Welcome to Reflection Desktop, a full-featured desktop application that allows you to run host applications, transfer files, and integrate host data into the latest Windows and Office software applications. For more about Reflection Desktop, see Reflection Desktop Features.
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Installing and using Reflection |
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Configuring and deploying Reflection |
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Setting up file transfers |
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Programming with the Reflection APIs |
The Reflection Desktop .NET Programming Guide The Reflection Desktop VBA Guide NOTE:These guides are also available on the Help menu when the VBA or .NET features are installed. |
Reflection Desktop v17.0 includes several major new features and enhancements:
IT Administration Features
This release supports the latest Windows 10 “Windows as a Service” update and includes a number of new features that allow IT administrators to:
Change and deploy specific session settings without changing other settings on users’ desktops. This allows you to change a session setting after you deploy Reflection without the risk of overwriting other settings that users have configured.
Save 6530 sessions as compound session document files that include embedded custom keyboard maps and ribbons.
NOTE:New 6530 sessions are saved in the .rd6x file format. You can open older (.rd6) 6530 session files. When you save these files, they are automatically converted to the new .rd6x file format. (To open 6530 session files, you must install the Reflection Desktop for NonStop Add-On.)
Security Enhancements
Security enhancements allow IT administrators to:
Configure sessions with the TLS 1.3 encryption standard.
User Experience Improvements:
Several improvements allow you to:
Use the Macro Panel to run VBA macros saved in your session document file or to run other macros, such as referenced macros, EML macros, or macros created with other products, that you have previously run on that session.
Easily set up a recorded macro to run when a session connects.
Broadcast commands to more than one VT session. If you manage multiple host machines, you may often need to send the same command to more than one host and reentering the command on each host can be tedious. You can save time by using the CommandCast feature to broadcast the commands you enter in one host to any number of other hosts that you have selected to receive the commands.
Programming Improvements:
Reflection Desktop now supports the A Simple Programming Language (APL) character set.
With Reflection providing terminal emulation, you can use your PC to connect to:
An IBM mainframe as a 3270 terminal or 3287 printer, using Telnet or Telnet Extended (TN3270/E).
An AS/400 or iSeries midrange computer as a 5250 terminal or 3812 printer, using Telnet (TN5250/E).
A UNIX or Open VMS host, using a variety of connection methods.
You can start multiple terminal sessions and even Web pages in a single workspace the same way you'd open multiple documents in most applications.
If you've previously used Reflection or Extra! for product emulation, you'll find many new features in Reflection Desktop. These features combine the best emulation features of Reflection and Extra! into a single solution, optimized for Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Microsoft Office.
NOTE:Depending on the version of Reflection you have installed, the details of your license agreement, and the security settings applied by your system administrator, some connection types and features described in this Guide may not be available to you.
Following is a summary of the many new and enhanced user interface, productivity, management, and security features you'll find in Reflection.
User Interface
You can choose from five types of user experiences: Ribbon, Browser, Classic, Classic MDI, or TouchUx. The Reflection Ribbon has the look and feel of Microsoft Office, including integrated search and theme support. The Reflection Browser has a look and feel similar to the latest Web browsers where screen real estate is maximized. The Classic interface is similar to the Extra! X-treme and legacy Micro Focus Reflection terminal emulation applications. The Classic MDI option is similar to the Classic option. (Unlike Classic, it provides a multi-document interface that allows more than one document to be open in a workspace.) And the TouchUx interface provides a touchscreen user experience with an iOS, Android or Windows 8 look and feel.
The Ribbon, Browser, and TouchUx interfaces provide a multiple document interface, in which you can open multiple sessions. These interfaces also allow you to view and interact with Web pages within the Reflection workspace.
Productivity Tools
Tightly integrated with Microsoft Office, Reflection supports productivity features such as Recent Typing, Scratch Pad, Auto Complete, Auto Expand, Spell Check, and Screen History to drive user efficiency. If Microsoft Office 2007 or later is installed, you can leverage host data in e-mail messages, contacts, appointments, notes, tasks, and word-processing documents.
Management
You can create and distribute customized 3270, 5250, 6530, and VT session documents that include host specifications, or add Web pages to your workspace or layout. Session documents include pointers to mouse maps, keyboard maps, theme files, hotspot files, and Ribbons that you can use to customize the behavior of the session. You can further customize each session by adding macros, scripts, executables, and other options to context menus.
You can connect to hosts that use IP version 6 (IPv6) addresses. And, you can specify a backup host to which Reflection automatically connects in case of connection failure or interruption.
License metering for Reflection Desktop is available through the optional Reflection Security Gateway and its administrative console.
Security Services
Reflection provides the following security features for determining who can access and use sensitive host data.
User Account Control (UAC) for Installation — Build Microsoft Installer (.msi) packages and lock down features.
Online Certificate Revocation — When making secure connections, check the authenticity of certificates using Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP), a faster alternative to checking Certificate Trust Lists (CTL).
Trusted Locations — Prevent security problems by allowing users to open documents only from trusted locations that you specify in the Trust Center.
Expanded Information Privacy Support — Protect credit/debit card primary account numbers or other sensitive data that is entered or stored on host screens or in productivity features, such as Screen History.
To reinforce mainframe security, you can add a layer of protection in front of the host with secure token authorization, using the optional Reflection Security Gateway.
Automation and Developer Support
Using the Reflection object-oriented API model, add functionality to terminal sessions and Web pages using .NET API, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), or HLLAPI programming. You can also create and run VBA scripts using functions provided by the VBA development environment. Documentation for the .NET API and VBA are provided from the Help button on the workspace frame.
Layout files give you the ability to access the Reflection .NET API in multiple instances of Reflection simultaneously. API security settings allow you to control access to the application through API or macro calls.
Legacy Support
Reflection Desktop protects the investment you've made in previous products.
You can run sessions you created in Extra!, KEA!, IBM Personal Communications, and Micro Focus Rumba.
You can also still run and edit the macros and scripts you created in Extra! and legacy Reflection, including encrypted Extra! macros. And Reflection supports most types of macros created in Micro Focus Rumba, OpenText HostExplorer, IBM PComm, and Brandon Systems\Jolly Giant QWS3270.