Using Net.Data macros, you can execute programming logic, access and manipulate variables, call functions, and use report-generating tools. A macro is a text file containing Net.Data macro language constructs, HTML tags, Javascript, and language environment statements, such as SQL. Net.Data processes the macro to produce output that can be displayed by a Web browser. Macros combine the simplicity of HTML with the dynamic functionality of Web server programs, making it easy to add live data to static Web pages. The live data can be extracted from local or remote databases and from flat files, or be generated by applications and system services.
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between Net.Data for OS/400, the Web server, and supported data and programming language environments.
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The Web server invokes Net.Data as a CGI application when it receives a URL that requests Net.Data services. The URL includes Net.Data-specific information, including the macro that is to be processed. When Net.Data finishes processing the request, it sends the resulting Web page to the Web server. The server passes it on to the Web client, where it is displayed by the browser.