Configuring your terminal emulator for accessibility and optimal display is essential for comfortable and efficient mainframe work. Proper settings for fonts, colors, and screen sizes can significantly improve readability, reduce eye strain, and make working with ISPF more productive. This guide explains how to configure these settings across popular terminal emulators.
Accessibility in terminal emulators involves making the interface readable and usable for everyone, including those with visual impairments or other accessibility needs. Good configuration can benefit all users by reducing eye strain and improving overall usability.
Understanding Terminal Emulator Settings
Terminal emulator settings control how the terminal displays information:
Key Settings Categories
Key terminal emulator setting categories
Setting Category
Description
Impact
Fonts
Font type, size, and style
Readability and character alignment
Colors
Text, background, and highlight colors
Visibility and eye strain
Screen Size
Terminal dimensions (columns x rows)
Display area and layout
Display Options
Cursor, scrolling, and other display features
Usability and navigation
Font Configuration
Font configuration is critical for mainframe terminals:
Why Monospace Fonts?
Mainframe terminals require monospace fonts:
Character Alignment: Monospace fonts ensure characters align in columns
ISPF Layout: ISPF panels rely on fixed character positions
Code Display: Code and data align correctly with monospace fonts
Terminal Compatibility: Matches traditional mainframe terminal behavior
Recommended Fonts
Recommended monospace fonts for terminal emulators
Font Name
Platform
Notes
Courier New
Windows, Mac, Linux
Widely available, good readability
Consolas
Windows
Modern, clear, good for coding
Monaco
Mac
Mac default, clean appearance
DejaVu Sans Mono
Linux, Windows, Mac
Open source, excellent readability
Liberation Mono
Linux, Windows, Mac
Open source, good alternative
IBM Plex Mono
All
Modern, designed for coding
Font Size Guidelines
Standard: 10-12 points for normal use
Larger: 14-16 points for better readability
Accessibility: 18+ points for visual impairments
Screen Size: Adjust based on your screen size and resolution
Distance: Consider viewing distance when choosing size
Font Configuration Steps
General steps for configuring fonts (varies by emulator):
Open terminal emulator settings or configuration
Find Font or Display settings section
Select monospace font from font list
Choose appropriate font size
Enable font smoothing/antialiasing if available
Test font to ensure readability
Save settings
Color Configuration
Color configuration affects visibility and eye strain:
Color Scheme Options
Color scheme options
Color Scheme
Description
Best For
Light Background
Light background (white/light gray) with dark text
Well-lit environments, daytime use
Dark Background
Dark background (black/dark gray) with light text
Low-light environments, reduced eye strain
High Contrast
Maximum contrast between text and background
Accessibility, visual impairments
Custom
User-defined color combinations
Specific preferences or needs
Accessibility Color Guidelines
High Contrast: Use high contrast between text and background
Color Blindness: Don't rely solely on color to convey information
Readability: Ensure text is clearly readable against background
Comfort: Choose colors that are comfortable for extended use
Testing: Test colors in your actual work environment
Common Color Combinations
Classic Green on Black: Traditional mainframe terminal colors
White on Black: High contrast, easy to read
Black on White: Traditional document style
Amber on Black: Classic terminal style, reduced eye strain
Custom Schemes: User-defined for specific needs
Color Configuration Steps
General steps for configuring colors:
Open terminal emulator settings
Find Colors or Display settings section
Choose color scheme (light, dark, high contrast, custom)
Standard (80x24): Traditional size, compatible with all ISPF panels
Wide (132x24): More horizontal space, useful for wide datasets
Extended Rows: More vertical space, see more lines at once
Screen Resolution: Match to your display resolution
Comfort: Choose size that's comfortable for your screen
Screen Size Configuration Steps
General steps for configuring screen size:
Open terminal emulator settings
Find Terminal or Display settings section
Select screen size (80x24, 132x24, etc.)
