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CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Suhail Ahmed
Go! ISBN: 0672310260
Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
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Introduction

----------- What's on the CD-ROM

About the Author

Part I—The Core Architecture

Chapter 1—CORBA 2.0: An Architecture for
Interoperability
More Than One ORB?
Architecture and Protocols
The General Inter-ORB Protocol
Environment-Specific Inter-ORB Protocol
The Internet Inter-ORB Protocol
Anatomy of an IOR
The Chicken-and-Egg Problem
A Simple IOR Registry
The IORegistry IDL Details
Compiling the IDL
iBus IORRegistry Transmitter
IORRegistry Server Implementations
The IORRegistry Client-Side Implementation
The IORReceiver Class Implementation
The OrbixIORTuner Implementation
Summary
Chapter 2—IIOP and E-Commerce
CORBA and Java
Cookies Cannot Cut It for Long
Analysis and Design of the SOAR System
Analysis and Design of SOAR in a Nutshell
What SOAR Should Do
The SOAR Reservations
The Flight Interface Implementation
The ReservationEvent Class and Interface
The ReservationServer Implementation
The ReservationServer GUI
The SOAR Search Engine
The TimeTable Implementation
The TimeTableEvent Class and Interface
The SOAR Factory
Implementing the Factory::Object Interface
The FactoryServer
The SOAR Payment Server
Implementing the Bank::Payment Interface
The PaymentServer GUI
The SOAR Client
The SearchClient GUI
The ReservationsClient GUI
The PaymentClient GUI
The Invoice GUI
The SOARClient Applet
Summary

Chapter 3—The Portable Object Adapter

The Rationale Behind POA
Using POA
Getting Hold of the POA
Implementing a POA Application
Interface Implementation
The HangarServer Implementation
The Hangar Deactivation Class
The Hangar Server GUI
The HangarClient
Summary

Part II—IDL Language Mapping

Chapter 4—CORBA Object References and

Smart Pointers
Object Reference Mapping in C++
CORBA Memory Management for Object
References
Object References as Parameters
Object References and Reference Counts
Incrementing and Decrementing the Reference
Counts
The Difference Between T_ptr and T_var
Implementing the Object Module
The Server Implementation
The Client Implementation
Summary

Chapter 5—IDL/Java Mapping

Reserved Names in Java IDL Mapping
Mapping of IDL Types to Java
IDL Module
IDL Interfaces
Internals of Interfaces
Constructed Types in Interfaces
struct Types
Enumeration Type
Union Type
Template Types
Array Type
Example Illustrating Differences Between Array
and Sequence
The SequenceArrayExample Implementation
The SequenceArrayExampleClient
Implementation
typedefs and Constants
IDL Operations
Using Holder Classes
Operations with Native IDL Types
Operations with Constructed IDL Types
Example Implementation of the params Interface
The params Client Implementation
IDL Exceptions
Summary

Chapter 6—CORBA C++ Memory

Management
IDL Operations
Memory Management for Basic Types
Memory Management for Template Types
Ownership of Memory
Memory Management for Strings
The CORBA::String_var Type
Server-Side Memory Management for Strings
Client-Side Memory Management for Strings
Memory Management for Sequences
Managing an in Sequence
Managing an out Sequence
Managing an inout Sequence
Memory Management for Arrays
Managing an in Array
Summary of C++ Parameter Types
Memory Management Heuristics
Summary

Part III—Common Services

Chapter 7—The Naming Service
Why Use the Naming Service?
What Is in a Name?
The Naming Service API
Creating Contexts
Binding Names
Deleting Context and Names
Resolving Names
Using the Naming Service
Implementing the Hangar Interface
The Hangar Server Implementation
The Hangar Client Implementation
Summary

Chapter 8—The Trader Service

Trader Service Interaction
Design Rationale for the Trader Service
Main Components of the Trader Service
State of CORBA Trader Implementations
The CUTrader Implementation
The Trader Server Implementation
Using the CUTrader
A CUTrader Exporter
The CUTrader Importer
Summary

Chapter 9—The Event Service

The Power Nine Problem
Reducing Interface Dependencies
The Supplier-Driven Event Model
The Consumer-Driven Event Model
The Delegated Event Model
Semantics of Delegation-Based Event Models
Event Types
Untyped Events
Typed Events
Implementing a CORBAEvents-Based Application
Implementing Untyped Push Models
The Push Supplier
push Event Client Implementation
Implementing Typed Push Models
The Typed Event Interface
Implementing a Typed Push Supplier
Typed Push Consumer Implementation
Summary

Chapter 10—The Transaction Service

Definition of Transaction
Commit and Rollback
Transaction Scenario: Funds Transfer
The Two-Phase Commit
Transaction Service
Transaction Manager
Transaction Context
Implicit/Explicit Propagation
Developing OTS Clients
The Interface
Transactional C++ and Java
Example: Banking
The LittleBank Interface Implementation
The LittleBankServer Implementation
The LittleBank Transaction Client
Example: e-commerce
OnlineBookStore’s Interface IDL
The OnlineBookStore Transaction Client
MOM
Nested Transactions
Transaction Processing Monitors
Summary

Chapter 11—The Security Service

Goals of CORBASEC
Elements of CORBASEC
Distributed Security Issues
Server Location
Constantly Changing Implementations
Invocation Chaining
Secure Transport
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
SECIOP and Common Secure Interoperability
(CSI)
CORBASEC Compliance
CORBASEC Compliance Level 1
CORBASEC Compliance Level 2
ORB Integration and the Current Interface
Using IIOP Proxy Servers and Firewalls
HTTP Tunneling
Java Security
Pervasive Security Standards
DCE Security Services and the GSS API
Kerberos
Summary

Part IV—Vendor Extensions and Implementation

Issues
Chapter 12—CORBA Server Activation Modes
Process Activation Modes
Orbix C++ Implementation
OrbixWeb Implementation
Shared Activation Mode
Per-Client Shared Activation
Per-Client Process Shared Activation
The Server Implementations
Server Registration
Shared Per-Client Process Activation
Unshared Activation Mode
Per-Method Activation
Persistent Server Activation
Summary

Chapter 13—Orbix Filters

Filter Monitor Points
Per-Process Filters
Implementing a Per-Process Filter
Installing a Per-Process Filter
Per-Object Filters
The Per-Object Filter Server
The Per-Object Filter Client
Summary

Chapter 14—CORBA and Threads

CORBA Thread Strategies
Thread Per Session
Thread Per Object
Thread Pools
Implementing Threads
Thread-Per-Client
Thread Pools
Summary

Chapter 15—Orbix Dynamic Loaders

Why Write Loaders?
Using a Loader
Implementing a Loader
Providing Persistence Using Loaders
The Loader Server Implementation
Summary

Chapter 16—Distributed Callbacks

Defining Callback Interfaces
Defining the Chat Server
Implementing the chatParty Client/Server
Implementing the chatServer
The chatServer Runtime Implementation
Asynchronous Callbacks
The Interface Implementation
The Server Implementation
The Callback Server User Interface
The Client Interface Implementation
The Callback Client GUI
Summary
Chapter 17—VisiBroker Caffeine
Java2iiop
Java2idl
URL Naming
Java to IIOP
Implementing a Java2iiop Application
Constructing the Server
Implementing a Java2iiop Client
Summary

Chapter 18—VisiBroker SmartStubs

Internals of a SmartStub
Constructing a SmartStub
Implementing the Server
Implementing the SmartStub
Implementation of the Proxy SmartStub Client
Summary

Chapter 19—Handling Distributed Events

Client-Side Event Handler
The Registration Interface
Installing a Handler
Server-Side Handlers
Summary

Chapter 20—VisiBroker Interceptors

Types of Interceptors
Interceptor APIs
Constructing a ServerInterceptor
Constructing a BindInterceptor
Summary

Part V—CORBA Integration and Interfaces

Chapter 21—CORBA and Java Servlets
Why Use Servlets with CORBA?
HTML as a Presentation Layer
Building with Servlets
A Short Introduction to the Servlet API
A Simple CORBA Servlet
Creating a CORBA Client Servlets
Summary

Chapter 22—CORBA and Mobile Agents

Voyager—An Agent Orb for Java
Implementing an Agent
Step One: The Aircraft Implementation
Step Two: The Agents.Airport Implementation
Summary

Chapter 23—CORBA and Design Patterns

The Command Pattern
The Command Interface
The OpenConnection Interface Implementation
The OperateOnDatabse Interface Implementation
The CloseConnection Interface Implementation
The DataOperations Interface Implementation
The Command Server
The Proxy Pattern
The Proxy Interface Implementation
The Proxy Server Implementation
The Proxy Client Implementation
The Abstract Factory Pattern
Implementing the Interface
Summary

Chapter 24—CORBA Interface Repository

The Structure of the Interface Repository
The ModuleDef Interface
The InterfaceDef Interface
The OperationDef Interface
Using the Interface Repository
Using the VisiBroker Repository
Reading Information from the IR
Summary
Chapter 25—CORBA Dynamic Invocation
Interfaces
Using Dynamic Invocation Interfaces
Implementing the dii Interface
Implementing the Dynamic Server
The Dynamic Client Implementation
Invoking struct Operations Dynamically
Invoking Sequence Operations Dynamically
Invoking String and Primitive Operations Dynamically
Invoking Object Reference Operations Dynamically
Summary

Chapter 26—Developing CORBABean

Wrappers
The Simple JavaBeans Component Model
JavaBean Properties and Editors
Simple Property
Indexed Properties
Bound Properties
Constrained Properties
JavaBean Event Model
Using the CorbaBean
The BeanInfo Class
Implementing a BeanInfo Class for the CoffeeMaker
Property Editors and Property Sheets
Summary

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CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Suhail Ahmed
Go! ISBN: 0672310260
Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
Brief Full
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Table of Contents

-----------

Introduction
This book, in many ways, represents everything that I have used from CORBA
implementations in my work as a consultant. I started writing the book in the
firm confidence that CORBA is a known quantity, which could hold no
surprises. To my amazement, I discovered that CORBA held many delightful
challenges that still required me to shake off the sense of weariness that had
grown on me over years of work with CORBA, both professionally and
personally.
The most challenging aspect of CORBA is its promise of interoperability. In
my capacity as consultant, I have had to rely on IIOP a number of times.
Nowadays, I have come to take it for granted. The other interesting aspect of
CORBA was the introduction I have had to dealing with the many interesting
ways in which the vendors of CORBA have extended the specification. Some
of you might think that such a situation is not an ideal one—especially when it
comes to choosing an ORB for your application. But you will find that the
CORBA vendors have managed to extend CORBA without breaking
compliance to the core specification. Surely, that is a giant step toward
heterogeneous interoperability of off-the-shelf CORBA implementations.
This book is a thorough exposition of the current implementation of the
CORBA standard. It covers the many areas of CORBA that troubled me as a
consultant and led to many a mistake that sometimes proved costly. I hope,
through this volume, you will know more than I did when I started. CORBA
Programming Unleashed provides information about the following topics.
They may be read in any order you like, and they bear no real
interdependencies.
• Chapter 1, “CORBA 2.0: An Architecture for Interoperability”
• Chapter 2, “IIOP and E-Commerce”
These two chapters are really the heart of the book. They demonstrate the twin
promise of CORBA interoperability and the potential of IIOP as a protocol for
e-commerce.
• Chapter 3, “The Portable Object Adapter”
The Portable Object Adapter is a new addition to the CORBA standard. It
promises to bring a new level of abstraction to CORBA.
• Chapter 4, “CORBA Object References and Smart Pointers”
• Chapter 6, “CORBA C++ Memory Management”
These two chapters deal with the arcane issues of using C++ as a language for
CORBA implementations. One of the topics that caused me the most grief
when I began using CORBA was how to use C++ effectively.
• Chapter 5, “Java/IDL Mapping”
Java is fast becoming a standard language and platform for implementing
CORBA applications. This chapter deals extensively with how to use Java
with CORBA/IDL.
• Chapter 7, “The Naming Service”
• Chapter 8, “The Trader Service”
• Chapter 9, “The Event Service”
These are what I consider to be the core services that CORBA has to offer.
These chapters cover the API and how to effectively use these services in your
applications.
• Chapter 10, “The Transaction Service”
With the explosive emergence of the World Wide Web and the potential for
exciting opportunities for e-commerce–related businesses, the CORBA
Transaction Service is sure to become the cornerstone of many innovative
Web applications. This chapter teaches you how to effectively and correctly
use CORBA Transactions.
• Chapter 11, “The Security Service”
In a connected world, security is sure to be the one critical component that can
make or break an application. The CORBA security specification is one of the
most in-depth and complete specifications on distributed security this side of
DCE.
• Chapter 24, “CORBA Interface Repository”
• Chapter 25, “CORBA Dynamic Invocation Interfaces”
As applications become more complex while offering new challenges to
integration, the CORBA Interface Repository and Dynamic Invocation
Interfaces are going to be key components that will enable “the web of
objects” to expand the way the Internet did.
• Chapter 12, “CORBA Server Activation Modes”
• Chapter 14, “CORBA and Threads”
• Chapter 16, “Distributed Callbacks”
These three chapters deal with the important issue of server-side scalability.
CORBA enables very fine-grained control over scalability issues. These
chapters introduce the mechanisms of this control.
• Chapter 13, “Orbix Filters”
• Chapter 15, “Orbix Dynamic Loaders”
These two chapters deal with how IONA has extended CORBA. These two
services can widen your options in terms of how CORBA can be further
integrated into existing architectures and requirements.
• Chapter 17, “VisiBroker Caffeine”
• Chapter 18, “VisiBroker SmartStubs”
• Chapter 19, “Handling Distributed Events”
These chapters deal with VisiBroker’s contribution to adding commercial
depth to the CORBA standard. In all, I am sure that many of the interesting
mechanisms that the commercial vendors have introduced into CORBA will be
incorporated into the CORBA specification. Orbix Dynamic Loaders and
VisiBroker SmartStubs are sure to be two that will eventually be added to the
CORBA specifications.
• Chapter 21, “CORBA and Java Servlets”
• Chapter 22, “CORBA and Mobile Agents”
• Chapter 26, “Developing CORBABean Wrappers”
These three chapters deal with issues that enable you to integrate the power of
CORBA with the flexibility of Java. If an effective distributed-object solution
of the Web needs to be constructed with the simplicity of HTML, Java servlets
and CORBA will provide the way. Mobile agents, on the other hand, are
probably the next evolutionary step in client/server technology; Chapter 22
explores how the technologies can be integrated.
• Chapter 23, “CORBA and Design Patterns”
Over the last couple of years, I have realized that designing distributed systems
has many fundamental differences from building desktop applications.
Building distributed systems is not just about having objects interacting over
networks. Nevertheless, it was heartening to see that the “Gang Of Four”
patterns and others still hold true for distributed systems.
• Appendix A, “Annotated ORB Interface API”
• Appendix B, “TIE and BOA”
• Appendix C, “Orbix and MFC”
Appendix A provides you with a reference to the ORB interface API, and
Appendix B is a guide to using TIE and the Basic Object Adapter. Appendix C
tells you how to use MFC effectively with CORBA.
So, there you have it. Pretty much everything I want to know about
CORBA—until the next incarnation of the standard, that is. I wish you luck.
Good hunting.
Suhail M. Ahmed
Amsterdam, 1998
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CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Suhail Ahmed
Go! ISBN: 0672310260
Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
Brief Full
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About the Author

Suhail M. Ahmed has extensive experience as a Senior Consultant with
Objective Alliance Group, the leading object technology company in Europe.
He became a programmer accidentally after he graduated from Mysore
University as a mathematician. It is one accident that has been most profitable
for him. While he is not working, he reads history, especially about World War
II and the Holocaust. He also pursues an active interest in graphics
programming and is currently researching software metrics and
methodologies. He lives in Amsterdam, and he is married with one child.

Contributing Authors
Larry Martinez is a Senior Technical Specialist with BSI Consulting in
Houston, Texas, where he develops distributed client/server systems using
Java, C++, and CORBA. He has developed systems under both UNIX and
Windows NT systems for a variety of industries, including NASA’s space
shuttle program, mutual funds, oil exploration, and natural gas. Larry holds a
bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at
Austin, and is an active member of the Houston Java User’s Group. He
occasionally heads to the Colorado Rockies where he enjoys backpacking,
snowboarding, and fishing.
Charles Pace has over 14 years of experience in all kinds of progressive,
cutting-edge software development. He has written a vast array of computer
programs, from interactive educational games to large enterprise systems.
Charles looks forward to enabling developers to deliver applications utilizing
the next generation of programming technology.

Dedication
For Aaron
May your future be as kind to you as your past has been to your father.
For Hilde
For being there.
For My Parents
For your faith in me.

Acknowledgments
Innumerable people have influenced this book. Most of the things I learned
and came to know are from countless hours of discussions with the people I
have had the privilege of working with as a consultant and teacher. But this
book would not have been possible without the few good people who
somehow crossed my life at the right moment in time. I owe a great deal to
Tracy Dunkelberger and Katie Purdum for giving me the chance to write this
book. Craig Read was kind enough, in his own way, to make time available for
me from my busy schedule. His command of English and history came in
handy when he offered his criticisms. I would also like to extend my sincere
thanks to Wendy Devolder, who has been a kind friend and brought this
opportunity to my attention. Finally, I want to thank Christophe Bon, who read
every page, and no matter how scattered the content was at times, he always
told me that it was great! Thank you all.

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Publishing, I welcome your comments. You can fax, email, or write me
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-----------

Part I
The Core Architecture
In This Part
• CORBA 2.0: An Architecture for Interoperability
• IIOP and E-Commerce
• The Portable Object Adapter

Chapter 1
CORBA 2.0: An Architecture for
Interoperability
In This Chapter
• More Than One ORB?
• Architecture and Protocols
• Anatomy of an IOR
• The OrbixIORTuner Implementation
CORBA 2.0 specifies a technical framework that allows applications that use
different protocols to interoperate. In addition to this, CORBA 2.0 also
specifies the means by which protocols such as DCE RPC can interoperate
with native CORBA protocols. Although this chapter concentrates on the
details of how to achieve interoperability between different CORBA 2.0
implementations, it is instructive to understand the overall architecture for
interoperability as defined by CORBA 2.0.
CORBA 2.0 differs from the earlier version in the nature of what the
specification defined as interoperability. CORBA 1.0 allowed ORBs from the
same vendor to interoperate across multiple platforms. This meant that if you
wanted to run CORBA over multiple platforms, you selected an ORB vendor
that supported those platforms.
With CORBA 2.0, you were given the freedom to choose any vendor that
supported CORBA on the platform of your choice. The specifications
guaranteed that applications running on multiple platforms would work
together.
The specification defines four broad areas of interoperability. At its highest
level, the standard defines an overall architecture for interoperability. The
architecture defines the ideas used to describe interoperability—the
vocabulary, so to speak. Within the context of this architecture, CORBA 2.0
specifies a mechanism known as bridging to allow multiple ORBs to
communicate and collaborate with each other.
There are a number of reasons why OMG decreed interoperability in the first
place. Here are some of the more important reasons:
• Large organizations have a tendency to define applications and
services in terms of domains.
• Division in terms of domains results in complex and heterogeneous
environments with many different types of platforms and software.
• Diversity of solutions leads to solutions that are optimal for a given
problem, but it also introduces tight constraints on how different
solutions could coexist.
• Organizations need to have full freedom to choose whatever they like
for their domains, but also have the freedom to select solutions that
would have the least impact on their existing infrastructure. This path
leads to having different ORBs in different domains—hence the need for
interoperability.
CORBA 2.0 accepts this reality and tries to define an architecture that enables
you to define these domains in terms of the roles they play. In a typical
organization, you could differentiate them broadly into business domains and
technical domains. The technical domains are usually generic enough to be
reused by any business domain. Such services include transactions, security,
component repositories, and so on.

More Than One ORB?

Within the boundaries of a single domain, it is relatively straightforward to get
ORBs to talk to each other. It is when objects in different domains have to
work together that a more complex mechanism for interoperability must be
defined. For instance, you could define security in terms of domains. You
could have high, medium, and low security domains. This is usually how
things are defined in complex organizations. In the classical approach to
systems design, there is usually little or no interaction between different
domains. This means that within the boundary of a single domain, a user
usually has a single systems logon.
The most important thing to understand about CORBA is the fact that it is a
peer-to-peer technology. This means that roles such as clients and servers are
just that: roles. A CORBA client could, by design, become a server, and a
server could be made into a client. These roles are very arbitrary.
If you consider that an organization would have multiple domains, it means
that a server in one domain could function as a client in another. This is a
consequence of a CORBA application that can easily integrate object
references across many different domains. It is in contexts such as these that
broad and general architectures for interoperability need to be defined. The
OMG does precisely that with a specification for Inter-ORB Bridge Support
running over clearly defined protocols.

Architecture and Protocols

The bridge concept accomplishes a number of functions. The primary one is
that when a boundary is crossed, the bridge facilitates the unambiguous
translation of the semantics and structure of the call between ORBs. This
mediation is accomplished via the application of two protocols: the General
Inter-ORB Protocol (GIOP) and the Environment-Specific Inter-ORB Protocol
(ESIOP).

The General Inter-ORB Protocol

The GIOP specifies a set of standard messages that can be used to ensure
interoperability between ORBs. As such, GIOP is the core of the ORB
interoperability architecture.
The GIOP is a simple protocol that facilitates interoperability between
different ORBS. It is a general protocol that can work over any minimalist
connection-oriented transport protocol. It is a very efficient protocol and
designed to be as compact as possible. GIOP messages enable object
references to change location during runtime. The protocol is designed so that
if a change of location does occur, it does so quite transparently for the client.
GIOP-based protocols make a number of assumptions, the most important of
which is that GIOP will use a connection-oriented transport mechanism. On
top of this, GIOP assumes that this transport will be reliable. Reliability
ensures that if a connection is lost due to whatever reasons, the underlying
transport will offer some mechanism for notifying that some fault has
occurred.
With the CORBA 1.0 implementation, each ORB vendor had its own
proprietary protocol to encapsulate invocations across clients and servers.
Within the new standard, OMG has made GIOP implementations mandatory.
More specifically, OMG specifies the Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP) as
the means to allow an interoperable heterogeneous ORB environment. IIOP is
a TCP-based implementation of GIOP. This means that IIOP uses TCP as its
transport protocol. It is possible to implement GIOP over other transport
protocols such as IPX/SPX, NetBEUI as well.
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-----------
Environment-Specific Inter-ORB Protocol

CORBA 2.0 also specifies interoperability between CORBA-based

implementations and other distributed architectures. What if you have an
environment that has applications running on some proprietary transport
protocol or even a standard one, such as DCE? This is where the ESIOP comes
in. Just as IIOP maps GIOP to TCP, you can use ESIOP to enable
interoperability between DCE-based solutions. Implementations of ESIOP
allow GIOP messages to be mapped to something like DCE via a half bridge
so that IIOP objects can interact with ESIOP objects. With bridges, foreign
objects appear like native objects.

The Internet Inter-ORB Protocol

IIOP is an implementation of GIOP that uses TCP/IP as its transport protocol.

Such an implementation allows CORBA implementations to interoperate over
the Internet domain. IIOP is intended to provide an “out-of-the-box” protocol
layer over GIOP that allows multiple ORBs to transparently communicate with
each other. IIOP is mandatory for any ORB aspiring to CORBA 2.0
compliance.
IIOP is the foundation of interoperability between CORBA 2.0
implementations. If an ORB supports the IIOP protocol, it can communicate
transparently to other ORBs. By extension, any service that is implemented on
top of a CORBA 2.0–compliant ORB can be used by any other ORB. So it is
possible to mix and match services across multiple domains.
As noted, CORBA achieves interoperability by defining bridges. Bridges
ultimately make it possible to use object references from one domain in
another domain. This is accomplished by defining an unambiguous
information model for object references known as the Interoperable Object
References (IORs).
The following information is contained in an IIOP stream:
• Null object reference?—Obviously, null references cannot have
invocations operated on them.
• Unambiguously define the type of the object reference—IDL is a
strongly typed system. IORs need to contain information about the
object reference types so that different implementations of this CORBA
object model can treat them in a consistent manner. This enables a
uniform object model representation across ORB platforms and
languages.
• Protocol support—IORs encapsulate protocol information so that a
recipient of an IOR can choose the most efficient available protocol.
• Available ORB services—If an object reference uses various CORBA
services to facilitate invocation, this information is encapsulated in the
IOR. This is primarily to assist in negotiating the interface to the
services using a standard format. This means that a client can
unambiguously retrieve an object reference from a service.

Anatomy of an IOR
You can create IORs from object references. Such references are known as
stringified object references. These references can be passed to a client that
requires the services of a server component. At the client side, these stringified
object references can be converted back to object references, and operations
can be invoked on them.
The Application Programming Interface (API) required for these operations is
found in the ORB class. Later on, you’ll have a detailed look at the protocols
offered by the ORB class. For the current discussions, two operations,
ORB::object_to_string and ORB::string_to_object are the
necessary APIs needed to accomplish the conversion of an object reference to
an IOR and an IOR back to an object reference, respectively.
Interoperability in this context is rather simple. Object references running on
different ORBs can be converted into stringified references and passed
between each other. We will be using this mechanism to illustrate
interoperability.
Before we can do that we have to solve the chicken-and-egg problem!

The Chicken-and-Egg Problem

I love these problems. If I have learned anything during my work and my

studies, the whole shebang of existence is one big chicken-and-egg problem. It
seems that the only way we can deal with this problem is by continually
delegating the problem to ever-finer eggs and chickens. The word delegation is
the key, because that is the approach we are going to use.
Interoperability is rather simple to achieve when you have the IOR. The
problem is getting the IOR in the first place. Until that is done, there is no
interoperability. But in order to get hold of the IOR, you need to get hold of
the ORB on which that IOR is based. Because you need the IOR for that, we
arrive at the chicken-and-egg problem.
There really isn’t any solution to chicken-and-egg problems. In the context of
CORBA, the best we can do is have a potential client and a potential server
agree on a standard mechanism to exchange the IOR—the standard mechanism
not having anything to do with CORBA itself.
Before we can work on building an application on different ORBs, we first
need to build what are known as infrastructural components. Most
architectures have a number of these. In fact, all the Common
CORBAServices are infrastructural in nature. In our example, this component
will act as an IOR Registry. CORBA objects that would like to be available
over IIOP could register with IORRegistry and should be able to use a simple
set of API to achieve this. This means that server objects should be provided
with a simple method to do registration management and the client with a
method to retrieve an IOR.

Warning:
Ensure that the ORB you are considering in your architecture is 100 percent
CORBA 2.0–compliant. The level of interoperability varies from vendor to
vendor. Although most CORBA manuals talk about “out-of-the-box”
interoperability, some vendors stretch that definition a little too thin.

A Simple IOR Registry

The IOR Registry should be able to provide the following services:

• Enable components to register their IORs
• Enable components to deregister their IORs
• Enable components to retrieve an IOR by passing a component’s
marker
• Enable components to retrieve all IORs registered with the IORR

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Before you specify the interfaces for IORR, you also have to think about how you are going to allow a
heterogeneous CORBA environment to use this service. One primary requirement is that a component
anywhere should be able to access the IORR’s IOR. The trick is to use some unglamorous way to
accomplish this. Consider the following possibilities:
• You could stream the IOR to some persistent state. This solution is a good one at first sight.
Perhaps you could use something like a small object-oriented database, such as Objectstore PSE, to
achieve this. Even traditional persistent stores could be used. The benefit of this is that the search
capability of the database could be used to search for IORs.
• You could stream the IOR to a networked file system. This is a simple solution. It is also
efficient, because there is very little overhead in streaming to the file system and then retrieving the
IOR. Of course, the trade-off you have to make is that you would have to engineer all the search
and sort algorithms. Because you live in the age of reuse, however, there are plenty of freely
available libraries that do these efficiently. You could use the C++ Standard Template Libraries or
the Java Collections that are part of Java Development Kit 1.2, which is also available to JDK 1.1.
You have to consider that the IORs should be on some type of networked file systems or at least an
environment that could provide you with an open means of networked distribution.
• If interoperability is to be achieved on a single machine, a simple Clipboard-based transfer is
sufficient. This is an obtuse way of saying, “use cut and paste”!
We are going to try something novel. As a consultant who works with every manner of distributed
middleware, I have to keep my ears to the ground, so to speak, for new ways of distributing information.
One of the technologies I came across recently is called iBus.
iBus will easily allow us to transmit the IORRegistry’s IOR over IP multicast. With Java, the solution is
trivial, because the requisite network libraries for UDP-based protocols are built into the JDK. Because
iBus is a pure Java implementation, we could easily integrate this solution with Java-based CORBA
applications. On the other hand, with C++ it is a little more involved. Trying to implement IP multicast
using C++ would be unnecessarily complex, so we shall make a radical design compromise.
With these choices in mind, let’s now define the IDL for the IORegistry:

IORR.idl
module iorr{
interface registry {
exception ObjectAlreadyRegisted { string reason; };
exception ObjectNotRegisterd { string reason; };
exception GenralException { string reason; };
struct entry {
string object_name;
string server_name;
string ior;
};
typedef entry registryEntry;
typedef sequence<entry> directory;
void register(in registryEntry t_entry) raises
(ObjectAlreadyRegisted);
void deregister(in registryEntry t_entry) raises
(ObjectNotRegisterd);
void fetch(inout registryEntry t_entry) raise
(ObjectNotRegisterd);
directory fetch_all() raises (GenralException);
};
};

The IORegistry IDL Details

The struct entry is the object that will make up the entries in the registry. These entries, of course,
have to be held in an array, which is what the following line does:

typedef sequence<entry> directory;

The API shown in the next three lines are for manipulating the registry:

void register(in registryEntry t_entry) raises (ObjectAlreadyRegisted);

void deregister(in registryEntry t_entry) raises (ObjectNotRegisterd);
void fetch(inout registryEntry t_entry) raise (ObjectNotRegisterd);
This design also contains exception handling. You will find throughout the book that we will have
exceptions wherever appropriate. This should be your standard practice as well. Keep in mind that a
CORBA client blocks until an invocation returns. If something goes wrong, the client usually gets some
cryptic CORBA exception, which is not helpful in the context of the invocation. It is a small price to pay
to make some intelligible exceptions for a client invocation if things do go wrong.
The design is very minimalist, just enough to move IORs around. Let’s now move to the implementation
of the IORegistry Server.
The following tools and environment will be used in building the solution:
IORegistry Server Environment and Tools

The ORB Inprise VisiBroker for Java 3.1

IDE Inprise JBuilder 2.0
Additional Library iBus 0.7
Java Generic Library 3.0.1

The Java Generic Library can be downloaded from www.odi.com. iBus can be obtained from
http://www.softwired.ch.

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-----------
Compiling the IDL

Run the VisiBroker IDL pre-compiler on the ior.idl with the following line:

C:\> idl2java -strict -no_comments -no_tie iorr.idl

The flags are as follows:
• strict—This flag ensures that the IDL pre-compiler generates OMG-compliant Java code.
• no_comments—Absence of this flag generates comments in the generated file that can then be used
by Javadoc to generate code documentation.
• no_tie—This flag disables the support code generation.
The IDL pre-compiler generates the following files:
• Reregistry.java—This is Java mapping for the IDL interface.
• Various helper files—The helper classes contain various utility functions. The functions are all static
so that you don’t need to instantiate these classes to access their services.
• Various holder files These contain utility functions related to mapping Java to CORBA-compliant
parameters (more on this later). The functions also contain services for CORBA::Any.
• _registryImplBase.java This file contains BOA support for the registry interface
implementation.
• portable_stub_registry.java These are stub files for the registry implementation.
• example_registry.java This is skeleton implemenation of the registry interface, which you
can fill up and compile. This is the first file you need to work with. You are free to change the name of
this file. Remember also to change the class name if you do.
Listing 1.1 shows the example_registry.java file.
Listing 1.1 A Skeleton Implementation of the Registry Interface

package iorr;
import com.objectspace.jgl.*;
import java.util.Enumeration;

public class _example_registry extends iorr._registryImplBase {

//A Java generic library Hashset to hold all the Registry entries
private HashSet iortable = null;

//Method to check if an entry already exists in the registry

private boolean CheckEntry(iorr.registryPackage.entry y_entry){
iorr.registryPackage.entry x_entry;

Enumeration en = iortable.elements();
boolean found_it = false;

while(en.hasMoreElements()){
x_entry = (iorr.registryPackage.entry) en.nextElement();
if(x_entry.server_name.equals(y_entry.server_name) &&
x_entry.object_name.equals(y_entry.object_name) )
found_it = true;

}
return found_it;
}

public _example_registry() {
super(“IORR”);
iortable = new HashSet(false);
}

//Method to register an IORRegistry entry

public void register(iorr.registryPackage.entry t_entry) throws
iorr.registryPackage.ObjectAlreadyRegisted {

try{
iortable.add(t_entry);
System.out.println(“IOR From the Client: “ + t_entry.ior);
}
catch(NullPointerException e){
throw new iorr.registryPackage.ObjectAlreadyRegisted(e.toString());
}
}

//Method to deregister an IORRegistry entry

public void deregister(iorr.registryPackage.entry t_entry)throws
iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd {
try{
iortable.remove(t_entry);
}
catch(Exception e){
throw new iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd(e.toString());
}
}

//Method to retrieve an already registered IORRegistry entry by passing an

//entryHolder
public void fetch(iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder t_entry)
throws iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd {
Enumeration e = iortable.elements();
boolean found = false;

while(e.hasMoreElements() && found == false )

iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder _entry =
(iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder) e.nextElement();
if(_entry.value.object_name == t_entry.value.object_name
&& _entry.value.server_name == t_entry.value.server_name){
t_entry.value.ior = _entry.value.ior;
found = true;
}
}
if(!found)
throw new iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd(“Object not
found”);
}

//Method to retrieve the entire contents of the IORRegistry.

//They arereturned as an array of entry elements
public iorr.registryPackage.entry[] fetch_all( ) throws
iorr.registryPackage.GenralException {
int count = iortable.size();
if(count == 0)
new iorr.registryPackage.GenralException(“IOR table is empty”);

Enumeration e = iortable.elements();
iorr.registryPackage.entry[] table =
new iorr.registryPackage.entry[count];
for(int i = 0; i < count; i++){
table[i] = (iorr.registryPackage.entry)e.nextElement();
}
return table;
}
}

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-----------
These are the details of the IORRegistry interface’s implementation:
• The Registry entries coming in from clients are to be held in the Java Generic Library (JGL) Hashset.
The JGL Hashset stores elements by their hash code by invoking the hashcode() on them. The JGL
is an extremely efficient set of Java container classes based on the C++ Standard Template Library.
• The client can invoke register() on the IORRegistry by passing an instance of the following:

iorr.registryPackage.entry t_entry

On receipt of the entry instance, the implementation adds the entry into the Hashset.
• The following method verifies whether the entry exists in the Registry:

public void fetch(iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder t_entry)

throws iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd {
Enumeration e = iortable.elements();
boolean found = false;

while(e.hasMoreElements() && found == false )

The object reference’s name has to be unique within a server. If this constraint is violated, the exception

iorr.registryPackage.ObjectAlreadyRegisted

is thrown to the client.

• Any implementation that has registered with the IORRegistry can use this method to remove its IOR
when it is no longer needed. Of course, this implies that the object to be deregistered exists in the
registry; otherwise, an exception is thrown.
• Operation for fetching an element from the IORRegistry was defined in IDL as the following:

void fetch(inout registryEntry t_entry)

The parameter passed into the server was tagged as inout. This means that the parameter is passed
from the server, and the server can operate on it and return it. In Java, an inout parameter maps to a
holder class. The implementation is rather simple, because it involves iterating over an enumeration of
the elements of the Hashset until a match is found and then setting the requested IOR in the holder class.
• As it should be clear from the interface for the iorr.registryPackage.entry, a client is
expected to know the name of the server and object before it can request an IOR. In case these are not
known, the client can request all the entries. This means that the client needs to figure out which IOR it
wants.
We now have to design a solution to allow potential clients to discover the register’s IOR so that it can use its
services.

iBus IORRegistry Transmitter

The design of the IORRegistry is such that any client that needs to use IOR for interoperability needs to find
only the initial IOR for the registry. A good solution that solves this problem would be to decouple the location
of where this IOR was stored from the potential client. Otherwise, if the location were to change, the client
would have to be reinitialized with the new settings.
With Java, such changes could easily be handled with property files. Java property files can be read in by an
application, and these files could contain all the necessary parameters to initialize the connection to the
IORRegistry. If such a solution could be found, the system has a good chance to be flexible and scalable. One
such technology is iBus. In fact, it would be a good solution in some cases to have all servers multicast their
IORs over predefined channels. This would result in an architecture that has no need for a centralized naming
service.
Using iBus means that any client that has implemented the required callback interface could “listen” to the
IOR for the registry being transmitted over the network. Our implementation of iBus uses IP multicast as the
transmission protocol. (Information about iBus can be otained at the Softwired Web site.) This does mean the
quality of service is rather poor, because the packets have no guaranteed delivery. But this is more efficient in
terms of conserving your network’s bandwidth.
The SOAR.infrastructure.transmitter defines two classes and an interface. The class
iortransmitter.java defines and implements the requirements for an iBus channel. The
implementation is rather simple, because the only thing this class needs to do is transmit the IORRegistry
server. The IORReceiver.java contains the implementation for the iBus channel receiver functionality.
Any client that needs to “tune” into the IORRegistry server’s channel can use this class to do so. The only
constraint is that such a client implements the receiver interface defined in receiver.java. Listing 1.2
shows the implementation of the IORRegistry IOR transmitter.
Listing 1.2 The IORRegistry Transmitter

package SOAR.infrastructure.transmitter;
import iBus.exception.*;
import iBus.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.net.*;

public class iortransmitter extends Thread {

private String ior_to_transmit = null;

private iBus.Stack t_stack = null;
private iBusURL t_url = null;
private Posting t_posting = null;
public iortransmitter(String t_ior){

ior_to_transmit = t_ior;

try{
t_url = new iBusURL (“ibus://226.0.0.1/soar/iorrt”);
}
catch(java.net.MalformedURLException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

t_stack = new iBus.Stack(“IPMCAST”);

t_posting = new Posting();

// put the message into the posting:

t_posting.setLength(1);
t_posting.setObject(0, ior_to_transmit);

// register this application as a talker for the URL:

try{
t_stack.registerTalker(t_url);
}
catch(iBus.exception.CommException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
catch(iBus.exception.AlreadyRegistered e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

System.out.println(“Transmitter is initialized for “ +

ior_to_transmit);

public void run(){

for(;;){
try{
t_stack.push(t_url, t_posting);
System.out.println(“tick..”);
Thread.currentThread().sleep(10000);
}
catch(Exception e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
}

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-----------
This implementation is a very simple adaptation of the iBus “hello world” channel application. As
stated earlier, we are going to use IP Multicast to “push” our IOR around the network.
The IORTransmitter class can be used by any CORBA object that needs to transmit its IOR
around. Any class that wishes to do so could launch the IORTransmitter on a thread so that it
can work in the background and not interfere in the normal workings of the CORBA
implementation:
• When instantiating the IORTransmitter class, the IOR of the source object can be
passed into the class. This is the IOR that is transmitted.
• With iBus, you can use extended URL objects known as iBus URLs to construct a channel.
You do so at

t_url = new iBusURL (“ibus://226.0.0.1/soar/iorrt”);

Depending on your IP address, you would have to change the address that you put into this
URL.
• You initialize the protocol stack for IP Multicast. iBus offers a number of protocols,
including Reliable and even Reliable IP Multicast. Let’s choose IPMCAST to conserve the
network bandwidth.
• You initialize the posting object, which is to contain the IOR string object. In fact, iBus
posting objects can contain any valid Java object (!). Here is the relevant code:

t_posting.setObject(0, ior_to_transmit);
• After you have done all this, you register the talker for the chosen iBus URL. The talker is
the object that contains the logic that transmits the information over the channel. This is
accomplished in the following line of code:

t_stack.registerTalker(t_url);
• Finally, a client class on invoking start() on the IORTransmitter launches an
infinite for loop that transmits the posting every ten seconds.

IORRegistry Server Implementations

Now that we have the implementation of the IORRegistry and the iBus transmitter for pushing the
IOR for the registry server, we need to implement a Visigenic server to host the IORRegistry
object, as shown in Listing 1.3.
Listing 1.3 Implementing a Server Host

package iorr;
import SOAR.transmt.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import java.io.*;

public class iorserver {

public static void main(String[] args) {

ORB t_orb = ORB.init();

BOA t_boa = t_orb.BOA_init();

_registryImplBase t_registry = new _example_registry();

String t_registry_ior = t_orb.object_to_string(t_registry);

try{
File outputFile = new File(“ior.dat”);
FileWriter out = new FileWriter(outputFile);

int ior_length = t_registry_ior.length();

for(int i=0;i<ior_length;i++){
out.write(t_registry_ior.charAt(i));
}
out.flush();
out.close();
}

catch(IOException ioe){
System.out.println(ioe.toString());
}

t_boa.obj_is_ready(t_registry);
System.out.println(t_registry + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(“IOR is “ + t_registry_ior);

iortransmitter t_transmitter = new

iortransmitter(t_registry_ior);
try{
t_transmitter.start();
}
catch(Exception e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

t_boa.impl_is_ready();
orb.disconnect(registry);
}
}
As I said earlier, most CORBA server implementations are relatively standard. In fact, some ORBs
do generate a standard server file that can be used without changes with a wide variety of client
implementations. But our server implementation does contain a few changes relating to the steps
required to set up the IORTransmitter object:
• After instantiating an instance of the registry interface, you invoke the call
object_to_string on the ORB handle. This call returns the IOR, which is a stringified
object reference of the registry.
• After you have returned the IOR to the registry, you can now instantiate an instance of the
IORTransmitter. The constructor of the IORTransmitter requires a string parameter
referring to the IOR. The IOR string is passed into the IORTransmitter to instantiate it.
• After instantiating the transmitter, the start method is called on the object to have the
IORTransmitter run on a separate thread from the main one.
• The main thread blocks, waiting for incoming requests, in this line:

orb.disconnect(registry);

Setting the IORTransmitter on a separate thread now makes a lot more sense. The server
waiting for messages and the transmitter multicasting messages make excellent candidates for
threading.
We have implemented the IORRegistry and the IORTransmitter. You can now run the
application to see whether everything functions as intended. Of course, it won’t seem to do much,
because the only thing that is happening is hidden from your view: On one thread, the blocked BOA
call is waiting for any request, and on the other thread, the IORTransmitter multicasts the
server’s IOR every ten seconds. We now need to build some ears!

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-----------
The IORRegistry Client-Side Implementation

There are some important considerations you have to take into account before constructing a
listener. The most important thing is that no matter which client uses a listener, the services that
have been implemented cannot change. This means that no matter what type the client is, the
implementation of the IORRegistry server or the IORTransmitter cannot change. The
other consideration is that we should have the ability to just reuse the listener without change;
after all, this is what object orientation is all about isn’t it? This is a valid consideration,
because any real-world implementation of such a system would consist of any number of
IORReceiver clients running. The iBus listener should not have to know all the clients that
are using its services. It should be a simple matter of any client requiring the services of a
listener to simply “plug in” the receiver and receive transmissions.
We can accomplish this constraint on our design by specifying a generic interface that must be
implemented by any client that wishes to be notified on reception of an IOR. We shall specify
such an interface, which we call the IORReceiver interface:

package SOAR. infrastructure.receiver;

public IORReceiver receiver {

public void set_IOR(String t_ior);

}
The IORReceiver interface specifies only a single operation: set_IOR(String
t_ior). This method needs to be implemented by any client that requires notification by the
IORReceiver object.

The IORReceiver Class Implementation

The IORReceiver is the ear that listens to a specific iBus channel for reception of the IOR
string. Most of the constraints that were imposed on the transmitter also apply to the receiver.
For instance, the receiver has to execute on a thread, the receiver has to be shut down when the
Registry IOR has been received, and so on. Listing 1.4 shows the implementation of the
IORReceiver class.
Listing 1.4 The IORReceiver Class

package SOAR.infrastructure.receiver;
import iBus.exception.*;
import iBus.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.net.*;
import iorr.*;

public class IORReceiver extends Thread {

private iBus.Stack t_stack = null;

private iBus.iBusURL t_url = null;
private IORTuner t_tuner = null;
private IORReceiver _temp_ior = null;

public IORReceiver(receiver t_temp) {

String args[] = new String[]{“”};

args = Application.init(“IOR Tuner”, args);
_temp_ior = t_temp;
}

public void run(){

t_tuner = new IORTuner(_temp);
_temp= null;

try{
t_url = new iBusURL (“ibus://226.0.0.1/soar/iorrt”);
}
catch(MalformedURLException e){
System.err.println(e.toString());
}

t_stack = new iBus.Stack(“IPMCAST”);

// subscribe the receiver object to the hello world channel:

try{
t_stack.subscribe(t_url, t_tuner);
}
catch(iBus.exception.CommException e){
System.err.println(e.toString());
}
catch(iBus.exception.AlreadySubscribed e){
System.err.println(e.toString());
}

System.err.println(Application.getAppName() + “ is ready.”);

// wait for incoming postings:

t_stack.waitTillExit();
}

public void logout(){

t_stack.readyToExit();
}
}

class IORTuner implements iBus.Receiver {

receiver t_buffer = null;

public IORTuner(receiver t_temp){

t_buffer = t_temp;
}

public void dispatchPush(iBusURL source, Posting p)

{
String t_ior = (String)p.getObject(0);
t_buffer.set_IOR(t_ior);
}

public Posting dispatchPull(iBusURL channel, Posting request)

{
return null;
}

public void error(iBusURL url, String details)

{
System.err.println(“Error: “ + details);
System.err.flush();
System.exit(1);
}
}

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-----------
The IORRegistry receiver contains two classes: the IORReceiver and the
IORTuner. Think of the IORReceiver class as the radio and the IORTuner class
as the component that actually receives the signals. Let’s look at the internals of the
two classes:
• The IORReceiver is a subclass of the java.util.Thread class. This
allows you to run the receiver on a thread. By design, any class that wants to
receive IORs over the iBus can use this class by aggregation and simply “start
up” the thread.
• iBus requires that you initialize the application. It is not really necessary, but
if you want to pass Quality of Service information to iBus, you can do that as
parameters to this method.
• In the run method, an instance of the IORTuner is instantiated. The
IORTuner is required to be a concrete implementation of iBus.Receiver.
Let’s look a little closer at this class:
The IORTuner accepts any class that implements the receiver interface. As
mentioned earlier, this interface allows the Tuner to be independent of any
client using its services by simply invoking set_IOR(t_ior).
The following method:

void dispatchPush(iBusURL source, Posting p)

is where posting “pushed” by the IORTransmitter is received. On reception,

a cast decodes the message. This message is then passed to the client that is
waiting.
• The method on this line:

t_url = new iBusURL (“ibus://226.0.0.1/soar/iorrt”)

is where the URL that specifies the iBus channel is constructed.

