logon. Power Automate is able to communicate with the session freely.  

[LorenzoV]

Are you trying to automate data entry in a AS400 session using PAD right? I can't find much available online mind me asking for some guidance?