hercules(1)

1HERCULES(1)                      User Commands                     HERCULES(1)
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NAME

6       Hercules - IBM System/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture Emulator
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SYNOPSIS

9       hercules [-f config-filename] [-d] [-b logo-filename] [-p dyn-load-dir]
10       [[-l dynmod-to-load]...]  [> logfile]
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DESCRIPTION

13       Hercules is a software implementation of the  System/370,  ESA/390  and
14       z/Architecture mainframe architectures.
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16       It means that your PC can emulate an IBM mainframe processor. The main‐
17       frame can range from a System/360 to a z10 - running in  "S/370"  mode,
18       "ESA/390" mode, or "z/Architecture" mode.
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20       Hercules  executes  S/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture instructions and
21       channel programs.  It  emulates  mainframe  I/O  devices  by  using  PC
22       devices.  For example, 3390 DASD devices are emulated by large files on
23       your hard disk, and local 3270 screens are emulated by tn3270 sessions.
24       (Note:  Not all 370 and 390 features have been implemented in Hercules.
25       Also, certain non-standard models, 360/20s, and the 360/67 virtual mem‐
26       ory mode are not emulated.)
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28       Hercules  implements  only  the  raw S/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture
29       instruction set; it does not provide any operating  system  facilities.
30       This  means  that you need to provide an operating system or standalone
31       program which Hercules can load from an emulated disk or  tape  device.
32       You will have to write the operating system or standalone program your‐
33       self, unless you can manage to obtain a license from IBM to run one  of
34       their  operating  systems on your PC, or use IBM programs and operating
35       systems which have been placed in the public domain.
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OPTIONS

38       -f config-filename
39              Sets the name of the configuration file. The default, if none is
40              specified,  is  hercules.cnf.  The default may be overridden via
41              the HERCULES_CNF environment variable.
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43       -d     Specifies that Hercules is to be run in 'daemon'  mode,  wherein
44              it runs invisibly with no attached console.
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46       -b logo-filename
47              Sets  the  name of the file containg the screen logo that's pre‐
48              sented when a 3270 terminal connects.  When  not  specified  the
49              default  herclogo.txt  file is looked for and when not found the
50              built-in logo is used.
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52       -p dyn-load-dir
53              Sets the directory from which dynamic modules are to be  loaded.
54              The  default  depends  on the host platform on which Hercules is
55              being run. This option overrides the default.
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57       -l dynmod-to-load
58              Sets the name of an additional dynamic module to  be  loaded  at
59              startup.  More  than  one  additional  module  may be specified,
60              although each must be preceded with the -l option specifier.
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62       logfile
63              Sets an optional log file which will receive a copy of all  mes‐
64              sages displayed on the control panel
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FILES

67       hercules.cnf
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ENVIRONMENT

70       HERCULES_CNF
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AUTHORS

73       Hercules  was created by Roger Bowler. Jay Maynard (“the Tron Guy”) was
74       the maintainer from 2000 to 2012. Jan Jaeger designed  and  implemented
75       many of the advanced features of Hercules, including dynamic reconfigu‐
76       ration, integrated console, interpretive execution  and  z/Architecture
77       support.  A  dedicated crew of programmers is constantly at work imple‐
78       menting new features and fixing bugs.
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80       This manual page was written by Dan Horák using text snippets from  the
81       Hercules web site.
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