5250 Color Mapping Help

5250 Color Mapping Help

Table of Contents

General Information

For information on using this help viewing program, see the first topic in the main emulator help (select the "Help" menu bar choice in the Emulator window).

This help information describes how the Color Mapping program can be used to change the colors of your 5250 emulator sessions. See the main emulator help for information on a System Administrator creating system default, group default, or user default color map files (topic "Default Color Map Files").

Note: Only one Color Mapping program can be active at a time.

Color File Selection

At the start of a 5250 session, the 5250 emulator searches for a color mapping file for the session. The following order is used; if a color mapping file is found, it is used for the 5250 session:

- Search for a session specific color mapping file that you selected using the Color Mapping program.

- Search for a default color mapping file that you selected using the Color Mapping program.

- Search for a user default color mapping file that your administrator selected for you.

- Search for a group default color mapping file that your administrator selected for your group.

- Search for a system default color mapping file that your administrator selected as a default for all IBM Network Station 5250 users.

- If none of the above is found, the 5250 emulator uses default colors (black background).

Window Layout

For Basic Color Mapping, the Color Mapping window has a color scheme selection area (left), a sample Assist program and 5250 session windows area (lower right), and an action bar/message area (bottom).

For Advanced Color Mapping, the Color Mapping window has a construct selection area (left), a color selection area (upper right), a sample Assist program and 5250 session windows area (lower right), and an action bar/message area (bottom).

The Color Selection Area contains the following:

1) The multicolor bar which contains twenty colors which serve as a starting point for choosing the new color that is being mapped into one of the constructs.

2) The red/green/blue sliders which make finer adjustments to the new color that is being mapped into one of the constructs.

3) The "Current Color" window which displays the new color as it is being modified by the multicolor bar and the red/green/blue sliders.

4) The "Apply Current Color" button which applies the color change to the sample Assist program and 5250 session windows area. This must be done before changes can be applied to the session.

Action Bar buttons provide the following functions:

1) "Save" color mapping changes in a color map file.

2) "Delete" color map files that were previously created.

3) "Apply Changes to the Session" that started the Color Mapping program. This allows testing of changes before saving them in a color map file.

4) "Exit" from the Color Mapping Program.

5) "Help" displays this help text.

Message Area:

Displays information and error messages.

Basic Color Mapping

The Basic Color Mapping option allows you to select a color scheme (a color map file) for this 5250 session or as a default for this and future 5250 sessions. Basic Color Mapping offers five standard color schemes plus others provided by your System Administrator and advanced color schemes that you have created. Note: Three of the five standard color schemes use the same colors for Assist Program windows (for example, the colors of this 5250 help window).

Advanced Color Mapping

The Advanced Color Mapping option allows you to create an advanced color scheme (a color mapping file). The colors of various elements (constructs) of a 5250 session can be changed. It is recommended that you first select the closest color scheme using the Basic Color Mapping option. Then, use Advanced Color Mapping to further modify the color of specific constructs.

Note: An IBM Network Station typically supports up to 256 colors (using 1 Megabyte of Video RAM). After this limit is reached, false colors may produce confusing browser images. The five IBM basic color schemes match the colors used by the Network Station browser and Java. Advanced color schemes could use up to a maximum of 22 colors. The browser and Java allocate a color palette using the following values for red, green, and blue: 0, 51, 102, 153, 204, and 255.

To change the color of a construct, first, select the construct to see its current color. If you wish to significantly change the color, click on a color in the multicolor bar as a starting point for further changes. The red/green/blue values can be adjusted. For example, you can drag the red value slider (press the primary mouse button with the mouse pointer on the slider and move the mouse pointer), click beside the slider, or click on either the "-" or "+" buttons. The range in value for red, green, and blue is 0 to 255. Then, click on the "Apply Current Color" button; the lower right working area is updated.

The lower right working area has an Assist Program area and a 5250 area. Assist Program colors will apply to the 5250 Online Help window, Miscellaneous Preferences window, Record/Playback windows, Keyboard Remapping window, and Color Mapping window (when Color Mapping window is restarted). The 5250 area shows a menu bar, main session background with the seven foreground colors, push button, rule line, and status line.

To try a color scheme during the current session, click the "Apply Changes To Session" button. To save an Advanced color scheme, click the Save button. Your color file name will be added to the list of color schemes available in the Basic Color Mapping option. The Basic Color Mapping option is used to select a color scheme to apply to one or more 5250 sessions. Note: The Color Mapping program limits an advanced color file name to 32 characters.

An existing advanced color scheme can be changed. Select the advanced color scheme using the Basic Color Mapping option and apply the scheme to the session. The Advanced Color Mapping option is then used to adjust construct colors. Enter the existing advanced color scheme name when saving the color scheme.

Note: The Advanced option does not prevent you from setting a foreground text color and background color to the same color (or nearly the same color). If this occurs, the foreground text is unreadable. The working area can be used to verify all foreground colors are readable.

Applying Color Map Changes

The Apply Changes to Session button temporarily applies your color mapping changes to the emulator session where the Color Mapping program was started. Your changes can then be tested. See "Saving Color Map Files" for information on saving your changes for later use.

Saving Color Map Files

The Save button saves your color mapping changes for later use. Your color mapping changes are saved in a color map file. When an Advanced color scheme is saved, your color map file name will be added to the list of color schemes available in the Basic Color Mapping option. In Basic Color Mapping, you select how your color remapping changes are saved: as the default color map file which is used for all your sessions or as a session specific color map file used only for the session from where the Color Mapping program was started.

A session specific color map file allows different color combinations in different 5250 sessions. A session specific color map file has the highest priority and is used for the specific session where the color map file was created (using the session number of the 5250 session and the session name).

A default color map file has the second highest priority and is used for all sessions that do not have a session specific color map file. A default color map file overrides any color map file that your administrator defined (system default, group default, or user default).

See "Deleting Color Map Files" for information on deleting a color map file.

Deleting Color Map Files

Click the "Delete" button on the action bar to delete color map files that have been created. Click any color map files that are to be deleted and then click the delete button.