Creating Default Connection Settings in EXTRA!

This technical note explains how to create default connection settings for new EXTRA! sessions using the Configure Connections dialog box or using the RemoteHostAddressList setting in the 3270.edp template.

Two common ways that users can create new default connection settings include selecting a check box in the Configure Connection dialog box or configuring connection parameters in the 3270.edp template file. This technical note describes how to use each method.

Using the "Automatically enter data on this screen…" Check Box

One way to set new connection settings is to select the "Automatically enter data on this screen for new connections" check box in the Configure Connection dialog box. Selecting this check box enables you to pre-populate new connection settings with the parameters from the most recently saved connection. EXTRA! will continue to use the connection values from the last session you saved until you clear the check box.

When this check box is selected, the values from the last saved session take precedence over the values set in the 3270.edp template. Clearing the check box returns your connection defaults to those set in the 3270.edp template.

Configuring the RemoteHostAddressList Setting in the 3270.edp Template

Another way to set new connection defaults is to use the RemoteHostAddressList setting in the connection section of the 3270.edp template. This setting is a complete connection identifier string that consists of seven comma-delimited parameters enclosed by parentheses. You must set all seven parameters for EXTRA! to properly interpret the RemoteHostAddressList setting. For example, if you add the following line to the [connection] section of the 3270.edp template,

a new session created would have these connection parameters:

RemoteHostAddressList Setting Parameters

The RemoteHostAddressList setting is in the 3270.edp template, which is found in the \sessions\<language>\Templates folder. The table below lists the seven parameters for the RemoteHostAddressList setting and possible values for each.

Parameter	Value
Host	Use a fully qualified domain name (myhost.mycompany.com), an alias (myhost), or an IP address (123.45.67.89)
Terminal Type	IBM-3278 for mainframe display IBM-3287-1 for mainframe printers
TCP Port Number	Defaults to 23 if not otherwise specified
Auto Reconnect	YES or NO
Security Type	0 = Winsock with no security
	1 = SSL v3.0. This setting is used in conjunction with the Use Microsoft Secure Channel switch: (,,,,1,,NO) Use EXTRA!'s legacy SSL (,,,,1,,YES) Use SSL v3.0 via Microsoft Secure Channel
	10 = Use Attachmate security components but with no security. This is the default value; it provides better tracing than using value 0.
	11 = TLS/SSL through Attachmate security components
	12 = FIPS 140-2 validated encryption through Attachmate security components
Verify Server Identity	YES or NO
Use Microsoft Secure Channel	YES or NO. If you set this parameter to YES, be sure to set Security Type to 1.

Setting Partial Connection Defaults in the 3270.edp Template in Hotfix 14

Note: The content in the remainder of the technical note applies to EXTRA! 9.0 SP2 Hotfix 14 and all later hotfixes for EXTRA! 9.0 SP2 only.

If you have EXTRA! 9.0 SP2 Hotfix 14 (and all later hotfixes for EXTRA! 9.0 SP2), you need specify in the RemoteHostAddressList setting only those parameters that you want to change from EXTRA!'s default settings. All seven parameters are not required, and in fact, for EXTRA! to interpret the parameter list as the default for new sessions, at least one parameter field must be empty. EXTRA! will use default values for any field you do not specify.

Parameter	Default
Host Address	None
Terminal Type	IBM-3278
Port	23
Auto Reconnect	YES
Security Type	10 (Attachmate security with no encryption)
Verify Server Identity	NO
Use Microsoft Secure Channel	NO

In practice, you should specify only those parameters that differ from the defaults listed in the table above.

About the "Automatically enter data on this screen…" Setting

With EXTRA! 9.0 SP2 Hotfix 14 (and all later hotfixes for EXTRA! 9.0 SP2), the “Automatically enter data on this screen for new connections” setting still takes precedence over the connection defaults in the 3270.edp template. You must clear the check box for the RemoteHostAddressList setting values to be used for new connections.

Normally, the "Automatically enter data on this screen for new connections” setting is selected by default. However, if you apply Hotfix 14 (or later) to EXTRA! 9.0 SP2 and configure new default connection parameters using the RemoteHostAddressList setting in the 3270.edp template, the “Automatically enter data on this screen for new connections” setting will be turned off when EXTRA! first runs.

Entering Multiple Connection Values

Using the RemoteHostAddressList setting in the 3270.edp template, you can define new connection default values, and at the same time, define values for specific connections. Enter the default values first (using commas for the parameters you want the user to enter), and then enter the specific connection values:

In the example above, the PrimaryHost values will be inserted and immediately available for use on the General tab in the New Session Wizard, and its settings can be altered by selecting it and clicking the Edit button. When you click the Add button, the DefaultHost and associated values will populate the Configure Connection dialog box and be used as initial settings for the new connection.

Legacy KB ID

This article was originally published as Attachmate Technical Note 2485.