Any client that needs to tune into the IOR channel must subscribe to this
channel. A perceptive reader will catch on to the fact that the original aim to
solve the chicken-and-egg problem hasn’t really been solved. It has just been
moved to another place. The tuner needs to have the IOR channel’s URL a
priori. One way to address the problem is to standardize on the URL so that it is
an invariant entity.
• In fact, this is the way CORBA addresses the problem. Object references to
standard services, such as the Naming Service or Trading Service, is resolved by
invoking resolveinitialreference on the ORB and passing
standardized names to those services. For example NS is the required name for
the Naming Service.
• IP Multicast is the protocol stack over which the channel is transmitted, so an
IPMCAST stack is constructed.
• The URL channel is then used to subscribe to an iBus channel that is being
broadcast over IP Multicast. Two parameters are passed: a reference to the URL
that points to the channel, and a reference to an instance of any class that
implements iBus.Receiver interface.
• At this point, the tuner is initialized. The t_stack.waitTillExit()
method blocks, listening on the iBus channel and waiting for incoming
transmissions. Because Listing 1.4 uses IP Multicast, the reception is not
guaranteed, but it will get there eventually. If reliability is required, you could
specify RELIABLE as your IP stack.
We are now ready to build clients that can subscribe to the IORTransmitter
channel. This is to be only a test client that allows us to try on the IORRegistry’s
API. The client is only a CORBA client. The packages included in the client are
standard org.omg.* packages, so it should be possible for you to use any ORB
implementation.
Before looking at the implementation, the necessary ORB support files need to be
generated. Run your preferred IDL compiler on iorr.idl. Invoke the IDL
pre-compiler with the -clientstubonly switch. Different ORBs have different
switches. Here are two:
• ORBIXWeb 3.0: c:\>idl -jC -jOMG iorr.idl
The -jC is the switch required to generate only client-side files.
The -jOMG generates “pure” OMG-specified code without any value-added
proprietary support.
• VisiBroker 3.0: c:\>idl2java -strict -no_skel
-no_comments
The -strict flag ensures that only OMG-compliant code is generated.
The -no_skel means that only client-side stubs are generated.
The -no_comments switches off code comment generation.
The IDL pre-compiler generates the following files under ORBIXWEB 3.0:
• _registryStub.java—This file contains the client-side stub support for
the iorr interfaces.
• registry.java—The registry.java file contains the interface
mapping for the iorr interface to Java.
• The helper and the holder files are the same as for the server. These files
contain various utilities.

The OrbixIORTuner Implementation

Everything required to build a test interoperability client is now ready. The
implemenation has some simple requirements:
• The client needs to have support to the IORReceiver component.
• The client should be threaded for performance.

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-----------
Listing 1.5 shows the implementation of the OrbixIORTuner.
Listing 1.5 OrbixIORTuner

Package Iorr;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import SOAR.receiver.*;
import java.util.*;

public class OrbixIORTuner extends Thread implements iorr.receiver{

private String t_registry_ior = null;

private ORB _orb = null;

public OrbixIORTuner(){

_orb = ORB.init();
System.out.println(“ORB Client initializing..”);
}

public void run(){

IORReceiver t_receiver = new IORReceiver(this);

t_receiver.start();

while(t_registry_ior == null){
System.out.println(“waiting..”);
try{
Thread.currentThread().sleep(10000);
}
catch(InterruptedException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}

t_receiver.logout();
t_receiver.stop();
t_receiver = null;
System.out.println(“Registry IOR is “ + t_registry_ior );
this.continueProcess();
}

public synchronized void set_IOR(String t_ior){

t_registry_ior = t_ior;
}

private void continueProcess(){

registry t_registry = null;

try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object _temp =_orb.string_to_object(t_registry_ior);
t_registry = registryHelper.narrow(_temp);
}
catch(SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

iorr.registryPackage.entry t_entry =
new iorr.registryPackage.entry();

iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder r_entry = new

iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder();

t_entry.server_name = “VisibrokerServer”;
t_entry.object_name = “SomeObject”;

t_entry.ior = t_registry_ior;

r_entry.value.server_name = t_entry.server_name;
r_entry.value.object_name = t_entry.object_name;
r_entry.value.ior = “”;

iorr.registryPackage.entry[] t_allentries = null;

try{
t_registry.register(t_entry);
}
catch(iorr.registryPackage.ObjectAlreadyRegisted e){
System.out.println(“ObjectAlreadyRegistered..”);
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

try{
t_registry.fetch(r_entry);
}
catch(iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd e){
System.out.println(“ObjectNotRegisterd..”);
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object _temp =_orb.string_to_object(t_registry_ior);
t_registry = registryHelper.narrow(_temp);
}
catch(SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
try{
t_registry.register(t_entry);
}
catch(iorr.registryPackage.ObjectAlreadyRegisted e){
System.out.println(“ObjectAlreadyRegistered..”);
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

try{
t_allentries = t_registry.fetch_all( );
}
catch(iorr.registryPackage.GenralException e){
System.out.println(“GeneralException..”);
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

for(int i = 0; i < t_allentries.length; i++)

System.out.println(t_allentries[i].object_name);

try{
t_registry.deregister(t_entry);
}
catch(iorr.registryPackage.ObjectNotRegisterd e){
System.out.println(“ObjectNotRegisterd..”);
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
The OrbixIORTuner is a thread class. It also implements the iorr.receiver interface. This means that
an instance of this class can be passed into the constructor of the IORTuner class:
• The constructor for OrbixIORTuner initializes the ORB. Because this class is a thread, everything
that needs to be initialized once can be done here.
• A number of things are accomplished in the run method. An instance of the IORReceiver is
instantiated and activated. Notice that in this method:

IORReceiver t_receiver = new IORReceiver(this)

a reference to the OrbixIORTuner is passed. Remember from the discussion of the IORTuner that
its constructor takes an iorr.receiver as a parameter. Because OrbixIORTuner is an
iorr.receiver, you can pass an instance of it into the constructor.
• In this line, you go into a busy-waiting loop. This is not the most efficient way for a thread to wait for
something, because processor cycles are gobbled up with each loop. Better ways will be demonstrated
with other examples. Nevertheless, the busy-waiting tests on the truth of t_registry_ior. A null
value for t_registry_ior ensures that the block will loop. Also note that the thread sleeps for ten
seconds so that other threads can also have some CPU time.
Keep in mind that the IORReceiver is also a thread. If the class is to be continuously blocked, the
IORTuner will not get an opportunity to set the t_registry_ior to something else.
• When the busy-waiting block breaks out, the code shuts down the IORReceiver and assigns a null
value to the object reference. This is how object references can be marked for garbage collection in
Java.
• The public synchronized void set_IOR(String t_ior) is an implementation of the
required method that has to be implemented from the iorr.receiver interface. This is the method
that is invoked by the IORTuner to notify the client class that the IOR has been received. We could
have used Java’s built-in even class to do this work, but for the purposes at hand this method would
suffice. Chapter 2, “IIOP and E-Commerce,” contains an improved version of the IORTuner and
IORReceiver.
• The private void continueProcess() is where the main test block sits. All the operations
on the iorr.registry interface are tested here. Before that can be done, the appropriate object
reference needs to be constructed for the IOR that was received by the IORReceiver and passed on
to the OrbixIORClient. Let’s take a deeper look at what this method does:
The CORBA.Object contains the required method that would allow the conversion of the stringified
object reference, the IOR to an instance of CORBA.Object. This is what occurs in the method:

org.omg.CORBA.Object _temp =_orb.string_to_object(t_registry_ior);

• When the object reference is retrieved from the IOR, it needs to be safely cast into the appropriate
object reference. In this case, the _temp object reference that is defined in the previous code needs to
be cast into an instance of iorr.registry. This can be accomplished by invoking narrow on the
helper class provided for the target class. IDL to Java always generates helper classes for the interfaces.
These follow a simple code convention: Take the name of the interface and add the word Helper to it,
and you have the name for the helper.
• In this case, you need the assistance of iorr.registryHelper. Invoking the method narrow
on the helper returns a safely cast instance of the registry object reference. At this point, you should
have a valid instance of the IORRegistry object reference. You are now equipped to make your
invocations to test the implementation of the registry interface. The remaining methods test the
implementation of the registry interfaces. Keep in mind that the registry.register() takes an
instance of iorr.registryPackage.entry, and the registry.fetch() takes an instance of
iorr.registryPackage.entryHolder. This difference is because, for the former in the IDL
for the registry, you specified that the parameter is to be passed as an in parameter, and for the fetch
operation, the parameter is specified as inout. inout support in Java is mapped to a holder class.

Tip:
Always ensure that a remote invocation is made in the context of error handling. Of course, this should be
standard practice with any implementation that has error support. This is necessary in CORBA, because if
something does go wrong remotely, the application must be capable of handling the faulty condition gracefully.

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-----------
This completes the implementation of the IOR interoperability component.

Summary
CORBA was designed since version 2 for broad-based interoperability. To this
extent, a clear distinction is made in terms of its underlying protocols. CORBA
2.0 specified two broad-transport, independent protocols: the GIOP or General
Interoperability Protocol, and the ESIOPs or Environment Specific Protocols.
A TCP transport that implements GIOP is known as IIOP, the Internet
Inter-ORB Protocol. This protocol implementation is mandatory for any
CORBA 2.0–compliant ORB.
IIOP allows interoperability between different ORBs. This interoperability can
be achieved through bridges. There are two types of bridges: a half bridge and
a full bridge. CORBA 2.0 also specifies the mechanism that allows the
conversion of an object reference into a string format. This format is known as
the Interoperable Object Reference (IOR). Objects sitting on one ORB can be
converted to an IOR and exchanged with another ORB to achieve
interoperability.

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-----------

Chapter 2
IIOP and E-Commerce
In This Chapter
• CORBA and Java
• Cookies Cannot Cut It for Long
• Analysis and Design of the SOAR System
• What SOAR Should Do
• The SOAR Client
• The SearchClient GUI
• The ReservationClient GUI
• The PaymentClient GUI
• The Invoice GUI
• The SOARClient Applet
Large organizations have a multiplicity of information technology
architectures. Under those circumstances, it is unreasonable to assume a
homogeneous ORB environment. It is likely that an ORB most suited for the
environment would be present. There could be a specialized ORB for the
mainframe, one for the desktop client/server environment, and so on.
If the Internet is taken into consideration, homogeneity should surely be out of
the question. The Internet is the most powerful testbed to prove the promise of
CORBA interoperability. In this chapter, you use IIOP over the
Internet/intranet to connect complex e-commerce solutions over IIOP.
This example will not attempt to build anything as complex as a bridge.
Nevertheless, the application will be rather involved and complex. This is by
choice, because CORBA solutions are not for the fainthearted or the unskilled.
Before we dive into the internals of the problem and the proposed solution,
let’s look at the environments we are going to use.
The application uses VisiBroker 3.3. The solution will be built using Java.
This setup brings to focus a number of CORBA features. This example
demonstrates that CORBA is platform-neutral and language-independent. In
this context, it is desirable to show the synergy between Java and CORBA.
I will also show how you can use a multiplicity of development environments
with CORBA. A number of IDEs will be used to build both client-side and
server-side applications.

CORBA and Java

Perhaps inadvertently, there has been some undue confusion about Java and
CORBA. Always remember that CORBA is a cross-platform technology, and
Java is a multiplatform solution. CORBA thrives in a heterogeneous
environment, and Java aspires to be in a homogeneous one. Java solves the
portability problem through the application of its Virtual Machine
implementations, and CORBA is adept at solving problems of integration.
If you consider that most information technology problems relate to the ones
involving portability and integration, it stands to reason that Java and CORBA
are ideal for the vast majority of problems that involve integration and
portability. Within this frame work, the example highlights Java’s power of
portability and the potential for clear and transparent integration that is
inherent in CORBA.

Note:
All the Java code will be 100 percent pure so that it will run on any
Javasoft-compatible JVMs. My own test environment runs on OS2 and
Windows NT.

Cookies Cannot Cut It for Long

The Internet is an interconnected Web of HTML and CGI applications. The
power and flexibility of the platform comes from its underlying protocol,
HTTP. This TCP/IP-based protocol is a connectionless application-level
protocol. By this, I mean that the server/client relationship is based on a
request/response mechanism, with the server being stateless. That is a
roundabout way of saying that the server, in this case a Web server, does not
care who the client is or where it is making the request from.
This type of architecture is intentional. The explosive growth (read scalability)
of the Internet can be directly attributed to this feature. But there is one
drawback. A stateless server is unsuited for complex transactions. Transactions
require state, which means that the client can be tracked through various stages
of its interaction with the server.
Consider a proto–e-commerce site such as www.cbooks.com or
www.amazon.com. Every time a book is added to a shopping cart, the system
has to remember what was bought and who bought it. The system does so
admirably. But it does so by delegating the responsibility for maintaining state
to the client through the agency of cookies. This is not such a bad thing, as
demonstrated by the impressive growth of companies offering such services.
Some of you might have noticed that the term proto–e-commerce was used to
describe such solutions. The term was intentional, considering that such setups
become cumbersome and unworkable as soon as an attempt is made to
integrate such solutions with others.
Consider the scenario of booking and buying an airline ticket over the Web.
There are many airlines offering such services right now, using HTTP-based
transactions. But such solutions are only partial, because there is little or no
integration of the solution beyond the Web server. If you could componentize
this solution and use CORBA to integrate the components, you could have a
wall-to-wall e-commerce solution. A wall-to-wall solution is a system that
could be envisaged as a group of subsystems: one for searching, another for
booking, yet another for paying, and so forth. These would work all the way
from one end of the “wall,” where a potential buyer searches for a flight and
books a seat, to the other end, with the client paying for it. When it’s paid, the
transaction is recorded in a number of places: first with the Internet company
that provided the service, then with the airline company where the booking
was made, and finally with the bank where the money will be transferred from
one account into many. Such an approach has the benefit of each part being
designed by domain specialists, such as Yahoo, offering the search services.
Airlines know everything about airplanes, so they would be the perfect party to
offer their reservations systems over the Internet. Who knows more about
money and transactions than the banks? A clever bank would expose its
back-end payment systems to the Web so that monitory transactions
components could be reused by anybody willing to pay for it.
SOAR will be a prototype for such a solution. Its goal will be to illustrate the
benefits and aesthetics of integrated e-commerce solutions and the power of a
platform-independent operating environment. Each section will end with
another part of SOAR being built. The hope is to learn about some of the
issues that real applications face. The application will be intentionally complex
and involved to bring forth the problems that have to be tackled. This
complexity nevertheless should not obscure the fact that CORBA development
is simple.

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-----------
Analysis and Design of the SOAR System
A through and robust analysis is a prerequisite for any software project. CORBA does not
minimize this. As much as I would like to offer an exhaustive analysis of the SOAR domain,
it is best left to another book. But I would like to take the opportunity to emphasize the
importance of object-oriented analysis and design (OOA/D)—especially the design.
Although I have stated that CORBA does not impose any new constraints on the analysis
phase of software development, it does limit your design. It must be pointed out that
CORBA does not specify things such as reliability, fault tolerance, or any other such
quality-of-service criteria. These are essentially up to the ORB vendors.
Even then, such things are not givens, but your design should manifest these requirements.
A badly designed distributed application has the potential to be your worst nightmare,
because, more often than not, you have very little control of things when they do go wrong.
This is typical for any piece of software. Imagine if things go wrong on the other side of the
world, and your piece of architecture depends on it. You can hardly call up people in the
middle of the night and expect support!
ORBs that offer quality-of-service features are coming out, so at least you can look forward
to a reasonable level of fault tolerance. Nevertheless, there is no excuse for shoddy design.
Enough said about OOA/D. Let’s lay down some of the ground rules. SOAR has a number
of requirements as well as constraints. Alas, constraint analysis is beyond the scope of this
book. I will, nevertheless, mention here what I mean by constraints. These are systems
attributes, something that is usually confused with systems functionality. By that I mean, the
user friendliness of the GUI, system response time, and so forth. These are worthy goals in
themselves, but they don’t really have anything to do with SOAR’s goals. So for the time
being, I will ignore all such constraints and describe the system only in terms of what is
required for interoperability and effectively delivering the prototype with the book.

Analysis and Design of SOAR in a Nutshell

As stated earlier, this chapter is meant to be neither exhaustive nor complete, because the
primary purpose of this chapter is to show the issues relating to a complex application.

What SOAR Should Do

The SOAR system should offer a number of subsolutions in the context of the overall
package. They can be broadly identified as follows:
• Provide the ability for a potential passenger to search the flight schedules by various
constraints.
• After a flight has been identified, enable the passenger to book a particular seat on
the selected flight.
• Enable a client to pay for the booking using credit cards.
Within the overall architecture for the system, this functionality could be analyzed and
designed separately and built independently. This approach will be taken in this book.
The different parts of SOAR correspond to the broad requirements that have been identified
previously. They point to the initial requirements of three services that the SOAR back-end
would have to provide: one for searching for flights, one for reserving tickets, and one for
buying tickets. Let’s tackle the reservation requirements first.

The SOAR Reservations

The reservation requirements should do essentially two things: enable a customer to reserve
a seat, and, if required, enable the same or some other person to cancel an existing
reservation. The following is such an interface:

#include “factory.idl”
module Reservations{
interface Flight{
enum status{open,full};
struct seat{
string id;
status availability;
};
readonly attribute string name;
readonly attribute float cost;
readonly attribute string flightNumber;
readonly attribute string date;
readonly attribute string time;
readonly attribute short capacity;
readonly attribute string from;
readonly attribute string to;
void reserveSeat(in string id,
in Factory::Object::Person passenger);
void cancelSeat(in string id);
};
};
Most of the Flight interface is just read-only attributes. This means that the IDL
pre-compiler will only generate accessor methods for these attributes. These attributes will
be initialized by some external process; in our case, the server that holds the flight object
will do this setup to initialize the state of the aircraft. After the state is initialized, a customer
cannot change the state of the flight; he or she can only read it. The only mutable attribute in
the preceding interface is the seat. The seat can have an identifier and a flag announcing the
status of the seat.
Further on, the interface defines two operations: one for reserving the seat, the other for
canceling a reserved seat. Beyond that, the flight interface does not do anything. The
interface has to be compiled and implemented. Invoke the following command on the
idl2java pre-compiler:

prompt$> idl2Java -no_comments -no_tie search.idl

We now have the implement the Flight interface.

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-----------
The Flight Interface Implementation

The Flight interface implementation should adhere to several design constraints. Because the space on the
airplane is finite, it is natural that this space can run out. The design should accommodate this aspect. A
seat should not be capable of being reserved more than once. This is a requirement that is stated
implicitly. Beyond this, the requirements on the interface are modest. These requirements are
implemented, as shown in Listing 2.1.
Listing 2.1 The Reservation Component

package Reservations;
import Reservations.FlightPackage.*;
import java.util.*;

public class Reservations extends Reservations._FlightImplBase {

private String name = null;

private String flightNumber = null;
private float cost;
private String date = null;
private String time = null;
private short capacity;
private String from = null;
private String to = null;
private com.objectspace.jgl.Stack aircraft =
new com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();
private com.objectspace.jgl.Stack reservations =
new com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();
private ReservationListener listener = null;

public Reservations() {
super();
}

public Reservations(String name,

String flightNumber,
float cost,
String date,
String time,
short capacity,
String from,
String to){
super(name);

this.name = name;
this.flightNumber = flightNumber;
this.cost = cost;
this.date = date;
this.time = time;
this.capacity = capacity;
this.from = from;
this.to = to;

seat[] seats = new seat[capacity];

for(short i = 0; i< capacity; i++){

seats[i] = new seat(new Short(i).toString(),status.open);
aircraft.add(seats[i]);
}
}

public void reserveSeat(

java.lang.String id,
Factory.ObjectPackage.Person passenger
) {
for (Enumeration e = aircraft.elements() ; e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
seat temp_ = (seat)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.id == id){
temp_.availability = status.full;
reservations.push(new reservation(temp_,passenger));
aircraft.remove(e);
}
}
ReservationEvent event =
new ReservationEvent(this,ReservationEvent.SeatReserverd);
sendMessage(event);
}

public void cancelSeat(

java.lang.String id
) {
for (Enumeration e = reservations.elements() ;
e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
reservation temp_ = (reservation)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.a_seat.id == id){
temp_.a_seat.availability = status.open;
aircraft.push(temp_);
reservations.remove(e);
}

ReservationEvent event = new ReservationEvent(this,

ReservationEvent.SeatCanceled); sendMessage(event);
}

public java.lang.String name() {

return name;
}
public float cost() {
return cost;
}
public java.lang.String flightNumber() {
return flightNumber;
}
public java.lang.String date() {
return date;
}
public java.lang.String time() {
return time;
}
public short capacity() {
return (short)aircraft.size();
}
public java.lang.String from() {
return from;
}
public java.lang.String to() {
return to;
}
public void addReservationListener(ReservationListener listener){
this.listener = listener;
}

public void sendMessage(ReservationEvent anEvent){

listener.reservationStatus(anEvent);
}
}

class reservation{
public seat a_seat;
public Factory.ObjectPackage.Person a_passenger;

reservation(seat s_, Factory.ObjectPackage.Person p_){

a_seat = s_;
a_passenger = p_;
}
}
The manner in which the Reservation application is envisioned is to enable an application to
construct as many aircraft objects as required inside the server. Each aircraft object represents an object
that can be used to reserve a seat. In this context, a potential passenger should be able to search for an
aircraft using some criteria. The search facility implemented later uses a search server. For now, let’s look
a little closer at the implementation of the Reservation interface.
The Reservation implementation’s primary methods are the reserveSeat() and
cancelSeat() methods. To reserve a seat, a client uses the former; the latter is used to cancel a seat
that had been reserved. By some means, every aircraft is allocated a specified number of seats. This
means that even though an aircraft has 290 seats, for example, under certain circumstances a capacity less
than this number is actually used inside an aircraft.
The seats and the internal data structure of the aircraft are initialized in the constructor. The constructor is
the other important method that the reservation object uses. The seats are the key to reservations. The seat
is a structure that is represented as the following class, which is generated by the IDL pre-compiler:
package Reservations.FlightPackage;
final public class seat {
public java.lang.String id;
public Reservations.FlightPackage.status availability;
public seat() {
}
public seat(
java.lang.String id,
Reservations.FlightPackage.status availability
) {
this.id = id;
this.availability = availability;
}
public java.lang.String toString() {
org.omg.CORBA.Any any = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init().create_any();
Reservations.FlightPackage.seatHelper.insert(any, this);
return any.toString();
}
}
When a seat is reserved, its availability status is set to status.full; when it is cancelled, it can be set
to status.open. The seats are initialized in the following manner in the constructor:

..
..
seat[] seats = new seat[capacity];
for(short i = 0; i< capacity; i++){
seats[i] = new seat(new Short(i).toString(),status.open);
aircraft.add(seats[i]);
}
..
..

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-----------
The seats are initialized in an array. They are initialized to the capacity that an external process
passes as a capacity parameter inside the reservation server’s constructor. When the seats are
allocated, they are added to an instance of a JGL stack object named aircraft. The
aircraft object represents the seats that are available in an aircraft.
The reserveSeat() method is passed two parameters: a String identifier and an instance
of a Passenger (to be specified later). The client invokes this method to reserve a seat, the
identifier being the seat number the client wants to reserve. In terms of the implementation, the
reservation object first validates the existence of such a seat in the aircraft. If an instance is
present, the implementation reserves this seat by moving the seat, after setting the state of the
object, to another stack object called reservations. Over time, the number of seats inside
the aircraft stack should go down, and the number of seats present in the reservations
collection should go up.
I took this approach because it seems easier to remove an object from the reservations
stack if a cancel operation is called on the Reservation interface. Both reserveSeat()
and cancelSeat() generate an event, the ReservationEvent. This enables us to create a
loose coupling between some GUI that we are yet to build and this object.

The ReservationEvent Class and Interface

The Reservation implementation defines a set of event-related classes that is used to couple
the GUI with this class. The Reservation design specifies a listener interface that can be used
by any party to listen in on event when a ReservationEvent takes place. The following is
the interface:

package Reservations;
import java.util.*;

public interface ReservationListener extends EventListener{

public void reservationStatus(ReservationEvent anEvent);
}
In this case, it is the GUI that is going to use this interface so that the Reservation
implementation can notify it when an event takes place. The corresponding Event class is used
by the reservations object to notify listeners when a ReservationEvent takes place.
Here is the ReservationEvent class:

package Reservations;
import java.util.*;

public class ReservationEvent extends EventObject{

static final int SeatReserverd = 1;

static final int SeatCanceled = 2;
private int id = 0;

ReservationEvent(Object source, int eventId) {

super(source);
id = eventId;
}

int getID() {
return id;
}
}
When a ReservationEvent takes place—for instance, a reserve event or a cancel event, the
aforementioned methods invoke the following method:

…
…
ReservationEvent event =
new ReservationEvent(this,ReservationEvent.SeatCanceled);
sendMessage(event);
…
…
The object will instantiate a ReservationEvent object and fire the sendMessage()
method. sendMessage invokes the instances that have registered with the object for
notification; in this case, such objects have to implement the ReservationListener
interface. This code is shown here:

public void sendMessage(ReservationEvent anEvent){

listener.reservationStatus(anEvent);
}
This concludes the implementation of the Flight interface. Now, let’s construct a server to
hold the object reference for service.

The ReservationServer Implementation

Listing 2.2 illustrates a typical implementation of a CORBA server. It uses Java Swing class for
the GUI. Here, you separate the server from the GUI that acts as a front-end to the server. This
can be accomplished if you implement a server class as an object that is capable of running as a
thread inside the GUI object. This enables the GUI to respond to interactions with the user at the
same time that it is providing service to the client. The server code is shown first and then the
GUI code.
Listing 2.2 The Flight Server

package Reservations;

public class Server implements Runnable{

private ReservationServer gui;
private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private Reservations[] rs = null;
Search.TimeTable SearchEngine = null;

Server(ReservationServer rs_){
gui = rs_;
}

public void run(){

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
rs = new Reservations[2];
java.util.Date date = new java.util.Date();
try{
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolv =
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj =
resolv.locate(“http://localhost:15000/timetable.ior”);
SearchEngine = Search.TimeTableHelper.narrow(obj);
}
catch(Exception e) {
gui.DisplayMessage(e.toString());
}
for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++){
String hour = new Integer(date.getHours() + i).toString();
String minutes = new Integer(date.getMinutes()).toString();
String time = hour + “ : ” + minutes;
String[] from = {“London”,”Los Angles”};
String[] to = {“Warsaw”, “Rome”};

rs[i] = new Reservations(

“Flight “ + new Integer(i).toString()
,”LM”+ new Integer(i).toString()
,(float)450.00
,date.toGMTString()
,time
,(short)150
,from[i]
,to[i] );

rs[i].addReservationListener(gui);
boa.obj_is_ready(rs[i]);
gui.DisplayMessage(rs[i] + “ is ready.”);
}
try{
SearchEngine.RegisterFlight(rs);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
gui.DisplayMessage(e.toString());
}
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

public void stop(){

for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++){
try{
SearchEngine.RemoveEntry(rs[i].flightNumber());
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
gui.DisplayMessage(e.toString());
}
catch(Exception ex){
gui.DisplayMessage(ex.toString());
}
}
for(int j=0;j<rs.length;j++)
boa.deactivate_obj(rs[i]);
orb.shutdown();
gui.DisplayMessage(“Reservation Server Shutdown.”);
}
}

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-----------
The ReservationServer initializes the reservations objects that implement the Flight
interface. If a more real-world scenario is required, the reservations objects can be initialized
using data that is retrieved from a database. In this case, you just hold the reservations objects in
an array.

private Reservations[] rs = null;

The following line of code may seem perplexing right now, but the implementation uses VisiBroker
URL Naming to locate a search engine to register flight details. Let’s implement the Search interface
next. URL Naming is a simple facility VisiBroker provides that can be used by a client to retrieve an
IOR using an URL. VisiBroker URL Naming is covered in Chapter 17, “VisiBroker Caffeine.” When
the object reference to the search engine is retrieved, the ReservationServer can register the
flight details with it:

org.omg.CORBA.Object obj =
resolv.locate(“http://localhost:15000/timetable.ior”);
SearchEngine = Search.TimeTableHelper.narrow(obj);
Before that can be accomplished, the reservations objects have to be constructed. In this case,
two such objects are constructed. The first reservation object represents a flight from London to
Warsaw and the second, from Los Angles to Rome. Both flights have a capacity of 10 seats:

rs[i] = new Reservations(“Flight “ + new Integer(i).toString()

,”LM”+ new Integer(i).toString()
,(float)450.00 /*Cost*/
,date.toGMTString()
,time
,(short)10 /*capacity*/
,from[i]
,to[i] );
When the reservations objects are constructed, an instance of the GUI object is registered with
the reservations object as a ReservationEvent listener; then they are registered with with
the Basic Object Adapter (BOA), and then with the search engine:

rs[i].addReservationListener(gui); //Event Listener

boa.obj_is_ready(rs[i]); //BOA registeration
…
…
SearchEngine.RegisterFlight(rs); //Search Registration
Finally, the boa.impl_is_ready() method is called to notify the BOA that the server is read to
receive invocations from a client.
All the preceding implementation takes place inside the run() method. This means that it will
execute when the start() method is called on a thread. Similarly, when the stop() method is
called on the thread, the reverse of what we did in the run() method takes place. First, the flight
details are removed from the search engine. Then the object references are deregistered from the BOA,
and finally the instance of the BOA is shut down. Now we are ready to build the GUI.

The ReservationServer GUI

Java Swing classes are used to construct a user interface that monitors the internal state of the
reservation object references. Primarily, it should display Reservation events as and when they
occur. This code is shown in Listing 2.3.
Listing 2.3 The ReservationServer Interface

package Reservations;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import borland.jbcl.layout.*;

public class ReservationServer extends JPanel

implements ReservationListener{
JButton StartButton = new JButton();
JButton StopButton = new JButton();
Thread serverThread = null;
Server rs = null;
JPanel jPanel1 = new JPanel();
JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea StatusArea = new JTextArea();
PaneLayout paneLayout1 = new PaneLayout();

public ReservationServer(){
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

public void reservationStatus(ReservationEvent anEvent){

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
if(rs == null){
rs = new Server(this);
serverThread = new Thread(rs);
serverThread.start();
}
this.DisplayMessage(“Reservation Server Initialized.”);
}

void StopButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
if(rs != null){
rs.stop();
rs = null;
}
}

void DisplayMessage(String msg){

java.util.Date date = new java.util.Date();
StatusArea.append(date.toGMTString() +“: ”+ msg + “\n”);
}
}
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-----------
The essential nature of the GUI is that it implements the ReservationListener
interface. It is through this interface that the reservations object communicates with
the user interface. The implementation of this interface is very simple, depending on the
message ID the class invokes the DisplayMessage method to output a string to the
display area. The corresponding implementation is shown in the following lines of code:

public void reservationStatus(ReservationEvent anEvent){

switch(anEvent.getID()){
case ReservationEvent.SeatReserverd:
DisplayMessage (“New Reservation Made.”);
break;
case ReservationEvent.SeatCanceled:
DisplayMessage(“Reservation Cancelled.”);
break;
default:
}
}
The server handles two ReservationEvents: SeatReserved and
SeatCanceled.
The user interface uses two command buttons: a Start button and a Stop button. When the
start command is issued, the class constructs the ReservationServer on a thread
and launches it:

rs = new Server(this);
serverThread = new Thread(rs);
serverThread.start();
The stop command terminates the thread by invoking stop() on it.
We have now completed the implementation of the Reservation interface. The
complete implementation consisted of implementing the Reservation interface,
constructing a Server class to host the objects themselves, and providing a GUI to
provide visual cues to the user. The exact manner in which to launch the server will be
explained after we have constructed the entire application. Figure 2.1 shows the server
running.

Figure 2.1 The Reservation-Server user interface.

We are now ready to implement the search engine.

The SOAR Search Engine

The SOAR search engine is nothing complicated. On the user end, it should enable a
customer to search for a potential aircraft by some criteria. In the ideal situation, a
customer would search by whatever criteria seems appropriate to the customer. In this
case, you have to keep things simple to not complicate the overall design of SOAR.
You can achieve this simplicity if you narrow down the list of criteria a customer can
search by to the barest minimum. In this case, let’s enable the customer to search only by
the departure point and the destination point. The interface that would enable you to build
such a search service is given in the following code:

#include “reservations.idl”

module Search{
interface TimeTable{
typedef sequence<Reservations::Flight> FlightList;
void RegisterFlight(in FlightList TimeTableEntries);
void RemoveEntry(in string FlightNumber);
FlightList search(in string From,
in string To,
in string Date,
in string Time);
};
};
The Search module specifies an interface that is named TimeTable. This interface
represents the external face of the search engine. The interface itself specifies three
operations. The first is RegisterFlight(). This operation takes in a sequence of
Reservation::Flight objects. This enables the instance of TimeTable objects to
return instances of Flight objects to the client that is using its search facility.
RemoveEntry is another administration operation that enables a registered flight object
to be removed from the TimeTable. Finally, the Search() operation enables a client
to search by a number of parameters, such as destination and departure points, dates, time
of day, or all of these criteria. Let’s look at one possible manner of implementing this
interface.
The TimeTable Implementation

The TimeTable interface is implemented in a class named Schedule. Its

implementation is given in Listing 2.4.

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-----------
Listing 2.4 The Search Component

package Search;
import java.util.*;

public class Schedule extends Search._TimeTableImplBase {

private com.objectspace.jgl.Stack timetable =

new com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();
private TimeTableListener listener;

public Schedule(String name) {

super(name);
}

public void RegisterFlight(

Reservations.Flight[] TimeTableEntries
) {
for(int i = 0; i < TimeTableEntries.length; i++){
timetable.push(TimeTableEntries[i]);
TimeTableEvent event = new TimeTableEvent(this,
TimeTableEvent.RegisterEvent,“Registering Flight: ”
+ TimeTableEntries[i].flightNumber() +
“Registering From: ” + TimeTableEntries[i].from()
+ “Registering To: ” + TimeTableEntries[i].to());
this.sendMessage(event);
}
}

public void RemoveEntry(

java.lang.String FlightNumber
) {
for (Enumeration e = timetable.elements() ; e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
Reservations.Flight temp_ = (Reservations.Flight)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.flightNumber() == FlightNumber){
timetable.remove(e);
}
}
TimeTableEvent event = new TimeTableEvent(this,
TimeTableEvent.DeRegisterEvent,“Removing Flight: ”
+ FlightNumber);
this.sendMessage(event);
}

public Reservations.Flight[] search(

java.lang.String From,
java.lang.String To,
java.lang.String Date,
java.lang.String Time
) {
com.objectspace.jgl.Stack tempBag = new com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();
for (Enumeration e = timetable.elements() ; e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
Reservations.Flight temp_ = (Reservations.Flight)e.nextElement();
if(From.equalsIgnoreCase(temp_.from())
&& To.equalsIgnoreCase(temp_.to())){
tempBag.push(temp_);
}
}

Reservations.Flight[] ret_ = new Reservations.Flight[tempBag.size()];

if(tempBag.size() > 0){

Enumeration en = tempBag.elements();
for(int i = 0; i < ret_.length; i++){
ret_[i] = (Reservations.Flight)en.nextElement();
}
String msg = “Found Flight From:” + From + “ To:” + To;
TimeTableEvent event = new TimeTableEvent(this,
TimeTableEvent.SearchEvent,msg);
this.sendMessage(event);
}
else{
String msg = “Flight From:” + From + “ To:” + To + “Not Found”;
TimeTableEvent event = new TimeTableEvent(this,
TimeTableEvent.SearchEvent,msg);
this.sendMessage(event);
}
return ret_;
}

public void addScheduleListener(TimeTableListener listener){

this.listener = listener;
}

public void sendMessage(TimeTableEvent anEvent){

listener.TimeTableStatus(anEvent);
}
}
Just like the Flight implementation, the TimeTable implementation also uses events to couple GUI
with its states. Beyond that, let’s look at the implementation of the operations in a little detail. The first
method that is implemented is the Register() method. This method is passed an array of Flight
objects from the client. This enables a client to construct any number of flight objects at its end and then
pass these in an array to the Schedule implementation. The implementation is straightforward; it uses a
JGL stack to represent a list of flights that are in its schedule. A more efficient and thorough extension of
this scheme should also be just as trivial. The stack object in question is named timetable. When an
element of the incoming array is added to the stack, the Schedule object generates a TimeTable
event that is passed back to registered listeners. You will look at the event-related interface and class a
little later in the chapter. The essential statement that deals with the registration is shown here:

timetable.push(TimeTableEntries[i]);
The next operation that is implemented is the RemoveEntry() method. This method is passed an
identifier that is used to locate the flight object in the timetable stack. The search is carried out by
constructing an enumeration and checking whether the parameter that is passed to the implementation
matches an attribute of an object in the stack. The following is the associated code:

Reservations.Flight temp_ = (Reservations.Flight)e.nextElement();

if(temp_.flightNumber() == FlightNumber){
timetable.remove(e);
The removal of an entry also generates an TimeTableEvent that is fired to all registered listeners.
Next is the core of the TimeTable—the operation that enables a client to search for an aircraft by some
parameter. The search() method is passed four parameters. The four parameters correspond to the
following lines of code:

public Reservations.Flight[] search(

java.lang.String From,
java.lang.String To,
java.lang.String Date,
java.lang.String Time
)
As with the removal of a registered item, the essence of the search algorithm is similar. The
implementation enumerates over the elements of the stack and uses the accessor method in the Flight
interface to check whether a searched flight if found in the Schedule:

if(From.equalsIgnoreCase(temp_.from()) &&
To.equalsIgnoreCase(temp_.to()))
The search implementation in this case searches on the departure point and the destination points only. All
the elements in the timetable that match this criteria are added to an array. This array constitutes the result
of the search. This array is passed back to the client. As with the other two methods, the search also
generates a TimeTableEvent to the registered listeners. The next sections explain the classes that help
specify the events that the Schedule class generates.

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-----------
The TimeTableEvent Class and Interface

The event listener interface needs to be implemented by the classes that are interested in receiving events
from the Schedule object:

package Search;
import java.util.*;

public interface TimeTableListener extends EventListener{

public void TimeTableStatus(TimeTableEvent anEvent);
}
The interface uses a TimeTableEvent class that encapsulates the event itself:

package Search;
import java.util.*;

public class TimeTableEvent extends EventObject{

static final int SearchEvent = 1;

static final int DeRegisterEvent = 2;
static final int RegisterEvent = 3;
private int id = 0;
private String msg = null;

TimeTableEvent(Object source, int eventId, String msg) {

super(source);
id = eventId;
this.msg = msg;
}

int getID() {
return id;
}

String toString(){
return msg;
}
}
The preceding event class is slightly different from the ReservationEvent in terms of the internal
data structure. This class contains a String object that encapsulates the actual event message. The
Schedule class goes uses the event class in the following manner:

String msg = “Flight From:” + From + “ To:” + To + “Not Found”;

TimeTableEvent event =
new TimeTableEvent(this, TimeTableEvent.SearchEvent,msg);
this.sendMessage(event);
The preceding event is generated when the search() method is invoked by a client. The event is fired
at objects that have registered with the Schedule class using the following method:

public void addScheduleListener(TimeTableListener listener){

this.listener = listener;
}
In the case of both the Reservation class and the Schedule class, only one object is registered as
listener. From the design, this notification facility is only used by the GUI to be notified when some
interface event occurs. If more than one listener has to be notified, a collection object such as a vector has
to be used to hold the reference to all the listeners.
We are now ready to implement the TimeTableServer. As with the Schedule class, the
TimeTableServer is also implemented as a thread in a separate class. This enables you to separate the
server logic from the presentation logic. The server code is shown in Listing 2.5.
Listing 2.5 The TimeTableServer Thread

package Search;

public class TimeTableServer implements Runnable{

private SearchServer gui;

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private Schedule timetable = null;

TimeTableServer (SearchServer rs_){

gui = rs_;
}

public void run(){

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
timetable = new Schedule(“TimeTable”);
timetable.addScheduleListener(gui);
boa.obj_is_ready(timetable);
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
try{
resolver = com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName ivn){
gui.DisplayMessage(ivn.toString());
}
try{
resolver.force_register_url(
“http://localhost:15000/timetable.ior”,timetable);
}
catch(Exception e) {
gui.DisplayMessage(e.toString());
}
gui.DisplayMessage(“TimeTable Server Started.”);
gui.DisplayMessage(timetable + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

public void stop(){

boa.deactivate_obj(timetable);
timetable = null;
orb.shutdown();
gui.DisplayMessage(“TimeTable Server ShutDown.”);
}
}
The TimeTableServer class implements two methods from the Runnable interface: the run()
method and the stop() method. The run() method, an instance of the TimeTable interface is
initialized. This is the Schedule class. The GUI object is then registered with the Schedule object. In
the next step, the BOA is notified that the object reference is ready. The TimeTableServer uses
VisiBroker URL Naming to advertise its IOR. This IOR is used by the Reservation server to register
the entire flight object for the search service. These steps are contained in the following lines of code:

timetable = new Schedule(“TimeTable”);

timetable.addScheduleListener(gui);
boa.obj_is_ready(timetable);
…
…
resolver.force_register_url(
“http://localhost:15000/timetable.ior”,timetable);
…
…

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-----------
The stop() method does the reverse of what is done in the run() method. The
TimeTableServer is to be launched inside the GUI object; this class is shown next. The code, as
shown in Listing 2.6, is essentially the same as the Reservation GUI.
Listing 2.6 The SearchServer Interface

package Search;

import java.awt.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class SearchServer extends JPanel implements TimeTableListener{

JButton StartButton = new JButton();
JButton StopButton = new JButton();
TimeTableServer rs = null;
private Thread serverThread = null;
JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea StatusArea = new JTextArea();
JPanel jPanel1 = new JPanel();
PaneLayout paneLayout1 = new PaneLayout();

public SearchServer() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.setLayout(null);
StartButton.setText(“Start”);
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
StopButton.setText(“Stop”);
StartButton.setSize(50,30);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 5, 428, 209));
jPanel1.setLayout(paneLayout1);
jPanel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(256, 226, 177, 24));
StopButton.addMouseListener(newjava.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StopButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.setLayout(null);
this.add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(StatusArea, null);
this.add(jPanel1, null);
jPanel1.add(StartButton, new PaneConstraints(
“StartButton”,
“StartButton”,
PaneConstraints.
ROOT,
1.0f));
jPanel1.add(StopButton, new PaneConstraints(
“StopButton”,
“StartButton”,
PaneConstraints.
RIGHT,
0.5185185f));
}
public void TimeTableStatus(TimeTableEvent anEvent){
switch(anEvent.getID()){
case TimeTableEvent.SearchEvent:
this.DisplayMessage(“Client Searching.”);
this.DisplayMessage(anEvent.toString());
break;
case TimeTableEvent.RegisterEvent:
this.DisplayMessage(“Entry Registered.”);
this.DisplayMessage(anEvent.toString());
break;
case TimeTableEvent.DeRegisterEvent:
this.DisplayMessage(“Entry Removed.”);
this.DisplayMessage(anEvent.toString());
break;
default:
}
}

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e){

if(rs == null){
rs = new TimeTableServer(this);
serverThread = new Thread(rs);
serverThread.start();
}
}

void StopButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e){

if(rs != null){
rs.stop();
rs = null;
}
}

void DisplayMessage(String msg){

java.util.Date date = new java.util.Date();
StatusArea.append(date.toGMTString() +“: ”+ msg + “\n”);
}
}
As with the Schedule server, the SearchServer implements the listener interface
TimeTableListener. This means that it has to implement the TimeTableStatus() method.
The method is passed an event object, and the implementation passes the string content of the event
object to the DisplayMessage() method to display the message in the GUI.
The TimeTableServer itself is constructed and launched in one of the mouse handling methods of
the start command button. The following code shows the implementation:

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e){

if(rs == null){
rs = new TimeTableServer(this);
serverThread = new Thread(rs);
serverThread.start();
}
}
That concludes the implementation of the TimeTableServer and GUI. The executing application,
along with the ReservationServer, is shown in Figure 2.2.

