screen scraper

tool A piece of software used to automate interaction

between two computer systems through the terminal interface

(designed for human use) of one of those systems.

Typically, the screen scraper interacts with terminalemulation software to generate input to and process output

from the "host" system through terminal screens. Screen

scrapers are advantageous when modifications to the host

system are undesireable, when it is desireable to make use of

the existing business and data integrity logic on the host,

and when no other (peer-to-peer) interface method is

available.

Some products employ screen scraping combined with additional

functionality which provides a DBMS-like or other

specialised interface to the host. The host system is often

called a "legacy system" because it usually the older of the

systems involved and based on older technology.

(1995-04-19)