How to Edit the Translate Tables

CAUTION!  Translate Table modifications should only be made when problems occur running a host application.

Translate Tables are used to translate data between the EBCDIC Character Set and the ASCII Character Set.  EBCDIC is used on mainframe systems for character formatting whereas ASCII is used in the PC environment for character formation.  When a character arrives from the host it is translated from EBCDIC to ASCII. When a character is sent to the host it is translated from ASCII to EBCDIC.

To Access the Translate Tables

  1. From the BlueZone MenuBar select Session:Configure, the Session Configuration property sheet will display.

  2. Choose the 3270 /5250 Emulation tab.  The 3270/5250 Emulation property sheet will display Translation, Default Screen Model Type, Keyboard Type Ahead and Write to Display Options.

  3. Under the Translation section, select the Translate Tables button.

  4. From the Translate Tables menu, four tabs will display: Ebcdic to Ascii, Ascii to Ebcdic, IND$FILE Ebcdic to Ascii and IND$FILE Ascii to Ebcdic.  Select the desired translation table.

How The Tables Work

To demonstrate how the tables work we will use the character 'A'. Please note that all ASCII and EBCDIC values shown below are hexadecimal values.

NOTE  The IND$FILE Translate Tables work exactly the same way as the Character Translate Tables.  The following example can be applied to either set of tables.

In the ASCII Code table the character 'A' is represented by the value '41' (in hex).  In the EBCDIC Code table the character 'A' is represented by the value 'C1'.

  1. Starting on the ASCII to EBCDIC page, look at Column 4x Row x1 and you will see the character 'A'. Click the Edit button to switch to the values mode and will see the EBCDIC value 'C1'.  This is the value that will be sent to the host when the 'A' key is pressed on the keyboard.

  2. Now to verify that this is the correct value, let's follow the same sequence in reverse. Look at the EBCDIC to BUFFER page and examine the Column Cx Row x1, you should see the character 'A'. Click the Edit button, to switch to the values mode and you will see the ASCII value '41'.  This is the value that will be sent from the host when an 'A' is requested.

This explanation shows the standard sequence of events when translating characters.  This sequence looks the same in both directions, only reversed.

Example:

 

ASCII to EBCDIC

     41 -> C1

 

EBCDIC to ASCII

     C1 -> 41