Figure 2.2 The SearchServer user interface.

The SOAR Factory

The SOAR application requires a number of objects to make it work. In the context of making a
reservation, for example, you require a passenger object. In making a payment, there are a number of
objects that are required. For example, you might require a number of addresses, credit card information,
and so forth. It is possible to design all these in the context of the interfaces that have been specified
until now; the Reservation module could have defined a passenger interface as well. But it might
make things a little clearer if I define these things seperately. The following Factory interface defines
all such concepts:

module Factory{

interface Object{

struct Person{
string name;
short age;
char gender;
string email;
};

struct CreditCard{
string CardType;
string CardNumber;
string ExpiryDate;
};

struct Address{
string addressOne;
string addressTwo;
string city;
string stateOrProvince;
string zipcode;
string country;
};
Person createPassenger(in string name,
in short age,
in char gender,
in string email);
CreditCard creatCreditCard(in string type,
in string number,
in string expiry);
Address createAddress(in string addressOne,
in string addressTwo,
in string city,
in string state,
in string zip,
in string country);
};
};
The Object interface defines three structs; Person, Address, and CreditCard. It further
specifies three operations. Each of these operations creates and returns an appropriate struct. So you
have one operation that creates a person, another for the address, and another to create a credit card.

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-----------
Implementing the Factory::Object Interface

The implemetation of these operations is fairly simple. All that an implementation has to do is initialize a
struct with the parameter that is passed into these operations and return the requested struct. The
implemention of Factory::Object is done in the Factory class. The implementation does not
maintain any state, so it is very simple, as shown in Listing 2.7.
Listing 2.7 The Factory Component

package Factory;
public class factory extends Factory._ObjectImplBase {
public factory() {
super();
}
public Factory.ObjectPackage.Person createPassenger(
java.lang.String name,
short age,
char gender,
java.lang.String email
) {

return new Factory.ObjectPackage.Person(name,age,gender,email);

}
public Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard creatCreditCard(
java.lang.String type,
java.lang.String number,
java.lang.String expiry
) {
return new Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard(type,number,expiry);
}
public Factory.ObjectPackage.Address createAddress(
java.lang.String addressOne,
java.lang.String addressTwo,
java.lang.String city,
java.lang.String state,
java.lang.String zip,
java.lang.String country
) {
return new Factory.ObjectPackage.Address(addressOne,
addressTwo,
city,
state,
zip,
country);
}
}
OMG IDL structs map to Java classes. In terms of the implementation, the Factory simply
instantiates the appropriate class and returns this class to the client. The code is trivial enough to warrant
no further explanation. We can now proceed with the implementation of the FactoryServer.

The FactoryServer

The FactoryServer, like the servers implemented before consists of two classes: one that implements
the server itself and the other that just builds the GUI to hold the server. The server code implements the
Runnable interface so that the GUI class can launch it on a thread. Let’s first look at the server code and
then the GUI code (see Listing 2.8).
Listing 2.8 The FactoryServer Thread

package Factory;

class FactoryServer implements Runnable{

private FactoryServer gui;

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private Factory.factory t_factory= new Factory.factory();

FactoryServer(FactoryServer rs_){
gui = rs_;
}

public void run(){

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
try{
resolver = com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName ivn){
System.out.println(ivn.toString());
}
try{
resolver.force_register_url(
“http://localhost:15000/factory.ior”,t_factory);
boa.obj_is_ready(t_factory);
gui.DisplayMessage(“Factory Server Started.”);
gui.DisplayMessage(t_factory + “ is ready.”);
}
catch(Exception e) {
gui.DisplayMessage(e.toString());
}
try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
gui.DisplayMessage(ex.toString());
}
}
}
The code is typical to most CORBA servers. Two things are salient to this code: the instantiation of the
Factory object and the registration of the Factory’s IOR with the VisiBroker URL Naming service.
The following shows the instantiation and associated code:

private Factory.factory t_factory= new Factory.factory();

…
…
resolver.force_register_url(“http://localhost:15000/factory.ior”,
t_factory);
…
…
The URL Naming service is used so that the client can locate a Factory using this service to construct
the required objects. The structs defined in the Object interface are primarily going to be used by a
client. Next comes the GUI code that launches this server in a thread, as shown in Listing 2.9.
Listing 2.9 The FactoryServer Interface

public class FactoryServer extends JPanel{

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JButton StartButton = new JButton();
JTextArea factoryDisplay = new JTextArea();
Thread ServerThread;

public FactoryServer() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
private void jbInit() throws Exception {
this.setLayout(null);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(2, 8, 324, 143));
StartButton.setText(“Start”);
StartButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(250, 155, 72, 24));
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(factoryDisplay, null);
this.add(StartButton, null);
}

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
FactoryServer factoryserver = new FactoryServer(this);
ServerThread = new Thread(factoryserver);
ServerThread.start();
}

void DisplayMessage(String msg){

java.util.Date date = new java.util.Date();
factoryDisplay.append(date.toGMTString() +“: ”+ msg + “\n”);
}
}
The core methods that the GUI implements are again found in the mouse command handler for the Start
button. The code instantiates an instance of the FactoryServer. This instance isspawned on a thread.
Here is the associated code:

FactoryServer factoryserver = new FactoryServer(this);

ServerThread = new Thread(factoryserver);
ServerThread.start();
This concludes the implementation of the Factory::Object interface. The executing server is shown
in Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3 The FactoryServer user interface.

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The final element of the SOAR application on the server side is to construct a Payment server. When a
customer has located a flight he or she wants using a Search server, the customer will then reserve a seat
on the flight. When this is done, a payment needs to be made to confirm the reservation. It is at this point
that the Payment server kicks in.

The SOAR Payment Server

The Payment server is the last link in the chain that makes up SOAR. After the user has selected a flight,
he or she has to pay for it using a credit card. The Payment server supports this facility. When the
payment is made, the Payment server should return an invoice as proof of payment. An interface that
enables you to do this is given here:

#include “factory.idl”

module Bank{

interface Payment{

struct invoice{
Factory::Object::Person from;
string to;
string invoiceNumber;
float amount;
string date;
};

invoice createPayment(
in Factory::Object::Person from,
in string to,
in Factory::Object::CreditCard plastic,
in Factory::Object::Address billing,
in float amount);

void undoPayment(in string invoiceNumber);

};
};
The Payment interface defines a struct named invoice that captures receipt of a payment. It is the
invoice that is returned when a client invokes the creatPayment() operation. This operation takes a
number of parameters that is used to construct the invoice object. The Payment interface further
defines the undoPayment() operation that can be used by a client to roll back a payment instruction in
case the user changes his or her mind.

Implementing the Bank::Payment Interface

Ideally, the implementation of the Payments interface would use a transaction service to record the
payment in a database. But that is not done here to keep the implementation simple. In essence, the
implementation of the next interface is very much in the spirit of how we implemented the
Factory::Object interface. The interface is implemented in a class named Payments, as shown in
Listing 2.10.
Listing 2.10 The Payments Component

package Bank;
import java.util.*;
public class Payments extends Bank._PaymentImplBase {

private com.objectspace.jgl.Stack instructions =

new com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();

public Payments() {
super();
}

public Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice createPayment(

Factory.ObjectPackage.Person from,
java.lang.String to,
Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard plastic,
Factory.ObjectPackage.Address billing,
float amount
) {
int number = instructions.size()+1;
paymentHolder t_payment =
new paymentHolder(from,to,plastic,
billing,amount,new Integer(number).toString());
instructions.push(t_payment);
Date today = new Date();
Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice t_invoice =
new Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice(from,to,
new Integer(number).toString(),amount,today.toString());
return t_invoice;
}

public void undoPayment(

java.lang.String invoiceNumber
) {
for (Enumeration e = instructions.elements() ;
e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
paymentHolder temp_ = (paymentHolder)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.invoiceNumber.equals(invoiceNumber)){
instructions.remove(e);
}
}
}
}

class paymentHolder {
Factory.ObjectPackage.Person from;
java.lang.String to;
Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard plastic;
Factory.ObjectPackage.Address billing;
float amount;
String invoiceNumber;
paymentHolder(Factory.ObjectPackage.Person from,
java.lang.String to,
Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard plastic,
Factory.ObjectPackage.Address billing,
float amount,
String invoiceNumber
) {
this.from = from;
this.to = to;
this.plastic = plastic;
this.billing = billing;
this.amount = amount;
this.invoiceNumber = invoiceNumber;
}
}
The package Bank defines two classes: Payments and PaymentHolder. All the invoices that are
created by the Payments class are stored in a JGL stack. This enables us to insert an invoice into the stack
when it is created and remove it from the stack when the client requests that a payment be undone.
The createPayment() method does two things. First, it creates an instance of a PaymentHolder
and inserts it into the stack. The next thing it does is to create an invoice object and return it to the client.
The following line shows the creation of the invoice object:

Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice t_invoice =
new Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice(from,to,
new Integer(number).toString(),amount,today.toString());
In the undoPayment() method, the client passes an invoice identifier that is used to locate the
PaymentHolder instance from the stack and then remove it. This is accomplished by constructing an
enumeration on the elements of the stack and iterating over it until the desired invoice is located. When it is
located, the instance of PaymentHolder is removed from the stack.

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-----------
The PaymentServer GUI

Finally, we are now ready to construct a server to host the Payments object reference. Like the three
servers that we built earlier, the GUI for the server is separated from the actual server itself. The server is
constructed on a thread to allow the GUI to function more responsively. First, you look at the
implementation for the server, as shown in Listing 2.11, and then at the implementation for the GUI.
Listing 2.11 The PaymentServer Thread

Package Bank;

public class Server implements Runnable{

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;

private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private Bank.Payments payment = new Bank.Payments();
private PaymentServer gui;

Server(PaymentServer ps){
gui = ps;
}

public void run(){

}
catch(Exception e) {
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
gui.DisplayMessage(ex.toString());
}
}
}
As with the FactoryServer implementation, the Server class is very typical for CORBA servers.
The two methods that are vital to this implementation are constructing the Payments object and
registering this object reference with the Visigenic URL Naming Service. The first is accomplished in the
following line of code:

private Bank.Payments payment = new Bank.Payments();

The second is done in the following manner:

resolver.force_register_url(“http://localhost:15000/payment.ior”,
payment);
All that remains is to construct the GUI which enables you to monitor this server, as shown in Listing
2.12.
Listing 2.12 The PaymentServer Interface

package Bank;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class PaymentServer extends JPanel{

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();

JButton StartButton = new JButton();
JTextArea factoryDisplay = new JTextArea();
Thread ServerThread;

public PaymentServer() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.setLayout(null);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(2, 8, 324, 143));
StartButton.setText(“Start”);
StartButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(250, 155, 72, 24));
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(factoryDisplay, null);
this.add(StartButton, null);
}
void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
Server paymentserver = new Server(this);
ServerThread = new Thread(paymentserver);
ServerThread.start();
}

void DisplayMessage(String msg){

java.util.Date date = new java.util.Date();
factoryDisplay.append(date.toGMTString() +“: ”+ msg + “\n”);
}
}
As with the other GUI implementations, the server is launched when the user clicks the Start button.
When this event occurs, the following lines of code execute:

Server paymentyserver = new Server(this);

ServerThread = new Thread(paymentserver);
ServerThread.start();
In the first line, a Server object is constructed. In the next line, the thread is constructed, and the last
line launches the instance of the Server (paymentserver) on the thread.
That concludes the construction of the PaymentServer. The Server executing is shown in Figure
2.4.

Figure 2.4 The PaymentServer user interface.

Now it’s time to actually run these applications. None of the GUI classes defined previously has a
main() method that would enable you to launch them independently. This was done explicitly. The
reason is very simple. Any serious CORBA application should have more than one server to get the job
done. If they are all standalone, you have two options of launching them:
• Use a script or a batch file to launch then all in a batch process.
• Launch them all manually.

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-----------
Both these scenarios tend to clutter your OS workspace with innumerable windows, and besides, it is
quite cumbersome. I usually provide a Multi Document interface to all the servers that make up an
application. Since the introduction of Swing, this has become possible in Java using
InternalFrames. So let’s use InternalFrames to host all the GUI objects in this chapter. In
our case, we need to host four GUI objects. The code for doing this is given in Listing 2.13.
Listing 2.13 The SOARServerWindow

package Server;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class SOARServerWindow extends JFrame {

Factory.FactoryServer factoryServerWindow;
Bank.PaymentServer paymentServerWindow;
Search.SearchServer searchServerWindow;
Reservations.ReservationServer reservationServerWindow;

JInternalFrame FactoryFrame;
JInternalFrame BankFrame;
JInternalFrame SearchFrame;
JInternalFrame ReservationFrame;

JLayeredPane layers;

public ServerWindow() {
this.setTitle(“Super ORB”);
layers = new JDesktopPane();
setLayeredPane(layers);

FactoryFrame = new JInternalFrame(

“Factory Server”,true,false,false,false);
BankFrame = new JInternalFrame(
“Payment Server”,true,false,false,false);
SearchFrame = new JInternalFrame(
“TimeTable Server”,true,false,false,false);
ReservationFrame = new JInternalFrame(
“Reservation Server”,true,false,false,false);

factoryServerWindow = new Factory.FactoryServer();

paymentServerWindow = new Bank.PaymentServer();
searchServerWindow = new Search.SearchServer();
reservationServerWindow = new Reservations.ReservationServer();

FactoryFrame.getContentPane().add(factoryServerWindow,“Center”);
BankFrame.getContentPane().add(paymentServerWindow,“Center”);
SearchFrame.getContentPane().add(searchServerWindow,“Center”);
ReservationFrame.getContentPane().add(
reservationServerWindow,“Center”);

FactoryFrame.pack();
BankFrame.pack();
SearchFrame.pack();
ReservationFrame.pack();

layers.add(FactoryFrame);
layers.add(BankFrame);
layers.add(SearchFrame);
layers.add(ReservationFrame);

this.setVisible(true);
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

SOARServerWindow serverWindow = new SOARServerWindow();
}
}
The code in Listing 2.13 is purely related to GUI. The essence of the implementation is that it uses
JinternalFrame to display all the Server windows that we made to implement the SOAR
requirements. As a consequence of this implementation, the process of activating the SOAR
application can be accomplished with the following steps:
1. Start VisiBroker Smart Agent.
2. Start VisiBroker GateKeeper.
3. Launch the SOARServerWindow.
4. Inside the SOARServerWindow, first launch the TimeTableServer. Then launch the
ReservationServer. Next, launch the PaymentServer, and finally activate the
FactoryServer.
When you have finished these steps, the SOAR application is ready for use. The final product is
shown in Figure 2.5.

Figure 2.5 The SOAR application user interface.

The SOAR Client
Now that you have built all the servers, you are ready to build and deploy clients to use those servers.
There is just one requirement in terms of design: The client should be capable of running in a
browser. There are some problems that need to be solved. You will look at those problems a little
later. First, let’s figure out how the client is going to interact with the SOAR servers.
The client basically needs to be able to search for a particular flight. After the flight is located, a
client should be able to reserve a seat on that flight. Finally, the client needs to be able to pay for the
flight. This sequence of events is depicted in Figure 2.6.

Figure 2.6 The SOAR client sequence of operations.

It might be appropriate to implement the client with a Microsoft-like wizard interface in a browser.
This means that a client starts off with a Search window. When the client selects a result and presses
Next, it could show a Reservation window. Finally, when the client makes a reservation and presses
Next in the Reservation window, it is provided a Payments window to enable the client to pay for the
ticket.
Java AWT provides a layout manager called CardLayout that enables you to do this.
CardLayout enables you to stack multiple panels. Only one panel or card can be visible at one
time. This enables you to construct each step in purchasing an airplane ticket using a panel and then
stack all the panels using CardLayout in an applet.

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The SearchClient GUI
The user interface for the search engine should enable a user to input a departure point and an arrival point
and invoke the search() operation on the TimeTable object reference. The result that the
TimeTable object provides should be displayed in a grid object listing all the parameters of the flights
available. The code that enables you to do this is shown in Listing 2.14.
Listing 2.14 The SearchClient Interface

package SoarClient;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.table.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.border.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.event.TableModelListener;
import com.sun.java.swing.event.TableModelEvent;
import java.util.Vector;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

import java.awt.event.*;

public class SearchClient extends JPanel{

JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel();

JLabel jLable2 = new JLabel();
JTextField FromField = new JTextField();
JTextField ToField = new JTextField();
JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
SearchResultModel tablemodel = new SearchResultModel();
JTable resultTable = new JTable(tablemodel);
JButton SearchButton = new JButton();
JButton Cancel = new JButton();
JButton Reserve = new JButton();
private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private Search.TimeTable searchEngine = null;
private com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
private ReservationsClient client = null;
private Soar panel = null;

public SearchClient(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb,

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa,
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver,
ReservationsClient client,
Soar panel) {
this.orb = orb;
this.boa = boa;
this.resolver = resolver;
this.client = client;
this.panel = panel;

try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = resolver.locate(
“http://localhost:15000/timetable.ior”);
searchEngine = Search.TimeTableHelper.narrow(obj);
}
catch(Exception e) {
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

jLabel1.setText(“From”);
jLabel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(8, 14, 41, 15));
jLable2.setText(“To”);
jLable2.setBounds(new Rectangle(173, 14, 41, 15));
ToField.setToolTipText(“Enter Separture Point”);
ToField.setBounds(new Rectangle(173, 31, 149, 19));
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 58, 452, 154));
SearchButton.setText(“Search”);
SearchButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(286, 222, 84, 23));
SearchButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
SearchButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
Cancel.setText(“Cancel”);
Cancel.setBounds(new Rectangle(372, 222, 84, 23));
Reserve.setText(“Reserve”);
Reserve.setBounds(new Rectangle(200, 222, 84, 23));
Reserve.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
Reserve_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
FromField.setToolTipText(“Enter Destination Point”);
FromField.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 31, 149, 19));
setLayout(null);
add(jLabel1, null);
add(jLable2, null);
add(ToField, null);
add(FromField, null);
add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(resultTable, null);
add(SearchButton, null);
add(Cancel, null);
add(Reserve, null);
}

void SearchButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

Reservations.Flight[] flights;
flights = searchEngine.search(
FromField.getText(),ToField.getText(),“”,“”);
System.out.println(“Results ” +
new Integer(flights.length).toString());
SearchResultModel _model
= (SearchResultModel)resultTable.getModel();
java.util.Vector t_ = new java.util.Vector();
String[] temp_ = new String[5];
for(int j = 0; j < _model.getRowCount(); j++){
_model.removeRow(j);
}
resultTable.setModel(_model);
resultTable.tableChanged(
new TableModelEvent(_model,tablemodel.getRowCount()));
resultTable.repaint();

for(int i = 0; i< flights.length;i++){

temp_[0] = flights[i].name();
temp_[1] = flights[i].flightNumber();
temp_[2] = flights[i].date();
temp_[3] = flights[i].time();
temp_[4] = new Float(flights[i].cost()).toString();
t_.addElement(temp_);
_model.addRow(temp_);
}
resultTable.setModel(_model);
resultTable.tableChanged(
new TableModelEvent(_model,tablemodel.getRowCount()));
resultTable.repaint();
}

void Reserve_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
SearchResultModel _model =
(SearchResultModel)resultTable.getModel();
int selectionIndex = resultTable.getSelectedRow();
String[] temp_ = new String[7];
for(int i = 0; i < _model.getColumnCount(); i++){
temp_[i] = (String)_model.getValueAt(selectionIndex,i);
}
temp_[5] = FromField.getText();
temp_[6] = ToField.getText();

client.setParams(temp_);
panel.displayPanel(Soar.RESERVATIONPANEL);
}
}

class SearchResultModel extends DefaultTableModel{

String columns[] = {“Airline”, “FlightNumber”, “Date”, “Time”,

“Cost”};
String[] row = new String[0];
Vector rows = new Vector();

public SearchResultModel(){
}

public int getColumnCount(){

return columns.length;
}

public int getRowCount(){

return rows.size();
}

public java.lang.Object getValueAt(int row, int column){

java.lang.Object temp_[] = (String[])rows.elementAt(row);
return temp_[column];
}

public boolean isCellEditable(int row, int col) {return false;}

public void setValueAt(java.lang.Object aValue, int row, int column){

java.lang.Object temp[] = (String[])rows.elementAt(row);
temp[column] = aValue;
rows.setElementAt(temp,row);
fireTableChanged (new TableModelEvent(this,row));
}

public String getColumnName(int columnIndex){

return columns[columnIndex];
}

public void addRow(String row[]){

rows.addElement(row);
}

public void removeRow(int index){

rows.removeElementAt(index);
}
}

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CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
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Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
Brief Full
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-----------
The SoarClient package implemented in Listing 2.14 specifies two classes. The first
class deals with the user interface itself, and the second class defines a TableModel
that will be used to construct a Jtable object to display the results of the search. This
discussion highlights only the essentials of the preceding two classes—particularly the
code that deals with CORBA.
The constructor is passed five parameters that are required by the search client to do its
job. The parameters are constructed in the applet. The constructor is shown in the
following code:

public SearchClient(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb,

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa,
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver,
ReservationsClient client,Soar panel)
The five parameters are an instance of the ORB, the BOA, the URL Naming object
reference, an instance of the ReservationClient, and the container that uses the
CardLayout.
The first three parameters are used to retrieve the TimeTable object reference. The
TimeTable object reference is registered with the URL Naming server under the
name timetable.ior. This object reference is retrieved using the URL naming
service in the following line of code:

org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = resolver.locate(

“http://localhost:15000/timetable.ior”);
searchEngine = Search.TimeTableHelper.narrow(obj);
After the TimeTable object reference (named searchEngine) is retrieved, the
client is ready to allow the user to perform searches on the airline schedule that is held
in the TimeTable implementation. This search occurs when the user presses the
Search button. At that point, the contents of the To and From text fields are retrieved
and passed to the TimeTable object:

flights = searchEngine.search
(FromField.getText(), ToField.getText(),“”,“”);
If the searchEngine finds flights that the user is searching for, the flights array will
be initialized. When the array of flights are retrieved from the server, the TableModel
is modified so that the result can be displayed in the table object that the client uses to
display the results. This implementation is shown in the following lines of code:

resultTable.setModel(_model);
resultTable.tableChanged(
new TableModelEvent(_model,tablemodel.getRowCount()));
resultTable.repaint();
With a successful result, the table object will display all the flights that were returned.
The next step in the chain is for the user to select some flight and invoke the reserve
button. At that point, the following code will
execute:client.setParams(temp_);

panel.displayPanel(Soar.RESERVATIONPANEL);
The first line of code initializes the state of the client code. In this case, the client is the
ReservationClient that was passed into the SearchClient by the applet. The
second line of code invokes the displayPanel on the panel object with the
parameter Soar.RESERVATIONPANEL. This causes the panel to invoke the card that
is identified by the final attribute—in this case, the ReservationClient. The first
panel is shown executing in Figure 2.7.

Figure 2.7 The SearchClient user interface.

That concludes the implementation of the SearchClient application. Next is the

ReservationsClient.

The ReservationsClient GUI

When the user clicks the Reserve button in the SearchClient GUI, the
ReservationsClient panel is brought into view so that a user can reserve seats on
the selected airline. A user can reserve as many seats on the airplane as allowed by the
capacity on the airline. The implementation, shown in Listing 2.15, follows similar lines
as the SearchClient GUI.

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CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Suhail Ahmed
Go! ISBN: 0672310260
Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
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-----------
Listing 2.15 The ReservationsClient Interface

package SoarClient;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import borland.jbcl.layout.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.table.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.event.TableModelListener;
import com.sun.java.swing.event.TableModelEvent;
import java.util.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;

public class ReservationsClient extends JPanel {

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;

private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
private String[] params;
private PaymentClient payment;
private Soar panel;

JPanel jPanel1 = new JPanel();

JTextField AirlineField = new JTextField();
JTextField FlightNoField = new JTextField();
JTextField DateField = new JTextField();
JTextField TimeField = new JTextField();
JTextField CostField = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel2 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel4 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel5 = new JLabel();
JTextField Name = new JTextField();
JTextField Age = new JTextField();
JTextField Email = new JTextField();
JComboBox Gender = new JComboBox();
JLabel jLabel7 = new JLabel();
JPanel jPanel2 = new JPanel();
JLabel jLabel8 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel9 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel10 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel11 = new JLabel();
JButton AddPassengerButton = new JButton();
JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
PassengerListModel tablemodel = new PassengerListModel();
JTable PassengerList = new JTable(tablemodel);
JButton ConfirmButton = new JButton();
java.util.Vector passengers = new Vector();

private Factory.Object factory;

JButton BackButton = new JButton();
public void setParams(String[] params){

this.params = new String[params.length];

for(int i=0; i <params.length; i++){
this.params[i] = params[i];
}

AirlineField.setText(params[0]);
FlightNoField.setText(params[1]);
DateField.setText(params[2]);
TimeField.setText(params[3]);
CostField.setText(params[4]);
}

public ReservationsClient(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb,

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa,
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver,
PaymentClient payment,
Soar panel) {
this.orb = orb;
this.boa = boa;
this.resolver = resolver;
this.panel = panel;
this.payment = payment;

try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = resolver.locate(
“http://localhost:15000/factory.ior”);
factory = Factory.ObjectHelper.narrow(obj);
}
catch(Exception e) {
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}

public ReservationsClient() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

jPanel1.setLayout(null);
jPanel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(-1, 5, 469, 85));
AirlineField.setBounds(new Rectangle(14, 17, 151, 19));
AirlineField.setEditable(false);
FlightNoField.setBounds(new Rectangle(177, 16, 296, 19));
FlightNoField.setEditable(false);
DateField.setBounds(new Rectangle(13, 56, 151, 19));
DateField.setEditable(false);
TimeField.setBounds(new Rectangle(176, 56, 151, 19));
TimeField.setEditable(false);
CostField.setBounds(new Rectangle(335, 56, 135, 19));
CostField.setEditable(false);
jLabel1.setText(“Airline”);
jLabel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(176, 7, 135, 15));
jLabel2.setText(“Flight Number”);
jLabel2.setBounds(new Rectangle(14, 3, 95, 13));
jLabel4.setText(“Time”);
jLabel4.setBounds(new Rectangle(176, 39, 115, 17));
jLabel5.setText(“Cost”);
jLabel5.setBounds(new Rectangle(335, 39, 70, 15));
Name.setBounds(new Rectangle(0, 22, 175, 21));
Age.setBounds(new Rectangle(178, 22, 85, 21));
Gender.setBounds(new Rectangle(265, 22, 47, 21));
Email.setBounds(new Rectangle(314, 22, 138, 21));
jLabel7.setText(“Date”);
jLabel7.setBounds(new Rectangle(14, 39, 114, 18));
jPanel2.setLayout(null);
jPanel2.setBounds(new Rectangle(9, 81, 468, 51));
jLabel8.setBounds(new Rectangle(0, 5, 114, 18));
jLabel9.setText(“Age”);
jLabel9.setBounds(new Rectangle(177, 4, 42, 18));
jLabel10.setText(“Gender”);
jLabel10.setBounds(new Rectangle(266, 3, 46, 18));
jLabel11.setText(“Email”);
jLabel11.setBounds(new Rectangle(314, 3, 37, 18));
AddPassengerButton.setText(“Add”);
AddPassengerButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(387, 136, 80, 23));
AddPassengerButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter()
{
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
AddPassengerButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(13, 165, 455, 94));
ConfirmButton.setText(“Confirm”);
ConfirmButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(387, 264, 80, 22));
BackButton.setText(“Back”);
BackButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(315, 264, 68, 22));
BackButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
BackButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
ConfirmButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
ConfirmButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
jLabel8.setText(“Name”);
setLayout(null);
this.add(jLabel1, null);
add(jPanel2, null);
jPanel2.add(Name, null);
jPanel2.add(jLabel8, null);
jPanel2.add(Age, null);
jPanel2.add(jLabel9, null);
jPanel2.add(Email, null);
jPanel2.add(Gender, null);
jPanel2.add(jLabel10, null);
jPanel2.add(jLabel11, null);
add(AddPassengerButton, null);
add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(PassengerList, null);
add(ConfirmButton, null);
this.add(jPanel1, null);
jPanel1.add(jLabel2, null);
jPanel1.add(jLabel7, null);
jPanel1.add(AirlineField, null);
jPanel1.add(FlightNoField, null);
jPanel1.add(DateField, null);
jPanel1.add(TimeField, null);
jPanel1.add(jLabel4, null);
jPanel1.add(jLabel5, null);
jPanel1.add(CostField, null);
this.add(BackButton, null);
Gender.addItem(“F”);
Gender.addItem(“M”);
}

void AddPassengerButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
Factory.ObjectPackage.Person passenger = null;
PassengerListModel _model =
(PassengerListModel)PassengerList.getModel();
passengers = new java.util.Vector();
String[] temp_ = new String[4];
temp_[0] = Name.getText();
temp_[1] = Age.getText();
temp_[2] = (String)Gender.getSelectedItem();
temp_[3] = Email.getText();

String gn = (String)Gender.getSelectedItem();
char Gendr = gn.charAt(0);
Short age_ = new Short(Age.getText());
short age = age_.shortValue();
try{
passenger = factory.createPassenger(
Name.getText(),
age,Gendr,Email.getText());
}
catch(SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
passengers.addElement(passenger);
_model.addRow(temp_);
PassengerList.setModel(_model);
PassengerList.tableChanged(
new TableModelEvent(_model,tablemodel.getRowCount()));
PassengerList.repaint();
}

void ConfirmButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
PassengerListModel _model = (
PassengerListModel)PassengerList.getModel();
String[] temp_ = new String[5];
Enumeration ex = passengers.elements();
Factory.ObjectPackage.Person passenger = null;
Reservations.Flight flight = null;
short seatsleft = 0;

try{
flight = Reservations.FlightHelper.bind(orb,AirlineField.getText());
seatsleft = flight.capacity();
}
catch(SystemException excp){
System.out.println(excp.toString());
}
if(seatsleft >= passengers.size() ){
while(ex.hasMoreElements()){
passenger = (Factory.ObjectPackage.Person)ex.nextElement();
try{
flight.reserveSeat(new Short(seatsleft).toString(),passenger);
}
catch(SystemException excp){
System.out.println(excp.toString());
}
seatsleft--;
}
}
String[] param = new String[8];
param[0] = params[5];
param[1] = params[6];
param[2] = params[2];
param[3] = params[0];

PassengerListModel model =
(PassengerListModel)PassengerList.getModel();
int selectionIndex = PassengerList.getSelectedRow();

param[4] = new Integer(model.getRowCount()).toString();

Float f = new Float(params[4]);
int total_cost = f.intValue() * _model.getRowCount();
param[5] = new Integer(total_cost).toString();
param[6] = (String)_model.getValueAt(selectionIndex,0);
param[7] = (String)_model.getValueAt(selectionIndex,3);

payment.setParam(param,passenger);
panel.displayPanel(Soar.PAYMENTPANEL);
}

void BackButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
panel.displayPanel(Soar.SEARCHCLIENTPANEL);
}
}

class PassengerListModel extends DefaultTableModel{

String columns[] = {“Name”, “Age”, “Gender”, “Email”};

String[] row = new String[0];
Vector rows = new Vector();

public PassengerListModel(){
}
public int getColumnCount(){
return columns.length;
}

public int getRowCount(){

return rows.size();
}

public java.lang.Object getValueAt(int row, int column){

java.lang.Object temp_[] = (String[])rows.elementAt(row);
return temp_[column];
}

public boolean isCellEditable(int row, int col) {return false;}

public void setValueAt(java.lang.Object aValue, int row, int column){

java.lang.Object temp[] = (String[])rows.elementAt(row);
temp[column] = aValue;
rows.setElementAt(temp,row);
fireTableChanged (new TableModelEvent(this,row));
}

public String getColumnName(int columnIndex){

return columns[columnIndex];
}

public void addRow(String row[]){

rows.addElement(row);
}

public void removeRow(int index){

rows.removeElementAt(index);
}
}

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CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Suhail Ahmed
Go! ISBN: 0672310260
Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
Brief Full
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-----------
The important aspects of the code are given in the following snippet. The rest of the code essentially deals
with the presentation of information to the user:

org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = resolver.locate

(“http://localhost:15000/factory.ior”);
factory = Factory.ObjectHelper.narrow(obj);
In this code snippet, the ReservationClient class uses the Factory object reference. This reference
is retrieved using the VisiBroker URL Naming service. The Factory object is used to construct the
passenger objects:

passenger = factory.createPassenger(Name.getText(),age,Gendr,Email.
getText());
When the user enters the details for a passenger and clicks the add button, the Factory object reference is
used to construct a passenger object. This information is further used to add to the TableModel so that
the user can see what passengers are added to the reservation request. Finally, the user has to select a user
from all the users that are shown in the table object and hit the Confirm button. At that point the following
code is invoked:

flight = Reservations.FlightHelper.bind(orb,AirlineField.getText());
seatsleft = flight.capacity();
In the first line of code, the bind method is invoked to retrieve the Flight object reference. After the
reference is retrieved, the capacity is checked. The following code is executed only if the capacity of the
flight in terms of seats left is greater than the number of reservations required:

flight.reserveSeat(new Short(seatsleft).toString(),passenger);
All the passengers that the user input into the JTable object are passed into the flight object reference by
invoking the reserveSeat() operation:

payment.setParam(param,passenger);
panel.displayPanel(Soar.PAYMENTPANEL);
Finally, the next object in the chain is initialized to the appropriate state—that is, all the state that is
common between the Reservations server and the Payment server. This is done in the first line of
code. Then the panel object is instructed to display the Soar.PAYMENTPANEL object, which will be used
by the user to make the payment.
The executing client is shown in Figure 2.8.

Figure 2.8 The Reservation-Client user interface.

The PaymentClient GUI

After all the required reservations are made—that is, all the passengers are filled in—the user has to select a
single passenger from the list of passengers. This passenger will act as the payee for the seats on the flight,
and the user has to click the reserve button. Then the screen shown in Figure 2.9 is presented to the user.

Figure 2.9 The PaymentClient user interface.

This is the PaymentClient GUI. The implementation for this class is given in Listing 2.16.
Listing 2.16 The PaymentClient Interface

package SoarClient;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.ORB.*;

public class PaymentClient extends JPanel {

private ORB orb;

private BOA boa;
private com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
private String[] params;
private Factory.Object factory;
private Bank.Payment payments;
private Factory.ObjectPackage.Person passenger;
private Invoice invoice;
private Soar panel;
JTextField From = new JTextField();
JTextField To = new JTextField();
JTextField Date = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel2 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel3 = new JLabel();
JTextField Airline = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel4 = new JLabel();
JTextArea Invoice = new JTextArea();
JTextField Name = new JTextField();
JTextField Email = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel5 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel6 = new JLabel();
JTextField AdressOne = new JTextField();
JTextField AddressTwo = new JTextField();
JTextField City = new JTextField();
JTextField State = new JTextField();
JTextField Country = new JTextField();
JTextField Zip = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel7 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel8 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel9 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel10 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel11 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel12 = new JLabel();
JComboBox CreditCard = new JComboBox();
JTextField CardNumber = new JTextField();
JTextField ExpiryDate = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel13 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel14 = new JLabel();
JLabel jLabel15 = new JLabel();
JButton BuyButton = new JButton();
JButton BackButton = new JButton();

public void setParam(String[] param,

Factory.ObjectPackage.Person
passenger){
this.params = new String[param.length];
for(int i=0; i <params.length; i++){
this.params[i] = param[i];
}
this.passenger = passenger;
To.setText(params[0]);
From.setText(params[1]);
Date.setText(params[2]);
Airline.setText(params[3]);
String invoice =
“Number of Passengers: ”
+ params[4] + “ , ”
+ “cost ”
+ params[5];
Invoice.setText(invoice);
Name.setText(params[6]);
Email.setText(params[7]);
}

public PaymentClient(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb,

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa,
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver,
Invoice invoice,
Soar panel) {
this.orb = orb;
this.boa = boa;
this.resolver = resolver;
this.invoice = invoice;
this.panel = panel;

try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object factoryObject =
resolver.locate(“http://localhost:15000/factory.ior”);
factory = Factory.ObjectHelper.narrow(factoryObject);
org.omg.CORBA.Object payementObject =
resolver.locate(“http://localhost:15000/payment.ior”);
payments = Bank.PaymentHelper.narrow(payementObject);
}
catch(Exception e) {
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public PaymentClient() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

From.setBounds(new Rectangle(177, 22, 148, 19));
To.setBounds(new Rectangle(20, 22, 148, 19));
Date.setBounds(new Rectangle(337, 22, 106, 19));
jLabel1.setText(“From”);
jLabel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(20, 5, 41, 15));
jLabel2.setBounds(new Rectangle(178, 6, 41, 15));
jLabel3.setText(“Date”);
jLabel3.setBounds(new Rectangle(336, 6, 41, 15));
Airline.setBounds(new Rectangle(20, 60, 304, 19));
jLabel4.setText(“Airline”);
jLabel4.setBounds(new Rectangle(20, 44, 41, 15));
Invoice.setBounds(new Rectangle(19, 96, 425, 26));
Name.setBounds(new Rectangle(19, 151, 258, 19));
Email.setBounds(new Rectangle(285, 151, 154, 19));
jLabel5.setText(“Name”);
jLabel5.setBounds(new Rectangle(19, 133, 41, 15));
jLabel6.setText(“Email”);
jLabel6.setBounds(new Rectangle(286, 134, 41, 15));
AdressOne.setBounds(new Rectangle(17, 190, 219, 19));
AddressTwo.setBounds(new Rectangle(18, 227, 219, 19));
City.setBounds(new Rectangle(19, 264, 160, 19));
State.setBounds(new Rectangle(183, 264, 55, 19));
Country.setBounds(new Rectangle(18, 303, 169, 19));
Zip.setBounds(new Rectangle(193, 303, 77, 19));
jLabel7.setText(“Address One”);
jLabel7.setBounds(new Rectangle(18, 174, 88, 15));
jLabel8.setText(“Address Two”);
jLabel8.setBounds(new Rectangle(19, 211, 80, 15));
jLabel9.setText(“City”);
jLabel9.setBounds(new Rectangle(19, 247, 77, 17));
jLabel10.setText(“State”);
jLabel10.setBounds(new Rectangle(184, 249, 48, 15));
jLabel11.setText(“Country”);
jLabel11.setBounds(new Rectangle(18, 287, 48, 15));
jLabel12.setText(“Zip Code”);
jLabel12.setBounds(new Rectangle(193, 287, 74, 15));
CreditCard.setBounds(new Rectangle(260, 190, 183, 19));
CardNumber.setBounds(new Rectangle(259, 228, 183, 19));
ExpiryDate.setBounds(new Rectangle(369, 265, 74, 19));
jLabel13.setText(“Card”);
jLabel13.setBounds(new Rectangle(260, 174, 48, 15));
jLabel14.setText(“Card Number”);
jLabel14.setBounds(new Rectangle(259, 212, 84, 15));
jLabel15.setText(“Expiry”);
jLabel15.setBounds(new Rectangle(369, 248, 48, 15));
BuyButton.setText(“Buy”);
BuyButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(367, 302, 75, 21));
BackButton.setText(“Back”);
BackButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(299, 302, 63, 21));
BackButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
BackButton_actionPerformed(e);
}
});
BuyButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
BuyButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
jLabel2.setText(“To”);
setLayout(null);
add(To, null);
add(From, null);
add(Date, null);
add(jLabel3, null);
add(jLabel2, null);
add(jLabel1, null);
add(Airline, null);
add(jLabel4, null);
add(Invoice, null);
add(Name, null);
add(Email, null);
add(jLabel5, null);
add(jLabel6, null);
add(State, null);
add(City, null);
add(AddressTwo, null);
add(AdressOne, null);
add(Country, null);
add(Zip, null);
add(jLabel7, null);
add(jLabel8, null);
add(jLabel9, null);
add(jLabel10, null);
add(jLabel11, null);
add(jLabel12, null);
add(CreditCard, null);
add(CardNumber, null);
add(ExpiryDate, null);
add(jLabel13, null);
add(jLabel14, null);
add(jLabel15, null);
add(BuyButton, null);
this.add(BackButton, null);
CreditCard.addItem(“American Express”);
CreditCard.addItem(“Diners Club”);
CreditCard.addItem(“Mastercard”);
CreditCard.addItem(“Visa”);
}
void BuyButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

String card = (String)CreditCard.getSelectedItem();

String number = CardNumber.getText();
String expiry = ExpiryDate.getText();

String address1 = AdressOne.getText();

String address2 = AddressTwo.getText();
String city = City.getText();
String state = State.getText();
String zip = Zip.getText();
String country = Country.getText();
try{
Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard cc =
factory.creatCreditCard(card,
number,
expiry);

Factory.ObjectPackage.Address address =
factory.createAddress(address1,
address2,
city,
state,
zip,
country);
Float cost = new Float(params[5]);
Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice invce =
payments.createPayment(passenger,
Airline.getText(),cc,address,cost.floatValue());
invoice.setInvoice(invce);
panel.displayPanel(Soar.INVOICECLIENTPANEL);
}
catch(SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
}

void BackButton_actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
panel.displayPanel(Soar.RESERVATIONPANEL);
}
}

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-----------
The payment client uses two object references: the Factory object and the Payment object. Both these
object references are retrieved using the VisiBroker URL service:

org.omg.CORBA.Object factoryObject =
resolver.locate(“http://localhost:15000/factory.ior”);
factory = Factory.ObjectHelper.narrow(factoryObject);
org.omg.CORBA.Object payementObject =
resolver.locate(“http://localhost:15000/payment.ior”);
payments = Bank.PaymentHelper.narrow(payementObject);
The user has to fill in all the fields on the form. After the user has finished filling in all the information, the
user can press the Buy button. Then the following code is executed:

Factory.ObjectPackage.CreditCard cc = factory.creatCreditCard(card,
number,
expiry);

Factory.ObjectPackage.Address address = factory.

createAddress(address1,
address2,
city,
state,
zip,
country);
Float cost = new Float(params[5]);
Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice invce =
payments.createPayment(passenger,Airline.getText(),cc,address,
cost. floatValue());
invoice.setInvoice(invce);
panel.displayPanel(Soar.INVOICECLIENTPANEL);
In the first two lines of code, the Factory object reference is used to construct an instance of a credit card
and a billing address. Using this information with the cost, the Payment server is requested to create a
payment using the creatPayment() method. This method is passed all the information that is required by
the Payment interface to construct an invoice. The invoice itself is displayed in another panel named
Soar. INVOICECLIENTPANEL. The last line of code essentially displays the invoice panel that tells the
information that the Payment object reference had passed back to the PaymentsClient.
The Invoice GUI
There is nothing spectacular about the invoice GUI. All it does is use a JtextArea object to display the
state of the invoice object that was passed to it from the PaymentsClient. The code for this GUI is
shown in Listing 2.17.
Listing 2.17 The Invoice Client Interface

package SoarClient;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class Invoice extends JPanel {

JTextArea InvoiceDisplay = new JTextArea();
JButton FinishButton = new JButton();
private Soar panel;
public void setInvoice(Bank.PaymentPackage.invoice inv){
this.display(“Invoice # ” + inv.invoiceNumber);
this.display(“Date # ” + inv.date);
this.display(“From # ” + inv.from.name);
this.display(“To # ” + inv.to);
this.display(“Amount # ” + new Float(inv.amount));
}

public Invoice(Soar panel) {

try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
this.panel = panel;
}

void jbInit() throws Exception {

InvoiceDisplay.setBounds(new Rectangle(4, 7, 427, 236));
FinishButton.setText(“Finish”);
FinishButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(342, 248, 87, 26));
this.setLayout(null);
this.add(InvoiceDisplay, null);
this.add(FinishButton, null);
}

void display(String msg){

InvoiceDisplay.append(msg + “\n”);
}
}
The final screen of the client sequence is shown in Figure 2.10.

Figure 2.10 The invoice client user interface.

