If you want Windows users to launch applications from your Web site and have the applications run exclusively on the remote server, you can use the ACUCOBOL-GT Web Thin Client. In this scenario, end users simply visit your Web site. The Web browser searches for the Web thin client on their machines. If successful, it launches the program on the server. If it cannot locate the Web thin client, it provides the software automatically with users' permission. It then invokes the server application transparently and "projects" the user interface back onto the client. The Web thin client is an ActiveX version of our thin client solution.
Alternatively, end users can install the standard ACUCOBOL-GT Thin Client on their local machine. They can install it from any ACUCOBOL-GT media or, subject to appropriate licensing agreements, you can distribute it on your Web site so that end users can download and install it from there. Using an Active Server Page (ASP), Java Server Page (JSP), Visual Basic, or perl script, you can automate the download and install process for users if you like. Alternatively, they can download the thin client at no cost from the Micro Focus Web site, http://www.microfocus.com/support/downloads/. Once they have the thin client installed, they can visit your Web site and click a link to invoke your application.
Thin client users always have the option of executing the acuthin command with an Internet server or IP address as part of the command parameters. acuthin can launch programs on any server in a TCP/IP network, including the Internet. The only components required on the client in this case are the thin client software and an Internet connection. Users don't even need to have a Web browser.
With any of these thin client options, all application processing is performed on the server. Usually, data access is considered local because the data resides on the same server machine as the application. If you want to keep data on a different server in a multi-tiered configuration, you can combine the thin client with our AcuServer® technology. Please note that although the thin client supports only Windows clients, it gives access to both Windows and UNIX servers running the AcuConnect® application server software.