Or specify custom columns and rows
Adjust window size to match terminal size
Test to ensure proper display
Save settings
Additional Display Options
Additional display options can improve usability:
Cursor Configuration
Cursor Style: Block, underline, or line cursor
Cursor Size: Normal or larger for visibility
Cursor Blink: Blinking or solid cursor
Cursor Color: Customize cursor color for visibility
Scrolling and Display
Scrollback: Number of lines to keep in scrollback buffer
Smooth Scrolling: Enable or disable smooth scrolling
Line Wrapping: Wrap long lines or truncate
Full Screen: Use full screen mode for maximum display area
Accessibility Features
Screen Magnification: Zoom or magnify display
High Contrast Mode: Maximum contrast for visibility
Screen Reader Support: Compatibility with screen readers
Keyboard Navigation: Full keyboard navigation support
Emulator-Specific Configuration
Configuration steps for popular emulators:
TN3270
Go to Settings → Display → Font
Select monospace font and size
Go to Settings → Display → Colors
Choose color scheme
Go to Settings → Terminal → Size
Select screen size
Save settings
PuTTY
Go to Window → Appearance → Font
Select monospace font and size
Go to Window → Colours
Choose color scheme or customize colors
Go to Window → Translation
Set character set if needed
Save session settings
SecureCRT
Go to Options → Session Options → Appearance
Configure font, colors, and display options
Go to Terminal → Emulation
Set terminal size and emulation settings
Save as session or global settings
MobaXterm
Go to Settings → Configuration → Terminal
Configure font, colors, and display
Set terminal size and options
Save settings
Accessibility Best Practices
Best practices for accessibility:
Visual Accessibility
Font Size: Use larger fonts (14-18+ points) for better readability
High Contrast: Use high contrast color schemes
Bold Text: Enable bold text if available for better visibility
Cursor Visibility: Make cursor large and visible
Screen Magnification: Use screen magnification if needed
Color Accessibility
Don't Rely on Color: Don't use color alone to convey information
High Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background
Color Blindness: Consider color blindness when choosing colors
Test Colors: Test colors in your actual work environment
Display Accessibility
Full Screen: Use full screen mode for maximum display area
Appropriate Size: Choose screen size appropriate for your display
Comfortable Viewing: Position terminal at comfortable viewing distance
Reduce Glare: Adjust colors and brightness to reduce glare
Saving and Sharing Settings
Most emulators allow you to save and share settings:
Saving Settings
Session Profiles: Save settings as session profiles
Global Settings: Save as default settings for all sessions
Configuration Files: Export settings to configuration files
Backup: Keep backups of your settings
Sharing Settings
Team Standards: Share settings with team members
Documentation: Document settings for reference
Configuration Files: Share configuration files
Best Practices: Share accessibility best practices
Testing Your Configuration
Test your configuration to ensure it works well:
Readability Test
Connect to ISPF and view various panels
Check if text is clearly readable
Verify character alignment is correct
Test in different lighting conditions
Use for extended periods to check comfort
Functionality Test
Test ISPF navigation and menus
Verify editor displays correctly
Check dataset browsing and editing
Test all ISPF features you use
Ensure no display issues or glitches
Explain Like I'm 5: Terminal Emulator Settings
Think of terminal emulator settings like adjusting your TV:
Fonts are like the size and style of the words on your TV. You want words that are big enough to read easily and that look clear. For mainframe terminals, you need special fonts where every letter takes up the same amount of space (like blocks in a grid) so everything lines up correctly!
Colors are like the brightness and color settings on your TV. You can make the screen bright with dark words, or dark with bright words. Some people like one way, some like the other - it's all about what's comfortable for your eyes!
Screen Size is like how big your TV screen is. Mainframe terminals come in standard sizes - like a small TV (80 columns) or a wide TV (132 columns). You choose the size that fits your screen and what you're doing!
Accessibility is like making sure everyone can watch and enjoy the TV, no matter what. Some people need bigger words, some need brighter colors, some need different settings. The goal is to make it work for everyone!
So terminal emulator settings are like adjusting your TV to make it comfortable and easy to use - you can make the words bigger, change the colors, adjust the size, and make sure everyone can use it easily!
Practice Exercises
Practice configuring terminal emulator settings:
Exercise 1: Configure Fonts
Objective: Configure fonts for optimal readability.
Steps:
Open your terminal emulator settings
Find font configuration section
Select a monospace font
Choose an appropriate font size
Test the font in ISPF
Adjust size if needed
Save settings
Exercise 2: Configure Colors
Objective: Configure colors for comfort and visibility.
Steps:
Open your terminal emulator settings
Find color configuration section
Choose a color scheme (light, dark, high contrast)
Test colors in ISPF
Adjust colors if needed
Save settings
Exercise 3: Configure Screen Size
Objective: Configure screen size for your display.