Python & CGI Programming

History

The closest Python framework that reminded me of CICS was Slither, but it appears that Slither was developed for and only works in a Linux environment. I couldn't get it to work in Windows. Frustrated, I developed my own set of Python routines that allowed me to use CGI in a manner familiar to me as a CICS developer.

If you're not familiar with CICS, here's a quick overview. CICS is a transaction monitor system that manages online transactions on IBM mainframes. CICS transactions consist of one or more maps and one or more programs. The map contains constants, like labels, and fields that the program can display to or read from. The program performs some or all of the following functions:

• Initalize the map.
• Send the map to the terminal.
• Wait for the operator to respond by filling in the input fields.
• Receive the map from the terminal.
• Edit the input fields.
• If the input fields have errors, highlight the errors, display a message and send the map to the terminal.
• If the input fields are consistent, process the input fields
• Display additional information from a database.
• Add or update information to a database, or delete information from a database.
• Repeat as often as needed.

An HTTP document written using HTML markup can be considered analogous to a CICS map, when fields are added to the markup to make a template. The functions of a CICS program can be performed using one or more modules of CGI and Python.

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