The SOARClient Applet
As mentioned earlier in this chapter, the SOARClient GUI is presented with a wizard-type interface in an
applet. Furthermore, the applet uses the CardLayout to achieve a fluid wizard-like execution. The code for
constructing such an applet is given in Listing 2.18.
Listing 2.18 The SOARClient Applet

package SoarClient;

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.applet.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.UIManager;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;

public class SOARClient extends JApplet {

boolean isStandalone = false;
CardLayout Layout = new CardLayout();

final static String PAYMENTPANEL = “Payement”;

final static String RESERVATIONPANEL = “Reservation”;
final static String SEARCHCLIENTPANEL = “Search”;
final static String INVOICECLIENTPANEL = “Invoice”;

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;

private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;

Invoice invoice = null;

PaymentClient Payment = null;
SearchClient Search = null;
ReservationsClient Reservation = null;

public Soar() {

try{
orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(this,null);
resolver = com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName ivn){
System.out.println(ivn.toString());
}

invoice = new Invoice(this);

Payment = new PaymentClient(orb,boa,resolver,invoice,this);
Reservation = new ReservationsClient(orb,boa,resolver,Payment,this);
Search = new SearchClient(orb,boa,resolver,Reservation,this);
}

public void init() {

try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
static {
try {
UIManager.setLookAndFeel(new
com.sun.java.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel());
}
catch (Exception e) {}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.getContentPane().setLayout(Layout);
this.setSize(400,300);
this.getContentPane().add(SEARCHCLIENTPANEL,Search);
this.getContentPane().add(RESERVATIONPANEL,Reservation);
this.getContentPane().add(PAYMENTPANEL,Payment);
this.getContentPane().add(INVOICECLIENTPANEL,invoice);
}

public void start() {

}

public void stop() {

}

public void destroy() {

}

public String getAppletInfo() {

return “Applet Information”;
}

public String[][] getParameterInfo() {

return null;
}

public void displayPanel(String panelname){

((CardLayout)this.getContentPane().getLayout()).show(
this.getContentPane(),panelname);
}
}

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-----------
The applet initializes the ORB and the associated resources. This is accomplished in the following three
lines of code:

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(this,null);
resolver = com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow
(orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
After this is done, the applet code initializes all the SOAR clients in sequence:

invoice = new Invoice(this);

Payment = new PaymentClient(orb,boa,resolver,invoice,this);
Reservation = new ReservationsClient(orb,boa,resolver,Payment,this);
Search = new SearchClient(orb,boa,resolver,Reservation,this);
The rest of the code is related to the Java GUI API. You now have to run this applet in a browser so that
the application can be potentially enhanced and deployed over the Internet/intranet. In order for you to
run this applet in a Web browser, you have to satisfy a couple of criteria:
• You must have access to a Web server.
• You must have a Java Swing–compatible Web browser. Netscape 4.5 is swing-compatible. If
you need to have 100 percent Java support on the browser side, one of your best options is to
download the Java Activator component and install it to your favorite browser.

Note:
For the previous application, I used the Java WebServer 1.0.3 and HotJava Web browser. You could use
any Web server to hold the client code.

Take the following steps to run the client applet.

To run the client applet, first create an HTML file to load the applet into the Web browser. This is
accomplished in Listing 2.19.
Listing 2.19 The Soar Client HTML Page

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=“Content-Type” CONTENT=“text/html;
charset=iso-8859-1”>
<TITLE>
Super Orb Airline Reservartion
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
Super Orb Airline Reservations.<BR>
<APPLET
CODEBASE = “.”
CODE = “SoarClient.Soar.class”
NAME = “Soar”
WIDTH = 600
HEIGHT = 600
HSPACE = 0
VSPACE = 0
ALIGN = middle
>
</APPLET>
</BODY>
</HTML>
The two most important parameters in Listing 2.19 are the CODE and CODEBASE tags. The former
identifies the class that has to be loaded into the browser, and the latter indicates where the code is to be
loaded from. CODEBASE specifies “.”, which means that the code will be found where the HTML
page was found in the Web server.
It is necessary to load the applet from a Web server, because the applet is going to make network
connections. Java places the restriction on applets that they cannot connect to servers other than the one
on which they were loaded. Therefore, if the applet was just loaded from the hard drive, the Java Virtual
Machine security manager throws a security exception.
Additionally, the following steps have to be taken to ensure that the applet will execute properly in the
browser:
1. Ensure the Web server is running.
2. Map the Java Class package directory as an alias so that the applet can download the code
from the location that is specified in the CODEBASE tag. For instance, if you store the HTML
page and the code for the SOAR client in a directory C:\Corba, map this directory to an alias in
the Web server—for example, /Corba.
3. Place all the packages in the directory where your page will be downloaded. For the HotJava
Web browser, the following class packages are placed in the page directory:
Unjar the vbjorb.jar archive file to the page directory.
Unjar the swingall.jar archive file to the page directory.
4. Load the SOAR client HTML page from the Web server. The applet executing in the browser
is shown in Figure 2.11.

Figure 2.11 SOAR client in HotJava.

That concludes the implementation of the SOAR application. You have built four servers and an applet
client. The applications have been built using Java, and extensive uses of the Swing libraries were used
to build the GUI.

Summary
CORBA over the Internet has the potential of transforming the nature of applications built over the
Internet. The first impact will probably occur when innovative companies use CORBA-based
application servers to drive second-generation e-commerce systems. Java will play an ever-increasing
role in the drive of what Orfalli and Harkey (Java and CORBA) called the Object Web. The true
potential of the Internet as a medium to transform our lives will then become evident.

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-----------

Chapter 3
The Portable Object Adapter
In This Chapter
• The Rationale Behind POA
• Using POA
• Getting Hold of the POA
• Implementing a POA Application
• Interface Implementation
• The HangarServer Implementation
• The Hangar Deactivation Class
• The Hangar Server GUI
• The HangarClient
A new standard object adapter specification was added to CORBA as of
version 2.2. This new adapter is called the Portable Object Adapter (POA).
This new adapter is meant to replace the Basic Object Adapter (BOA). The
object adapter is a key CORBA architectural component. A server
communicates with an ORB through the object adapter. It serves as a central
gateway functionality that is common for all implementations.
The BOA was meant to be a minimalist adapter. Over time, the BOA has
grown into a multifunctional component. Its primary purpose is to control the
life cycle of an implementation. It is the primary interface into an
implementation repository. Some implementations of the BOA also add basic
security information in the implementation repository, such as granting access
privileges. Since CORBA 1.0, the BOA has grown into a behemoth. The
problem is that every ORB vendor has its own interpretation of what the BOA
is. Consequently, the server-side implementation is not portable between
ORBs. These implementations have been many proprietary extensions. In
itself, this is not a bad development. The only thing OMG mandates for an
implementation is a basic level of interoperability. Various ORBs achieve this
to various degrees.
The POA is designed to achieve portability at the server end. It is a
breakthrough specification for OMG and is a very tight and precise
specification. The overall result should mean that vendors implementing POA
would enable the user to move implementations from one ORB to another with
minimal hassle.

The Rationale Behind POA

The main goal behind the POA is portability. This would enable plug-and-play
ORBs. POA-compliant servers could be deployed on any ORB that supports
the POA.
Transparent activation of servers is brought forward from the BOA. Under the
BOA, a server that is registered as a shared server is automatically activated
when a request comes in. This functionality is also present in the POA.
The POA enables support for persistent object identities. These identities can
be spread across multiple server lifetimes. With the BOA, a server’s identity is
unique for every time the server is activated. The adapter via an adapter
activator can ensure that the POA instances are created to handle an incoming
client request.
An implementation under POA can have more than one instance. This entails
the existence of a servant to support more than one object identity. This is
similar to a shared server, except that a single servant can support multiple
identities simultaneously.
More than one POA can exist within a server. In conjunction with POA
policies, each POA can have a distinct policy.
These are the components of the POA architecture:
• The POA Client
A POA client is similar to a BOA client. It needs to acquire an object
reference before making an invocation.
• The POA Server
The server is the process that hosts an implementation of some interface.
• The POA Servant
The servant is the mapping for a given IDL interface. The programmer
implements an interface under POA; this implementation is a servant.
With POA, an interface can have more than one servant.
• The POA
Every server contains a POA. Each POA has a set of associated policies.
The POA provides a namespace for the objects hosted by the server. If
the POA is related to other POAs, namespaces are provided for these as
well.
• POA Policy
Under BOA, the adapter essentially controlled the life cycle of the
server. The POA policy provides a coherent and consistent mechanism
for specifying these and the other components, such as the POA client,
servant, and so forth, that make a POA implementation. Policies provide
various options for the management of the objects.
• The POA Manager
The POA manager controls the life cycle of the POA. It is possible to
visualize the POA as integral to the server. Therefore, the POA manager
essentially manages the server.
• The Servant Manager
Every POA server hosts a set of servants. A POA can contain one or
more servants. Just as the POA manager controls the life cycle of the
POA, the servant manager controls the life cycle of the servant. The
manager associates an object with a particular servant.
• Adapter Activator
The activator is responsible for creating a POA when an invocation
comes in.

Using POA
POA implementations are only just becoming available. One of the first
implementations of POA is from DAIS J2 from ICL. The version used for the
examples is a DAIS J2 implementation. As such, the beta release is not a
complete implementation of POA. It is nevertheless sufficient to demonstrate
the benefits of POA.
The ORB interface enables an application to obtain a POA object. This object
is known as a root POA, and it is just like the other CORBA services that are
available through the ORB operations. When a POA is created, a specific
policy should be associated with a POA. If none is specified, a default policy
will be used.
The example demonstrates only the root POA. The root POA has the following
default policies:
Thread Policy: ORB_CTRL_MODEL
Lifespan Policy: TRANSIENT
Object ID Uniqueness Policy: UNIQUE_ID
ID Assignment Policy: SYSTEM_ID
Servant Retention Policy: RETAIN
Request Processing Policy: USE_ACTIVE_OBJECT_MAP_ONLY
Implicit Activation Policy: IMPLICIT_ACTIVATION
The POA is an active service such as the Naming Service. When the POA is
created or acquired, the following steps need to be taken for an application to
use the POA:
1. Acquire a servant object.
2. Activate the object.
3. Activate the POAManager.
4. Deactivate the object.

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Getting Hold of the POA
The POA is just like any other service that runs on top of the ORB—for instance, the
Naming service or the Trader service. The POA is acquired by requesting the ORB for an
initial_reference by passing a string literal “ROOTPOA”:

org.omg.CORBA.Object poa_ =
orb.resolve_initial_references(“RootPOA”);
org.omg.PortableServer.POA poa =
org.omg.PortableServer.POAHelper.narrow(poa_);
CORE object services uder CORBA can always be retrieved using the resolve_
initial_services() operation. This operation retrieves the object reference. After the
object reference has been retrieved, it has to be narrowed. In order to retrieve the POA, you
use the same mechanism that was shown previously. The default POA is known as the
“RootPOA”. After the POA is acquired, the interface needs to be instantiated. This is
similar to the activation of an object; the code could look something like this:

HangarImpl hangar_i = new HangarImpl(“Hangar”);

After the servant is acquired, the object must be activated. This can be managed through the
ActivationPolicy object. There are two policies for activation: IMPLICIT_
ACTIVATION and NO_IMPLICIT_ACTIVATION. The former causes the servant to be
activated implicitly when an invocation comes in. Implicit activation of an object can be
accomplished by invoking the _this() method:

Hangar hangar_ = hangar_i._this();

After the POA is acquired and activated, the POAManager is activated. The POAManager
manages the life cycle of the POA by managing the invocations for the POA. The
POAManager is also responsible for the deactivation of the POA. The managers
themselves are implicitly activated and deactivated.
Implementing a POA Application
The POA application will use the IDL interface shown in Figure 3.1. The application will
model a Hangar interface that maintains aircraft by moving them in and out of a hangar:

interface Hangar{
exception HangarException {string reason;};
struct aircraft{
long id;
string name;
};
void CheckInAirCraft(in aircraft
t_aircraft);
void CheckOutAirCraft(in long id);
void kill();
};

Figure 3.1 The IDL interface used by the POA application.

The Hangar.idl needs to be compiled using the DAISORB stubgen idl pre-compiler. The
following environment is used to implement the Hangar interface:

Server Side Orb - Dais J2

Client Side Orb - Dais J2
Java Setup - JDK 1.1.6 With Jbuilder 2
Additional Libs - Swing 1.0.1 and JGL 3.2
Run the J2 IDL compiler using the following command:

c:> stubgen -ljava -s Hangar.idl

The following files are the main ones of interest. The rest of the files are similar to the one
generated for pre-POA IDL BOA implementations:
• HangarOperations.java—This file contains the Java interface mapping for
the Hangar IDL interface.
• POA_Hangar.java—This file contains an abstract class named POA_Hangar.
This class needs to be subclassed and implemented. This POA_Hangar also provides
a skeleton implementation for the HangarOperations interface.

Interface Implementation
The interface is implemeted by defining a class, HangarImpl, that is derived from the
HangarOperations class. The code, as shown in Listing 3.1, is very simple and
straightforward.
Listing 3.1 The HangarImpl Implementation
import java.util.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import org.omg.PortableServer.*;
import java.lang.Thread;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class HangarImpl extends POA_Hangar {

Vector t_Hangar = new Vector();
HangarPackage.aircraft t_aircraft = null;
ORB orb_ = null;
Trader trader_ = null;
POA poa_ = null;
JTextArea HangarStatus = null;

0. public HangarImpl(ORB orb

,Trader trader
,POA poa
,String name
,JTextArea Display){
super(name);
orb_ = orb;
trader_ = trader;
poa_ = poa;
HangarStatus = Display;
}

public void CheckInAirCraft(HangarPackage.aircraft

t_aircraft ){
this.t_aircraft = new HangarPackage.aircraft();
this.t_aircraft.id = t_aircraft.id;
this.t_aircraft.name = t_aircraft.name;
t_Hangar.addElement(this.t_aircraft);
HangarStatus.append(“Aircraft:”+t_aircraft.name+“\n”);
}

public void CheckOutAirCraft(int id ){

java.util.Enumeration e = t_Hangar.elements();
while(e.hasMoreElements()){
HangarPackage.aircraft temp_ =
(HangarPackage.aircraft)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.id == id){
t_Hangar.removeElement(temp_);
HangarStatus.append(“Aircraft Checked Out : ” +
temp_.name + “\n”);
}`
}
}
public void shutDown ( ){
try{
trader_.delete(_this(),“”);
byte[] objectid_ = poa_.reference_to_id(_this());
poa_.deactivate_object(objectid_);
new capsuleShutdown(orb_);
}
catch(Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}

class capsuleShutdown implements Runnable{

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB the_orb;
capsuleShutdown( org.omg.CORBA.ORB _the_orb){
the_orb = _the_orb;
(new Thread( this )).start();
}

public synchronized void run(){

the_orb.shutdown( true );
}
}
The constructor takes five arguments. These arguments are passed by the server when it
instantiates the servant. These arguments are passed primarily for the capsuleShutdown
class. This class is invoked when the server is shut down.
The implementations of the operations themselves are trivial. A vector is utilized to store the
Aircraft structure when one is passed in from the client. Similarly, when a client passes
an ID into the CheckOutAircraft operation, the given element is removed from the
vector.
The server also passes an instance of a JText object. This object is used to update the
status of the Hangar. When the principal operations are called, the JText object is
updated. The method shutDown is not really important right now. It is meant to be called
when the servant and the POA are shut down.

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-----------
The HangarServer Implementation
The HangarServer is the heart of setting up POA. All the steps listed earlier in the
chapter will be illustrated in the implementation of the server, which is shown in Listing
3.2.
Listing 3.2 Implementing the HangarServer

import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.lang.Thread;

public class HangarServer implements Runnable{

ORB orb = null;
JTextArea Display = null;
public HangarServer(String[] args,JTextArea
HangarStatus,JTextArea Display) {
try{
orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
this.Display = Display;
org.omg.CORBA.Object pfobj =
orb.resolve_initial_references( “RootPOA” );
POA poa = org.omg.PortableServer.POAHelper.narrow(
pfobj );
org.omg.CORBA.Object trader_obj =
orb.resolve_initial_references( “DAIS_Trader” );
Trader trader = TraderHelper.narrow( trader_obj );

HangarImpl Hangar_ = new

HangarImpl(orb,trader,poa,“Hangar”,HangarStatus);
Hangar Hangar_ref = Hangar_._this();
POAManager poamgr_ = poa.the_POAManager();
poamgr_.activate();
trader.register(“Hangar”,“/”,“”,Hangar_ref);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName ivn){
ivn.printStackTrace();
Display.append(ivn.toString());
}
catch(POAManagerPackage.AdapterInactive iva){
iva.printStackTrace();
Display.append(iva.toString());
}
catch(TraderPackage.BadType ivt){
ivt.printStackTrace();
Display.append(ivt.toString());
}
catch(TraderPackage.BadContext ivc){
ivc.printStackTrace();
Display.append(ivc.toString());
}
catch(Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
Display.append(e.toString());
}
}
public void run(){
Display.append(“Hangar is ready”);
orb.run();
}
}
The following steps describe the POA in action:
1. The ORB is initialized with this line:

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

The initialization is identical to BOA or other Object Adapter initialization.

2. The “RootPOA” is acquired for the ORB by invoking the
resolve_initial_ references() method. At this juncture, other POAs
could have been extracted as well. It’s just that the version of DaisORB that was
used did not have the complete implementation. Also note the API used. It is
identical to those used to resolve other standard CORBA services, such as Naming
or Trading. If all goes well, at this point the “RootPOA” should be active.
3. The resolve_initial_reference returns a CORBA.Object. This
object needs to be narrowed (or downcast) to an instance of the POA.
4. The Trader object reference is retrieved by another call to the ORB context.
5. DaisOrb uses the Trader service. There will be more on how to use the Trader
service in Chapter 8, “The Trader Service.” Dais uses the Trader service as a
repository to hold object references. This service is retrieved like any other
CORBA service.
6. The Servant HangarImpl is instantiated. The required parameters are passed
into the class constructor.
7. The object reference is activated at this line:

Hangar Hangar_ref = Hangar_._this();

8. The POAManager is attached to the given POA. In this case, because the
“RootPOA” is all there is, it is the “RootPOA” that is attached to the
POAManager.
9. The POAManager is activated so that it can from here on control the
interaction of the outside world with the “RootPOA”.
10. The Hangar object reference is registered with the trader. This enables any
client to obtain the Hangar object reference from the Trader. The Hangar is
registered with the rootContext of the Trader.
11. When the constructor finishes, all the elements of the POA are initialized. The
server itself implements the Runnable interface. This is a good way to ensure
that the class can be initialized and sent off on a thread. The run() method is very
similar to the BOA_impl_is_ready() method.

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The Hangar Deactivation Class
The POA and the servants need to be cleanly shut down before exiting. The object
references that were registered with the Trader service should be removed from the
Trader context. A Terminator class accomplishes the removal of the object
reference, as shown in Listing 3.3. This class does the reverse of what the server class
does. An added benefit might be that the terminator (and the server) might be
generalized into an abstract base class. This can then be subclassed and extended by the
Server and Terminator classes, thereby saving implementation time and code.
Listing 3.3 The Terminator Class

import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.util.*;

public class Terminator implements Runnable{

JTextArea display;
int object_ref;
org.omg.CORBA.Object object_ = null;
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = null;
String args[] = null;

public Terminator(String[] args, JTextArea display) {

this.args = args;
try{
Properties orb_properties = new Properties();
orb_properties.put(“TRADER_ADDRESS”,“galileo.oa.nl”);
orb_properties.put(“TRADER_PORT”, “11001”);
orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,
new Properties(orb_properties));
}
catch ( Throwable t){
display.append( “Exception: (Orb)” + t.toString());
return;
}
}

public void run(){

Hangar Hangar = null;
try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object trader_
= orb.resolve_initial_references(“DAIS_Trader”);
Trader trader = TraderHelper.narrow(trader_);
TraderPackage.OffersHolder results =
new TraderPackage.OffersHolder();
trader.lookup (“Hangar”,“/”,“”,
TraderPackage.LookUpPolicy.lookup_random,results );

Hangar = HangarHelper.narrow(
(results.value[0]).offer_ref );
}
catch ( org.omg.CORBA.UserException e ){
display.append(e.toString());
return;
}
catch ( org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e ){
display.append( e.toString());
return;
}
catch( Exception e){
display.append(e.toString());
}

try{
Hangar.shutDown();
}
catch( org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
display.append(ex.toString());
}
catch( java.lang.Exception exp){
display.append(exp.toSting());
}

Hangar._release();
orb.shutdown(true);
display.append(“Server Shutdown.. \n”);
}
}
The shutDown() method on the Hangar object reference is called. This causes the
shutDown() method to execute on the object, deactivating the object reference with
the POA.The Hangar._release() frees the Hangar object reference that was
acquired from the Trader. Calling the shutdown() on the ORB shuts down the ORB
instance that was acquired by the ORB.init method.

The Hangar Server GUI

Most often, CORBA servers have boring DOS boxes or UNIX terminals for output
display. That might have been appropriate when coding in C or C++, but when using
Java, there aren’t any excuses for not providing a GUI for the server. Such an interface
is provided for the Hangar server, as shown in Listing 3.4. Figure 3.2 shows how the
GUI looks.

Figure 3.2 The Hangar server GUI.

Listing 3.4 The HangarServer GUI

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.lang.Thread;

public class OpsMonitor extends JFrame{

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();

JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel();
JScrollPane jScrollPane2 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea ServerStatus = new JTextArea();
JButton StartBtn = new JButton();
JButton StopBtn = new JButton();
JLabel jLabel2 = new JLabel();
JTextArea HangarStatus = new JTextArea();
String[] args = null;
public OpsMonitor(String[] args) {
try {
this.args = args;
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
OpsMonitor opsMonitor1 = new OpsMonitor(args);
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.setDefaultCloseOperation(
WindowConstants.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
this.setTitle(“Operations Monitor”);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(6, 21, 431, 132));
jLabel1.setText(“Hangar Status”);
jLabel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 1, 140, 22));
jScrollPane2.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 189, 428,101));
ServerStatus.setEditable(false);
StartBtn.setText(“Start”);
StartBtn.setActionCommand(“StartBtn”);
StartBtn.setBounds(new Rectangle(238, 158, 98, 28));
StartBtn.addMouseListener(
new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartBtn_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
StopBtn.setText(“Stop”);
StopBtn.setActionCommand(“StopBtn”);
StopBtn.setBounds(new Rectangle(336, 158, 98, 28));
StopBtn.addMouseListener(
new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StopBtn_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
jLabel2.setText(“Server Status”);
jLabel2.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 169, 142, 18));
HangarStatus.setEditable(false);
this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(HangarStatus, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(HangarStatus, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(HangarStatus, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jLabel1, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StartBtn, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StopBtn, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jLabel2, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane2, null);
jScrollPane2.getViewport().add(ServerStatus, null);
this.setVisible(true);
this.setResizable(true);

void StartBtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
Date today_ = new Date();
String msg = “Started Server: ” +
today_.getHours() + “:” +
today_.getMinutes()+“:”+
today_.getSeconds();
ServerStatus.append(msg + “\n”);
HangarServer temp_ =
new HangarServer(args,HangarStatus,ServerStatus);
Thread HangarThread = new Thread(temp_);
HangarThread.start();
}
}

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The user clicking on the “stop” button instantiates an instance of the Terminator class. The Terminator,
as mentioned previously, shuts down the POA and associated resources. Here is the relevant piece of code:

void StopBtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
String[] args = new String[1];
args[0] = “Hangar”;
Terminator theSweeper = new Terminator(args,
ServerStatus);
Thread terminator = new Thread(theSweeper);
terminator.start();
}
The “start” button starts an instance of the Hangar servant on a new thread. This is the code that handles this
function:

void StartBtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
Date today_ = new Date();
String msg = “Started Server: “ +
today_.getHours() + “:” +
today_.getMinutes()+“:”+
today_.getSeconds();
ServerStatus.append(msg + “\n”);
HangarServer temp_ =
new HangarServer(args,HangarStatus,ServerStatus);
Thread HangarThread = new Thread(temp_);
HangarThread.start();
}

The HangarClient
Unlike the server, the client code is very low-tech. It just demonstrates that everything functions as it should.
The body of code is very similar to that of the server. The Trader plays the central role. The client retrieves
the reference to the Trader. From the Trader, the client then resolves the Hangar’s object reference. This is
shown in Listing 3.5.
Listing 3.5 The HangarClient

import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import org.omg.PortableServer.*;
import java.util.*;
public class HangarClient {
Hangar Hangar = null;
HangarPackage.aircraft checkin_aircraft = new
HangarPackage.aircraft();

public HangarClient(String[] args) {

try{
checkin_aircraft.id = 6001;
checkin_aircraft.name = “Portable Air”;

Properties orb_properties = new Properties();

orb_properties.put(“TRADER_ADDRESS”, “galileo.oa.nl”);
orb_properties.put(“TRADER_PORT”, “11001”);
ORB orb_ = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,
new Properties(orb_properties));
org.omg.CORBA.Object trader_ =
orb_.resolve_initial_references(“DAIS_Trader”);
Trader trader = TraderHelper.narrow(trader_);
TraderPackage.OffersHolder results =
new TraderPackage.OffersHolder(); trader.lookup(“Hangar”,“/”,“”,
TraderPackage.LookUpPolicy.lookup_random,results);
Hangar =
HangarHelper.narrow(results.value[0].offer_ref);
}
catch (org.omg.CORBA.UserException e ){
System.err.println(e.toString());
return;
}
catch ( org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e ){
System.err.println(e.toString());
return;
}
catch( Exception e){
System.err.println(e.toString());
return;
}
try{
Hangar.CheckInAirCraft(checkin_aircraft);
Hangar.CheckOutAirCraft(6001);
}
catch(SystemException ex){
ex.printStackTrace();
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
HangarClient HangarClient = new HangarClient(args);
}
}
The Dais clients need to have access to the Trader server. Properties enable the client to initialize the ORB
reference with the information required to locate the Trader server. The properties are passed to the ORB
initialization routines so that when orb_.resolve_ initial_references() is called, the ORB
will know exactly where to look for the Trader server.
The Hangar object reference is retrieved from the result set that is acquired from the Trader server.
Once the Hangar reference is acquired, the code can treat the object reference as if it’s local. Because the
Hangar has only two operations, these two are invoked on the object reference.
Summary
The Portable Object Adapter is one more step taken by OMG to ensure that CORBA is a modular
plug-and-play technology. Over time, OMG has been trying to ensure that a reasonable level of
interoperability and integration is possible with any CORBA 2.0– compliant ORB. Although the current
ORB implementations leave much to be desired, the matter is progressing to the extent that OMG
specifications allow as little dependence on a particular vendor as possible.
The POA is perhaps one of the most important pieces in this strategy. Pre-POA ORB implementations,
although IIOP-compliant, did not offer much portability on the server side. By portability, it is primarily
portability between ORBs that is intended. The POA will enable this to happen. In conjunction with IIOP,
implementations of POA will allow vendors the opportunity to continually innovate their interpretation of
the CORBA standard without cornering customers on their platform.
The main benefit of the POA is that many of the innovations vendors have made with their implementations
of the BOA are now formalized in very tight specifications. As such, the POA is not a revolutionary step
over BOA as much as it is an evolution of the BOA into something that is formal and standard.

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Part II
IDL Language Mapping
In This Part
• CORBA Object References and Smart Pointers
• Java/IDL Mapping
• CORBA C++ Memory Management

Chapter 4
CORBA Object References and Smart
Pointers
In This Chapter
• Object Reference Mapping in C++
• Object References and Reference Counts
• Implementing the Object Module
Object references are the workhorse of CORBA. It is on an object reference that the
client invokes an operation. This chapter looks at how these object references can
be managed. Particular attention will be paid to the issue of object reference counts
and how the ORB interface API could be used to elicit information on the services
and objects available on the ORB.
The chapter primarily deals with management of reference counts, which includes
passing object references. It will also look at who ultimately has responsibility for
disposing an object reference.
Object Reference Mapping in C++
Every interface specified in the IDL maps to a C++ class. This class is implemented
as per specification and deployed on some server. This means that the
implementation is hosted in a server. This implementation or component can be
provided with a name, and the ORB can be notified of an object’s initialization.
This is accomplished in the boa.impl_is_ready() method call to the ORB.
The client acquires this object reference in a number of ways. It can acquire an
object reference using a bind() call. It can retrieve an object reference from a
naming service. Where interoperability is an issue, an object reference may be
reconstructed by morphing a stringified object reference to a proper object
reference.
More importantly, object references can be passed around as parameters to
operations. CORBA specifies that an object reference can be mapped to a T_ptr
and a T_var type. The T_ptr is usually a normal C++ pointer type upon which
operations appropriate to a pointer type may be applied. This is generally true
except for pointer arithmetic. Pointer arithmetic cannot be applied to an object
reference pointer, because the arithmetic is local in nature but the pointer that is
being operated on is a pointer to a remote object.
Memory for T_ptrs needs to be allocated. And as with any pointer, memory needs
to be deallocated when the variable is no longer required. In many cases, this leads
to memory leaks where a programmer forgets to deallocate memory. To lessen the
probability of such leaks, CORBA 2.0 specifies the T_var type. The T_var
makes the deallocation a bit painless. This is accomplished by the fact that a
T_var is automatically deallocated when the pointer falls out of scope. However,
the use of the T_var type is optional.
Consider the following IDL (oref.idl):

module objects{
interface object{
readonly attribute long dummyvariable;
};

interface reference{
void setObjectReference(in object anObject);
object getObjectReference();
void getOutObjectReference(out object anobject);
};
};
The intention of this exercise is to show the passing of object references between
clients and servers. The example will particularly focus on the essential aspects of
memory management of object references in CORBA. In the previous interface,
you pass an object reference to and from a client. This demonstrates how object
references can be managed in terms of memory.
The interfaces need to be pre-compiled. The examples will use Orbix 2.3c. The
interface can be compiled with the following command:
prompt$> idl -B -S reference.idl

CORBA Memory Management for Object References

CORBA does not support distributed memory management. Though the issues
might seem complicated to a novice, the underlying principle is rather simple.
Memory is managed separately for both client and server. This is accomplished
through reference counting. This means that if a copy of an object is made, the
effect is only local. It is conceivable that a server object serves a number of clients.
A consequence of this is that, under CORBA, what a particular client chooses to do
with its object reference has no impact on another client. This eliminates the
overhead of maintaining a global count of the number of object references on the
server. This overhead would conceivably impose a severe strain on the scalability
of the server. The overhead of servicing the kinds of requests made over the
Internet would probably not be possible with an architecture that supports global
reference counts.
The whole framework of CORBA memory management of object references is
based on reference counting. As an architecture that does not support distributed
memory management, this mechanism leads to local management of reference
counts.
There are two interfaces in the previous module: the reference interface and the
object interface. The object interface is operated upon by the reference interface.
Later in the chapter, we shall develop an example implementation that will
demonstrate two things, the first being the rules of passing object references
around. Just like the other IDL types, standard rules apply to memory management
of object references.
Secondly, perhaps more importantly, the example will illustrate the mechanism of
reference counting. The example will have two clients that will interact with the
server in various ways.

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Object References as Parameters

An object reference in CORBA maps to a C++ pointer type. Just as with the other
IDL types, care needs to be taken to ensure that the correct semantics of memory
management is used. With object references, there is an added dimension to these
semantics: an incorrect management of object references might lead to a corruption
of object reference count. In theory, this could lead to a premature deletion of the
object reference all together. Subsequent calls on the reference will lead to undefined
behavior. Ultimately, the goal of correct management of object references is to
ensure that the reference count is consistent with the actual reference count.
The IDL pre-compiler for C++ maps interfaces as represented in the following table:

Type in out inout return

interface X X_ptr X_ptr& X_ptr& X_ptr

When you specify an object reference as a parameter to an operation or a return type,

this mapping will be used by the IDL pre-compiler to generate the C++ mappings.

When the Object Reference Is Passed In

The object reference passed by the client to the server should be treated as read-only.
This means that CORBA::release(T_ptr) cannot be called on the parameter.
But because the parameter is an object reference, the code can treat it as such and
invoke operations on the object reference.
If the application runs in a distributed address space, the object reference is passed as
a copy. The underlying ORB will call release() on this reference when the
method returns.
Warning:
The server does not own the object reference. Therefore, it is deleted when the call
returns. The ORB accomplishes this deletion. One of the consequences is that no
attempt to use the assignment operator should be made. Both the variables end up
pointing at the same area of memory that is marked for deletion.
The only safe way to keep a local copy of the object reference is to use
duplicate() on the passed reference.

When the Object Reference Is Passed Out

On a distributed address space, the server has to allocate memory for the parameter.
The ORB then copies them across to the client and calls release() on the
references. This also means that assignments should be avoided in initialization of
the parameter or the return type, because the ORB will deallocate the memory that is
allocated when the method retruns.

When the Object Reference Is Passed Inout

The semantics of inout are very similar to inout for strings. The parameter that is
passed in is read/write. This means that the server could treat it as an in parameter.
But if the server wishes to change the parameter, it then has to first dispose of the
incoming parameter and then reallocate a new one. Here is an example:

void someobject::foo(anotherobject_ptr p){

try{
p->bar();
}
..
..
CORBA::release(p);
p = anotherobject_ptr::_duplicate(myinstance);
}

Object References and Reference Counts

CORBA employs a simple mechanism of localized reference counting for memory
management. It is most important to realize that this reference count is only local.
The server maintains its own reference count, and the client has a separate reference
count.
Deletion of the object reference occurs when the reference count of the object falls to
zero. The fact that CORBA does not have distributed garbage collection means that
when the client’s reference count of an object falls to zero, the object on the client
side may be deleted. However, the server has to take care of its own deallocations.

Incrementing and Decrementing the Reference Counts

When a new object reference is allocated, the reference count is incremented to one.
This can be accomplished in a number of ways.
On the Server
A server can control the reference count on its end. When a server instantiates a class
to create an object, the reference count on the object is incremented by the number of
instantiations the server has made. Here is the sample code:

objects::object_var dummyobject = new

objects::object_i(“Object”);
or

objects::object_ptr dummyobject = new

objects::object_i(“Object”);
This sets the reference count of the objects::object to one. A simple
assignment of object reference does not increment the object reference count. Doing
this simply means that both the object references refer to the same object.
Care needs to be taken when using the assignment operator with object references. It
is conceivable that one of the object references could be released and deallocated,
while elsewhere, the implementation could try to invoke an operation on the
reference. This would lead to undefined behavior.
The reference count of an object can be decremented by calling the static function
release(T_ptr) on the CORBA name space. The following statement:

CORBA::release(dummyobject);
decrements the reference count by one. If the implementation iterates on T_ptr->_
refCount() and releases all the object references, the object itself will be
deallocated. Code such as the following ensures that the object is correctly disposed
of when no longer needed:

for(long i = 0; i < local_object->_refCount(); i++){

CORBA::release(local_object);
}

Warning:
The T_ptr is Orbix-specific. Most ORB implementations have such an API—for
example, T_ptr->_ref_count() under VisiBroker. This API is not
CORBA-compliant, so if you use it, isolate the code somewhere so it can be
replaced easily if such an API does become CORBA-compliant.

On the Client
When the client does a connect to an object reference using the naming service to
initialize the object reference, the reference count goes up by one. Here, the client is
using an Orbix bind call to retrieve an object reference. This increases the reference
count by one:

objectRef = objects::object::_bind(“Object:ORefManager”);
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On the Server and the Client
If an implementation needs to make a copy of an object reference, it calls
T_ptr::_duplicate(t_ptr) on the object reference. Calling the duplicate(t_ptr)
increments the reference count by one. This means that every time _duplicate() is called, the
reference count goes up by one. A common mistake is to assume that no memory leaks occur when the
server exits. This is correct if the reference count is zero for the object, but if the reference count is greater
than zero, the destructor for the object will not be called.
The following example illustrates how _duplicate() can be used:

void objects::reference_i:: setObjectReference (objects::object_ptr

anObject, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
local_object = objects::object::_duplicate(anObject);
}
Here, after the duplicate() is called, the reference count on the server for the local_object
object goes up by one.

The Difference Between T_ptr and T_var

The primary difference between IONA’s implementation of the T_ptr type and the T_var type is that
the former is just an alias for a pointer type. Here is an example:

typedef objects::object* objects::object_ptr;

The T_var types are more interesting because they are smart pointers. Smart pointers are interesting in
this context because when the destructor for T_var type is called, the implementation automatically calls
the CORBA::release() method on the object being pointed to. The combination T_var and T_ptr
leads to a couple of interesting things to keep in mind.
For example, consider the following:

objects::object_ptr ptr_one = new objects::object_ptr();

objects::object_var var_one = new objects::object_var();
objects::object_var var_two = new objects::object_var();
This code instantiates three instances of the objects::object class. One is a T_ptr type, and the
others are T_var types.
There are two assignments possible with the three variables:
1. ptr_one = var_one;
T_var always assumes ownership of the object being pointed to. This means that both ptr_one
and var_one point to the same instance of the object. An assignment of this type also leads to the
reference count of the object being pointed to by var_one decremented.
When var_one falls out of scope, its destructor will automatically release the object reference
count. This means that no attempt should be made to access the ptr_one after var_one has
gone out of scope.
2. var_one = var_two;
This assignment is the safest one, because the overloaded assignment operator calls the
duplicate() methods implicitly. This means that the reference count on the object reference
count will be incremented. This also leads to the release of the object being pointed to by
var_two. It is only after both objects fall out of scope that the object reference may be deleted.

Implementing the Object Module

Now let’s implement the module we specified in oref.idl. The object interface specifies only one
attbribute. The attribute is defined as a read-only. The method to which it maps will return the object’s
current reference count. Before examining this, some changes were introduced in the header file to
provide a constructor and a destructor as well.
The reference implementation maintains a local instance of the object interface. It is this local object that
is operated upon by the client. The reference class also has an overloaded constructor and a destructor.
Listing 4.1 The Object Header File

namespace objects{

class IT_DECLSPEC_oref object_i:public virtual objectBOAImpl {

public:
virtual CORBA::Long dummyvariable () ;
object_i(const char* marker);
~object_i();
private:
CORBA::Long local;
};
class IT_DECLSPEC_oref reference_i:public virtual referenceBOAImpl{
public:
void setObjectReference (objects::object_ptr anObject);
objects::object_ptr getObjectReference();
void getOutObjectReference(objects::object_ptr& anobject);

public:
reference_i(const char* marker,object_ptr);
~reference_i();
private:
object_ptr local_object; //Local instance of object
};
};
This header file lists two classes that correspond to the two interfaces specified in oref.idl. As an
extension of the default mappings provided, we made some changes. First, we added a constructor and a
destructor to both the classes. In fact, the constructor in the reference_I class is overloaded to take a
parameter:

reference_i(const char* marker,object_ptr);

The reference class also provides a local instance variable, local_object.
object_ptr local_object;
objects::object_i::object_i(const char* marker):objectBOAImpl(marker){
local = this->_refCount();
cout<<”Object’s int Ref count: “<<local<<endl;
}
The constructor takes a character array as a parameter. This is then passed to the superclass constructor.
The parameter is known as a marker. The marker allows the naming of object references inside a server. It
is possible that there is more than one object inside a server. The marker allows the naming of these
objects so that clients can bind to a particular object. The server in our case hosts two objects. The marker
is used to distinguish the two objects. Otherwise, the server just returns the default available instance:

objects::object_i::~object_i(){
cout<<”object_i dtor called”<<endl;
}

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-----------
The destructor will not be called if the reference count is more than zero. Over the course of this object’s
execution, the reference count should be more than one. These are released in the reference’s distructor.
When the count is reduced to zero, this method, shown in Listing 4.2, will be invoked.
Listing 4.2 Implementing the Object Module

CORBA::Long objects::object_i::dummyvariable (){

cout<<”Object’s int Ref count: “<<local<<endl;

return this->_refCount();
}

void objects::reference_i:: setObjectReference (objects::object_ptr

anObject, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

local_object = objects::object::_duplicate(anObject);
cout<<”setObjectReference count is now: “<<
local_object->_refCount()<<endl;
}

objects::object_ptr objects::reference_i:: getObjectReference(){

objects::object_var temp_ref =
objects::object::_duplicate(local_object);
cout<<”getObjectReference count is now: “<<
local_object->_refCount()<<endl;
return temp_ref;
}

void objects::reference_i:: getOutObjectReference (objects::object_ptr&

anobject) {

cout<<”getOutObjectReference count A is now: “<<

local_object->_refCount()<<endl;
anobject = objects::object::_duplicate(local_object);
CORBA::release(anobject);
cout<<”getOutObjectReference count A is now: “<<
local_object->_refCount()<<endl;
}

objects::reference_i::reference_i(const char* marker, object_ptr

initObject):referenceBOAImpl(marker){
local_object = objects::object::_duplicate(initObject);
cout<<”Object’s ref count after dunlicate: “<<
local_object->_refCount()<<endl;
}

objects::reference_i::~reference_i(){

for(long i = 0; i < local_object->_refCount(); i++){

CORBA::release(local_object);
cout<<”local Object ref count: “<<
local_object->_refCount()<<endl;
}
cout<<”Reference dstor called..”<<endl;
}

The Server Implementation

The server should have only one instance of the reference object. This means that the moment the release
method is invoked on it, this destructor should be called. The reference’s destructor releases all the
reference count on the objects::object reference, ensuring that the object is correctly destroyed
(see Listing 4.3).
Listing 4.3 The Server Implementation

int main(int argc, char** argv) {

objects::object_var dummyobject =
new objects::object_i(“Object”);
cout<<”Object initialized..”<<endl;
objects::reference_var referenceobject =
new objects::reference_i(“Reference”,dummyobject);
cout<<”Reference initialized..”<<endl;

try{
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“ORefManager”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch (…) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
cout << “server exiting” << endl;
return 0;
}
The two objects are constructed with a marker. The server will shut down after the default timeout under
Orbix when it should become apparent that the appropriate destructor has been called.

The Client Implementation

The client implementation is straightforward except for the details showing that CORBA really treats
memory as local, as shown in Listing 4.4.
Listing 4.4 The Module Client

int main(int argc, char** argv){

objects::object_var objectRef;
objects::reference_var referenceRef;

try {
objectRef = objects::object::_bind(“Object:ORefManager”);
referenceRef =
objects::reference::_bind(“Reference:ORefManager”);

//Objects initialized using the marker on the server.

}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}

try{
cout<<”Object ref count: “<<objectRef->_refCount()<<endl;
cout<<”Reference ref count: “<<
referenceRef->_refCount()<<endl;
cout<<”Count on the object server: “<<
objectRef->dummyvariable()<<endl;
referenceRef->setObjectReference(objectRef);
objects::object_var tempRef =
referenceRef->getObjectReference();
cout<<”Object ref count after getObjectReference: “
<<objectRef->_refCount()<<endl;
CORBA::release(tempRef);
referenceRef->getOutObjectReference(tempRef);
cout<<”Object ref count after getOutObjectReference: “
<<objectRef->_refCount()<<endl;
}
catch(…){}
cout<<”Object ref count before exiting: “<<
objectRef->_refCount()<<endl;
return 0;
}

Summary
CORBA does not support distributed memory management. This is true for both the basic types as well as
object references. Nevertheless, CORBA specifies the exact semantics of what happens when object
references are passed as parameters and/or returns. Memory is managed via the mechanism of reference
counts. It should be noted that reference count APIs are not CORBA-complaint but APIs introduced by
the vendors.

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-----------

Chapter 5
IDL/Java Mapping
In This Chapter
• Reserved Names in Java IDL Mapping
• Mapping of IDL Types to Java
• IDL Module
• IDL Interfaces
• typedefs and Constants
• IDL Operations
• Using Holder Classes
• Operations with Native IDL Types
• Operations with Constructed IDL Types
• IDL Exceptions
The OMG ratified the IDL-to-Java mapping specifications on June 24, 1997. I
could call the mapping “unintuitive,” because some aspects of IDL do not map
cleanly to Java. But this would not be entirely correct. Most of the IDL maps
almost keyword for keyword, except where parameters are concerned. There are
also some other issues where no one-on-one mapping is possible, such as for IDL
typedefs.
Consider the context of this before accusing me of heresy. CORBA is a
cross-platform technology, where Java is not the only game in town. Altering the
IDL to make it more Java-friendly would result in issues dealing with backward
compatibility with other languages. The IDL is the foundation on which CORBA
implementations in different languages talk to each other. To restructure the IDL
to make it more intuitive for Java would have meant making it unintuitive for
other languages.

Reserved Names in Java IDL Mapping

OMG has reserved several names for the mapping in the specifications:
• The Java class <type>HelperHelper Java
class>Helper>Helper> is reserved. This type can stand for any IDL
user-defined type. So, if some interface named bingo is specified in IDL,
the IDL2Java pre-compiler will generate a bingoHolder class. If you
specify an interface bingoHolder in your interface, the pre-compiler
will generate a bingoHolderHolder class while the interface will map
to the _bingoHolder Java interface.
• The IDL defined <type> maps to a Java class Holder Java
class>Holder> Holder> named <type>Holder. These could
correspond to your regular IDL types.
• Basic IDL types, such as short and long, map to
<basicJavaType>Holder, where <basicJavaType> can be any
primitiveHolder Java class>Holder>Holder> built in Java
types. For instance, if you have a long specified as an out parameter in
an interface, that maps to a LongHolder parameter in Java.

Mapping of IDL Types to Java

There are four categories of IDL types:
• Basic types
• Constructed types
• Template types
• Pseudo Object types

Warning:
There are some fundamental differences between the range of values of Java
types and IDL types. Problems can occur when the range of an IDL type is less
than that of Java types. An in value parameter is checked during runtime. This
is particularly important, because Java does not have support for unsigned types
in Java. An error during this conversion results in either a
CORBA::DATA_CONVERSION exception or a CORBA::MARSHAL exception.

Table 5.1 shows the fundamental mapping of IDL types to Java.

Table 5.1 Basic IDL Type to Java Mapping

IDL Types Value Range Java Types Value Range

TRUE or
boolean TRUE or FALSE boolean
FALSE
char 8-bit char
wchar 16-bit java.lang.String
octet Invariant 8-bit byte
string java.lang.String
short 16-bit short
unsigned
16-bit short
short
long 32-bit int 32-bit
unsigned
32-bit int 32-bit
long
long long 64-bit long 64-bit
unsigned
64-bit long 64-bit
long
long
float single-precision float
floating number
double double-precision double
floating number

IDL Module
The module denotes a naming scope for a set of IDL interfaces. The module
enables you to classify and group sets of related interfaces within a single scope:

module mappings {
//****************
};
The IDL module maps onto a Java package of the same name. Everything
specified in the module scope maps to associated classes and interfaces within this
package:

package mappings;
Module specifications can occur more than one time within a single IDL
definition. This is possible as long as each module consists of different types. In
the following example:

module com {
module mcp {
module library {

};
};
};
maps to

package com.mcp.library; in Java.

