[Agentfactory-developer] Re: language guide

[Robert R. <ro...@in...>]

Hi Rem,
I've cc-ed the developer list in case it starts coming through.

First, let me see if I understand the intended difference between APS=20
and RCS? You see the APS as something passive in nature, where a script=20
is loaded, listed commands are executed, and results are channeled into=20
stdout. While, on the other hand, the RCS would be a less passive=20
protocol intended for hooking up to a remote GUI.

If I my interpretation is correct, then I see a point to the difference,=20
but it is clear that the APS would be a subset of RCS commands, and=20
perhaps the implementation could reflect this.

Also, do you really feel that it is worthwhile to let the current GUI=20
design die? While deployment to computationally limited devices, and=20
eventual deployment to enterprise style servers might favor your=20
approach -- an awful lot of development (both developer development and=20
user development) will most likely take place with a platform running=20
locally.

That said, then maybe we can agree that the run-time environment might=20
have an RCS GUI (bandwidth permitting), but that the IDE (once=20
redeveloped) would not be based on this design.

Better go... I've got a meeting to go to.

cheers

rob




rem collier wrote:
> hey rob!
>=20
> i've spent the last 8 hours trying to send the following message to the=
=20
> developer's list, but it hasn't come through yet, so i'm sending it=20
> direct to you (i'll cc all future ones).  the mail is basically about=20
> the RCS service...
>=20
> were we go:
>=20
> Hi guys,
>=20
> As my first post, i want to have a quick discussion about the remote=20
> command service (RCS) for agent factory.  this service should allow=20
> users to remotely administer agentfactory platforms.
>=20
> currently, af provides a facility to remotely execute commands from the=
=20
> APS scripting language.  this facility is an option that can be used=20
> INSTEAD of specifying a startup script.  while this is useful, it is=20
> not the same as the RCS.  the RCS service should be able to run in=20
> tandem with a startup script.  in addition, there are a number of=20
> operations that an RCS should support which should not be supported by=20
> the startup script (e.g. generating user friendly lists of active=20
> agents).  my goal for the RCS is to be much more than this.  it should=20
> also allow users to manage the platform services that are available. =20
> in particular, i would like to be able to remotely start a monitoring=20
> service that can be used to present debugging information to the user. =
=20
> i could then user the RCS to shutdown this service when it is no longer=
=20
> needed.  by including this facility, i am extending the remit of the=20
> RCS beyond the context of the scripting language (IMO: the scripting=20
> language should NOT support configuration of platform services - this=20
> is the job of the platform configuration files).
>=20
> anyway, this is my opinion based upon a quick review of the existing=20
> infrastructure.  if there are no real problems, i intend to continue=20
> with my work on this service (which will itself be deployed as a=20
> plugin) and will show you a reasonable first version of it in the near=20
> future.
>=20
> rem
>=20
> ps here is a list of commands that i would expect the RCS to support:
> connect XX
> close
> create agent
> create service
> terminate agent
> terminate service
> resume agent
> suspend agent
> show agents (nicely formated output)
> show services (nicely formated output)
> list agents ('|' and CR delimited output)
> list services ('|' and CR delimited output)
> shutdown
> restart
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ----------------------------------------
> Dr Rem Collier<BR>Lecturer<BR>Department
>  of Computer Science,<BR>University Coll
> ege Dublin,<BR>IRELAND.<BR>www: http://w
> ww.agentfactory.com<BR>tel: +353 1 716 2
> 465
>=20

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Robert Ross
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