Notes on Using This Function

  1. The parameters under the Set Session Parameters (9) function are related to this function. They are the AUTORESET/NORESET, STRLEN/STREOT, EOT=c, ESC=c, and RETRY/NORETRY session options. See items 1 and 2, 9 and 10, and 19 for more information.
  2. Keystrokes cannot be sent to the host session when the keyboard is locked or busy. You can check this condition with the Wait (4) function.
  3. If the host is busy, input might be rejected.
  4. The length of the data string must be explicitly defined by the default length parameter, but it can be defined implicitly by the EOT=c option of the Set Session Parameters (9) function.

    When explicitly defining length (see item 1), the value for the length parameter passed by the application must be calculated. For this calculation, allow 2 bytes for compound keystrokes such as @E and allow 4 bytes for compound keystrokes such as @A@C.

  5. To send special control keys, a compound character coding scheme is used. In this coding scheme, one keystroke is represented by a sequence of two to four ASCII characters. The first and third character are always the escape character. The second and fourth character are always a keycode.

    To send the sequence LOGON ABCDE followed by the Enter key, you would code the string LOGON ABCDE@E. A complete list of these keycodes is represented in Keyboard Mnemonics.

    This compound coding technique allows an ASCII string representation of all necessary keystroke codes without requiring the use of complex hexadecimal key codes.

    The default escape character is @. The value of the escape character can be changed to any other character with the ESC=c option of the Set Session Parameters (9) function.

  6. Users needing higher levels of performance should use the Copy String to Field (33) or Copy String to Presentation Space (15) function rather than send keystrokes with the Send Key (3) function. But remember, only the Send Key (3) function can send the special control keys.
  7. Refer to Set Session Parameters (9) session option 10 (NORESET option) to improve the performance of this function.

    Unless NORESET is required, the reset mnemonic is added to the keystroke strings as a prefix. Therefore, all resettable status except input inhibit are reset.

    The NORESET option is not the same as the Reset System (21) function.

  8. The keystroke strings, including the AID key, are sent to the host via multiple paths. Each path sends the strings before the first AID key (or including the AID key). EHLLAPI adjusts the string length and the start position of each path. For a host application program, any keystroke might be lost by the AID key process. Therefore, you should not send a keystroke list that includes plural AID keys.
  9. During the @P (Print) or @A@T (Print Presentation Space) process, all requests that update the presentation space are rejected. If the presentation space is busy or the interruption request occurs during the print request, the mnemonic @A@R (Device Reset – Cancel to print the Presentation Space) cancels the request and resets the status.
Parent topic: Send Key (3)