IDL Interfaces
Interfaces denote the public view exposed by an object. The interface of an object
represents the functionality required by the client from the server object. The IDL
interface maps cleanly to a Java interface with the same name. In addition to this,
a Helper and a Holder class are generated for the interface as well. The
following:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{
};
};
};
};
maps to

package com.mcp.library;
public interface catalog extends org.omg.CORBA.Object {
}

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-----------
Internals of Interfaces

The interfaces defined correspond to the classes identified in an object model. The classes
defined in the object model define methods with varied visibilities. By this I mean that methods
that are defined in a class can have private, protected, or public visibility. The IDL interfaces
expose the public part of the object model. Within this scope, an interface contains the
following constructions:
• Attributes—The attributes defined in an interface correspond to the instance variables
in a class. The IDL pre-compiler generates accessor and modifier methods for the
attributes defined.
Remember to add support for the attributes defined in an interface, because most
compilers do not generate the declarations of the variable in the classes.
• Syntax Modifiers—The readonly attribute modifier causes the IDL pre-compiler to
generate only the accessor/get function.
The attribute generates the public interfaces for the instance to the instance variables. A
properly designed class results in a manageable number of attributes.
The following interface:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

attribute string name;

attribute string address;
readonly attribute short age;

};
};
};
};
generates the following Java interfaces:

package com.mcp.library;
public interface catalog extends org.omg.CORBA.Object {

public void name(java.lang.String name);

public java.lang.String name();
public void address(java.lang.String address);
public java.lang.String address();
public short age();
}
Note that there is only one method generated for the age attribute. The normal attribute
definition results in a set of overloaded methods: one that takes a parameter and another that
takes none.

Constructed Types in Interfaces

As mentioned, a poorly analyzed concept results in an unnecessary number of attribute

definitions. Nevertheless, sometimes requirements necessitate the inclusion of complex data
types in an interface. In order to model complex data types, OMG IDL provides a set of types
to allow the definition of these types.

struct Types

IDL struct maps to a final Java class. A Java class that is defined as final cannot be
subclassed. This class will contain declarations for the members of the struct as public
instance variables of the class. The class will also contain two constructors. The default
constructor contains initialization routines for the entire instance variable. These definitions
initialize the instances with their default value, usually zero or null. The second constructor
provides a parameterized constructor to enable initialization of the struct with external
values.
A struct can be passed as a parameter in an interface operation. Returns on an IDL operation
can also be a struct. Consider the following struct:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

struct name{
string first;
string middle;
string last;
};
};
};
};
};
This interface will generate the following class:
package com.mcp.library.catalogPackage;

final public class name {

public java.lang.String first;
public java.lang.String middle;
public java.lang.String last;
public name() {
}
public name(
java.lang.String first,
java.lang.String middle,
java.lang.String last
) {
this.first = first;
this.middle = middle;
this.last = last;
}
}
Note the fact that although the definition of the struct was inside a com.mcp.library.
catalog interface, the class was generated in a separate package called catalogPackage.
Inside the catalogPackage are two additional classes: the nameHolder class and the
nameHelper class. You can find a detailed coverage of the Holder and Helper class in
the later section “IDL Operations.”
A struct can contain any legal IDL type. This could include references to other interfaces,
structs, strings, and so forth.

Enumeration Type

When a set of values is required, it is appropriate to use an enum type. This enables you to
group related values and assign names to them. As with the constructed type, the IDL maps to a
Java final class.
The following IDL:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface Calender{
enum Days{Monday,
Tuesday,
Wednesday,
Thursday,
Friday,
Saturday,
Sunday
};
Days getToday(); };
};
};
};
generates the following final class (partial listing) for the constructed type:

package com.mcp.library.CalenderPackage;

final public class Days {

final public static int _Monday = 0;
final public static int _Tuesday = 1;
final public static int _Wednesday = 2;
final public static int _Thursday = 3;
final public static int _Friday = 4;
final public static int _Saturday = 5;
final public static int _Sunday = 6;

…
}
The interface itself maps the operation to the following code:

package com.mcp.library;
public interface Calender extends org.omg.CORBA.Object {
public com.mcp.library.CalenderPackage.Days getToday();
}
The implementation can then directly use the static member variables.

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-----------
Union Type

IDL also supports discriminated unions. The definition consists of a discriminator

and a value corresponding to that particular discriminator. Look at the following
example:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{

interface menu{};

interface Dietician{
enum Days{Monday,
Tuesday,
Wednesday,
Thursday,
Friday,
Saturday,
Sunday
};

union MenuAllocater switch(Days){

case Monday: menu MondayMenu;
case Tuesday: menu TuesdayMenu;
default: menu MondayMenu;
};
};
};
};
};
The union is named MenuAllocator, and its discriminator is the Days
enumeration, which is an int.
The Java mapping produced a final class. A default constructor is also generated,
along with accessor and modifier methods for each branch in the union:

package com.mcp.library.DieticianPackage;
final public class MenuAllocater {
private java.lang.Object _object;
private com.mcp.library.DieticianPackage.Days _disc;
public MenuAllocater() {
}

public com.mcp.library.DieticianPackage.Days
discriminator() {
return _disc;
}

public com.mcp.library.menu MondayMenu() {

if(
_disc == (com.mcp.library.DieticianPackage.Days)
com.mcp.library.DieticianPackage.Days.Tuesday ||
false
) {
throw new
org.omg.CORBA.BAD_OPERATION(“MondayMenu”);
}
return (com.mcp.library.menu) _object;
}

public void
MondayMenu(com.mcp.library.DieticianPackage.Days disc,
com.mcp.library.menu value) {
_disc = disc;
_object = value;
}
…

(Partial Listing…)

Template Types

There are two basic template types in IDL: strings and sequences.

String Type
The string type is the most commonly used complex type in IDL. These are much
easier to handle than the chars are. However, strings do place some extra burden on
the programmer in terms of memory management.
IDL allows the definition of both bound and unbound strings. Be mindful that Java
strings are unbound, which, if not accounted for, could result in conversion error
from IDL string to Java string.
The following IDL defines both bound string and unbound strings:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

typedef string<20> aName;

struct name{
string first;
string middle;
aName last;
};
};
};
};
};
The IDL defines an alias for a string of 20 characters called aName. The struct is
then defined with the alias as the name for one of its members. It is possible to define
the IDL also as the following:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

struct name{
string first;
string middle;
string<20> last;
};
};
};
};
};
Both the definitions will result in the following Java class:

package com.mcp.library.catalogPackage;
final public class name {
public java.lang.String first;
public java.lang.String middle;
public java.lang.String last;
public name() {
}
public name(
java.lang.String first,
java.lang.String middle,
java.lang.String last
) {
this.first = first;
this.middle = middle;
this.last = last;
}
}
The generated class uses the original name because Java does not have any support
for typedefs. Because Java does not have this support, the code generation always
maps the typedef to its original name.
The fact that both the bound and the unbound versions generate identical code needs
attention. Remember the unfixed nature of the Java string class. All Java strings are
unbound. Take care when passing a Java string as a bound CORBA.string.

Sequence Types
The sequence is reasonably similar to a one-dimensional array. Like the string, the
sequence can be either bound or unbound. A bound sequence specifies a maximum
number of elements a sequence can contain, and an unbound string has no limit on
the number of elements it can contain.
The following IDL illustrates both a bound and an unbound sequence and their
associated mappings:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

struct name{
string first;
string middle;
string last;
};

struct register{
sequence<name,10> somemembers;
sequence<name> allmembers;
};
};
};
};
};
The interface specifies another struct named register, which contains both a
bound and unbound sequence of another struct.
The pre-compiler generates an additional final Java class named register, along
with the Holder and Helper classes for the class:

package com.mcp.library.catalogPackage;

final public class register {

public com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.name[]
somemembers;
public com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.name[]
allmembers;
public register() {
}
public register(
com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.name[] somemembers,
com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.name[] allmembers
) {
this.somemembers = somemembers;
this.allmembers = allmembers;
}
}
The Java classes contain two open arrays that correspond to the sequences. In every
other respect, the class is identical in structure to another struct mapping.
Sequences can be made of any legal IDL type. This includes sequence of interfaces,
structs, basic types, and so forth.

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-----------
Array Type

Although a sequence enables the definition of a one-dimensional array of sorts, with an array, definitions of
multidimensional constructions are possible. Arrays of arrays are a little difficult to grasp at first. But when
you master them, they enable you to pass by reference complex collections of data types over IIOP. Just as
with the constructed data type described previously, definitions can be of any kind of arrays. It is possible
to define arrays of structs, arrays of interfaces, basic types, and so forth.
The following IDL generates code almost identical to that of the sequence:

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

struct name{
string first;
string middle;
string last;
};

typedef name theNames[100];

struct theWhiteBook{
theNames allTheName;
string year;
};
};
};
};
};
The Java mapping for the register is the following:

package com.mcp.library.catalogPackage;
final public class theWhiteBook {
public com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.name[]
allTheName;
public java.lang.String year;
public theWhiteBook() {
}
public theWhiteBook(
com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.name[] allTheName,
java.lang.String year
) {
this.allTheName = allTheName;
this.year = year;
}
}
An array must be given an alias by a typedef before its use. However, because Java does not have
support for typedef, the Java mapping will contain the real name of the variable instead of the alias.
Although an array seems to do just what a sequence could, there are some differences. They both allow the
passing of “collections” between clients and servers. The main difference is that a sequence can be
variable, but an array is always fixed. This means that the size of a sequence can shrink or grow. Only the
actual length of the sequence is transmitted, whereas an array is always transmitted in its entirety.

Example Illustrating Differences Between Array and Sequence

Run the following through the VisiBroker idl2java pre-compiler (or any other product that supports Java
mapping):

module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface catalog{

struct name{
string first;
string middle;
string last;
};

struct register{
sequence<name,10> somemembers;
sequence<name> allmembers;
};

typedef name theNames[10];

struct theWhiteBook{
theNames allTheName;
string year;
};

register getRegister();
theWhiteBook getWhiteBook();
};
};
};
};
The VisiBroker pre-compiler will generate a file named _example_catalog.java. Rename the file to
something else if required:

package com.mcp.library;
import com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.*;
public class _example_catalog extends com.mcp.library._catalogImplBase {

public _example_catalog(String serverName) {

super(serverName);
}
public register getRegister() {
}
public theWhiteBook getWhiteBook() {
}
}
The getRegister() method expects a return of the register class. The register class contains
two instance variables. Both of them are uninitialized Java arrays.
One of the instance variables, somemembers, is a bound sequence with ten elements. The variable
allmembers is an unbound sequence that should be an initialized size during runtime.
The theWhiteBook structure is defined to contain an array of ten name structs. The classes
generated for theWhiteBook is also similar to that of the register. The rules for both the bound
sequences and array are, in one respect, identical. Both a bound sequence and an array cannot be initialized
to a size greater than what was defined and returned or passed back out or inout parameters (refer to the
section “IDL Operations”).
The implementation of getregister() follows:

public register getRegister() {

System.out.println(“in getregister..”);
name[] bound_names = new name[5];
try{
for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++){
name temp_ = new name();
temp_.first = “Dennis”;
temp_.middle = “R.”;
temp_.last = new String(new Integer(i).toString());
bound_names[i] = new name();
bound_names[i].first = temp_.first;
bound_names[i].middle = temp_.middle;
bound_names[i].last = temp_.last;
}
}
catch(java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}

name[] ubound_names = new name[10];

try{
for(int j = 0; j < 10; j++){
name temp_ = new name();
temp_.first = “Dennis”;
temp_.middle = “R.”;
temp_.last = new String(new
Integer(j).toString());
ubound_names[j] = new name();
ubound_names[j].first = temp_.first;
ubound_names[j].middle = temp_.middle;
ubound_names[j].last = temp_.last;
}
}
catch(java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}

register sequenceType = new register();

sequenceType.somemembers = bound_names;
sequenceType.allmembers = ubound_names;
return sequenceType;
}
In this code, sequenceType.somemembers is initialized to only five elements. When a client invokes
this method, a sequence with only five elements will be returned to it. The
sequenceType.allmembers is initialized to 11 members. The implementation illustrates that
although the specification of the bounded sequence contains ten elements, the example adds only five
elements to the bound sequence. It will not be the same with the array.

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-----------
The array implementation is found in the getWhiteBook method. The array is defined to
contain 10 elements. The method illustrates that a sequence is more flexible than arrays for
one-dimensional lists. But when multidimensional lists are required or the size of the list is
invariant, the array needs to be used:

public com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.theWhiteBook getWhiteBook(){

System.out.println(“In getWhiteBook…”);
theWhiteBook arrayType = new theWhiteBook();
arrayType.allTheName = new name[10];

try{
for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++){
name temp_ = new name();
temp_.first = “Franklin”;
temp_.middle = “M.”;
temp_.last = new String(new Integer(i).toString());
arrayType.allTheName[i] = new name();
arrayType.allTheName[i].first = temp_.first;
arrayType.allTheName[i].middle = temp_.middle;
arrayType.allTheName[i].last = temp_.last;
}
}
catch(java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
arrayType.year = “1842”;
return arrayType;
}
With the implementation of the Register interface complete, it is required to build a runtime to
host the component. The runtime or server will subclass the DisplayWindow class and use the
GenericServer implemented in the Common Utilities section.

The SequenceArrayExample Implementation

The following code shows a sample implementation of using sequences in Java:

package com.mcp.library;

import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import java.lang.Thread.*;
import com.javau.utils.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class SequenceArrayExample extends
DisplayWindow implements DisplayWindowAdapter{

Thread ServerThread = null;

GenericServer t_server = null;
catalog t_SeqArray = null;
private static String[] arg = null;

public static void main(String[] args) {

SeqArray _array = new SeqArray();
for(int i = 0; i < args.length; i++){
arg[i] = new String();
arg[i] = args[i];
}
}

public SeqArray(){
super();
t_SeqArray = new _example_catalog(“Catalog”);
}

protected void startbtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

t_server = new GenericServer(t_SeqArray, this);
try{
t_server.initializeOrb(arg);
}
catch(SystemException ex){
DisplayWindow.append(ex.toString() + “\n\n”);
ex.printStackTrace();
}
try{
new Thread(t_server).start();
DisplayWindow.append(“Server Started..” + “\n”);
}
catch(SystemException ex){
DisplayWindow.append(ex.toString() + “\n\n”);
ex.printStackTrace();
}
}

protected void stopbtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

ServerThread.stop();
this.dispose();
}

public void addText(String txt_){

DisplayWindow.append(txt_ + “\n”);
}
}
The SequenceArrayExample implementation does not do anything special except initialize
the GenericServer and the DisplayWindow. Besides that, it overrides the mouse handling
methods defined in the DisplayWindow to handle user-generated events. A running server is
depicted in Figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1 The SequenceArray server GUI.

After the SequenceArrayExampleM is built, implementing the client is just as

straightforward. The SequenceArrayExampleClient also subclasses the
DisplayWindow, enabling it to have a function GUI to accept user input. Unlike the
SequenceArrayExample, the client does contain more specific implementation to interact
with the server.

The SequenceArrayExampleClient Implementation

The following shows how a client could pass sequences to and from a server:

package com.mcp.library;

import com.mcp.library.catalogPackage.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import java.lang.Thread;
import com.javau.utils.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class SequenceArrayExampleClient extends

DisplayWindow{

private ORB _orb = null;

private catalog catalog_reference = null;
private register t_register = null;
private theWhiteBook t_whitebook = null;
private static String[] arg = null;
public static void main(String[] args) {
for(int i = 0; i < args.length; i++){
arg[i] = new String();
arg[i] = args[i];
}
new seqArrayClinet(args);
}

public seqArrayClinet(String[] ags){

super();
t_register = new register();
t_whitebook = new theWhiteBook();
}

public void runTest(){

try{
DisplayWindow.append(“Getting Sequence\n”);
t_register = catalog_reference.getRegister();
DisplayWindow.append(“Number Of Bounded Elements: “+
new Integer(t_register.somemembers.length).toString()
+ “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Number Of Unbounded Elements: “
+ new Integer(t_register.allmembers.length)
.toString() + “\n\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Getting Array\n”);
t_whitebook = catalog_reference.getWhiteBook();
DisplayWindow.append(“Elements of Array\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Number Of Elments: “+new
Integer(t_whitebook.allTheName.length).toString()+
“\n”);
}
catch(SystemException e){
DisplayWindow.append(e.toString());
DisplayWindow.append(“\n”);
}
}

protected void stopbtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

this.dispose();
}

protected void startbtn_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

try{
_orb = ORB.init(arg, null);
catalog_reference =catalogHelper.bind(_orb,
“Catalog”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Catalog Reference
Retrieved..\n\n”);
runTest();
}
catch(SystemException ex){
DisplayWindow.append(ex.toString());
DisplayWindow.append(“\n”);
}
}
}
The heart of the implementation is found in the runTest(). This method is invoked when the
user clicks the Start button. The client invokes the getRegister() and getWhiteBook()
method on the server. The output is shown in Figure 5.2.

Figure 5.2 The SequenceArray client GUI.

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-----------
Operations with Constructed IDL Types
The operation userParams() passes the parameter struct in all three directions. Before
looking at the details of implementing the params interface, the IDL pre-compiler generates Holder
classes for all constructed types as well as the interfaces defined in the module. The IDL pre-compiler
will generate two Holder classes for the params interface; the paramsHolder.java contains the
implementation of the interface Holder class. The source file parameterHolder.java contains
the mapping for the parameter struct to a Holder class. This is the class that is defined in the
Java mapping of the params interface that would allow it to be passed as an argument in an out or
inout operation:

public com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameter userParams(

com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameter inparam,
com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameterHolder outparam,
com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameterHolder
inoutparam
);
The parameterHolder is in the following class:

package com.mcp.library.paramsPackage;
final public class parameterHolder implements
org.omg.CORBA.portable.Streamable {

public com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameter value;

public parameterHolder() {
}
public parameterHolder(
com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameter value) {
this.value = value;
}
..
}
The implementation of the Holder class is a final Java class. The content of the argument passed in the
pass-by-reference semantics is mapped to a public instance field. In this case, the content is a struct
(the parameter) which is held in the Holder class.

Example Implementation of the params Interface

Implementing this interface is rather straightforward. Both the client and server inherit from the
DisplayWindow class. A slight modification is made to example_params.java to pass a
reference to the DisplayWindow control to it so that it can display a message in the TextEdit
control:

public class _example_params extends com.mcp.library._paramsImplBase {

private DisplayWindowAdapter dwa = null;

public _example_params(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}
public _example_params(DisplayWindowAdapter dwa, String
name) {
super(name);
this.dwa = dwa;
}
..
The method implementing the operation on primitive arguments is as follows:

public int primitiveParams(

int anumber,
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder astring,
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder anotherstring
) {
dwa.addText(“Inside primitiveParams..” + “\n\n”);
dwa.addText(“IN Value: “ + new
Integer(anumber).toString() + “\n”);
astring.value = “OutValue is this”;
dwa.addText(“INOUT Value: “ + anotherstring.value +
“\n\n”);
anotherstring.value = “InOutValue is that”;
return 1001;
}
The method operates on the three arguments in a simple manner. The IN parameter anumber is output
to the DisplayWindow as is, the contents of astring is set so that it can be returned to the client,
and anotherstring is output and reset to a different value.
The operation on constructed types is just as simple as the one on the primitive types:

public com.mcp.library.paramsPackage.parameter userParams(

parameter inparam,
parameterHolder outparam,
parameterHolder inoutparam
) {
dwa.addText(“Inside userParams..” + “\n\n”);
dwa.addText(“IN Values of inparam: “+ “\n”);
dwa.addText(“in parameter.name: “+inparam.name +”\n”);
dwa.addText(“in parameter.version : “ + new
Integer(inparam.version).toString() + “\n\n”);
parameter outParamVal = new parameter(new String(“UD
Out value”), 1998);
outparam.value = outParamVal;
dwa.addText(“INOUT Values of inoutparam: “ + “\n”);
dwa.addText(“inout parameter.name: “ +
inoutparam.value.name +”\n”);
dwa.addText(“inout parameter.version: “ + new
Integer(inoutparam.value.version).toString() +
“ \n\n”);
inoutparam.value.name = new String(“UD InOut value”);
inoutparam.value.version = 1999;
parameter ret_value = new parameter(“UD Retrun”,2000);
return ret_value;
}
The content of the parameterHolder is parameter. The code shows how arguments passed as an
in and an inout parameter can be operated on. The code is similar to that of
primitiveParams(). The IN and Return work on parameter itself, but the OUT and INOUT
are passed by reference. The code works on the contents of the arguments. Relevant information is
output to the DisplayWindow.

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-----------
The params Client Implementation
The client implementation is similar to the example on sequences and arrays. The
initialization and window code is the same. The only difference is in the
RunTest() method:

public void runTest(){

try{
DisplayWindow.append(“Testing Primitive
Params\n\n”);
parameter inParam = new parameter();
inParam.name = new String(“Stings..”);
inParam.version = 5990;
StringHolder outHolder = new StringHolder();
StringHolder inoutHolder = new StringHolder(“Just
another String..”);
int primitive_return =
params_reference.primitiveParams
(1003,outHolder,inoutHolder);
DisplayWindow.append(“Returned form
primitiveParams()” + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Return Value” + new
Integer(primitive_return).toString() + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Out Value”+outHolder.value+
“\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“INOUT Value” +
inoutHolder.value + “\n\n”);
parameterHolder outParamHolder = new
parameterHolder();
parameterHolder inoutParamHolder = new
parameterHolder(new parameter(new String(“The
Clueless”), 2000));
parameter ud_return =
params_reference.userParams
(inParam,outParamHolder,inoutParamHolder);
DisplayWindow.append(“Returned form userParams()”+
“\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Return Value: “ + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Return Name: “ +
ud_return.name + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Return Version: “ + new
Integer(ud_return.version).toString() + “\n\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“OUT Value: “ + ud_return.name
+ “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Out Name: “ +
outParamHolder.value.name + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Out Version: “ + new
Integer(outParamHolder.value.version).toString() +
“\n\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“INOUT Value: “ +
ud_return.name + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Inout Name: “ +
inoutParamHolder.value.name + “\n”);
DisplayWindow.append(“Inout Version: “ + new
Integer(inoutParamHolder.value.version).toString()
+ “\n\n”);
}
catch(SystemException e){
DisplayWindow.append(e.toString());
}
The operations client GUI is shown in Figure 5.3.

Figure 5.3 The operations client GUI.

Here are the complete mappings for Holder classes mapping; the first grid lays out
the mapping for basic IDL types:
Type IN OUT INOUT RETURN

Basic IDL Type

short short shortHolder shortHolder short
unsigned
short shortHolder shortHolder short
short
long int IntHolder IntHolder int
unsigned
int IntHolder IntHolder int
long
long long long LongHolder LongHolder long
unsigned long LongHolder LongHolder long
long long
float float FloatHolder FloatHolder float
double double DoubleHolder DoubleHolder double
boolean boolean BooleanHolder BooleanHolder boolean
char char CharHolder CharHolder char
wchar char CharHolder CharHolder char
octet byte ByteHolder ByteHolder byte
any any AnyHolder AnyHolder any
User-Defined Types
enum type typeHolder typeHolder type
struct type typeHolder typeHolder type
union type typeHolder typeHolder type
string String StringHolder StringHolder String
wstring String StringHolder StringHolder String
sequence array typeHolder typeHolder array
array array typeHolder typeHolder array

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-----------
IDL Exceptions
Exceptions are an integral part of CORBA. When you are designing a system,
there are two things that are taken into consideration. One tries to figure out how
a solution should work. The other tries to ensure that the solution does not do
what it is not supposed to. Meyers called it “programming by contract.” It
cannot be sufficiently emphasized how important contracts are with distributed
systems. When things that are not supposed to happen do happen with the
server, the client needs notification. This is accomplished through exceptions.
CORBA specifies two types of exceptions:
• CORBA System Exception
The ORB will dispatch these standard exceptions when specified standard
exceptions occur. These exceptions map to a final Java class named
org.omg.CORBA.SystemException. This class is inherited from
java.lang.RuntimeException. Implementers should ensure that
this exception is handled on every remote invocation.
• User-Defined Exception
CORBA enables a designer to construct application-specific exceptions.
These exceptions can be attached to any operation. When an invariant
condition is violated, these exceptions can be thrown. This would allow
the client to trap these violations and handle them correctly and safely.
User-defined exceptions also map to a final Java class. They are derived from
org.omg. CORBA.UserException, which is a subclass of
java.lang.Exception. User exceptions are mapped to the scope in which
they were defined in IDL. If, for example, an exception is defined in an
interface, the Java exception class will be contained within the same scope.
The following IDL generates a final class name Contract. This class
contains the mapping for the user-defined exception:
module com{
module mcp{
module library{
interface Contract{
const short MaleLifeExpectancy = 76;
exception violation{string condition;
short code;};
void checkInvariant(in short age) raises
(violation);

};
};
};
};
On the server side, using the exception can be as follows:

public void checkInvariant(

short age
) throws com.mcp.library.ContractPackage.violation {

if(age < MaleLifeExpectancy ){

//Implement the use case..
}
else
throw violation(“Expectancy exceed”, 1001);
}
On the client side, the implementation can be as follows:

try{
contractRef.checkInvariant(77)
}
catch(ContractPackage.violation v){
System.out.prinln(e.toString());
}
catch(CORBA.SystemException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}

Summary
The IDL-to-Java mappings are consistent with other mappings OMG has
produced. The mapping ensures that CORBA retains its language neutrality.
Aspects of the Java language and its lack of pass-by-reference semantics lead to
a certain complexity to the mapping.
All except a few elements of IDL map to Java. IDL modules map to Java
packages. IDL interfaces map to Java interfaces. This interface needs to be
implemented to construct a CORBA component in Java. IDL enables the
specification of complex types and constructed types. Both these elements map
to Java final classes.
IDL operations map to methods on the interface that a class has to implement.
Parameters passed as arguments introduce a certain artificiality to the Java
mapping. Java does not have a pass-by-reference semantics, so it specifies the
concept of Holder classes. These classes allow passing parameters as out
and/or inout parameters. IDL exceptions integrate naturally with Java’s native
exception handling capability. Dealing with Holder classes is a small price to
pay, considering the transparency of Java memory management. It is something
to be appreciated—especially if you have a choice between Java and C++
implementations.

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-----------

Chapter 6
CORBA C++ Memory Management
In This Chapter
• IDL Operations
• Ownership of Memory
• Memory Management for Strings
• Client-Side Memory Management for Strings
• Memory Management for Sequences
• Memory Management for Arrays
• Summary of C++ Parameter Types
• Memory Management Heuristics
C++ CORBA implementations are the most popular. This popularity stems
from the expressive power of the C++ language. CORBA can be found in the
most hard-to-reach places, such as telephone switching systems and industrial
process controllers. Most of these environments have a premium on resources.
CORBA is also found in environments requiring complex integration of
diverse technologies, including legacy systems. In these environments, it is
prudent to opt for a solution that imposes the least overhead during runtime.
C++ is a good choice in these situations, because designers and implementers
of C++ systems have the freedom to ensure that the language imposes as much
or as little on their system as they choose.
There is nevertheless a price to be paid for this freedom and flexibility. C++
memory management, although simpler than C, imposes a higher
responsibility on the designer and implementer. A carelessly designed and
implemented C++ CORBA application, ignoring the conventional practices on
safe memory management, is guaranteed to fail.
Issues of memory management affect all levels of the C++ IDL mappings.
These issues range from the management of object references to the allocation
and deallocation of memory for parameters. At the implementation level,
especially dealing with complex IDL types such as IDL structs or
sequences, these issues present a certain complex subtlety that can be
confusing at times. This chapter deals primarily with the issues of memory
management pertaining to parameter passing.

IDL Operations
Operations specified in IDL map to C++ member functions. These functions
are implemented by a C++ class to enable a C++ component to provide some
service.
An example of an IDL operation would be the following:

return_type t_operation( in type name,

out type name,
inout type name);
The IDL operation illustrates the four ways a client can exchange information
with a server. When dealing with parameters, IDL enables parameters to be
passed as IN, OUT, and INOUT. When a parameter is passed in, information
is passed from the client to the server. When a parameter is specified as out,
the server passes information to the client. Finally, information can also be
passed in both directions. If a parameter is passed as inout, the client passes
information to the server and the server can use the same parameter to pass
information back to the client. The server can also pass information back to the
client as a return type.

Memory Management for Basic Types

Basic IDL types do not map to any C++ pointers. Therefore, the issue of
memory management does not have to be dealt with.

Memory Management for Template Types

There are three template types in the IDL:

• Strings
• Sequences
• Arrays
Sequences and arrays are essentially containers for other types. This introduces
a certain dynamic into dealings with sequences and arrays as a byproduct of
the memory management of the associated type. This dynamic is a result of the
fact that structs, sequences, and arrays can be used as containers for other
types, including other structs, sequences, and arrays. Strings are rather
straightforward.
Ownership of Memory
Before dealing with the details of memory management, let’s look at the
principle of CORBA memory management. All of CORBA memory revolves
around the concept of memory ownership. I would characterize it as ownership
of memory rests with that which needs to own it. CORBA specifies the rules of
this ownership to establish unambiguously which (the client or the server)
owns memory when.
Largely, the rules for defining ownership are consistent across all data types in
CORBA. They can be grouped around the direction the parameters are being
passed:
• in parameters—The client owns the memory for an in parameter.
The server object has a temporary copy that the ORB eventually deletes
when the method returns. With an in parameter, the server object only
has read access to the parameter provided by the client, and
consequently the server cannot change the parameter’s value. Memory
management for in parameters are shown in Figure 6.1.

Figure 6.1 in memory.

• out parameters—The memory management rules also apply to return
values and attribute accessor values. When something is specified as an
out (or return), the value originates with the server. It is on the server
that the variable is allocated. The ORB then copies the variable over the
network to the client. On the client side, the ORB allocates memory for
the variable. On the server side, the ORB deallocates the memory for the
variable. To put it simply, with out parameters, the server allocates the
memory, and the client is responsible for deallocation of memory. It is
critical to remember that because the ORB deallocates memory, you
must return a copy of the variable in question and not the original
pointer. Memory management for out parameters are shown in Figure
6.2.

Figure 6.2 out memory.

• inout parameters—These types of parameters are passed in both
directions. An inout parameter changes the rules of ownership,
depending on where the parameter is. The client passes ownership to the
server. On the server, the server has the option of either modifying the
variable or just treating it as a read-only parameter. A client passes a
variable to the server object, and the ORB copies the object over the
network. If the server treats the object as read-only, the semantics are
similar to that of IN parameters, when the call returning the ORB
deletes the object on the server. If the server chooses to change the
object, it should free the old copy and make a new copy of the object.
When the call returns, the ORB copies the object over the network. The
client is then given back ownership of memory. It should then deallocate
the memory when it is no longer required. Figure 6.3 shows how
memory management for inout parameters are handled.

Figure 6.3 inout memory.

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Memory Management for Strings
IDL strings can be either bounded or unbounded. In both cases, IDL strings map to
char* in C++. The data in the String is null-terminated. The CORBA module
defines a class called String_var that encapsulates a char* value. An instance of
the class dynamically deallocates memory for the pointer when the String_var
destructor executes.
Issues of memory management issues relating to strings are described using the
following IDL interface operation:

string stringmap(in string inString,

out string outString,
inout string inoutString);
The C++ IDL pre-compiler will generate the following member function definition:

virtual char* stringmap( const char* inString,

char*& outString,
char*& inoutString) ;
Three operations in the CORBA namespace are essential for the management of strings:
• char *string_alloc(Ulong len);
• char *string_dup(const char*);
• void string_free(char*);
These methods are primarily used when a string is passed as in, inout or return
values to operations. The same applies when a string is returned as an attribute value.
So when a string needs to be passed as an in, inout, or return parameter, these
methods are used to handle memory management for strings properly.
Depending on the rules of memory ownership, these methods need to be used for
allocation and deallocation of memory. When strings are used as in, inout, or
return type, use string_dup to make a copy of the original variable.

The CORBA::String_var Type

CORBA specifies T_var types that are helper classes. These classes encapsulate the
underlying pointer. When called, the T_var class destructor deallocates memory for
the pointer. CORBA also specifies a helper class for CORBA::string called
CORBA::String_var. Usage of this type eases memory management. Because
memory for the pointer is deallocated when the destructor is called, it helps prevent
memory leaks.
Because CORBA::String_var is responsible for deallocation of memory, it should
be used only in the context of clearly defined ownership of string memory. It should not
be used if ownership cannot be ensured. The class defines a copy constructor and
operator=() that make deep copies.

Warning:
Be careful that you do not initialize a String_var with a string literal. The
String_var cannot gain ownership of the literal; hence it cannot deallocate it. The
runtime behavior is undefined. However, given enough time, Murphy’s law will kick in
and cause a runtime exception.

Server-Side Memory Management for Strings

The three parameters passed into the stringmap operation will help demonstrate the
essentials of string memory management:

char* stringmap( const char* inString,

char*& outString,
char*& inoutString);
The first parameter is passed in from the client. The second parameter is an out type,
and the third one is an inout parameter. The function also returns a pointer to a char
array. The details of how memory management for strings are handled in this context
are explained in the next three sections.

Managing an in String
The client retains ownership of the memory allocated for the in string. The server can
treat it only as read-only memory. It has access to the memory for the duration of the
call, after which the ORB will deallocate it. If local copy is to be maintained,
CORBA::String_dup() must be used to keep a copy of the string.

Managing an out String

The String is originally allocated on the server side. On the client side, the memory
should be considered as read-only. Because it owns the memory when the call returns, it
is the client’s responsibility to deallocate this memory. This requirement on the client
side can be transparently done by using a CORBA::String_var.
Managing an inout String
Ownership changes hands, albeit only temporarily from the client to the server. On the
server side, it can both modify the incoming parameter as is or choose to deallocate the
incoming string, allocate a new string, and pass it back to the client. If the latter strategy
is used, the server has to deallocate memory for the old string and pass ownership of the
new string back to the client.
Listing 6.1 illustrates how a server can manage memory for strings. All four modes of
string-passing between client and server are shown.
Listing 6.1 String Memory Management on the Server Side

char* Mapper::Memory_i::stringmap(const char* inString,

char*& outString,
char*& inoutString,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
//IN Parameter
cout<<inString<<endl;
myCopy = CORBA::string_dup(inString);
cout<<myCopy<<endl;

//OUT Parameter
outString = CORBA::string_dup(“Out Parameter”);

//INOUT Parameter
cout<<inoutString<<endl;
CORBA::string_free(inoutString);
inoutString = CORBA::string_dup(
“inout from the server”);

//Return type
char* ret_string = CORBA::string_dup(“Return String”);
return ret_string;
}

Client-Side Memory Management for Strings

When the client has to assume ownership of memory, it ensures that memory is
deallocated. This is the case with out and inout parameters and return types.
With these types, the server allocates, and the client has to deallocate the memory.
The following code illustrates how this can be accomplished:

CORBA::String_var inString = CORBA::string_dup(“INString”);

char *return_val, *outString;
CORBA::String_var inoutString =
CORBA::string_dup(“INOUT String From Client”);
try{
return_val = memoryRef->stringmap(
inString, outString, inoutString);
cout<<return_val<<endl;
cout<<outString<<endl;
cout<<inoutString<<endl;
}

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-----------
Memory Management for Sequences
IDL sequences map to a class that essentially behaves like an array. The only difference
is that a sequence can be fixed or unbounded. When fixed (or bound), it has an upper
bound and a lower bound. The upper bound is the maximum length a sequence can
have, and the lower bound is the actual length an implementation initializes the
sequence to. When unbounded, the size of the sequence can be changed.
The way a sequence is constructed has implications on how the memory for the
sequence is deallocated. A Boolean flag can be set on one of the overloaded
constructors that indicates whether a sequence’s buffer space is to be deallocated when
the sequence is deleted.
The two constructors in question are

class sequence {
..
..
..
sequence(CORBA::Ulong maximum);
sequence(CORBA::Ulong maximum, CORBA::Ulong
initial_length, CORBA::Long* datum,
CORBA::Boolean release = 0);
..
..
..
}
The first constructor listed has the release flag set to 1 by default. This means that
destroying the sequence will release the memory of the sequence buffer.
The second one allows construction of a sequence that should have its data buffers
explicitly deallocated. Depending on which constructor is used to create a sequence,
memory management issues become slightly different.
This section deals only with memory issues for unbounded sequences, because memory
management for unbounded sequences is determined at runtime as opposed to
compile-time, the way it is for bounded sequences. The following interface illustrates
the principles of sequence memory management:

module Mapper{
interface Memory{
typedef sequence<long> longsequence;
longsequence sequencemap(
in longsequence inSeq,
out longsequence outSeq,
inout longsequence inoutSeq);
};
};
The interface will use an unbounded sequence of long as parameters and the return
type.

Managing an in Sequence

The client owns the memory that is passed for a sequence from the client to the server.
The memory on the server is read-only. The server has access to this memory only for
the duration of the call.
As such, there are no major implications for memory management for passing a
sequence as an IN parameter. The argument is passed as a reference to a C++ object.

Managing an out Sequence

As with any out parameter, the server is responsible for allocating the memory and
passes the pointer back to the client. The ORB that manages the underlying copy of the
pointer from the server to the client makes this transparent. The client is responsible for
deallocating the memory that the ORB makes available on the client side. This can be
made painless if a T_var type is used that deallocates the memory when its destructor
is called.
With unbounded sequences, things are a little more complex. If the length of the
sequence is set to a length larger than the current length, this might cause a reallocation
of the sequence data. Reallocation is similar to copying the contents of the old sequence
into a new one. With return types, the client is responsible for deallocating the
sequence returned by the server.
If the release flag is set to 1 when constructing the sequence, the server object receives
a pointer to the sequence object. The memory for this pointer must be explicitly deleted
when no longer required. This deallocation will cause the buffer to be deleted as well.
Using a T_var type will make this issue a bit more transparent. T_vars are smart
pointers that automatically deallocate memory when no longer referenced.
If the release flag is set to 0, the client is responsible for deallocating the memory for
the sequence. However, the server object retains the responsibility for deallocating the
buffer explicitly.

Managing an inout Sequence

When the release flag is set to 0, an increase in the length of the buffer holding the
sequence will not mean that the old buffer is deallocated when the sequence is assigned
to the new buffer. When the client and the server objects are in the same address space,
it is the client’s responsibility to ensure that the buffer is deallocated after the sequence
is deleted.
If the release flag is set to 1, the server object receives a read/write sequence, which it
can change if required. Changing the length of the buffer will implicitly reallocate a
new buffer and destroy the old one.
Listings 6.2 and 6.3 show memory management of sequences on the server and the
client side, respectively.
Listing 6.2 Sequence Memory Management on the Server Side

Mapper::Memory::longsequence* Mapper::Memory_i::sequencemap
(const Mapper::Memory::longsequence& inSeq,
Mapper::Memory::longsequence*& outSeq,
Mapper::Memory::longsequence& inoutSeq,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<”IN SEQUENCE”<<endl;
for(CORBA::ULong i = 0; i < inSeq.length(); i++){
cout<<inSeq[i]<<endl;
}

longsequence* outSequence = new longsequence(10);

outSequence->length(10);

for(CORBA::ULong j = 0; j < outSequence->length(); j++){

outSequence[j] = j;
}
outSeq = outSequence;
delete outSequence;

cout<<”INOUT SEQ”<<endl;
for(CORBA::ULong k = 0; k < inoutSeq.length(); k++){
cout<<inoutSeq[k]<<endl;
inoutSeq[k] = k +10;
}

longsequence* returnSeq = new longsequence(10);

returnSeq->length(10);
for(CORBA::ULong l = 0; l < returnSeq->length(); l++){
returnSeq[l] = l +100;
}
return returnSeq;
}
Listing 6.3 Sequence Memory Management on the Client Side

try{
Mapper::Memory::longsequence inSeq(10);
inSeq.length(10);
for(CORBA::ULong i = 0; i < inSeq.length(); i++){
inSeq[i] = i+10;
}

Mapper::Memory::longsequence* outSeq;
Mapper::Memory::longsequence inoutSeq(5);
inSeq.length(5);
for(CORBA::ULong j=0;j<inoutSeq.length(); j++){
inoutSeq[j] = i+11;
}

Mapper::Memory::longsequence* retSeq;
retSeq = memoryRef->sequencemap
(inSeq,outSeq,inoutSeq);

for(CORBA::ULong k = 0; k < inoutSeq.length(); k++){

cout<<inoutSeq[k]<<endl;
}
for(CORBA::ULong l = 0; l < retSeq->length(); l++){
cout<<&retSeq[l]<<endl;
}
}

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-----------
Memory Management for Arrays
IDL arrays are identical to C++ arrays. As with other IDL types, the
pre-compiler also generates an associative T_var type to make memory
management transparent. If the T_var generated for the array is not used, the
following methods should be used to allocate and deallocate an array:

Array allocation: array_name_alloc();

Array deallocation: array_name_free(array_name*);
The pre-compiler also generates an alias for an array that is known as
anArray_slice. If the IDL defines an array named anArray, the
pre-compiler will generate an array slice named anArray_slice. An array
slice differs from the normal array in that the typedef enables the declaration
of an array without having to specify the first array dimension. This is a handy
thing to have when declaring multidimensional arrays.
When an array is specified as a return type to an operation, the
pre-compiler will generate code that returns anArray_slice. The same
happens when an unbounded array is specified as an out parameter.

Managing an in Array

The client retains ownership of this memory for the array. The server can treat
the memory only as read-only. It has access to the memory for the duration of
the call, after which the ORB will deallocate it. Listing 6.4 shows memory
management on the server side, and Listing 6.5 shows memory management on
the client side.
Listing 6.4 Array Memory Management on the Server Side
Mapper::Memory::anArray_slice* Mapper::Memory_i::
sequencemap (const Mapper::Memory::anArray inArray,
Mapper::Memory::anArray outArray,
Mapper::Memory::anArray inoutArray, CORBA::Environment
&IT_env) {

cout<<”IN Array”<<endl;
int i = 0;
for(i ; i < 5; i++){
cout<<inArray[i]<<endl;
}
i = 0;

for(i; i < 5; i++){

outArray[i] = i + 10;
}
i = 0;

cout<<”INOUT Array”<<endl;
for(i; i < 5; i++){
cout<<inoutArray[i]<<endl;
inoutArray[i] = i + 10;
}
i = 0;

anArray_slice* slicedArray = anArray_alloc();

for(i; i < 5; i++){
slicedArray[i] = i + 11;
}
return slicedArray;
}
Listing 6.5 Array Memory Management on the Client Side

try{
Mapper::Memory::anArray inArray,
outArray,
inoutArray;
Mapper::Memory::anArray_slice* returnArray;

int i = 0;
for(i ; i < 5; i++){
inArray[i] = i + 2;
inoutArray[i] = i + 3;
}
i = 0;

returnArray = memoryRef->sequencemap
(inArray,outArray,inoutArray);
for(i; i<5; i++){
long x = returnArray[i];
cout<<”INOUT “ <<inoutArray[i]<<endl;
cout<<”RETURN “<<returnArray[i]<<endl;
}

Mapper::Memory::anArray_free(returnArray);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}

Summary of C++ Parameter Types

The complete listing for IDL-to-C++ mappings for primitive types are shown in
the following table. The mappings are very simple and uninvolved as far as
memory management issues are concerned.
Type in out inout Return

short short short& short& short

long long long & long & long
longlong longlong longlong & longlong & longlong
ULong ULong Ulong & Ulong & Ulong
ULonglong Ulonglong Ulonglong& Ulonglong& Ulonglong
Ushort Ushort Ushort& Ushort& Ushort
float float float& float& float
double double double& double& double
Ldouble Ldouble Ldouble& Ldouble& Ldouble
boolean boolean boolean& boolean& boolean
char char char& char& char
wchar wchar wchar& wchar& wchar

Memory Management Heuristics

The following table lists concisely who is responsible for memory allocation and
deallocation. The following abbreviations are used in the table:
C = Client
S = Server
A = Allocation
D = DeAllocation
Type in out / return inout

Fixed Struct CA CD C A,
Fixed Union CD SA D
Variable Struct CA CD CA
Variable Union CD SA CD
String CA CD C/S A
Wstring CD SA C/S D
Sequence CA CD Release
CD SA Flag
Depended
Fixed Array CA {C D CA
CD S A}Rets CD
CA
CD
Variable Array CA CD CA
CD SA CD

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-----------
The following table lists the types that are generated from IDL, depending on what is
specified. Remember that the heuristics apply only to parameters that are passed as a
pointer either to a type or to a reference to a pointer to a type.
Type in inout out return

octet Octet Octet& Octet& Octet

enum enum enum& enum& enum
object objref_ptr& objref_ptr& objref_ptr objref_ptr_ptr
reference
Fixed const
struct& struct& struct
struct struct&
variable const struct& struct*& struct*
struct struct&
Type in inout out return
Fixed const
union& union& union
union union&
variable const
union& union*& union*
union union&
string const char* char*& char*& char*
const
wstring WChar*& WChar*& WChar*
WChar*
sequence const sequence& sequence*& sequence*
sequence&
Fixed
const array array array array_slice*
array
variable
const array array array_slice* array_slice*
array
Summary
CORBA does not have any mechanism for distributed memory management. This does
impose a certain responsibility on the shoulders of a programmer implementing
CORBA applications in C++. In order to make memory agent transparent, CORBA
specified a T_var type. Using this type frees the developer from explicitly deallocating
memory.
The principle of CORBA memory management is based on ownership. It is the
responsibility of the owner to deallocate memory. As a consequence of this,
implementations involving pointers or references to pointers have the server allocating
the memory and the client responsible for deallocating the memory.
Special care needs to be taken when dealing with distributed memory under CORBA.
Always ensure that memory allocation errors are trapped and handled gracefully.

