screen scraper

1 definition found

screen scraper - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  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 terminal emulation
      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)