Prompt action (<prompt> element)

The Prompt action provides a powerful way to send immediate user keyboard input into the 3270 or 5250 application or into a variable.

A typical use of this action, but by no means the only use, is to permit the user to provide a password. Many scenarios require that a macro log on to a host or start an application that requires a password for access. Because a password is sensitive data and also typically changes from time to time, you probably do not want to code the password as an immediate value into the macro.

With the Prompt action, you can display a message that prompts the user for a password and that lets the user type the password into the input field. After the user clicks OK, the macro runtime types the input into the session window at the row and column location that you specify. The input sequence can include action keys such as [enterreset], so that if the user types MyPassword[enterreset] the macro runtime not only can type the password into the password field but also can type the key that completes the logon or access action. (Or, you can put the action key into an Input action that immediately follows the Prompt action.)