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-----------

Part III
Common Services
In This Part
• The Naming Service
• The Trader Service
• The Event Service
• The Transaction Service
• The Security Service

Chapter 7
The Naming Service
In This Chapter
• Why Use the Naming Service?
• The Naming Service API
• Using the Naming Service
• Implementing the Hangar
• The Hangar Server Implementation
• The Hangar Client Implementation
One of the most important aspects of CORBA is the fact that the OMG
explicitly set out to build a modular architecture. The implicit goal of the
OMG is not IIOP and IDL or, for that matter, CORBAServices, but something
far more grand. IIOP and IDL can be considered as the plumbing. The true
goal of OMG is to have a solid foundation on which to build the Common
Object Facilities—or, in the common tongue, a platform for building and
deploying Common Business Objects.
We are not there yet. As an old friend once told me, “Let the world wake up to
objects; then perhaps we can think about distributing them...” Though my view
is not as pessimistic as his, there is some truth to it.
The role of CORBAServices is simple. If IIOP and IDL are the plumbing,
CORBAServices is the mortar that will hold the house together—the house
OMG wants you to build. These services enable complex distributed systems
to be built. The great thing about them is that, for the most part, the services
themselves are very simple to understand and use.
This section of the book, beginning with this chapter and concluding with
Chapter 11, “The Security Service,” concentrates on the services that are
commercially available. Although OMG has specified over 20 services, no one
has been able to make a commercial argument for building all of them. In time,
when all the world is a web of distributed objects, all these services will be
available.
The following are services that are currently available with varying level of
compliance:
• The Naming Service—It can be considered the White Pages service
for distributed CORBA objects. Here is simple advice about the Naming
Service: Don’t leave home without one. As a service, it enables
applications to find objects by name.
• The Trader Service—It can be thought of as the Yellow Pages of
CORBA. As yet, there are only a few mature implementations of this
service. It is my opinion that, over time, this service is going to be the
cornerstone of many CORBA applications. As a Yellow Pages service,
the Trader Service enables the classification of similar services.
• The Event Service—This is by far one of the most useful, albeit
underutilized, services out there. The Event Service enables an almost
complete decoupling of the server from the client.
• The Lifecycle Service—The CORBA Lifecycle Service was one of
the first services that was standardized. Unfortunately, there are not that
many commercial implementations out there. The service enables the
transparent creation and destruction (among other things) of object
references. It is extremely handy in applications that use an inordinate
number of remote objects.
• The Transaction Service—Transactions are said to be the lifeblood of
commerce. Nothing much works without a robust and resilient
implementation of this service. CORBA provides an object-oriented
interface to XA-based transaction services. XA is a standard protocol
defined by the X/Open consortium. XA specifies a mechanism for open
distributed transactions.
• The Security Service—In this age of the Internet, security is a hot
issue. CORBA security pushes the envelop. This is particularly true
when considering the fact that CORBA, in essence, is a peer-to-peer
technology. Client/server roles are arbitrary and transient. If you
consider a world with a billion objects distributed over the Web,
security gets a whole new dimension.
The CORBA Naming Service is a most useful service. It enables an
application to locate an object reference by name. This utility is welcome
when you consider the fact that any self-respecting application would probably
have tens of hundreds of objects spread over a number of hosts.

Why Use the Naming Service?

It is also conceivable that these objects keep moving around virtually. By
virtually, it is meant that the name of the host could change or move the
services from one host to another one and so on. The Naming Service makes
the location of the object transparent to the client. As long as the objects are
registered with the Naming Service, the client can always find them.
Essentially a server (or a client acting as a proxy for some server) can bind a
name to an object. Parties interested in obtaining a reference to objects pointed
to by the name can resolve the name to acquire the object reference.

Tip:
Ideally, the Naming Service holds the names only for key object references.
The rest of the objects are passed around as arguments to operations. This
significantly reduces the communications overhead.

What Is in a Name?

In the CORBA standard, the COSNaming module identifies a name by using

the NameComponent structure.

struct NameComponent{
string id;
string kind;
};
The name of a component is held in the NameComponent.id. This is the
name that is used to find a name, for instance. The Namecomponent.id is
useful for providing auxiliary information about the component itself. From
the struct, it is but a small step to define a name:

typedef sequence <NameComponent> Name;

This would allow an application to string together a chain of
NameComponents to create a name. Consider the following example.

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-----------
An airline company has a number of hangars spread across the world. For simplicity,
let’s say that the Naming Service is available only to the hangars in the U.S. In the U.S.,
the company has four hangars: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Denver. Aircraft
are constantly being moved from one hangar to another. This requires the client to
acquire multiple Hangar object references and operate on them.
The organization of a Naming hierarchy revolves around something called a
NamingContext. A NamingContext enables the organization of names. The
NameServer is the root NamingContext. Everything else is attached to this
context.
If SOAR is to use the Naming Service, its services have to be organized around
NamingContexts. NamingContexts have names attached to them. The first
NamingContext is SOAR. The SOAR NamingContext has four subcontexts:
Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Under each geographical region are
further NamingContexts associated with the various services found in that particular
region. For our purposes, only Chicago and New York have an operations service.
Therefore, the aforementioned NamingContext has the operations
NamingContext. Finally, there are simple names that are attached to the operations
NamingContext: NYOperation and ChicagoOperation have NYHangar and
ChicagoHangar attached to them.
A pictorial representation of this hierarchy is shown in Figure 7.1.

Figure 7.1 The Naming hierarchy.

The Naming Service API

Before looking at some code, consider the Naming Service API. The following
discussion introduces all the major components of the Naming Service and the related
API to use them.

Creating Contexts

Sane applications will always use the NamingContext to relate names in some
ordered structure. There are two APIs for creating the context:

NamingContext new_context();
NamingContext bind_new_context(in Name name)..;
The first operation enables the creation of a NamingContext. The bind_context
then is called to attach a context to a name. The next operation, bind_new_context,
enables the creation of the NamingContext and binding it to a name.

Binding Names

There are two principal APIs for binding names to a Naming Service:

void bind(in Name name, in Object object) raises

(NotFound, CannotProceed, InvalidName, AlreadyBound)

void bind_context(in Name name, in NamingContext context)

(NotFound, CannotProceed, InvalidName, AlreadyBound)
It is possible to bind everything to a root context, but this would be using the
NameServer only by the book and not by its intent. A Naming Service can be used to
organize CORBA applications. This is accomplished by allowing applications to create
a NamingContext first and then bind a name to a particular context. The
bind_context allows the binding of a name to a NamingContext.
The bind operation enables the binding of an object reference with a bind. It is
possible to use a compound name to do this. All but the last element of the sequence
corresponds to the name of the component.

Warning:
Names have to be unique to a NamingContext. If a name is already in use, the
AlreadyBound exception is thrown.

The following are two additional APIs provided by the Naming Service:

void rebind(in Name name, in Object object) raises

(NotFound, CannotProceed, InvalidName, AlreadyBound)

void rebind_context(in Name name, in NamingContext context)

(NotFound, CannotProceed, InvalidName, AlreadyBound)
These APIs enable the attachment of a new object reference to a name. The
rebind_context does the same, except the NamingContext is changed for the
given name. The old bindings are lost if these operations are done.

Deleting Context and Names

If a name has to be removed, the following call can be made on the Naming Service:

unbind(in Name name)..

A fully qualified compound name will be removed from the Naming context it was
attached to. This is the method to invoke on a Naming context if it is to be removed:

void destroy()..
The operation will raise a NotEmpty exception if names are still attached to the
context. If so, repeat the call to remove a name.

Resolving Names

The operation resolve() should be invoked on the NameService if an object

reference needs to be acquired. The full API looks like this:

Object resolve(in Name name)

raises (NotFound, CannotProceed, InvalidName);
Keep in mind that it is CORBA::Object that is being returned. A narrow()
operation is executed on the returned CORBA::Object to cast the object reference to
the desired type.

Using the Naming Service

With airplanes, it is sometimes required to move them about from place to place. The
Hangar interface used in Chapter 3, “The Portable Object Adapter,” is modified a bit
to allow this to happen. The application will have two servers allowing a client to move
an aircraft reference from one server to another server. The modified Hangar interface
will be used to explain how the Naming Service can be used:

interface Hangar{
struct aircraft{
long id;
};

void CheckInAirCraft(in aircraft t_aircraft);

aircraft retrieveAndDeleteAircraft(in long id_);
};
The Naming Service Hangar is going to use the following environment:
Server Side ORB: Orbix 2.3c
Toolkit: Visual C++ 5.0
Client Side ORB: Orbix 2.3c
Toolkit: Visual C++ 5.0

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Implementing the Hangar Interface
The hangar header file is modified to the extent required by IONA. The hangar itself is a simple array of
Aircraft structs:

#ifndef Hangar_ih
#define Hangar_ih

#include “Hangar.hh”

class IT_DECLSPEC_Hangar Hangar_i:public virtual HangarBOAImpl{

public:
virtual void CheckInAirCraft (const Hangar::aircraft& t_aircraft,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
virtual Hangar::aircraft retrieveAndDeleteAircraft (CORBA::Long
id_, CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
Hangar_i();
~Hangar_i();
private:
Hangar::aircraft capacity[10];
int free;
};
Listing 7.1 shows the implementation of this class.
Listing 7.1 Hangar Interface Implementation

nclude <iostream.h>
#include “Hangar.hpp”

Hangar_i::Hangar_i():free(10){
}

Hangar_i::~Hangar_i(){
}

void Hangar_i::CheckInAirCraft (const Hangar::aircraft& t_aircraft,

CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
if(free<10)
capacity[10 - free].id = t_aircraft.id;
else
throw CORBA::SystemException();
}

Hangar::aircraft Hangar_i::retrieveAndDeleteAircraft (CORBA::Long id_,

CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

Hangar::aircraft temp_;
if(id_ < 10)
temp_.id = this->capacity[id_].id;
free—;
else
throw CORBA::SystemException();
return temp_;
}
The implementation simply assigns an incoming argument to the array if addNewAircraft is called. The
hangars themselves have a capacity for ten aircraft. This is taken into account.
When retrieveAndDeleteAircraft() is called, the appropriate aircraft is returned to the caller, and
the capacity variable is decremented.

The Hangar Server Implementation

The main code of the hangar deals with registering the object reference with the NameServer. When this is
accomplished, the server is ready for business, as shown in Listing 7.2.
Listing 7.2 Hangar Server Implementation

#include <iostream.h>
#include “NamingService.hh”
#include “Hangar.hpp”

#define USE_INIT

void main(int argc, char** argv){

CosNaming::NamingContext_var
soarContext,regionContext,operationsContext;
CosNaming::NamingContext_var rootContext;
CosNaming::Name_var soar;
CORBA::Object_var object_;

try{

CORBA::ORB_var orb = CORBA::ORB_init(argc, argv, “Orbix”);

0. object_ = orb->resolve_initial_references(“NS”);
}
catch(CORBA::SystemException& e){
cerr<<e<<endl;
}

try{
soar = new CosNaming::Name(1);
soar->length(1);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].id = CORBA::string_dup(“Super Orb”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
CosNaming::Name_var operations = new CosNaming::Name(1);
operations->length(1);
operations[(CORBA::ULong)0].id =
CORBA::string_dup(“Operations”);
operations[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);

CosNaming::Name_var region = new CosNaming::Name(1);

region->length(1);
region[(CORBA::ULong)0].id = CORBA::string_dup(“New York”);
region[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);

CosNaming::Name_var hangar_name = new CosNaming::Name(1);

hangar_name->length(1);
hangar_name[(CORBA::ULong)0].id =
CORBA::string_dup(“NYHangar”);
hangar_name[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);

soarContext = rootContext->bind_new_context(soar);
operationsContext = soarContext->bind_new_context(operations);
regionContext = operationsContext->bind_new_context(region);

Hangar_var the_hangar = new Hangar_i();

regionContext->rebind(hangar_name,the_hangar);

CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“SOAR”);
}

catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::NotFound &) {

cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::NotFound” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::CannotProceed &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::CannotProceed” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::InvalidName &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::InvalidName” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::AlreadyBound &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::AlreadyBound” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::NotEmpty &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::NotEmpty” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch (...) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
}
The Naming Service object reference is retrieved from the Orb’s interface. This initializes the
rootContext object. When the resolve_initial_references() method is invoked, the
rootContext object is returned. The SOAR context is attached to this context. This is accomplished in the
following snippet of code:

object_ = orb->resolve_initial_references(“NS”);
A simple name is contructed. The Name’s ID is “Super Orb”; the kind is left blank. Names are
constructed in the following manner:

soar->length(1);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].id = CORBA::string_dup(“Super Orb”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
From that point, three further names are constructed: Operations, New York, and NYHangar. When all
the names are constructed, they are bound to the context to create new contexts. The soarContext is
bound to the rootContext. On the soarContext, the operationsContext is bound. Finally the
last context, the regionContext, is bound to the operationsContext. The bind operations are
carried out in the following code:

soarContext = rootContext->bind_new_context(soar);
operationsContext = soarContext->bind_new_context(operations);
regionContext = operationsContext->bind_new_context(region);

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The last step is to bind a name pointing to the appropriate context. This is to be the Hangar
object reference. Its name, hangar_name, is bound to the regionsContext. The
construction of the object reference and the bind of the object is shown in the following:

Hangar_var the_hangar = new Hangar_i();

regionContext->rebind(hangar_name,the_hangar);
This sets up the names for the SOAR operations components. When that has been accomplished,
the server is ready to receive invocations from the client.

The Hangar Client Implementation

The implementation for the client is very similar to that for the server, except it uses the name to
resolve the object reference and make invocations on it (see Listing 7.3).
Listing 7.3 Hangar Client Implementation

#include <iostream.h>
#include “NamingService.hh”
#include “Hangar.hh”

#define USE_INIT

void main(int argc, char** argv){

CosNaming::NamingContext_var rootContext;
CosNaming::Name_var soar;
Hangar_var theHangar;
CORBA::Object_var object_;
try{

CORBA::ORB_var orb = CORBA::ORB_init(argc, argv, “Orbix”);

object_ = orb->resolve_initial_references(“NS”);
}
catch(CORBA::SystemException& e){
cerr<<e<<endl;
}

try{
soar = new CosNaming::Name(4);
soar->length(4);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].id = CORBA::string_dup(“Super Orb”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)1].id = CORBA::string_dup(“Operations”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)1].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)2].id = CORBA::string_dup(“New York”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)2].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)3].id = CORBA::string_dup(“NYHangar”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)3].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);

object_ = rootContext->resolve(soar);
theHangar = Hangar::_narrow(object_);

Hangar::aircraft_var t_aircraft = new Hangar::aircraft();

t_aircraft->id = 1001;
theHangar->CheckInAirCraft(t_aircraft);
Hangar::aircraft ret_ =
theHangar->retrieveAndDeleteAircraft(1001);

}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::NotFound &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::NotFound” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::CannotProceed &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::CannotProceed” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::InvalidName &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::InvalidName” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::AlreadyBound &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::AlreadyBound” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CosNaming::NamingContext::NotEmpty &) {
cerr << “CosNaming::NamingContext::NotEmpty” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch (...) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
}
First, a client has to construct a name for the potential object reference. In this case, the soar
name is constructed. It is a compound name that has four elements. The last one is the name of the
object reference that is required by the client. The construction of the name is shown in the
following code:

soar = new CosNaming::Name(4);

soar->length(4);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].id = CORBA::string_dup(“Super Orb”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)0].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)1].id = CORBA::string_dup(“Operations”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)1].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)2].id = CORBA::string_dup(“New York”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)2].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)3].id = CORBA::string_dup(“NYHangar”);
soar[(CORBA::ULong)3].kind = CORBA::string_dup(“”);
The name corresponds to Super Orb/Operations/New York/NYHangar. This enables
the retrieval of the object reference named NYHangar.
The resolve() method is invoked on the root context to retrieve the object reference. The
return type is CORBA::Object. This has to be narrowed to obtain the correct type.
The object is narrowed to obtain the correct type. The resolve() and narrow() operations
are shown in the following:

object_ = rootContext->resolve(soar);
theHangar = Hangar::_narrow(object_);
With the object reference in hand, it is now possible to make invocations on the object reference.

Summary
The Name Service is a critical CORBA service. It enables objects to be transparently distributed,
irrespective of host or location. It is a service that has a very simple API. As such, it is not a very
complicated service to use. As a service, it is sort of a White Pages directory. It can be used to
locate objects by name.

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Chapter 8
The Trader Service
In This Chapter
• Trader Service Interaction
• Design Rationale for the Trader Service
• Main Components of the Trader Service
• State of CORBA Trader Implementations
• The CUTrader Implementation
• Using the CUTrader
• The CUTrader Importer
The Trader Service is very similar to the Naming Service. Applications can
register their objects with the service, which acts as a locator service for a client
requiring some service. For example, a banking application client can require the
services of a payment server. In that case, the client can use the Naming Service
or the Trader Service to locate this service on the network. However, there is one
important distinction between the Trader Service and the Naming Service.
Although the Naming Service acts as a simple White Pages service, by which a
client can locate an object by name, the Trader Service acts as a Yellow Pages
service. A Trader Service could offer many different types of payment objects,
all of them classified under the general category “payments.” The client needs to
figure out the payment object that best suits its requirements.
This enables the client to request the service by a type or by an offer. When a
request is made, the Trader searches its directory for an object that matches the
requirements of the client. When such an object is found, its object reference is
returned to the client.
This interaction is very much that like of a trading operation between a merchant
and a customer. The customer wants something that the merchant has in the
store, and the trade is done on monetary terms. The Trader Service enables such
trading to be accomplished using user-defined Quality of Service criteria.

Trader Service Interaction

The Trader Service enables objects to advertise their services. Clients requiring
these services can acquire them as the Trader Service Trader matches the
requested requirements against the ones that are registered with it.
Registering a service with the Trader Service is known as exporting a service.
Acquiring a service by searching a trader space is known as importing a service.
Figure 8.1 shows the general components of a service interaction.

Figure 8.1 Trader Service interaction.

Design Rationale for the Trader Service

OMG’s primary goal for the Trader Service is the requirement of scalability.
Scalability means that the Trader server is capable of servicing an arbitrary
number of offers that are advertised through it. This is accomplished by the
Trader Service’s capability of dividing its offers into a number of logically
linked trading spaces. One of the side effects of this is the capability of linking
up multiple Trader Services into a federated Trader Service Trader.
Conceptually, a federated Trader Service could span multiple domains.
A Trader Service Trader that meets this requirement would have to have the
capability of supporting an arbitrary number of clients using its services; OMG
specifies a concept of policies. It is essentially through a Trader’s set of policies
that its trading space is searched for an offer that meets the client’s requirements.

Main Components of the Trader Service

The Trader specification details a gamut of related concepts and data types. For
brevity, only the major concepts are described here:
• Exporter—A component that wants to advertise its capability through a
Trader.
• Importer—A client that uses the Trader Service to locate an exporter by
specifying some criteria.
• Service Types—The primary concept that represents an offer. The
service type represents the type that is offering the service. It describes an
offer by specifying one or more properties.
• Property—These name-value pairs qualify the offer that is advertised by
the exporter. It is essentially on these properties that traders constrain the
search for an exporter:
typedef Isring PropertyName;
typedef sequence<PropertyName> PropertyNameSeq;
typedef any PropertyValue;

struct Property{
PropertyName name;
PropertyValue value;
};

enum HowManyProps {none, some, all};

union SpecifiedProps switch (HowManyProps) {
case some: PropertyNameSeq prop_names;
};
• Service Offers—The means by which an exporter advertises its
capabilities. It contains the following information:

struct offer{
Object reference;
PropertySeq properties;
};

typedef sequence<Offer> OfferSeq;

struct OfferInfo{
Object reference;
ServiceTypeName type;
PropertySeq properties;
};

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State of CORBA Trader Implementations
Unfortunately, CORBA Trader implementations are only recently becoming available. This
situation will change over the next year or two. The available implementations offer varying
degrees of CORBA compliance. It is only a matter of time before a forward-looking company will
offer a CORBA Trader over the Web. The implementation that follows will use the Trader
implementation from Dais as part of the J2 implementation.
Let’s consider a simple Trader implementation. The example will illustrate the basics of how a
Trader should work.
The CUTrader interface will demonstrate the property concept of the CosTrading module. The
CosTrading module contains the specification for the CORBA Trader Service. In conjunction
with this, it will also show an adaptation of the service-offer interface to enable objects to advertise
their capabilities. A component may register its capabilities or have its registration withdrawn from
the CUTrader implementation. Listing 8.1 shows the CUTrader interface. The CUTrader will
help us demonstrate a minimalist Trader Service.
Listing 8.1 The CUTrader Interface

module CUTrader {

typedef string PropertyName;

typedef string PropertyValue;

struct Property{
PropertyName name;
PropertyValue value;
};
typedef sequence<Property> PropertySeq;
struct Offer{
Object reference;
PropertySeq properties;
};

typedef sequence<Offer> OfferSeq;

interface Register{
void add(in Object obj, in string Service_id,
in PropertyList list);
void remove(in string Service _id);
Offer get(in string Service_id,
in PropertyList criteria);
};

};
The core of the CUTrader model is the Register interface. This interface allows the three
operations:

void add(in Object obj, in string Service_id,

in PropertyList list);
void remove(in string Service _id);
Offer get(in string Service_id,
in PropertyList criteria);
When a component needs to register its services, it can call the add() operation to add the object
reference and the associated property list to the CUTrader repository.
A component may remove a register entry by passing it the Service_id identifier. On doing so,
the CUTrader removes all associated information on the component from the CUTrader
repository.
An importer has to invoke the get() method on the Trader when it requires a service. When
invoking get(), the client has to pass in the name of the service. It also has to pass in a list of
properties to aid the search for the appropriate service. The Trader will return an offer with the
relative object reference if a match is found in the repository.

The CUTrader Implementation

The CUTrader needs to maintain an internal database to store the offers as they come in. It should
also be capable of searching the database by the criteria the client sends in to the Trader.
The CUTrader will use the JGL Hashset to maintain the internal database. Overall, the following
environment will be used to implement the Trader:
Server-side Orb: VisiBroker For Java 3.1
Client-side Orb: VisiBroker For Java 3.1
Additional Toolkit: Java Generic Library 3.0

Listing 8.2 shows the implementation of the interface.

Listing 8.2 Implementing the CUTrader Interface

package CUTrader;
import com.objectspace.jgl.*;

public class _example_Register extends CUTrader._RegisterImplBase {

HashSet repository = new HashSet();

HashSet Offers = new HashSet();

public _example_Register(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}

public _example_Register() {
super();
}

public void add(

org.omg.CORBA.Object obj,
java.lang.String Service_id,
CUTrader.Property[] list
) {
System.out.println(list);
Offer temp_ = new Offer();
temp_.reference = obj;
temp_.properties = new Property[list.length];

for(int i = 0; i<list.length; i++){

temp_.properties[i] = new Property();
temp_.properties[i].name = list[i].name;
temp_.properties[i].value = list[i].value;
}
RepositoryObject ro = new RepositoryObject(temp_,Service_id);
repository.add(ro);
}

public void remove(

java.lang.String Service_id
) {
repository.remove(Service_id);
}

public CUTrader.Offer get(

java.lang.String Service_id,
CUTrader.Property[] criteria
) {
Offer temp_ = new Offer();
temp_.properties = new Property[criteria.length];

for(int i = 0; i<criteria.length; i++){

temp_.properties[i] = new Property();
temp_.properties[i].name = criteria[i].name;
temp_.properties[i].value = criteria[i].value;
}

RepositoryObject returnOffer =
(RepositoryObject)repository.get(temp_);
if(returnOffer == null)
throw new org.omg.CORBA.BAD_TYPECODE();

return returnOffer.getOffer();
}
}
The implementation uses a class named RepositoryObject. It is this object that is stored in the
JGL Hashset. When a client invokes an add() method, it passes an array of properties and a string
identifying the object’s capability. The add() method also has an an object reference argument of
the component that wants to advertise its services. The Offer class has the following definition:

package CUTrader;

final public class Offer {

public org.omg.CORBA.Object reference;
public CUTrader.Property[] properties;
public Offer() {
}
public Offer(
org.omg.CORBA.Object reference,
CUTrader.Property[] properties
) {
this.reference = reference;
this.properties = properties;
}
public java.lang.String toString() {
org.omg.CORBA.Any any = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init().create_any();
CUTrader.OfferHelper.insert(any, this);
return any.toString();
}
}

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The Offer class defines two public instance variables: a CORBA.Object and an array of
properties. The CORBA.Object refers to the exporter’s reference. The array holds the list of
offer constraints that the exporter was to advertise. Both these are initialized with the parameters
passed in.
The Repository class is necessary for using the JGL Hashset. It has the structure shown in
Listing 8.3.
Listing 8.3 The Repository Class

package CUTrader;

public class RepositoryObject {

private Offer offer = new Offer();

private String id = null;

public RepositoryObject(Offer offer, String id) {

this.offer.reference = offer.reference;
this.id = id;
this.offer.properties = new Property[offer.properties.length];
for(int i = 0; i < offer.properties.length; i++){
this.offer.properties[i] = new Property();
this.offer.properties[i].name = offer.properties[i].name;
this.offer.properties[i].value = offer.properties[i].value;
}
}

public int hashCode(){

return this.offer.properties.hashCode();
}

public boolean equals(String id){

return (this.id.equals(id));
}
public boolean equals(Object object){

boolean found = false;

if(object instanceof RepositoryObject){

RepositoryObject ro = (RepositoryObject)object;
Offer temp_ = ro.getOffer();
while(!found){
for(int i = 0; i < temp_.properties.length; i++){
if(temp_.properties[i].name.equals
(this.offer.properties[i].name)){
found = true;
break;
}
}
}
}
return found;
}

public String toString(){

return this.offer.reference.toString();
}

public Offer getOffer(){

return this.offer;
}
}
This method:

public int hashCode()

determines the key to access an element from the Repository. The Repository object will not allow
similar objects to be added to the hashset. This is determined in the following line:

public boolean equals(Object object)

The implementation of this method verifies whether the names are the same. If the names are the
same, the object is not added to the Hashset.
With the Repository class defined, let’s get back to the Register interface implementation.
After the Offer object is constructed, an instance of the Repository class is added to the
Hashset. The Hashset is named Repository. The Repository class constructor takes two
parameters: the Offer object and the Service_id string. Adding an object is accomplished by
the following line of code:

RepositoryObject ro = new RepositoryObject(temp_,Service_id);

repository.add(ro);
The get method is very simmilar to add. First, an Offer object is constructed from the
parameter that is passed. After this is done, the get() method is invoked on the Repository
Hashset:

for(int i = 0; i<criteria.length; i++){

temp_.properties[i] = new Property();
temp_.properties[i].name = criteria[i].name;
temp_.properties[i].value = criteria[i].value;
}
RepositoryObject returnOffer =
(RepositoryObject)repository.get(temp_);
..
Internally, the Hashset uses a hashCode comparison to establish whether an object of the given
constraint is located in the Repository. If it is found, it is returned. This is the returnOffer
object in the preceding code.
Of course, if a match is not found, an exception needs to be thrown. Otherwise, the returned object
is returned to the client that invokes the operation.

The Trader Server Implementation

The CUTrader server is a run-of-the-mill CORBA server. The following code should be
self-explanatory:

public class Trader {

public static void main(String[] args) {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb =
org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();
CUTrader.Register Trader = new _example_Register (“CUTrader”);
boa.obj_is_ready(Trader);
System.out.println(Traer + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

}
The Register object reference is initialized with the name CUTrader. After this is done, the
basic object adapter is notified of its readiness, and the server goes into a blocked state waiting for
incoming invocations.

Using the CUTrader

With the CUTrader up and running, any server should be able to register its services with the
Trader. The other side of the coin is that any client can search for a traded object by some criteria.
First, a server that exports its services will be built, and then a client that uses the Trader to locate
a service will be implemented.

A CUTrader Exporter

Essentially, a service that wants to export its capability needs to acquire the Trader’s object
reference and invoke the add() operation on it. It passes the required parameters into add().
These parameters include the name of the service and an array of properties that it would like to
advertise using the Trader.
The CUTrader exporter will use the following interface to implement a skeletal service:

module SOAR{
interface Reservations{
void reserve();
};
};

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Run this IDL through the VisiBroker idl2java pre-compiler. The interface need not be implemented.
This example shows only how the Reservation uses the server to export its capabilities with the
CUTrader. Listing 8.4 shows the server implementation.
Listing 8.4 Using the CUTrader Service

package SOAR;
import CUTrader.*;

public class ReservationServer {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = null;
Register trader = null;
_example_Reservations reservations = null;

public ReservationServer(String[] args) {

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();
trader = RegisterHelper.bind(orb, “CUTrader”);

reservations = new _example_Reservations(“Reservation”);

this.RegisterServer();

boa.obj_is_ready(reservations);
System.out.println(reservations + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();

public void RegisterServer(){

String Service_id = “Reservation”;

Property[] offer = new Property[2];

for(int j =0; j<offer.length; j++)
offer[j] = new Property();

offer[0].name = “Cost”;
offer[0].value = “$30”;
offer[1].name = “Availability”;
offer[1].value = “24 Hours”;
try{
trader.add(reservations, Service_id, offer);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

ReservationServer reservationServer = new ReservationServer(args);
}

}
When an instance of SOAR.Reservations is instantiated, the implementation calls the
RegisterServer() method. The server has to call the add() method on the CUTrader server. It
has to pass three parameters: a CORBA.Object object reference, an array of properties, and the name
of the service.
The object reference it passes is Reservations. The following is a list of properties:

Property[] offer = new Property[2];

for(int j =0; j<offer.length; j++)
offer[j] = new Property();

offer[0].name = “Cost”;
offer[0].value = “$30”;
offer[1].name = “Availability”;
offer[1].value = “24 Hours”;
The Reservations object exports two properties: “Cost” and “Availability”. The first is a
common constraint to use in a trading environment. This instance of the Reservation server charges
“$30” for its services. It further distinguishes itself by specifying its availablity constraint, which is
“24 Hours”.
This enables a potential client to constrain a search by specifying a particular property. For instance, it
can specify that a cost of a service should be less than “$40”. This would, in theory, return the
Reservations object reference from the CUTrader.

The CUTrader Importer

Any potential client should be able to log into the Trader Service and request an object reference. To do
so, the client invokes the following method:

public CUTrader.Offer get(

java.lang.String Service_id,
CUTrader.Property[] criteria
)
When a client invokes this method, it passes in the name of the service and an array of properties that it
would like the Trader to search the repository for. In Listing 8.5, you see a client using CUTrader to
locate and use the service for the object that it requires.
Listing 8.5 Client Using the CUTrader Service

package SOAR;
import CUTrader.*;
public class ReservationClient {

Reservations ReservationServer = null;

public ReservationClient(String[] args) {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();
Register trader = RegisterHelper.bind(orb, “CUTrader”);

String Service_id = “Reservation”;

Property[] criteria = new Property[1];

Offer bestOffer = null;
for(int i = 0; i<criteria.length; i++)
criteria[i] = new Property();

criteria[0].name = “Cost”;
criteria[0].value = “$30”;

try{
bestOffer = trader.get(Service_id, criteria);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

if(bestOffer != null)
System.out.println(“Got it..”);
else
System.out.println(“Haven’t Got it..”);
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

ReservationClient reservationClient = new ReservationClient(args);

}
}
The client wants to locate a service by a single constraint. It constructs this constraint by initializing an
array of properties. The array has only one element. This is shown the following code:

Property[] criteria = new Property[1];

Offer bestOffer = null;
for(int i = 0; i<criteria.length; i++)
criteria[i] = new Property();

criteria[0].name = “Cost”;
criteria[0].value = “$30”;
When this is done, the Property object, along with a string identifying the service, is passed on to the
CUTrader. If an appropiate service is located, this is returned. Otherwise, the CUTrader throws an
exception that is handled.
Summary
The Trader Service could prove to be an extremely useful service. It enables a service to export its
capabilities through a service analogous to the Naming Service. The difference is that the Trader acts as
a Yellow Pages service.
The Trader can maintain a database of properties a service would like to advertise. These properties
could then be used by clients to locate a service by a desirable constraint. These could be a variety of
constraints, both qualities of service criteria as well as technical qualifications.

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-----------

Chapter 9
The Event Service
In This Chapter
• The Power Nine Problem
• Reducing Interface Dependencies
• The Supplier-Driven Event Model
• The Consumer-Driven Event Model
• The Delegated Event Model
• Semantics of Delegation-Based Event Models
• Event Types
• Implementing a CORBAEvents-Based Application
• Implementing Untyped Push Models
• push Event Client Implementation
• Implementing Typed Push Models
• The Typed Event Interface
• Implementing a Typed Push Supplier
• Typed Push Consumer Implementation
Modeling a system on state transitions enables the construction of very flexible
and cohesive systems. The system is loosely coupled because it is designed
with the fewest possible dependencies. Object-orientation is a paradigm that
enables systems with fewer dependencies than those possible with a more
procedural approach. Although object- oriented approaches have banished the
dependencies based on global variables through encapsulation, they have their
own dependencies. In object-oriented approaches, these dependencies are on
the interfaces that objects expose.
Nevertheless, after an interface has been designed, it is a contract that should
not be violated. This means that these interfaces should not change. Objects, in
short, are sensitive to changes in the interface. This is, to a certain extent,
manageable with deskbound systems. Under distributed systems, this
sensitivity could be problematic.

The Power Nine Problem

A scenario where a client depends on the constancy of an interface will help
illuminate the problems. If the server changes the interface, the client does not
function correctly. The fact that CORBA is inherently peer-to-peer has the
potential for exasperating this problem. This is a problem I call the “power
nine” problem. A system comprising a billion objects (possible by 2005 AD)
would have enormous sensitivity to changes in the interface. In a sense, the
limits of objects are inherent in the technique of encapsulation. I have
arbitrarily set the limit at 109 objects, or a billion objects with an average of
five methods per interface.
In my view, the problem cannot be solved without meta-interfaces. These are
interfaces with a mechanism for describing the semantics of the interface. This
paradigm will allow not just the representation of interfaces but their semantics
as well. Nevertheless, this is an enormously complicated problem. The
solution for this problem space lies somewhere between Artificial Intelligence
and “smart” components. Smart in my view is possible, but AI is in the
I-don’t-know-if-that-will-work category.

Reducing Interface Dependencies

Before interfaces become smart or something “more,” distributed systems with
high overall complexity need to be kept as cohesive as possible. This means
that if new elements are introduced, it should not bring down the whole house.
The designer can use the Event Service to specify systems where the overall
dependency of the system component is not on interfaces but on events. This is
a dependency, but one that has a higher cohesion ratio than just a pure
object-oriented system.
As long as the client and the server agree on the semantics of what an event
means, the CORBA Event Service provides a standard API for producing and
consuming events. CORBA provides a standard mechanism for achieving this
agreement. Before going into the details of how this can be achieved, let’s look
at the different event semantics CORBA supports.
The CORBA Event Service enables a near-maximum decoupling of clients and
servers by delegating the interdependencies between them to events. There are
three main components of the CORBA Event Service: the supplier, the
consumer, and the Event Channel. Within the context of these three
components, the CosEvents Service supports two types of event delivery:
deliveries through push or through pull modes of event access. Events can be
delivered through a push mechanism. Events can also be delivered by using
pull.
The Supplier-Driven Event Model
The supplier-driven type of event model involves the supplier of events
generating the event and pushing the event to a registered consumer. In this
mode of event delivery, the supplier of the event is the client and the consumer
of the event is the server.
The supplier of the event can communicate with the consumer as it supports
the PushConsumer interface:

interface PushConsumer{
void push (in any date) raises (Disconnected);
void disconnect_push_consumer();
};
When a supplier has an event to deliver, the supplier invokes the push
operation on the client. The operation takes CORBA::Any as the argument.
The disconnect_push_ consumer() provides an operative mechanism
for the server to disconnect the consumer for some reason. Such needs may
arise for quality-of-service criteria. A server could offer its services only
periodically. When the server needs to be shut down, it could use this method
to disconnect all consumers.
A supplier of push events has to support a simple interface:

interface PushSupplier{
void disconnect_push_supplier();
};
This API provides the consumer of the pushed events with the capability of
informing the event server that it is about to disconnect itself from the
interaction.

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-----------
The Consumer-Driven Event Model
This model enables the consumer of an event to dictate when an event is
delivered. This is also known as the pull model of event delivery. The model in
terms of its API is very similar to the push model, except that the
responsibility of retrieving the event rests with the consumer. This results in
the reversal of roles, so to speak. The consumer is the client and the producer
of the event is the server. When a supplier supports pull as a mechanism for
supporting event delivery, it needs to support the following interface:

interface PullSupplier{

any Pull raises (Disconnected);

any try_Pull(out boolean has_event) raises
(Disconnected)
void disconnect_pull_supplier();
};
The events that the server wants to distribute can be cached in an event queue.
The client can then pull an event out of this queue when required. It is
conceivable that the supplier does not have any events to supply. In this case,
the pull operation will be costly for the client. To remove this overhead, the
specification provides the try_pull() operation. This operation does not
block the client when making the invocation using try_pull. The out
argument will indicate whether the server has events to service.
Any server wishing to become a pull supplier has to implement the interface
that was defined previously. Using the previous interface, the client can pull
events it requires, when it requires them.
The client has to support only a simple interface:
interface PullConsumer{
void disconnect_pull_consumer()
};
The two disconnect APIs provide a clean mechanism for either the client
or the server to disconnect themselves from an event contract.

The Delegated Event Model

The Event Channel provides the most flexible model for event delivery. Using
an Event Channel–based design enables the incorporation of various
quality-of-service criteria to be added to the system. The Event Channel offers
the following benefits over a more direct model of event communication:
• The Event Channel offers a much more scalable system than those
offered by direct events communictions. Scalability in this context
means that the number of suppliers and interested consumers can be
arbitrary.
• There is a greater decoupling between client and server. This means
that the Event Channel needs to support only certain types of events. A
client “subscribing” to these need not bother about the originator of
these events. On the other hand, the supplier need not be concerned
about what is ultimately consuming the events.
• Events can be made persistent and transactional. This allows clients to
play back an event. Another major benefit is the possibility of logging
events when they happen. In this fashion, if a failure occurs, the Event
Channel can reinitialize its state to recover from the failure.
• Designs can mix and match push and pull models.

Semantics of Delegation-Based Event Models

The Event Channel allows the mixing and matching of push and pull models.
This enables the following combinations of event delivery models:
• Push-Push model
In this model, the supplier pushes an event to the channel, and the
channel in turn pushes the event to the client.
• Push-Pull model
The supplier pushes the event as usual to the channel. At the Event
Channel, these events are buffered. The client pulls events from the
Event Channel buffer as and when required.
• Pull-Push model
In this model, the Event Channel pulls events from the supplier, which
buffers events. These pulls can be thought of as analogous to polling.
After an event has been retrieved, the event is pushed to a registered
consumer.
• Pull-Pull model
Using the pull-pull semantics, the supplier of events buffers events as
state changes occur in them. The Event Channel polls the supplier
during regular intervals to pull events from it when they become
available. The Event Channel buffers these events for some client to
eventually pull them out from its buffer.
The Event Channel is a proxy for event producers. In that respect, the
introduction of channels is irrelevant to a client, because, as far as the client is
concerned, the channel is the producer of events.
Event Channels are just like other CORBA servers. As such, a client can
obtain its services as it does with any other CORBA servers. This may include
the bind call or using the IOR. The preferred means of accessing the channel
would be through a Naming Service or a Trader Service.
The Event Channel APIs are mainly for administering the various suppliers
and consumers. As mentioned, the Event Channel enables the mixing of event
delivery models:
The following example shows how you can use both push and pull
mechanisms for event delivery:

interface ConsumerAdmin{
ProxyPushSuppler obtain_push_supplier();
ProxyPullSuppler obtain_pull_supplier();
..
};
The supplier and consumer ultimately deal with the proxy object. These two
interfaces enable them to retrieve the appropriate proxy object references held
by the Event Channel:

interface EventChannel{
ConsumerAdmin for_consumer();
ConsumerAdmin for_suppliers();
void destroy();
};
When the reference to EventChannel is obtained, a client can request the
interfaces for the consumer or for the supplier. These interfaces are used to
obtain the required proxy references. Using the proxies, the client can connect
to the required model for event delivery.

Event Types
CORBA supports two types of events: untyped events and typed events. The
interfaces described previously were for untyped events.

Untyped Events

Whether an application is using push or pull models for event delivery, with
untyped events, these operations deliver an Any type. As you may recall, a
CORBA::Any type is essentially a void pointer with an associated typecode
pointer.
An any type can encapsulate any IDL type. One of the consequences of this
feature is the fact that the client must clearly understand the semantics of the
encapsulated type. This means that if the client is excepting a foo type
encapsulated in an Any, the server should not deliver a bar type.

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-----------
Typed Events

Typed events enable a supplier to deliver IDL interfaces as events to a consumer. It means that any
valid IDL interfaces could be passed as an event using typed events. This is the closest an object
reference–based system such as CORBA can come to a Mobile Agent type of architecture. The
mechanism for events is different, depending upon what model is used to deliver an event.
If the model used is a push model, the event consumer supplies the interface. If the model used is a pull
model, the supplier furnishes an interface. The typed events also enable the construction of typed
Event Channels that deliver typed events.

Implementing a CORBAEvents-Based Application

The following sections illustrate how to use CORBAEvents. The first example develops an untyped
push-based application. The second illustrates the typed push model.
The following is the environment:
Servers: Orbix 2.3c
Clients: Orbix 2.3c
UnTyped events: OrbixEvents 1.1c
Typed events: OrbixEvents 1.1d

Implementing Untyped Push Models

The application builds a push supplier and a push consumer. They share a push Event Channel. The
model being built is a push-push model.

The Push Supplier

To implement an OrbixEvents push supplier, the code should accomplish three things:
1. The supplier retrieves a ProxyPushConsumer from the event channel.
2. After the ProxyPushConsumer is retrieved, it invokes the connect_push_
supplier().
3. After the push supplier is connected, the event server can push events into the Event
Channel.
The Event Channel can be obtained in one of three ways. The first mechanism is to obtain an Event
Channel by using the low-level bind() that is usually provided by ORB implementations. Keep in
mind that some of these implementations are not CORBA-compliant. This means that the bind() call
does not usually use IIOP to attach to a server by a vendor-specific protocol. The second mechanism is
to use the Naming Service or the Trader Service. This is a much more flexible manner of advertising
an Event Service channel. The third mechanism is to use the IOR. This mechanism might be used if the
design is to enable interoperability of an Event Channel across multiple ORBs.
With the Event Channel retrieved, the server should invoke the for_suppliers() method on it to
retrieve the SupplierAdmin object reference. The SupplierAdmin supports the following
operations:

interface SupplierAdmin{
ProxyPushSupplier obtain_push_supplier();
ProxyPullSupplier obtain_pull_supplier();
};
Because the application is using the push model, the server invokes the first operation. If the server
implements a pull model, it invokes an obtain_pull_supplier to register its services.
With the SupplierAdmin object reference in hand, the server invokes the
obtain_push_supplier() to retrieve a reference to a ProxyPushSupplier. The
ProxyPushSupplier is the interface that the server uses to connect its supply to the Event
Channel:

interface ProxyPushSupplier:CosEventComm:PushSupplier{
void connect_push_supplier(in CosEventComm:PushSupplier
push_supplier) raises (AlreadyConnected);
};
With the administration of the event server out of the way, the server can then proceed to push events
into the Event Channel, as events become available.
The server implements the following IDL as the event type to pass to the Event Channel. The file
contains a struct that will hold departure details for flights:

Departure.idl
struct DepartureDetail{
string<5> flighno;
string<5> time;
string<1> status;
};
The idea is to have an event server that transmits departure data when this information becomes
available. Compile the preceding structure with the Orbix IDL pre-compiler:

prompt$> IDL -A departure.idl

The -A flag generates support for Any.
The EventSupplier must be subclassed from PushConsumerBOAImpl. This class is generated
by IDL pre-compiling the EventService.idl with a -B flag with the Orbix IDL pre-compiler.
The following header file lays out the definition on the Eventsupplier:

flightserver.hpp

class FlightSupplier_i : public CosEventComm::PushSupplierBOAImpl{

private:
unsigned char m_connected;

public:
FlightSupplier_i(){
m_connected = 0;
}

virtual void disconnect_push_supplier (CORBA(Environment) &IT_env){

cout << “Called disconnect_push_supplier”;

unsigned char connected(){

return m_connected;
}

void connected(unsigned char c){

m_connected = c;
}

};
The disconnect_push_supplier() is the method that is overridden to support the
PushSupplier interface. This method enables the client to disconnect from the server when
required. Calling this method ends the connection to the channel and releases all associated resources.
Listing 9.1 shows the implementation of the untyped event supplier.

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-----------
Listing 9.1 The Untyped Event Supplier Implementation

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>

#include <EventService.hh>
#include “flightserver.hpp”

void main(int argc, char** argv){

CORBA::Orbix.bindUsingIIOP(TRUE);

CORBA(Any) event_data;
DepartureDetail departures;
departures.flighno = CORBA::string_dup(“GRN445”);
departures.time = CORBA::string_dup(“01:30”);;
departures.status = CORBA::string_dup(“D”);

event_data <<= departures;

CosEventChannelAdmin::EventChannel_var ec;
try{
Channel =
CosEventChannelAdmin::EventChannel::_bind(“Departures:ES”);

CosEventChannelAdmin::SupplierAdmin_var admin_ =
Channel->for_suppliers();
CosEventChannelAdmin::ProxyPushConsumer_var proxy_ =
sadmin->obtain_push_consumer();

FlightSupplier_i DepartureData;
proxy_->connect_push_supplier(&DepartureData);
DepartureData.connected(1);

int count = 1;
while (DepartureData.connected()){
proxy_->push(event_data);
}
proxy_->disconnect_push_consumer();
}
catch (CORBA(SystemException) &sysEx) {
cerr << “”Unexpected System Exception “ << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cerr << “Unexpected Exception” << endl;
exit(-1);
}
}
Because we are dealing with CORBA::Any type, a user-defined type has to be cast into
CORBA::Any. This is accomplished using the overloaded left-shift operator, which inserts a type into
an Any. First, a departure structure is constructed, and then it is cast into a CORBA::Any. Here is the
relevant code:

DepartureDetail departures;
departures.flighno = CORBA::string_dup(“GRN445”);
departures.time = CORBA::string_dup(“01:30”);;
departures.status = CORBA::string_dup(“D”);
event_data <<= departures;
The Naming Service is the preferred mechanism for acquiring the Event Channel, but this
implementation uses the Orbix-specific bind() method. The departure server binds to the
OrbixEvent server ES:

Channel = CosEventChannelAdmin::EventChannel::_bind(“Departures:ES”);
After the object reference to the Event Service is retrieved, the SupplierAdmin object reference has
to be retrieved from the Event Channel. The SupplierAdmin enables the retrieval of the proxy
object references from the Event Channel:

CosEventChannelAdmin::SupplierAdmin_var Admin_ =
Channel->for_suppliers();
At this point, the ProxyPushConsumer is retrieved from the SupplierAdmin object reference.
ProxyPushConsumer enables the delivery of push events. The code snippet to accomplish this is
shown in the following:

CosEventChannelAdmin::ProxyPushConsumer_var proxy_ =
sadmin->obtain_push_consumer();
The connect_push_supplier() connects the event structure with the ProxyPushConsumer.
As long as the PushSupplier is connected to the Event Channel, the event server invokes push on
the proxy object reference, pushing the DepartureData structure into the channel.
The application should be linked with ES.lib.

Note:
The headers required for the Event Service need to be generated by running the IDL pre-compiler on
EventService.idl.
The EventChannel server is registered with the Orbix implementation repository. When registered,
an Event Channel proxy is initialized with the server. This can be done as follows:

prompt$> ES Departures -nonames

This will start up the EventChannel server with a Departures channel in it.

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push Event Client Implementation
A PushConsumer inherits from the PushConsumer interface. This interface has two operations
to be implemented: The first, the push() operation, is the method through which the
EventChannel communicates with the consumer. The second operation, disconnect_
push_consumer(), enables a client to disconnect the consumer from the channel. Listing 9.2
shows the implementation of the push event client.
Listing 9.2 The push Event Client Implementation

#include “eventClient.hpp”

class FlightClient : public CosEventComm::PushConsumerBOAImpl{

private:
unsigned char m_connected;

public:
FlightClient(){
m_connected = 0;
}

virtual void disconnect_push_consumer (CORBA(Environment) &IT_env){

m_connected=0;
}

virtual void push(const CORBA(Any)& DepartureAny

, CORBA::Environment &IT_env){

DepartureDetail *departures;
DepartureAny >>= departures;

cout << “Flight Number “ << departures->flighno << endl;

}

unsigned char connected(){

return m_connected;
}
void connected(unsigned char conn){
m_connected = conn;
}
};
The whole implementation revolves around the m_connected variable. When the
disconnect_push_consumer() method is called, this variable is set.The push() method
delivers the event to the consumer. The method uses the Orbix right-shift overloaded operator to
extract the Any type that is delivered into the consumer.
Listing 9.3 shows how a client could use the push mechanism for event delivery.
Listing 9.3 The FlightConsumer Implementation

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>

#include <EventService.hh>
#include “Eventclient.hpp”

int main(int argc, char* argv[]){

CORBA::Orbix.bindUsingIIOP(TRUE);
CosEventChannelAdmin::EventChannel_var channel_;

try{
channel_ =
CosEventChannelAdmin::EventChannel::_bind(“Departures:ES”);
CosEventChannelAdmin::ConsumerAdmin_var admin_ =
channel_->for_consumers();
CosEventChannelAdmin::ProxyPushSupplier_var proxy_ =
admin_->obtain_push_supplier();

FlightClient DepartureChannel;
proxy_->connect_push_consumer(&DepartureChannel);
DepartureChannel.connected(1);

while(DepartureChannel.connected()){
CORBA::Orbix.processNextEvent();
}
proxy_->disconnect_push_supplier();
delete &DepartureChannel;
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected System Exception “ << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cout << “Unexpected Exception “ << endl;
exit(-1);
}
return 0;
}
The client has to retrieve the Event Channel to receive events. The implementation uses the
Orbix-specific bind() method to acquire the EventChannel object reference. The Event
Channel is registered as Departure with the Event Service. Here is the code:

channel_ =
CosEventChannelAdmin::EventChannel::_bind(“Departures:ES”);
The for_consumer() method retrieves the ConsumerAdmin object reference for connecting
the consumer with the EventChannel.
The ConsumerAdmin object reference enables the client to refer to the ProxyPushSupplier,
the object reference. This object reference enables the client to establish a connection to the Event
Channel.

CosEventChannelAdmin::ProxyPushSupplier_var proxy_ =
admin_->obtain_push_supplier();
The ProxyPushSupplier object reference can be used by the the Consumer, which connects
to the Event Channel The PushConsumer in this implementation is FlightClient. Here is the
code:

FlightClient DepartureChannel;
proxy_->connect_push_consumer(&DepartureChannel);
After the Consumer is connected, the instance variable indicating whether the connection is alive
is set to true. For the duration of this truth, the implementation loops on this variable, listening for
incoming events.
CORBA::Orbix.processNextEvent() enables an implementation to be sensitive to three
types of events that the ORB interface handles:
• Operations requests
• Connection requests
• Disconnection requests
The event falls into the operations request. Before exiting, the EventConsumer disconnects from
the EventChannel.

Implementing Typed Push Models

The main difference between typed and untyped is that the former enables definition of events via a
user-defined interface. This enables the event supplier to push events using the interface defined.
The application will implement a typed push-push model.

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The Typed Event Interface
The Event Consumer application uses the following interface to have events delivered to it:

Flight.idl

#include “EventService.idl”

interface Flight:CosTypedEventComm::TypedPushConsumer {

void getArrival(in string flightNo

,in string time
,in string status);
};
The Flight interface inherits from CosTypedEventComm::TypedPushConsumer. In a
typed push model, the event interfaces are provided for the consumer. If the model being
implemented is pull, it should be the CosTypedEventComm::TypedPullSupplier. The
Flight interface needs to be pre-compiled and implemented. Compile the interface by issuing
the following command:

prompt$>idl -B -S -R flight.idl
This implementation must support the operation that needs to be overridden for the
TypedPushConsumer interface. The implementation will be used by the EventConsumer
when it is built.
The header file for the Flight class is shown in Listing 9.4.
Listing 9.4 The Flight Interface Implementation

#include “arrival.hh”
#include <EventService.hh>
class IT_DECLSPEC_arrival Flight_i: public virtual FlightBOAImpl{

unsigned char m_disconnected;

public:

Flight_i(){
m_disconnected = 0;
}

void disconnect_push_consumer(CORBA::Environment &) {

m_disconnected = 1;
}

CORBA::Object_ptr get_typed_consumer(CORBA::Environment &) {

return this;
}

virtual void push(const CORBA::any& data

,CORBA::Environment &IT_pEnv);

virtual unsigned char disconnected(){

return m_disconnected;
}

public:
virtual void getArrival (const char * flightNo
,const char * time
,const char * status
,CORBA::Environment
&IT_env=CORBA::default_environment);
};
There are two classes that the Flight_i subclasses and overrides: the FlightBOAImpl and
the PushConsumer interface defined in the CosEventComm module. The class implements
the methods defined in the interface. As with the untyped application, the class defines a flag
m_connected, which indicates whether the object is connected to the Typed Event Channel.
The class should implement the getArrival() method:

#include <iostream.h>
#include “arrival.hpp”

void Flight_i:: getArrival (const char * flightNo

,const char * time
,const char * status
,CORBA::Environment &IT_env){

cout<<”Fligh Number: “<<flighNo<<endl;

cout<<”Arrival Time: “<<time<<endl;
cout<<”Flight Status: “<<status<<endl;
}
The event supplier invokes this method to deliver the event. The implementation is simple
enough to demonstrate how it would work. The supplier of the events invoke the getArrival
method to deliver the event.

Implementing a Typed Push Supplier

Implementing a Typed Push Supplier is very similar to developing an untyped one. The supplier
is a simple PushSupplier; therefore, it needs to subclass
CosEventComm::PushSupplierBOAImpl and implement its methods.
The following tasks must be accomplished before it can start delivering typed events:
1. Retrieve a reference to a Typed Event Channel.
2. After the Event Channel is obtained, the application retrieves an instance of the
TypeSupplierAdmin so that it can connect to the channel.
3. Finally, the code retrieves an instance of the TypedProxyPushConsumer by
passing the name of the interface to push to one of the following:
• The Event Channel may be retrieved in any manner that is suitable. The
prescribed manner is by using a Trader Service or a Naming Service. But for this
exercise, the Orbix bind() method is used. If interoperability is desired, use the
IOR to the Event Channel to retrieve an object reference to a typed Event Channel.
• The CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedSupplierAdmin can be
retrieved from the Typed Event Channel by invoking the for_suppliers()
method. The Admin object reference is required to acquire a
TypedProxyPushConsumer object reference.
• The Proxy reference, once retrieved, is used to get the typed consumer. This can
be accomplished by invoking get_typed_consumer() on the Proxy. The
method returns a generic CORBA::Object object reference. This reference points
to the interface that the consumer supports to have events delivered to it.
• The Type Push interface can be narrowed to the appropriate object reference.
When this is accomplished, the supplier can start invoking methods on it.
The typed push server is defined in the following class:

#include <iostream.h>
#include “arrival.hh”
#include “EventService.hh”
class ArrivalSupplier_i:public CosEventComm::PushSupplierBOAImpl{

unsigned char m_disconnected;

public:

ArrivalSupplier_i(){
m_disconnected = 0;
}
virtual void disconnect_push_supplier(
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::IT_chooseDefaultEnv()){
m_disconnected = 1;
}

char disconnected(){
return m_disconnected;
}

};
The disconnect_push_supplier() is implemented in this code. This enables a client to
disconnect the supplier from the Event Channel and have all associate resources deallocated (see
Listing 9.5).

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-----------
Listing 9.5 The Typed Supplier Implementation

#include “typedsupplier.hpp”

void main(int argc,char **argv){

Flight_var arrivalData;

CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedEventChannel_var channel_;
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedSupplierAdmin_var admin_;
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedProxyPushConsumer_var proxy_;

ArrivalSupplier_i Eventsupplier_;
CORBA::Object_ptr object_;

try{

CORBA(Orbix).bindUsingIIOP(TRUE);
channel_ =
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedEventChannel::_bind(
“Arrival:typed_es”
);

admin_ = channel_->for_suppliers();
proxy_= admin_->obtain_typed_push_consumer(“Flight”);
proxy_->connect_push_supplier(&Eventsupplier_);
object_ = proxy_->get_typed_consumer();
arrivalData = Flight::_narrow(object_);
}
catch(CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::InterfaceNotSupported &) {
cout << “Interface not supported” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch(CORBA(SystemException& se)){
cout << “System Exception “ << &se << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cout << “Unknown error” << endl;
exit(1);
}

while(!Eventsupplier_.disconnected()){
try{
arrivalData->getArrival(“RF199”,”13:50”,”N”);
}
catch(CORBA(SystemException& se)){
cout << “System Exception: “ << &se << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cout << “Unknown exception” << endl; exit(1);
}
}

CORBA::release(object_);
cout << “Disconnecting ...” << endl;
proxy_->disconnect_push_consumer();
}
In this implementation, the Orbix bind() method is used to retrieve the
TypedEventChannel object reference.
With the TypedEventChannel object reference resolved, the administration object
reference for suppliers has to be retrieved. The Admin interface enables the retrieval of the
proxy object. This retrieval is accomplished by invoking the following method on the Event
Channel:

admin_ = channel_->for_suppliers();
The next step is to retrieve the proxy object. The proxy object reference for typed push
consumers is retrieved by invoking the obtain_typed_push_consumer() operation on
the Admin reference. This operation needs a string name of the interface that the supplier
hopes to deliver events. The code snippet for this invocation follows:

proxy_= admin_->obtain_typed_push_consumer(“Flight”);
The implementation then has to register the typed event supplier with the proxy. This enables
proxies to invoke disconnects on the supplier if necessary. The relevant code follows:

proxy_->connect_push_supplier(&Eventsupplier_);
With the supplier registered, the application must retrieve an object reference to the interface it
uses to deliver events. This is accomplished by invoking get_typed_consumer(). The
operation returns a CORBA::Object:

object_ = proxy_->get_typed_consumer();
The CORBA::Object that is retrieved is narrowed to provide the right type.
The following line:

arrivalData->getArrival(“RF199”,”13:50”,”N”);
is an infinite loop that invokes the lone operation getArrival() on the interface that was
retrieved from the proxy.

Note:
Ensure that the following steps have been taken with the implementation:
• The headers required for the Event Service need to be generated by running the IDL
pre-compiler on EventService.idl.
• The application needs to be linked with typed_es.lib.
• The typed EventChannel server needs to be registered with the Orbix
implementation repository. It needs to be registered as typed_es, because it is the
name used in the code.
• The typed Event Service uses the Interface Repository (IR) to retrieve the required
interface. In our case, it is the Flight interface. Therefore, this interface must be
registed with the repository.
This can be accomplished by running the IDL pre-compiler with the following switches:

prompt$> idl -R -N Flight.idl

This will populate the IR with the Flight interface. The IR needs to be registered with
the Orbix Implementation Repository as well so that it can be launched when required.

When registered, an Event Channel proxy is initialized with the server. This can be done as
follows:

prompt$> TES Flight -nonames

This starts up the EventChannel server. The marker Flight indicates the name of the
interface to be loaded and used from the Interface Repository.

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Typed Push Consumer Implementation
The Typed Push Consumer uses the Flight interface to have the event delivered to it.
The architecture of this solution is simple. The consumer defines the interface that it will
expose, using the IR to an event supplier. The supplier acquires a reference to this interface
through the TypedProxyPushConsumer. When this remote object reference is
retrieved, the communication is essentially the event server making an invocation on a
remote server. The only difference is that these invocations are delegated to the
TypedEventChannel for delivery.
The interface inherits from TypedPushConsumer, which is a subinterface of
PushConsumer. For this reason, push() is overridden in the implementation. The
implemention of this interface and its associated skeletons must be linked with the
Consumer application. The following steps should be taken for the consumer to receive
events from the EventChannel:
1. Obtain an object reference to the TypedEvent channel.
2. Obtain the TypedConsumerAdmin from the channel.
3. Obtain the ProxyPushSupplier object reference from the admin object
reference.
The implementation is shown in Listing 9.6.
Listing 9.6 The Typed Event Client

#include “arrival.hpp”
#include “EventService.hh”
#include <iostream.h>

void main(int argc, char** argv){

Flight_i Listener;
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedEventChannel_var channel_;
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedConsumerAdmin_var admin_;
CosEventChannelAdmin::ProxyPushSupplier_var proxy_;

CORBA(Orbix).bindUsingIIOP(1);
try{
channel_=
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedEventChannel::_bind(
“Arrival:typed_es”
);
admin_ = channel_->for_consumers();
proxy_ = admin_->obtain_typed_push_supplier(“Flight”);
proxy_->connect_push_consumer(&Listener);

while(!Listener.disconnected()){
CORBA(Orbix).processNextEvent();
}
proxy_->disconnect_push_supplier();
}
catch(CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::NoSuchImplementation &) {
cout << “No Such Implementation” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch(CORBA(SystemException& se)){
cout << “System Exception: “ << &se << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cout << “Unknown exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
}
The first thing the client has to do is to acquire the Event Channel. Under typical
circumstances, it is best to use the Naming Service to achieve this; but in this case, the
Event Channel is acquired by using the Orbix bind() method.

channel_ =
CosTypedEventChannelAdmin::TypedEventChannel::_bind(
“Arrival:typed_es”
With the Event Channel retrieved, the client can request the object reference to the
TypedConsumerAdmin for consumers from the Event Channel:

admin_ = channel_->for_consumers();
The client in this implementation is interested in receiving events from the Flight event
implementation. In order to do so, the client has to initialize the ProxyPushSupplier
object reference. The code for doing that is shown in the following line:
proxy_ = admin_->obtain_typed_push_supplier(“Flight”);
The Typed interface is registered with the proxy reference to listen for incoming events.
The Typed interface is the Flight interface that was implemented at the beginning of
the chapter. Here is the code that does this registration:

proxy_->connect_push_consumer(&Listener);
As long as the connection is maintained, the consumer listens to the ORB for ORB events.
To ensure that the client will listen to incoming events until the disconnect is called, the
following code will execute listening to events:

while(!Listener.disconnected()){
CORBA(Orbix).processNextEvent();
}

Summary
The CORBA Event Service is one of the key services specified by the OMG. The pri-
mary rationale behind using the Event Service is the possibility of using events to reduce
inter-dependencies between clients and servers.
The CORBA Event Service specifies two types of events. CosEvents can be either typed
or untyped events. Untyped events deliver types encapsulated as CORBA::Any type.
In the context of typed and untyped events, the CORBA Event Service specifies three
components in its architecture. The Event Supplier generates the events. The Event
Consumer acts on the events delivered. Within the specification, the architecture also
defines an Event Channel, which enables a delegation-based event model. Between these
three components, CORBA supports both push- and pull-based event models.

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-----------

Chapter 10
The Transaction Service
In This Chapter
• Definition of Transaction
• Transaction Service
• Developing OTS Clients
• The LittleBank Interface Implementation
• The LittleBankServer Implementation
• The LittleBank Transaction Client
• Example: e-commerce
• The OnlineBookStore’s Transaction Client
The Object Transaction Service (OTS) presents a model for managing
transactions. A practical definition of transactions follows, along with how to
use transactions in the context of the OTS.
This chapter describes two examples where a distributed transaction is
required. The first example is a simple fund transfer for a banking application.
The second example is order processing for an online bookstore.
Transactional programming is key to controlling complex software systems in
a distributed computing environment. A well-designed transaction is a
manageable piece of work, executing in an autonomous fashion. The
robustness of a transaction acts as a strong foundation for large software
systems.
Distributed systems often have decentralized access to system resources. This
separation introduces potentially complex permutations of object interaction.
Under this circumstance, you have to have some third agency that coordinates
all these complex permutations of object interactions. Under CORBA, the OTS
provides a relatively transparent solution to the problem of coordinating
changes to distributed objects.

Definition of Transaction
A transaction is a unit of work that is atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable
(ACID). These characteristics are defined in the following list:
• Atomic—A transaction is an indivisible set of operations, grouped as
an all-or-nothing unit of work. If one of the operations fails or is
interrupted, changes made by the other operations are reverted to their
state before the start of the transaction.
• Consistent—Invariant properties must be preserved. If they were not
broken before the transaction, they should not be broken due to the
transaction.
• Isolated—Transactions are unaffected by concurrent transactions. If
two transactions make changes to the same resource, it appears as if they
access the resource in a serial manner. Additionally, transactions are
protected from intermediate states of other transactions that may fail.
• Durable—When the transaction is complete, any changes the
transaction makes are permanent and persistent.

Commit and Rollback

When a transaction is finished, the transaction is committed. If an error occurs,

the transaction is rolled back. Most DBMSs have API calls for commit and
rollback operations. DBMS transactions rarely have the capability of
coordinating transactions beyond a single data source.
An OTS can coordinate transactions across many different databases,
messaging systems, and other user-defined transactional objects.
Many developers are familiar with accessing a single relational data store.
Commit and rollback function APIs provided by the database vendor control
the data store’s transactional boundaries. A transaction’s coordination occurs
within a single database.

Transaction Scenario: Funds Transfer

A transaction is a set of operations that can be grouped together in such a way

that they will either all succeed or all fail. If a transaction fails in a bank, its
customers might get upset if the mistake is not to their advantage.
In this example, there is a transfer of $200 from a $1,000 savings account to a
$900 checking account. The bank uses ledgers to keep track of customer
accounts. Using ledgers, the bank clerk enters a debit of $200 under the
savings account and a credit of $200 under the checking account. This leaves
the savings balance of $800, and a checking balance of $1,100.
When the clerk transfers the funds, he or she makes sure that both ledgers are
available and changes them at the same time.
If the clerk changed one ledger and only made a note to change the other
ledger later, the customer’s checks may bounce. You would expect the clerk to
group debit and credit operations together so that the accounts balance before
other clerks can change the account.
If you matched up the ACID characteristics to this example, you would get the
following results:
• Atomic—The clerk makes sure that either both account ledgers are
changed or that he or she changes neither ledger.
• Consistent—If the clerk reverses the transaction, both ledgers go back
to their original state, and it is as if the partial transaction never took
place.
• Isolated—The clerk changes only the accounts in question, not any
other accounts at the bank. This also means that transactions to any
other accounts do not affect the accounts in question while the clerk
completes the transaction.
• Durable—The transaction is not permanent if the clerk merely makes
a note to perform a transaction. The change has not truly been made. If
the note is lost, the transaction will not even be recorded.

Note:
When grouped together, sets of operations with ACID characteristics
represent a unit of work. Transaction boundaries are defined by the
beginning and ending of the unit of work.

The Two-Phase Commit

The two-phase commit protocol is used by distributed transactions for

coordinating multiple transactional resources.
When a single resource is involved in a transaction, only one phase of
commitment is required. The resource is either committed or, if the transaction
fails, rolled back.
Multiple resources require two phases of commitment: prepare and commit.
The prepare phase enables each resource to vote on whether it can commit.
The OTS rolls back the entire transaction if the resources do not vote
unanimously.
If all resources vote to commit, the Transaction Manager continues to the
commit phase and instructs the resources to commit.

Transaction Service
The CORBAServices specification for the OTS defines several IDL interfaces
for transaction management. These interfaces are essentially the latest
incarnation of an API defined by the X/Open Group, the Distributed
Transaction Process (DTP).
The three interfaces for DTP are
• XA for data sources
• TX for transaction processing monitors
• RM for other resources

Note:
An OTS-compliant service is required to support
• XA sources
• Import/export transaction for the TX interface

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-----------
Transaction Manager

The Transaction Manager (TM) is the software controlling the transaction behind the scenes. The
implementation of the TM is entirely up to the implementor.
The TM can be linked into the client and perform its duties in the process, sharing the same
process as the client. Or, the TM can be a standalone service that remotely controls the
transaction.
With the OTS interfaces, the TM is flexible, scalable, and extensible. Flexibility means the TM
can optimize small transactional systems, scalability is for large transactional systems, and
extensibility means the largest systems can delegate transactional processing to external
transaction managers.

Transaction Context

The transaction context is a shared entity passed between operations associated with a single
transaction. All the operations in a unit of work share a single transaction context.
The TM typically maintains the transaction context. The context may be contained in a single
thread, multiple threads, or extend to processes across a network.

Implicit/Explicit Propagation

How do you propagate the transactional context? You can do it implicitly or explicitly. Implicit
propagation is the transparent mechanism for coordinating transactions. Explicit propagation
involves specification of the transaction context to objects that are intended to participate in the
transaction.
When using implicit propagation, the client code begins the transaction and then performs a
commit or rollback at some point. This is the simplest way to add transactional capabilities to
existing and new applications.
Transactional resources join the transaction as they are called by the client. The transaction
context is propagated implicitly to these resources by the TM.
For 95 percent of transactional development, implicit propagation is sufficient for robust
transaction management.
There are cases when the client application needs to control the transaction to a finer granularity.
The client may wish to determine which operations are included in the transaction.

Developing OTS Clients

In the following sections, we will develop a simple transactional application. Before doing that
we need to look into the primary interface that the client will interact with, which is known as
Current.

The Interface

During implicit transaction propagation, the client application interacts with the Current
interface. This interface is defined by this IDL:

interface Current : CORBA::Current

{
void begin() raises( SubtransactionsUnavailable );

void commit( in boolean report_heuristics )

raises( NoTransaction, HeuristicMixed, HeuristicHazard );

void rollback() raises( NoTransaction );

void rollback_only() raises( NoTransaction );

Status get_status();
string get_transaction_name();
void set_timeout( in unsigned long seconds );

Control get_control();

Control suspend();
void resume( in Control which ) raises( InvalidControl );
};
Current is a pseudo-object provided by the ORB and OTS vendors to implement implicit
propagation. The client code may assume that the object always exists and is available.
To start a transaction, call Current’s begin() method. To delineate each transaction,
perform a commit(). If you wish to cancel changes since the last commit(), call
rollback().

Transactional C++ and Java

Database vendors implemented the X/Open DTP XA interface for external TMs to coordinate
their transactions. For an OTS to be compliant, it must interface with XA resource interfaces.
This enables you to coordinate a transaction over two or more databases at the same time.
With the XA interface, the data source connection must be handled through the XA interface, not
the DBMS’s transactional API. For C and C++, this isn’t a problem; if the DBMS vendor
supports XA, it should have a C library interface for exposing the XA interface to the TM.
Java is more of a challenge for XA access. The JDBC 1.0 specification for database access does
not specify a method for the XA connection.
The JDBC 2.0 Extension Specification includes the javax.sql.XAConnection and
javax.sql.XADataSource classes. It is not yet clear whether these classes will allow
connection delegation for OTS or are just to support the upcoming JTA-XA interface.
Until the dust settles, vendor-specific extensions seem to be the only way a Java application can
extend a transaction across more than one DBMS. The vendor extensions often involve a native
interface, which means sacrificing Java’s portability.
Data-joining tools can make separate databases appear as if they are a single database. This
solves the problem of coordinating transactions across different databases.

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-----------
Example: Banking

This example is an implementation of the funds transfer scenario described earlier in this chapter. The
architecture defines a CORBA interface for the savings account and another interface for the checking
account. Each of these interfaces accesses a separate table in the database.

Scenario Description
Figure 10.1 shows the operations participating in the transaction. The client application instructs the
OTS to begin the transaction. As the client’s operations involve transactional resources, the Transaction
Manager includes these resources in the transaction. In this case, the transactional resources are the two
databases. The TM also manages the connection to these resources on behalf of the client application.

Figure 10.1 Interaction diagram for banking example.

In step 1, the client application instructs the Savings object to debit an account. The Savings object
performs a query on the Savings table in the database. This query returns the current balance for the
specified account. The Savings object then subtracts the debit amount and updates the account
balance in the database.
If the client application experiences a crash, the changes caused by the table update would be rolled
back. The integrity of the data would be maintained.
The client application calls the Checking object’s credit operation in step 2. The Checking object
retrieves the balance for the Checking account, calculates the new balance, and updates the account
balance.

LittleBank’s Interface IDL

The IDL for LittleBank defines the following elements:
• AccountTransfer structure
• SavingsAccount interface
• CheckingAccount interface
The SavingsAccount interface has a debit() method that returns an AccountTransfer
structure. The AccountTransfer structure contains the account identifier and the transfer amount.
The CheckingAccount interface has a credit() method that accepts an AccountTransfer
structure as an argument.
Both of the SavingsAccount and CheckingAccount interfaces are inherited from
CosTransactions::TransactionalObject. The TransactionalObject will enable the
implementations of these interfaces to automatically be included in transactions.
Listing 10.1 will be used to specify an interface to illustrate how to construct a
TransactionalObject.
Listing 10.1 LittleBank.IDL

#include “cos_ots.idl”
module LittleBank
{

struct AccountTransfer
{
string accountId;
string transferId;
string clerkId;
double amount;
};

interface SavingsAccount : CosTransactions::TransactionalObject

{
AccountTransfer debit( in string anAccountId, in double anAmount );
};

interface CheckingAccount : CosTransactions::TransactionalObject

{
void credit( in AccountTransfer aTransfer );
};

}; // end module LittleBank

LittleBank’s Interface Header

The header file defining the inherited implementations of the IDL interfaces is shown in Listing 10.2.
Listing 10.2 LittleBankImpl.CPP

#include “littlebank.hh”

namespace LittleBank{

class IT_DECLSPEC_littlebank SavingsAccount_i :

public virtual SavingsAccountBOAImpl

{
public:
virtual AccountTransfer debit(
const char* anAccountId,
double anAmount
CORBA::Environment& IT_env=CORBA::default_environment );
};

class IT_DECLSPEC_littlebank CheckingAccount_i :

public virtual CheckingAccountBOAImpl
{
public:
virtual void credit(
const AccountTransfer* aTransfer,
CORBA::Environment& IT_env=CORBA::default_environment );

};

}; // end namespace LittleBank

#endif

LittleBank’s Embedded SQL

For database access, let’s use PRO*C (Oracle’s embedded SQL); we could have used DB2 just as easily.
Four functions are defined: dbGetSavingsAccountBalance,
dbGetCheckingAccountBalance, dbUpdateSavingsAccountBalance, and
dbUpdateSavingsAccountBalance. These functions enable you to query and update the balance
of any account.
Listing 10.3 contains the implementation of required embedded SQL that is required to make the actual
call the underlying Database engine for the actual transaction.
Listing 10.3 LittleBank.PC

double dbGetSavingsAccountBalance( const char* anAccountId )

{
EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;

varchar dbAccountId;
double dbAmount;

EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

dbAccountId.len = strlen(
strcpy( (char*)dbAccountId.arr, anAccountId ) );

EXEC SQL
SELECT BALANCE
INTO :dbAmount
FROM SAVINGSACC
WHERE ID = :dbAccountId
FOR FETCH ONLY;
return dbAmount;
}

double dbGetCheckingAccountBalance(
const char* anAccountId )
{
EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;
varchar dbAccountId;
double dbAmount;

EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

dbAccountId.len = strlen(
strcpy( (char*)dbAccountId.arr, anAccountId ) );

EXEC SQL
SELECT BALANCE
INTO :dbAmount
FROM CHECNINGACC
WHERE ID = :dbAccountId
FOR FETCH ONLY;

return dbAmount;
}

char* dbUpdateSavingsAccountBalance(
const char* anAccountId, double anAmount )
{

EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;

varchar dbAccountId;
varchar dbAmount;

EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

dbAccountId.len = strlen(
strcpy( (char*)dbAccountId.arr, anAccountId ) );

EXEC SQL
UPDATE SAVINGSACC
SET BALANCE = :dbAmount
WHERE ID = :dbAccountId;

return NULL;
}

char* dbUpdateCheckingAccountBalance(
const char* anAccountId, double anAmount )
{
EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;

varchar dbAccountId;
varchar dbAmount;

EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

dbAccountId.len = strlen(
strcpy( (char*)dbAccountId.arr, anAccountId ) );

EXEC SQL
UPDATE CHECKINGACC
SET BALANCE = :dbAmount
WHERE ID = :dbAccountId;

return NULL;
}

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-----------
The LittleBank Interface Implementation
The interface implementation is composed of straightforward calls to the embedded SQL functions. The
debit() method retrieves the balance from the SAVINGSACC table, subtracts the amount specified, and
then updates the balance in the same table. The balance is packaged into an AccountTransfer structure
and returned to the client.
The credit() method retrieves the balance from the CHECKINACC table, increases the balance by the
amount specified in the AccountTransfer structure, and then updates the balance in the same table.
With the implementation of the required embedded SQL out of the way (Listing 10.3), we can now
implement the interface that was specified for LittleBank.idl in Listing 10.1. This is the interface that
the client will use to make the call on the server object (see Listing 10.4).
Listing 10.4 LittleBank.CPP

#include “littlebank.hpp”

extern ‘C’
{
#include “oracle.h”
}

LittleBank::AccountTransfer* LittleBank::SavingsAccount_i::debit(
const char* anAccountId,
double anAmount
CORBA::Environment& IT_env );

{
double balanace = dbGetSavingsAccountBalance(
anAccountId );

balance -= anAmount;

dbUpdateSavingsAccountBalance(
anAccountId, balance );

AccountTransfer* transfer = new AccountTransfer();

transfer->amount = anAmount;
return transfer;
}

void LittleBank::CheckingAccount_i::credit(
const AccountTransfer* aTransfer,
CORBA::Environment& IT_env );

{
double balanace = dbGetCheckingAccountBalance(
anAccountId );

balance += aTransfer->amount;

dbUpdateCheckingAccountBalance(
anAccountId, balance );
}

The LittleBankServer Implementation

This server creates an OTS and then initializes the OTS. Then it registers Oracle’s XA interface with the
OTS instance. At this point, the OTS will handle database connections for all transactional objects created in
the process.
Two implementation objects are created: SavingsAccount and CheckingAccount. Because these
objects inherit from CosTransactions::TransactionalObject, they will delegate transactional
authority to the OTS.
All that remains for now is to construct a server to host our transactional object. This listing is provided in
Listing 10.5.
Listing 10.5 LittleBankServer.CPP

#include <OrbixOTS.hh>
#include <stdio.h>

extern ‘C’
{
#include “oracle.h”
extern __declspec( dllimport ) struct xa_switch_t xaosw;
}

void main( int argc, char* argv[] )

{
OrbixOTS::Server_var ots = OrbixOTS::Server::IT_create();

ots->serverName ( “:OTS1” );
ots->logDevice ( “ots1.log” );

ots->restartFile ( “ots1.r1” );
ots->mirrorRestartFile( “ots1.r2” );

/* Register XA Resource Managers

*/
char openString = “Oracle_XA+Acc=P/scott/tiger+SesTm=60+Threads=true”;
CORBA::Long resourceId =
ots->register_xa_rm( &xaosw, openString, “”, 1 );

ots->init();

/* Implementation Objects
*/
SavingsAccount_i savings;
CheckingAccount_i checking;

try
{
ots->impl_is_ready();
}
catch ( const CORBA::SystemException& anException )
{
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << anException << endl;
ots->exit( 1 );
}
catch ( ... )
{
cerr << “Exception raised” << endl;
ots->exit( 1 );
}

ots->exit( 0 );
}

The LittleBank Transaction Client

The client first creates and initializes the OTS client interface. Then the client starts the transaction by calling
begin on the Current pseudo-object.
The client establishes a connection to the SavingsAccount and CheckingAccount interfaces through
the “OTS1” interface defined by the LittleBankServer.
With the server done, let us now construct a client that will use the services of the LittleBank. In this
implementation, the Current interface that was introduced earlier comes into play (see Listing 10.6).
Listing 10.6 LittleBankClient.CPP

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <ctype.h>

#include <OrbixOTS.hh>
#include “littlebank.hh”

void main( int argc, char** argv )

{
OrbixOTS::Client_var ots =
OrbixOTS::Client::IT_create();
ots->init();

CosTransactions::Current_var current =
CosTransactions::Current::IT_create();
current->set_timeout( 30 );

try
{
currentContext->begin();

SavingsAccount_var savingsAccount =
SavingsAccount::_bind( “OTS1”, “localhost” );
CheckingAccount_var checkingAccount =
CheckingAccount::_bind( “OTS1”, “localhost” );
AccountTransfer* transfer = savingsAccount->debit( 100.00 );

checkingAccount->credit( transfer );

ots->exit( 0 );
}

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-----------
Example: e-commerce
This section shows how you use transactions in a highly distributed environment. The
problem domain is an online bookstore, and the example covers the checkout transaction:
1. First, the user selects a book. The inventory interface then holds the book.
2. The user selects another book that is also put on hold by the inventory interface.
3. When the user completes his or her order, the order information goes to the
order interface, which creates an order in the order database.
4. The order interface then calls the credit card authorization interface.
5. The order interface tells the inventory interface to decrement the book count for
each book in the order.
6. The order interface sends the order information to the shipping interface.
Figure 10.2 shows the propagation of the device context for each operation. The dashed
lines represent an interaction with a transactional interface. If any of the operations fail, a
rollback occurs. The rollback reverts any changes that were made in either database.

Figure 10.2 Interaction diagram for e-commerce application.

If all operations complete without error, the Transaction Manager will query the two
databases as to their commit status. When the DBMSs report that they are ready to
commit, the TM will then issue a commit against each of them.
Examine the interaction diagram closely. You will see a combination of transactional
operations that must be coordinated behind the scenes. The TM does this coordination
transparently.
The client finishes the transaction by instructing the TM to commit. The TM tells the
DBMSs to prepare; each returns a vote to commit. The TM then has the DBMSs commit
their respective transactions.
At the end of the transaction, the data is in a consistent state. During the transaction, other
applications are blocked from accessing the uncommitted changes; this insures the data
integrity.

OnlineBookStore’s Interface IDL

Compared to the LittleBank example, the following IDL, as shown in Listing 10.7, is
quite extensive. There is an IDL for a MerchantServices system and the
OnlineBookShop itself. The MerchantServices defines the
CreditCardAuthorization interface. This interface is a wrapper to an external
application for authorizing credit card transactions.
The OnlineBookShop defines several structures and three interfaces. The interfaces
are Inventory, Order, and Shipping. Each interface has methods corresponding to
those outlined in the scenario description.
Listing 10.7 OnlineBookStore.IDL

#include <OrbixOTS.idl>

module MerchantServices
{

struct SaleTransaction
{
string number;
string expiration;
double amount;
};

typedef string AuthorizationCode;

interface CreditCardAuthorization :
CosTransactions::TransactionalObject
{
AuthorizationCode authorize(
in SaleTransaction aSale );
};

}; // end module MerchantServices

module OnlineBookShop
{

typedef string HoldCode;

interface Inventory :
CosTransactions::TransactionalObject
{
HoldCode holdBook( in string anIsbn,
in unsigned long aQuantity );

void decreaseBookQuantity( in HoldCode aCode );

void increaseBookQuantity( in string anIsbn,
in unsigned long aQuantity );
};
struct SaleItem
{
string isbn;
unsigned long quantity;
double price;
HoldCode holdCode;
};

struct SaleOrder
{
ShippingAddress address;
MerchantServices::SaleTransaction creditCardInfo;
sequence<SaleItem> items;
};

typedef string OrderId;

interface Order : CosTransactions::TransactionalObject

{
OrderId createOrder( in SaleOrder anOrder );
};

interface Shipping : CosTransactions::TransactionalObject

{
void addShippment( in SaleOrder anOrder );
};

}; // end module OnlineBookStore

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The OnlineBookStore Transaction Client
For such an involved transaction, the client code, as shown in Listing 10.8, is quite simple. After
the transaction context is established, the two books are put on hold. Then an order is built up. In
a real application, the data would come from a Web front-end.
The order object is then instructed to create an order based on the gathered data. The
implementation of the order interface authorizes the credit card, sends the order to shipping, and
removes the books from inventory.
Listing 10.8 OnlineBookStoreClient.CPP

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <ctype.h>

#include <OrbixOTS.hh>
#include “Inventory.hh”
#include “Order.hh”

main( int argc, char* argv[] )

{
OrbixOTS::Client_var ots = OrbixOTS::Client::IT_create();
ots->init();

/* Create and establish the transaction context

*/
CosTransactions::Current_var currentContext =
CosTransactions::Current::IT_create();
currentContext->set_timeout( 30 );
currentContext->begin();

/* Bind to the Inventory and Order servers

*/
Inventory_var inventory = Inventory::_bind( “:Inventory” );
Order_var order = Order::_bind( “:Order” );

/* Transaction Body
*/
try
{
SaleItem book1;
SaleItem book2;

/* Make sure no one else can get our copies of these books
*/
book1.holdCode = inventory->holdBook( “ISBN-123”, 1 ); //
STEP 1
book2.holdCode = inventory->holdBook( “ISBN-456”, 1 ); //
STEP 2

/* Credit card info

*/
SaleTransaction sale;

sale.number = “4389-8940-0904-0094”;
sale.expiration = “09/99”;
sale.amount = 98.99;

/* Full order
*/
SaleOrder bookOrder;

bookOrder.address.name = “Jane Doe”;

bookOrder.address.line1 = “2040 Smith Farm Road”;
bookOrder.address.line2 = “North Chittenden, VT”;
bookOrder.address.zip = “05763”;

/* Add books
*/
book1.isbn = “ISBN 123”;
book1.price = 50.00;

book2.isbn = “ISBN 456”;

book2.price = 40.00;

bookOrder.items.add( book1 );
bookOrder.items.add( book2 );

order.createOrder( bookOrder ); // STEP 3

/* createOrder does the following:
STEP 4 : Authorize credit card
CreditCardAuthorization::authorize( sale );

STEP 5 : Add shipment

Shipping::addShipment( bookOrder );
STEP 6 : Decrease book quantity
Inventory::decreaseBookQuantity( book1.holdCode );
Inventory::decreaseBookQuantity( book2.holdCode );
*/

currentContext->commit();
}
catch ( CORBA::SystemException& anException )
{
cerr << “(system exception)” << “ “ << anException << endl;
currentContext ->rollback();
}
catch ( CORBA::UserException& anException )
{
cerr << “(user exception)” << “ “ << anException << endl;
currentContext ->rollback();
}
catch ( … )
{
cerr << “(unknown exception)” << endl;
currentContext ->rollback();
}
ots->exit( 0 );
}
If any of the steps were to roll back, the three databases would revert the intermediate changes to
their original values. The integrity of the data sources would be maintained.
If other transactions attempted to access the records that were updated, they would be blocked
until this transaction completed. Thereby, the customer would be assured that the books they
ordered were not sold while they were waiting for the transaction to complete.

MOM

Message-oriented middleware (MOM) enables asynchronous transfer of messages between two

applications. MOM is helpful when transferring data between systems with conflicting goals.
Legacy systems often have session management and protocols that are difficult or awkward to
integrate with distributed systems. Using a MOM layer between the two systems is a functional
compromise for each system.
You can use MOM to mediate control issues between different domains. For instance, two
divisions of a company integrate some of their ORB services for workflow purposes. Each
division may be unwilling to allow the other division to have transactional control over remote
resources.
A MOM layer between the two domains enables each domain to share transactional control of
remote objects. Of course, this may introduce performance degradation and data integrity issues.

Nested Transactions

The examples presented in this chapter use flat transactions: There is a single unit of work that is
either committed or rolled back. If any operation in the transaction fails, all other changes are
reverted.
For many transactional scenarios, flat transactions are appropriate. There are cases where it
would be more efficient to correct the fault that caused the rollback of part of a transaction,
thereby creating a committable transaction.
The OTS specification enables an alternative to flat transactions: nested transactions. Nested
transactions are not required for an OTS to be compliant, so it is up to the implementor. With
nested transactions, you can recover and commit transactions when a subtransaction fails.

Transaction Processing Monitors

Transaction Processing (TP) Monitors have many similarities to the CORBA architecture.
Although both OTS and TP Monitors coordinate transactions, they have different agendas.
Combining the ORB and OTS provides much of the TP Monitor’s transactional functionality.

Summary
In this chapter, you learned about explored simple and complex examples of transactional
coordination in a distributed development environment. What is critical to remember is that
CORBA transactions allow you to deploy complex distributed transactions using rather simple
API to control.
Once again, CORBA implementations provide both the integration and management elements
for creating large enterprise systems.

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Chapter 11
The Security Service
In This Chapter
• Distributed Security Issues
• Secure Transport
• CORBASEC Compliance
• ORB Integration and the Current Interface
• Pervasive Security Standards
Using the OMG’s CORBA Security Specification (CORBASEC), layers of
security can be added to a CORBA application. These security layers can be
integrated into existing transports and system security. It is also possible to
compromise a system’s integrity through CORBASEC, either maliciously or
accidentally.
The elements of the CORBASEC are heavily based on the Distributed
Computing Environment (DCE) security model. CORBASEC provides an
object-based model for the DCE’s security model.
The CORBA developer encounters many security obstacles when deploying
applications. Some of these hurdles include firewalls and the Java security
“sandbox.” These issues have little to do with CORBASEC, but present
security-related challenges to developers.
This chapter presents an overview of security, a description of CORBASEC, a
discussion on integrating CORBASEC with existing security mechanisms, and
an overview of security products.

Goals of CORBASEC
CORBASEC is a unification framework for different security mechanisms
with differing levels of security.
Performing service without changing application code is a common goal for
CORBAServices. The security services are designed to slide in and around
defined CORBA layers (see Figure 11.1). The ORB accesses standard security
interfaces. You can set up a secure data transport at both the sockets layer and
above IIOP.

Figure 11.1 Layered diagram for CORBASEC elements.

Elements of CORBASEC

You don’t need to be a security guru to understand CORBASEC, but it is

helpful to be familiar with some of the terms and definitions of security.
Developing CORBA applications exposes data in ways that aren’t always well
understood by system administrators—or even the developers themselves. The
terms and definitions in this section give you a point of reference for the
discussions that follow.
Figure 11.1 illustrates how elements described in this chapter are related. Use
this figure as a model for dependency and interaction for APIs, interfaces, and
applications.

Principal
A person or application who tries to gain access to a protected resource is
considered a principal. You must be able to authenticate a principal’s identity.
A principal is uniquely identifiable, an entity who is responsible for his or her
own actions.
Principals have attributes associated with them. Some of these attributes
include the principal’s identity, role, group, and access control lists.

Authentication and Authorization

Principals must provide proof of their identity through authentication. The
target challenges the principal for a piece of secret information, such as a
password or certificate. The target then uses this information to verify the
identity of the principal.
If the principal counter-challenges the target’s principal, this is considered
mutual authentication.
Authorization occurs when the principal is assigned rights to access resources
controlled by the authorizing entity.

Policy
A policy is a high-level rule that limits access control. Usually, you enforce the
policies within the scope of a domain.
A system may specify that all users are restricted from accessing a subdomain,
this would be an example of a policy. A user could subsequently be granted
the privilege to access the subdomain.

Privileges
Privileges authorize or deny access for a principal or groups of principals. A
privilege can control access to a host, object, or even an individual method.
While policies provide broad-based access control, privileges provide
exception-based resource management. An example of privileges is provided
in the policy definition.

Session/Context
A security session or context refers to an authenticated state between a client
and target. A session is managed transparently, and the ORB propagates the
context to objects involved in the client’s request.

Domain
A domain is a geographic or logical scope against which policies are applied.
You can use domains as convenient divisions in which to apply access and
provide performance-based or protection-based administration.
Figure 11.2 illustrates how a domain is related to policies and privileges, as
explained earlier. Figure 11.3 shows how security is handled when objects
interact across multiple domains.

Figure 11.2 The relationship of the domain to policies and privileges.

Figure 11.3 ORB interaction between different domains.

Security Systems: GSS API, Kerberos, SESAME

The Generic Security Services Application Program Interface (GSS API)
defines a functional interface that acts as a common interface for security
APIs. You can port programs written to the GSS API between different
security APIs. GSS is the lowest common denominator for different security
services.
Kerberos allows a client and server to authenticate across a connection using
secret-key encryption. Built as an extended version of Kerberos, SESAME
provides several additional features to simplify distributed system access.

Distributed Security Issues

Today’s CORBA developers and administrators have some new challenges to
face when trying to protect distributed systems. Firewalls are the surest sign of
inadequate security integration.
When administrators cannot control access, they may resort to unilateral
access denial and limit access by using a firewall.

Server Location

Traditional computing models were commonly based on a centralized server

that would authorize access to resources. The server controlled access to
printers, files, databases, and other resources (see Figure 11.4).

Figure 11.4 Client/server architecture.

Distributed systems do not necessarily have a centralized server. Each

distributed component can be viewed as a server, or resource, with access
restrictions on its functionality.

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Constantly Changing Implementations

Object interfaces introduce variations in transparent ways, bypassing security

features. For instance, using polymorphism, an object could be introduced into
a system, overriding some of its parent’s interface. The object’s methods could
make changes, whether intentional or accidental, to compromise the system’s
integrity.
How can the system administrator keep track of changes on a CORBA object?
Access rights may be too liberal or, alternatively, too restrictive. If system
administrators don’t fully understand what they are doing, they might just give
up and insert firewalls between objects.
CORBASEC attempts to provide security attributes that describe types of
objects and methods that will help create a better dialog between developers
and administrators on security requirements. These attributes include the
access restrictions for classes and methods.

Invocation Chaining

A client object’s call chain can extend to several target objects. You can reach
each target within different security domains (refer to Figure 11.3, which
shows invocations chaining across domains). There is the potential for a user
to access systems without appropriate authorization.
This is a difficult security model to conceptualize for system administrators.
Through delegation control, principal information can travel to the target
objects, who can decide whether to authorize the principal.

Secure Transport
As data travels over network connections, it can be intercepted and examined.
Not only can the confidentiality be compromised; data can be tampered with.
If the data is encrypted and validated through a secure mechanism upon
arrival, data integrity is increased dramatically. Applying cryptography to the
transport facilitates this protection.
ORB vendors have two ways to add cryptography: Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
and Secure Inter-ORB Protocol (SECIOP). SECIOP promises interoperable
cryptography, and SSL implementations are implemented through proprietary
mechanisms. SSL is proven technology; Web browsers use SSL to secure
credit card transactions over the Internet.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

SSL provides an encrypted TCP/IP sockets layer. Because SSL is at the

transport layer, it is usually transparent to the application programmer.
CORBA’s IIOP protocol sits on top of SSL, using it as if it were using
standard sockets.
The initial connection of an SSL session starts with authentication. The two
sides then negotiate which encryption scheme will be used. At this point, the
two sides of the connection may use the connection as if it were a standard
socket connection.
Anyone eavesdropping on the socket connection is unable to decrypt the data
stream without knowing the encryption key. If the encrypted data is altered
during transport, data validation will fail, causing the receiver to refuse the
data. This is a great solution when you want to transmit data over networks
that you don’t really trust.
Because IIOP uses sockets as a transport, SSL provides a secure transport for
ORB communication. Adding SSL is a transparent application change, usually
just changing out runtime libraries and ORB executables.
The cost of SSL’s symmetric encryption is in CPU cycles. When a message is
received, it is decrypted and verified; then the response is encrypted and sent.
This additional processing can vary, based on the encryption algorithm used.
In general, the higher the security, the greater the processing.
Other sockets-based protocols can take advantage of SSL as well. This allows
proprietary GIOP socket transports to integrate to SSL.

SECIOP and Common Secure Interoperability (CSI)

SSL sits between the IIOP protocol and TCP/IP. SECIOP differs from SSL, in
that it is layered between GIOP/IIOP and the ORB. Both provide a means for
securing the data transport. SECIOP is the CORBA-specified method for data
encryption. The CSI is the interoperable specification for SECIOP, providing
three levels of conformance for SECIOP implementations.
Within the scope of SECIOP, the specification deals with various security
mechanisms and associated cryptographic algorithms. It also goes on to
specify the actual SECIOP protocol message and IOR security tags that are
involved when clients and servers interact over SECIOP. CSI specifies three
levels of compliance. Each of these levels of compliance goes with its own
security mechanism and has its own associated cryptographic mechanism to
assure the required level of security.
The following are levels of CSI conformance:
1. ID passes to target, no delegation beyond target—This provides user
authentication at the target.
2. ID and delegation to other targets—The ID is passed beyond the
target; if operations attempt to access restricted resources, the operation
will fail.
3. Controlled delegation and assignment of privileges—The target may
dynamically assign privileges and even allow the client to negotiate for
access rights. If access fails, the client application would have other
access contingencies.

CORBASEC Compliance
Levels of compliance are defined in the CORBASEC specification. These
levels are intended to provide logical implementation levels for vendors. A
vendor would state a conformance level for their product. The reality is that
vendors mix and match functionality across conformance levels.

CORBASEC Compliance Level 1

The first of two compliance levels, Level 1 is meant for applications that are
unaware of security. Security is implemented through external mechanisms
that interface with the ORB. These external mechanisms could be the
underlying security model of the host operating system. Such an access to
security would constitute a mechanism for ensuring CSI Level 1 security
compliance. Authentication and auditing are handled outside the ORB, and this
level of conformance does not affect the applications themselves.
The ORB does need to provide the methods necessary for the Current object
to access the Credentials object of the current principal. The principal
object was discussed a little earlier under the elements of the CORBASEC
architectural elements.

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CORBASEC Compliance Level 2

Along with Level 1 compliance, Level 2 supports security-aware applications.

Level 2 conformance is so robust, only partial implementations are available at
this time. The application is given access to management interfaces. These
interfaces allow the creation and definition of policies, domains, and access
rights.
Transport protection can be performed at the ORB level. This allows
interoperability between different transport protection schemes.
Access of interface methods can be controlled to a finer granularity than is
possible with Level 1 compliance. Types of methods—such as get, set,
management, and user methods—can have different access rights. Individual
methods may have access rights applied to them.
Selective auditing of methods on objects is supported. This audit capability is
much more efficient than logging every method invocation.
Privileges can be changed in credentials to dynamically authorize principals at
runtime.
A quality of protection can be required, specifying the minimum security a
principal will accept. If the security is too restrictive, the interaction between
the client and target will fail.

ORB Integration and the Current Interface

The CORBASEC interfaces are accessed through the Current interface of
the ORB. Depending on the level of compliance, operations against Current
can reveal information about the current security context.
The target ORB examines incoming message headers. If a security tag is
attached, it is passed to the CORBASEC implementation. Depending on the
contents of the tag, the target ORB may initiate authorization and/or an
encryption protocol.
The reverse is true as well. The client ORB may detect security tags from the
target ORB, initiating security protocols.
If neither ORB requires security, tags may be ignored. Otherwise, the client
and/or target ORBs may require a certain Quality Of Protection (QOP).
Without meeting the minimum security requirements, either connection may
refuse the other.
CORBA security, or at least the capability of supporting security, is
implemented in the ORB. CORBASEC defines replaceable interfaces that
allow a CORBA environment to be retrofitted with security. The ORB is
meant to support these replaceable interfaces.
In practice, ORBs often have tight integration with their respective security
functionality. As the CORBASEC implementors strive for interoperability,
however, replaceablility will become more prevalent.

Using IIOP Proxy Servers and Firewalls

Many intranets protect themselves from the Internet using firewalls and proxy
firewalls. Firewalls restrict access to ports on specific machines. This prevents
malicious or inadvertent user tampering. Firewalls also can filter connections
to those ports, terminating connections when certain criteria violate the access
restrictions defined by the administrator.
IIOP connections can be made on any port and often are dynamically
generated. Allowing connections to any port defeats the effectiveness of the
firewall.
Proxy firewalls translate IP addresses to prevent unauthorized access to
protected networks. This translation prevents ORBs from executing callbacks.
An IIOP proxy server can be used to resolve the firewall and proxy firewall
conflicts. The proxy server represents a network of ORBs on different ports as
a single port connection on one machine.
A firewall can be configured to expose the proxy server’s port to the Internet.
Now external ORBs can connect to ORBs behind the firewall. The price is the
processing and translation of IP addresses in every IIOP message.
Because the only exposed IP address is the proxy server, there is no need for
external resources to have direct access to client applications.

HTTP Tunneling

IIOP proxy servers often support wrapping IIOP requests in the HTTP
protocol. Wrapped as an HTTP connection, the IIOP requests can pass through
highly restrictive firewalls. HTTP tunneling adds another layer of potential
inefficiency on top of the proxy translation.
Figure 11.5 illustrates how HTTP tunneling works.

Figure 11.5 HTTP tunneling.

Java Security

Built from the ground up with security in mind, Java proves to be quite
prohibitive for distributed computing. The Java sandbox security model places
prohibitive restrictions on Java applets. The sandbox prevents applets from
having network connections to any host other than the one the applet came
from.
IIOP proxy servers come to the rescue again. The proxy server allows Java
applets to obey their security restrictions while being able to participate
completely in a CORBA environment.
Figure 11.6 shows how a proxy server can fit into a CORBA environment.

Figure 11.6 A proxy server.

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Pervasive Security Standards
The following descriptions cover many of the security technologies used in
some form throughout most security frameworks, including CORBASEC.

DCE Security Services and the GSS API

X/Open has defined the Distributed Computing Environment Security

Services. These are based on the GSS API.
The GSS API is a definition of functions that allow applications to interface to
an underlying security mechanism. There is an implementation of the GSS API
that interfaces to DCE-compliant Security Services.

Kerberos

Supposedly, Kerberos is a three-headed dog guarding the entrance to hell. MIT

developed a single sign-on security system for distributed computing
environments called Kerberos. In its current incarnation, Kerberos V5, it
provides a mechanism for encrypting the authorization of principals using a
secret key. Secure European System for Applications in a Multi-vendor
Environment (SESAME) is an extended version of Kerberos V5. SESAME
extends the Kerberos name to include attribute information. Packaged and
digitally signed, the Privilege Attribute Certificate (PAC) is used to delegate
authentication on behalf of the client.

Summary
Software systems are becoming more highly integrated than they have been in
the past. Monolithic mainframes are exposing interfaces to their data and
applications to intranets and the Internet. CORBA middleware, among other
solutions, is being deployed to facilitate this integration.
Enforcing mainframe security in a distributed, heterogeneous workstation/PC
environment is a goal that might never be reached. The OMG has defined a
security service to help provide the foundation for a solution. The Security
Service Specification defines interfaces and facilities for providing security in
a CORBA environment.
Both secure access and secure communication are defined by the specification.
It has been contended that the specification has ambiguous elements,
preventing implementers from creating standalone Security Services.
Proprietary solutions are being created, with tight integration between the
ORB and the Security Service.

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Part IV
Vendor Extensions and Implementation Issues
In This Part
• CORBA Server Activation Modes
• Orbix Filters
• CORBA and Threads
• Orbix Dynamic Loaders
• Distributed Callbacks
• VisiBroker Caffeine
• VisiBroker SmartStubs
• Handing Distributed Events
• VisiBroker Interceptors

Chapter 12
CORBA Server Activation Modes
In This Chapter
• Process Activation Modes
• Orbix C++ Implementation
• OrbixWeb Implementation
• Shared Activation Mode
• The Server Implementations
• Shared Per-Client Process Activation
• Unshared Activation Mode
• Per-Method Activation
• Persistent Server Activation
Activation modes determine the scalability of a CORBA server. CORBA servers constitute
processes that are launched either automatically or manually. CORBA specifies a number of
modes for launching these servers. These different modes help engineers design servers having
different scalability and availability constraints.
The capability of a server to have state determines how scalable it is. A pure stateless server is
the most scalable. These servers are usually supported by a stateless protocol as well. Web
Servers and the HTTP protocol fall into this category. In fact, it can even be argued that the
explosive growth of the Internet is owed in part to this aspect of Web technology.
CORBA and IIOP are stateful. This has repercussions on design. Although it is true that most
implementations do not explicitly leverage this aspect of CORBA, it is being done under the
covers. This statefulness is required for server-driven transactions. It is also required for security.
However, sometimes design dictates that this statefulness has different semantics. By this, I
mean that sometimes the degree of state needs to be controlled to ensure maximum scalability.
This is usually derived from some design constraints. For example, sometimes a design might
dictate that the state of the server and the objects contained therein be unique for each client. Or
consider a data access server; it is usually designed as a single server that services any number of
clients. Both of these requirements can be implemented as a single process with severe
dependence on threads.
CORBA does allow the use of threads, explicitly or painlessly, as part of the ORB
implementation. When threads are controlled explicitly by the programmer, the programmer has
to deal with the underlying Operating System thread API to control threads. Several
implementations of the ORB also provide simplified API for using threads. CORBA also allows
designers to explicitly control the activation of processes themselves so that many such design
issues may be tackled without resorting to multithreading. This is what process activation modes
(PAM) enable a programmer to accomplish. Nevertheless, keep in mind that multithreading is
never far away from using CORBA effectively. At least in one form of process activation known
as shared activation, multithreading is used in most design.
Using PAM, a designer could specify that a process be unique for a client or that a process be
shared between any number of clients. The activation modes even specify that CORBA servers
function essentially like a CGI process. All these modes of CORBA allow a great deal of
flexibility in determining the degree of scalability a server has. It should be noted here that
throughout this chapter, the words servers and processes will be used interchangeably. A
CORBA server is a process that can contain one or more services encapsulated in objects that a
client accesses.
This chapter primarily covers how Orbix C++ 2.3 and OrbixWeb deal with process activation.
Simple examples are used to illustrate how PAM can be used.

Process Activation Modes

CORBA specifies three modes of activation, allowing different degrees of scalability:
• Shared activation modes
• Unshared activation modes
• Per-method activation modes
The shared and unshared activation modes also define subactivation modes that enable finer
granularity of activation:
• Per-client activation modes
• Per-client process activation modes
• Multiple-client activation modes

Note:
Please note that the three subactivation modes are found for both the shared activation and the
unshared activation modes. This means, for example, that there is a shared per-client activation
mode and an unshared per-client activation mode.

Let’s first develop a simple application that demonstrates how these can be used in a design. All
PAM applications will use the following interface:

module pam{
struct simpleStruct{

short one;
long two;
double three;
};

exception activationException {string reason;};

interface activation{

void inactivate(in simpleStruct inStruct) raises (

activationException);

void outactivatate(out simpleStruct outStruct) raises (

activationException);

void inoutactivate(inout simpleStruct outStruct) raises (

activationException);

simpleStruct returnStruct() raises (

activationException);

};

interface nactivation{
void dinactivate(in simpleStruct inStruct) raises (
activationException);
void doutactivatate(out simpleStruct outStruct) raises (
activationException);
void dinoutactivate(inout simpleStruct outStruct) raises (
activationException);
simpleStruct returnnactivation() raises (
activationException);
};
};
The interface is nothing to write home about! Nevertheless, it will show how to use process
activation. The implementation itself is extremely simple. The pam module specifies two
interfaces: activation and nactivation. Both interfaces perform the same function.
There are two identical interfaces to show the differences between various process activation
modes. These differences and similarities are explained later in this chapter when I explain the
various activation modes in detail.
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Compile the pam interfaces using the Orbix IDL pre-compiler. We will implement the interface using
both C++ (Orbix) and Java (OrbixWeb). First, we will do the implementation using C++ (Orbix), and
then we will do the implementation using Java (OrbixWeb).

Orbix C++ Implementation

Compile the interfaces using the Orbix IDL pre-compiler. Run the IDL pre-compiler using the following
command:

prompt$>idl -B -S pam.idl
Listing 12.1 shows how the pam module is implemented. In itself, the interfaces do not demonstrate any
underlying activation mode that is being planned. Later in the chapter, you will learn how these
implementations relate to activation modes.
Listing 12.1 The C++ Implementation of pam Module

#include “pam.hpp”
#include <iostream.h>

void pam::activation_i:: inactivate (

const pam::simpleStruct& inStruct, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<“pam::activation_i:: inactivate has been called ”<<endl;

cout<<“The Three values passed are ”<<endl;
cout<<inStruct.one<<endl;
cout<<inStruct.two<<endl;
cout<<inStruct.three<<endl;
}

void pam::activation_i::outactivatate (
pam::simpleStruct& outStruct, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<“pam::activation_i::outactivatate has been called ”<<endl;

outStruct.one = 1001;
outStruct.two = 3455;
outStruct.three = 6456;
}
void pam::activation_i:: inoutactivate (
pam::simpleStruct& outStruct, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<“pam::activation_i:: inoutactivate has been called ”<<endl;

cout<<“The Three values passed are ”<<endl;
cout<<outStruct.one<<endl;
cout<<outStruct.two<<endl;
cout<<outStruct.three<<endl;

outStruct.one = 1001;
outStruct.two = 3455;
outStruct.three = 6456;

}
pam::simpleStruct pam::activation_i::returnStruct (
CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
pam::simpleStruct returnpam;
returnpam.one = 1001;
returnpam.two = 3455;
returnpam.three = 6456;
return returnpam;
}
void pam::nactivation_i:: dinactivate(
const pam::simpleStruct& inStruct, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<“pam::activation_i::dinactivate has been called ”<<endl;

cout<<“The Three values passed are ”<<endl;
cout<<inStruct.one<<endl;
cout<<inStruct.two<<endl;
cout<<inStruct.three<<endl;
}
void pam::nactivation_i:: doutactivatate (
pam::simpleStruct& outStruct, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
cout<<“pam::activation_i::doutactivatate has been called ”<<endl;
outStruct.one = 10010;
outStruct.two = 39920;
outStruct.three = 4526;

void pam::nactivation_i:: dinoutactivate (

pam::simpleStruct& outStruct, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<“pam::activation_i::dinoutactivate has been called ”<<endl;

cout<<“The Three values passed from the client are ”<<endl;
cout<<outStruct.one<<endl;
cout<<outStruct.two<<endl;
cout<<outStruct.three<<endl;

outStruct.one = 101001;
outStruct.two = 34455;
outStruct.three = 69456;
}

pam::simpleStruct pam::nactivation_i:: returnnactivation (

CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
pam::simpleStruct returnpam;
cout<<“Returning struct back to the client”<<endl;
returnpam.one = 10001;
returnpam.two = 344555;
returnpam.three = 646756;
return returnpam;
}
This implementation corresponds to the interface that corresponds to the pam::nactivation and the
pam::activation interfaces. The interfaces have four operations each: one that takes a struct,
pam::simpleStruct, as an in parameter; a second that takes the pam::simpleStruct as an
out parameter: a third that receives the pam::simpleStruct struct as an inout parameter; and
a fourth operation that returns the pam::simpleStruct struct.
The implementation of these four operations carries the simple modifier/accessor function on the
pam::simpleStruct struct.

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OrbixWeb Implementation
Compile the interfaces using the OrbixWeb IDL pre-compiler. Run the IDL pre-compiler
using the following command:

prompt$>idl -B -S pam.idl
Listing 12.2 shows the corresponding Java implementation of the pam module. As with the
C++ implementation, the rationale for the code is similar to the Orbix C++
implementation. I use Java code as well as C++ code to show that the amount of work that
is required between the two is very similar.
Listing 12.2 The Java Implementation of PAM::activation

package pam;
public class activation_i extends pam._activationImplBase {
public activation_i(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public activation_i() {
super();
}
public void inactivate(
pam.simpleStruct inStruct
) throws
pam.activationException {

System.out.println(“IN strcut recieved” );

System.out.println(new Short(one));
System.out.println(new Integer(two));
System.out.println(new Double(three));
}
public void outactivatate(
pam.simpleStructHolder outStruct
) throws
pam.activationException {
System.out.println(“Out strcut requested” );
simpleStruct sstruct = new simpleStruct(
10001,
12356,
64332
)
}
public void inoutactivate(
pam.simpleStructHolder outStruct
) throws
pam.activationException {

System.out.println(“INOUT strcut recieved” );

System.out.println(new Short(one));
System.out.println(new Integer(two));
System.out.println(new Double(three));
Syste.out.println(“Out strcut requested” );
simpleStruct sstruct = new simpleStruct(
10001,
12356,
64332
)
}
public pam.simpleStruct returnStruct(
) throws
pam.activationException {
System.out.println(“Out Return requested” );
simpleStruct sstruct = new simpleStruct(
10001,
12356,
64332
)
return sstruct;
}
}
The code in Listing 12.2 implements the activation interface. Listing 12.3 shows the
implementation of the pam::nactivation interface in Java. As with the C++ code, the
implementation for pam::nactivation is similar to the implementation of the
pam::activation interface.
Listing 12.3 The Java Implementation of PAM::nactivation

package pam;
public class nactivation_i extends pam._nactivationImplBase {
public nactivation_i(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public nactivation_i() {
super();
}
public void dinactivate(
pam.simpleStruct inStruct
) throws
pam.activationException {

System.out.println(“IN strcut recieved” );

System.out.println(new Short(one));
System.out.println(new Integer(two));
System.out.println(new Double(three));
}
public void doutactivatate(
pam.simpleStructHolder outStruct
) throws
pam.activationException {
Syste.out.println(“Out strcut requested” );
simpleStruct sstruct = new simpleStruct(
10001,
12356,
64332
)
}
public void dinoutactivate(
pam.simpleStructHolder outStruct
) throws
pam.activationException {
System.out.println(“INOUT strcut recieved” );
System.out.println(new Short(one));
System.out.println(new Integer(two));
System.out.println(new Double(three));
Syste.out.println(“Out strcut requested” );
simpleStruct sstruct = new simpleStruct(
10001,
12356,
64332
)
}
public pam.simpleStruct returnnactivation(
) throws
pam.activationException {
System.out.println(“Out Return requested” );
simpleStruct sstruct = new simpleStruct(
10001,
12356,
64332
)
return sstruct;
}
}
Implementation of both the C++ interfaces and the Java interfaces is similar. The object of
this exercise is to demonstrate how to use the activation modes. As mentioned earlier, the
code itself doesn’t demonstrate activation. The only thing the methods do is output
messages to the standard I/O.
The implementation of the server depends on the type of activation that is being used. The
server’s design controls how process activation can be used to control the scalability of a
service. The Basic Object Adapter (BOA) and the way the server that hosts the
components is coded control the process of activation. The interfaces that we have used
previously in this chapter are essentially stateless by design. This means that they can be
used with any process activation modes without modification. This allows us to use a
single module as an example with different types of process activation modes. This is not
to say that any interface could arbitrarily use any type of process activation. Let’s now
look at the various PAMs in detail.
The type of solution a component provides essentially drives what type of process
activation mode you select. This implies that care should be taken while you design your
components. You need to identify how state is to be maintained. Depending on how this is
defined, you will have a good handle on what kind of process activation you need for your
process.
For example, consider requirements for providing access to databases. Let’s further assume
that such a system should allow an arbitrary number of clients to use this service. This
means that the service should be extremely scalable. Let’s further impose a requirement
that this service should have fast response times. In short, we are imposing the
requirements of scalability and responsiveness on the solution.
You have to decide how a server that hosts the objects implementation will be built. As
mentioned earlier in this chapter, CORBA offers three activation modes for designing such
a process: shared, unshared, and per-method. These are each discussed in the following
sections.

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Shared Activation Mode
Shared activation mode is usually the default activation for CORBA
implementations. In this mode of activation, all the objects that have the same
server name are contained and managed within one server. This means that
when the server process is launched, all the objects that are hosted by the
server are instantiated.
If you consider the data access server, this is one of the solutions you could
propose. Using a shared activation mode would have a number of benefits. The
following are several of these benefits:
• Conservation of system resources
• Ability to share state across clients.
• Ability to retain state across sessions.
• The option of using multithreading to improve responsiveness
Processes are expensive in terms of the resources that they could use. Every
time a process is launched, it uses resources that are available from the
underlying operating environment.
The constraint of resources is mainly in terms of memory. Resources of any
kind are always finite. If such resources are used arbitrarily, a process can be
starved, and it inevitably affects the availability and responsiveness of the
server-to-client request.
A single process enables you to conserve these resources.
If the data server were designed as a shared activation server, certain
consequences would flow from that decision. The first would be that a
mechanism would have to be found to allow clients to be serviced
simultaneously. This would allow a server to respond to more than one client
at the same time. It is obvious that a data server would have to be
multithreaded.
When the data server is designed to respond using threads, you could choose a
number of strategies and patterns to ensure that more than one client is
serviced efficiently. You will find more information on multithreading issues
in Chapter 14, “CORBA and Threads.”
Under Orbix, this type of activation must be registered with the
Implementation Repository. A shared server that is registered with Orbix does
have one demand: The name given to the impl_is_ready() must be the same
name that is used in registering the server.

Per-Client Shared Activation

When a per-client shared activation is chosen, a new server is launched for

every client. This enables the design of servers with states that are unique for
each user. The per-client–activated server corresponds to a user process. This
means that if two clients run by the same user are accessing a server, there will
be only a single server process for both the user processes.
It is possible to design a data server as a per-client activation server. This
would have its benefits as well as its disadvantages. Let us first look at the
benefits:
• Easier state management
• Less design overhead because multicomplex, multithreading issues
can be avoided
A per-client shared activation server is unique for a client. This means that the
objects that are hosted by the server could be designed to have a state that is
unique for each client. This could prove extremely useful for data access
servers.
I have not mentioned the “dangers” of multithreaded services. The important
thing about multithreaded services is that shared resources have to be shielded
from attaining inconsistent states. This does impose an additional
responsibility on the designers of a shared data server.
A per-client activation server would have state that imposes fewer demands on
the expertise of a designer. Because the state of the server is unique, a data
server could easily be transformed into a transaction service as well. This
would be made possible by the fact that a transaction resource would have to
be isolated on a client basis.

Per-Client Process Shared Activation

This type of activation launches a new server process for every client-side
process that is launched by a user. This enables designs where a server process
is unique for every client process. This can be ideal where a server process
cannot have shared resources between clients.
If the constraints on resources are severe, such an activation process is not
suitable to “heavyweight” processes. The use of per-client process activation is
suitable only for lightweight processes. Ideally, such processes would contain
very little state. The per-client process activation modes should ideally be
designed and implemented to timeout by themselves.
Data servers are very rarely implemented using per-client process activation
modes. These modes could prove useful if the constraint of scalability is not
present. Nevertheless, activation of processes is usually heavy. It has been my
experience that UNIX operating systems are usually more responsive to
process activation than others.

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The Server Implementations
The C++ server shown in Listing 12.4 is used for shared activation modes. After we have
finished building the C++ server, we will implement the server in Java.
Listing 12.4 Shared C++ Server

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include “pam.hpp”

int main() {
pam::activation_var activation = new pam::activation_i();
pam::nactivation_var _nactivation = new pam::nactivation_i();
try {
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“PAM”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
} catch (...) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
cout << “server exiting” << endl;
return 0;

}
Listing 12.5 shows how to implement a shared server using Java.
Listing 12.5 Shared Java Server
package pam;

import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._OrbixWeb;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;
import org.omg.CORBA.ORB;

public class PamServer {

public static void main(String args[]) {

activation activate = null;

nactivation nactivate = null;
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
try {
activate = new activation_i();
nactivate = new nactivation_i();
_ CORBA.Orbix.impl_is_ready(“PAM”);
System.out.println(“Shutting down server...”);
orb.disconnect(activate);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException se) {
System.out.println(“Exception raised
during creation of Pam_Implementations” + se.toString());
System.exit(1);
}
System.out.println (“Server exiting....”);
}
}
The objects activation and nactivation are instantiated first. They are declared as
instances of pam::activation_var in C++. When these objects are constructed, the BOA
is notified that the PAM server is active and ready for client invocation. It should be noted that
the name that is provided to the BOA in the impl_is_ready() is the same name that is used
when the server is registered. The server code for both a shared server and the shared per-client
server are the same. The difference is made with the process of registration.
The essential distinction between a shared server and a shared per-client server is that with a
shared server only one server exists for all clients. When I talk about client, I mean any number
of clients that connect from either one physical machine or a client process from any physical
machine over the network. For the shared per-client server, the difference is that a new server
process is launched when a client connects on a per-client basis. This means that when a client
connects to a server from a physical machine, a new server process is launched. Any new
connection that is made from the same machine (client) results in the same server being made
available for that client. If a new connection is made from a different location, a new server
process is launched. Let’s now look at how the shared and the shared per-client servers can be
registered.
To rephrase, in a shared mode there can be only one server for any number of clients. In a shared
per-client, there can be only one server per client (or per-client process identifier). For example,
in the former if there are five clients that exist on five different machines, there can be only one
server for all of them. In a per-client activation, there would be five servers, one for each client.

Server Registration

The Orbix putit utility or the Orbix Server Manager may be used to register the server under
Orbix or OrbixWeb. You usually use the former tool if you are running Orbix under UNIX.
Because we are using Windows NT for these examples, we will use the Server Manager. The
Server Manager is a graphical tool to register the servers with the Basic Object Adapter.

Registering Shared Per-Client Activation Servers

The server has to be registered with the same name as the one given to impl_is_ready(),
which is PAM. Remember to use the same name for the server that was used to register the server
with the Basic Object Adapter.

Figure 12.1 Orbix registration for per-client servers.

The server is registered as a shared server. The activation is set to client. This means that
when a client connection comes in, the Basic Object Adapter will automatically activate the
Shared Server when a client attempts a connection. This would be especially useful when
availability of a server is critical to an application.

Shared Per-Client Process Activation

As with the shared per-client, the server has to be registered with the same name as the one given
to impl_is_ready(), which is PAM. This is similar to how a shared server is registered. The
only thing that changes is the action settings. The user interface for shared per-client is shown in
Figure 12.2.

Figure 12.2 Orbix registration for per-client PID servers.

The server is registered as a shared server. The action is set to Per Client PID. The shared
per-client activation is launched automatically for every new client process identifier. A physical
node on the network will have a unique process identifier. This means that when a new PID
attempts to launch a server, the Basic Object Adapter automatically launches the server, provided
that the PID is not registered with a server that is already running.

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Unshared Activation Mode
In the unshared activation mode, each object has to be registered individually. This means that each
object is going to run in its own server process. This activation might be useful where individual
objects need to be isolated in terms of their state.
The server implementation has to change. Each object that can be invoked using the unshared
activation mode has to be given a marker. This is illustrated in Listing 12.6. When a client makes a
request to a server using this marker, the Basic Object Adapter will launch a server that will host
this object. In the context of the examples that have been used, the interfaces specified in the pam
module contain two interfaces: activation and nactivation. In Listing 12.6, two objects are
instantiated. The nactivation object is assigned the marker so that a client can invoke it on a
per-object mode.
Listing 12.6 An Unshared C++ Server

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include “pam.hpp”

int main() {
pam::activation_var activation = new pam::activation_i();
pam::nactivation_var nactivation = new pam::nactivation_i();
nactivation._marker(“Method”);

try {
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“PAM”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
} catch (...) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
cout << “server exiting” << endl;
return 0;

}
Listing 12.7 shows the implementation of the server in Java.
Listing 12.7 An Unshared Java Server

public class PamServer {

public static void main(String args[]) {

activation activate = null;

nactivation nactivate = null;
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

try {
activate = new activation_i();
activate.setMarker(“Method”);
_ CORBA.Orbix.impl_is_ready(“PAM”);
System.out.println(“Shutting down server...”);
orb.disconnect(activate);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException se) {
System.out.println(“Exception raised
during creation of PAM_Implementation” + se.toString());
System.exit(1);
}
System.out.println (“Server exiting....”);
}
}
As you can see, the server implementation remains the same as other shared servers in the preceding
section, except the nactivation object is given a marker name, Method. A client can use this
name to bind to a particular object within the server PAM. This implementation contains only one
object that is activated on a per-object basis; therefore, only one marker name is used. Under typical
circumstances, it is usual for a server such as this to contain more than one object. This would
require that each one be given unique names. The marker names cannot be hard-coded in the
implementation. The solution under these cases is to use a property file or an initialization file to
assign markers to the object. If a client needs to use a “marked” object, the bind method on the
object reference should be modified slightly. Instead of specifying just the server to bind to, a client
should also provide the marker name of the object that needs to be acquired explicitly.
The implementation is shown in Listing 12.8. As with the previous examples, first we will do a
client in C++; then a Java client will be built.
Listing 12.8 A C++ Unshared Activation Client

#include “pam.hh”
#include <iostream.h>

void main (int argc, char **argv) {

pam::activation_var active;
pam::nactivation_var nactive;
try {
active = pam::activation::_bind(“:PAM”);
nactive = pam::nactivation::_bind(“Method:PAM”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cerr << “Bind to object failed” << endl;
cerr << “Unexpected exception ” << endl;
exit(1);
}

pam::simpleStruct inStruct;
inStruct.one = 10010;
inStruct.two = 11010;
inStruct.three = 12110;

try {
active->inactivate (inStruct);
active->outactivatate(inStruct);
nactive->dinactivate(inStruct);
nactive-> doutactivatate(inStruct)
pam::simpleStruct AnStruct active->returnnactivation();
pam::simpleStruct DnStruct nactive->returnnactivation();
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
}
The key methods in this code are

try {
active = pam::activation::_bind(“:PAM”);
nactive = pam::nactivation::_bind(“Method:PAM”);
}
The nactive object reference is retrieved using the marker “Method”. This allows the client to
retrieve the exact object from the server. When the objects are retrieved successfully, the client can
invoke methods on the service as usual.
The implementation for a Java client is shown in Listing 12.9. The ORB is OrbixWeb 3.0. The
process of activating a server is the same as with the VisiBroker ORB.
Listing 12.9 A Java Shared Activation Client

package pam;

public class PamClient {

public PamClient() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();
pam.nactivation nactive;
pam.activation active;
try{
nactive = new pam.nactivation_i(“Method”);
active = new pam.activation_i();
_CORBA.Orbix.impl_is_ready(“PAM”);
orb.disconnect(nactive);
orb.disconnect(active);
}
catch (SystemException se) {
System.out.println(“Exception in new PamServer: ”);
System.out.println(se.toString());
System.exit(1);
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

PamClient pamClient = new PamClient();
}
}

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-----------
When the server has been constructed, the servers have to be registered with
the Implementation Repository. Both OrbixWeb and Orbix include the Server
Manager tool to assist in the registration process, which is depicted in Figure
12.3.

Figure 12.3 Unshared server registration.

The server is registered with an unshared mode. The activation is per-client.
The marker has to be identified so that when an invocation comes in for a
Method marker, the BOA looks for the marker in the Implementation
Repository, and if found, it returns the object reference to the client.

Per-Method Activation
The per-method activation mode is closest to a CGI process. This activation
model enables a process to be registered by a method or an attribute operation.
When an invocation comes into the method, a new process can be instantiated
and executed.
The per-method activation mode can be used as you would use a CGI process.
Extremely long calculations or other computational processes can be designed
to be encapsulated in a per-method activation server. This ought to be designed
as a stateless server, existing only for the duration of the computation.
Keep in mind that processes are expensive to construct. This means that you
would have to design your per-method servers to be as light as possible, so as
to utilize as little of the underlying resources as possible. The code used for the
per-method registration is the same as the code that we used for the unshared
per-client activation model.
Figure 12.4 depicts the registration with the server manager. The method has
to be registered as well; this is shown in Figure 12.5.

Figure 12.4 Registering per-method servers property one.

Figure 12.5 Registering per-method server property two.

Persistent Server Activation

We have one more process activation model to consider. This is the persistent
activation model. This mode of activation involves the servers being launched
manually by an operator. Further, the server names do not have to be
registered with the Implementation Repository.
Persistent servers have to be manually managed by an administrator. One of
the ways this server model can be used is for servers that manage other server
processes. This would enable, for example, the construction of servers that
offer architectural services to be constructed as persistent servers that are
launched manually by the user before the clients connect to them.
Persistent servers are useful whenever you have a server that takes an
inordinate amount of time to be fully initialized. In terms of the code, the only
changes are with the notification to the Basic Object Adapter. You do not have
to explicitly provide a name to the server when you use this type of server
activation.
The following line shows the Java code:

_CORBA.Orbix.impl_is_ready();
This line shows the C++ Code:

CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready();
The server is coded as usual except that no name is provided in the
impl_is_ready() method. Persistent servers do not have to be registered
with the Implementation Repository.

Summary
Process activation is the mechanism by which a server is launched by the
Basic Object Adapter when a client requests a service. There are a number of
modes that are possible under various implementations of CORBA.
Process activation is a design issue. It is primarily a function of how much
state a designer wants a server to maintain. CORBA allows a server to be a
static process serving any number of clients. CORBA also allows servers that
are unique to every client, in essence the ability to have a single server for each
client that needs a service.

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Chapter 13
Orbix Filters
In This Chapter
• Filter Monitor Points
• Per-Process Filters
• Per-Object Filters
Filters are a useful functionality provided by Orbix. They enable an application
to execute some code either before or after an invocation comes into a normal
operation on the server side. This functionality could prove to be vital in many
designs. For instance, Orbix pre-filters could be used to authenticate a client’s
requests or for redirection, whereas post-filters can be used for logging or
caching requests. Another vital area of using filters is for designing a
thread-shared server. VisiBroker provides a similar mechanism called
Interceptor. This is covered in detail in Chapter 20, “VisiBroker Interceptors.”
Orbix specifies two types of filters: per-process filters and per-object filters. A
per-process filter has the capability of monitoring the entire application space.
This is irrespective of the number of objects contained in a process. These
per-process filters are for the entire application.
The per-object filter is responsible for only a given object. This could be used
to shield sensitive objects in an application. For instance, if an invocation
comes in for a security-sensitive object, a per-object pre-filter could intercept
the request before it arrives at the object. It could then perform a request
authentication to ensure that the client has the right credentials to make the
request. A per-object post-filter could log when a service has been rendered to
a client request. With such logging, the client might not be able to repudiate a
service being rendered by the server. Nonrepudiation is extremely important in
a distributed environment. Essentially, it means that a client cannot deny that it
requested and received some service from the server. For instance, a client
could request a remote object to make a transfer of money from one account to
another. After the service has been rendered, the client should not have the
option of ever denying this fact.

Filter Monitor Points

Orbix specifies a number of points where a filter might intervene before a
certain marshaling operation takes place. There are two types of marshaling:
out request marshal and in request marshal, and out reply marshal and in
reply marshal. A request is something a client makes; a reply is something that
a server responds with. At both these points, either a pre- or a post-filter may
be attached.
Marshaling is the process by which a language-specific request is converted to
IIOP. With an out request pre-marshal, before the request is marshaled by the
stub on the the client side, you could install a pre-filter that would take some
action. Just as the server needs to have the capability of denying the client the
chance to repudiate a request, the client has the same rights. It should have the
capability of proving that the client did make a request to a server. Pre-filters
would allow this. For instance, a server could provide a tax auditing object, but
it would be catastrophic if the numbers such an object came up with were
imaginary. Under these circumstances, the client should have the right to prove
that it did make the request. The distinctions between the various filters are
explained later in this chapter.
Filters may be attached for reply failures as well. Failures, though unpleasant,
are a fact of circumstances. When the server ends in some inconsitent state,
good designers would always throw exceptions. A failure can occur in many
contexts; it could happen because the client did not do everything that was
required or perhaps because the server is not functioning. A filter could be
built to handle such failures. For instance, a filter could be built to handle a
server not functioning. Such a filter could locate a functioning server and
reissue the invocation to that server.

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Per-Process Filters
To define a per-process filter, derive a class from the CORBA::Filter abstract class. This class
defines ten methods that may be overridden to implement per-process filters. The derivation is
shown in Listing 13.1. No matter what type of filter you want to build, the CORBA::Filter class
encapsulates all the functions necessary. If you want to implement the inReplyPreMarshal()
function for the client, you subclass the CORBA::Filter class and implement this function. The
following list describes each of these ten methods:
• outRequestPreMarshal()
A monitor point to execute a filter before an outgoing request. This occurs before the actual
marshaling is done. Before a client invocation is marshaled, this filter monitor will execute.
• outRequestPostMarshal()
A monitor point that executes after the marshaling of a request. This monitor is triggered
before the process responds to a request.
• inRequestPreMarshal()
When a server process receives an invocation, this monitor point is triggered. The filter
executes before the actual marshaling takes place.
• inRequestPostMarshal()
This monitor triggers at the receiver’s end after the invocation has been marshaled.
• outReplyPreMarshal()
This filter point executes on the server’s end before responses to invocations are sent out,
meaning before they are marshaled.
• outReplyPostMarshal()
After the server has marshaled the response, a filter that has overridden this method will
execute.
• inReplyPreMarshal()
A client filter that executes before a server’s response has been marshaled.
• inReplyPostMarshal()
After the server’s response has been marshaled, this trigger will kick in and execute.
• outReplyFailure()
If the server or one of the preceding trigger points raises some exception, a filter can take
appropriate action. For instance, it could log the exception or enable recovery strategies.
• inReplyFailure()
This is the same as outReplyFailure(), but one that triggers in the caller’s address
space. As with outReplyFailure(), this monitor point will allow the addition of error
correction, logging, or auditing to take place.
CORBA design is never simple. As the power and flexibility of the architecure becomes apparent,
the design invariably changes. But more often than not, a number of auxiliary but critical design
constraints are usually considered last. Such issues as security and fault tolerance are considered
when the design is in an advanced stage. At that point, it is usually difficult to modify the design.
Monitor points are a good mechanism to alter the design of a system. The auxiliary design
constraints mentioned earlier can be added with as little disruption to the overall design as possible.

Implementing a Per-Process Filter

The per-process filter methods take two essential parameters: the usual CORBA::Environment
and the CORBA::Request object. By far, the Request object is very interesting. For instance,
its API (discussed in Appendix A, “CORBA API Reference” enables you to discover useful
information, such as which user is making the invocation, which object is the target object the
invocation is meant for, and so forth.
Listing 13.1 shows a simple object that traps all ten triggers. It does not do much except retrieve the
principal that is making the request. The principal corresponds to the user that is making the
request.
Listing 13.1 Constructing a Filter

#define EXCEPTIONS
#include <CORBA.h>
#include <iostream.h>

class ProcessFilter : public CORBA::Filter {

public:

virtual int inRequestPreMarshal (CORBA::Request& r,

CORBA::Environment&) {
const char* callee;
callee = r.principal();
cout <<“Inside inRequestPreMarshal Before executing ”
<< r.operation ()
<< “ For ”
<< callee << endl;
return 1;
}

virtual unsigned char outReplyPostMarshal (CORBA::Request&

r,CORBA::Environment&) {
const char* callee;
callee = r.principal();
cout << “Inside outReplyPostMarshal After executing ”
<< r.operation ()
<< “ For ”
<< callee
<< endl;
return 1;
}
virtual unsigned char outRequestPreMarshal (CORBA::Request& r,
CORBA::Environment&) {
const char* callee;
callee = r.principal();
cout << “Inside outRequestPreMarshal After executing ”
<< r.operation ()
<< “ For ”
<< callee
<< endl;
return 1;
}

virtual unsigned char inReplyPreMarshal (CORBA::Request& r,

CORBA::Environment&) {
const char* callee;
callee = r.principal();
cout << “Inside inReplyPreMarshal After executing ”
<< r.operation ()
<< “ For ”
<< callee
<< endl;
return 1;
}

virtual void outReplyFailure(CORBA::Request& r

,CORBA::Environment& env){
const char* callee;
callee = r.principal();
cout << “Inside outRequestPreMarshal After executing ”
<< r.operation ()
<< “ For ”
<< callee
<< endl;
}

virtual void inReplyFailure(CORBA::Request& r

,CORBA::Environment& env){
const char* callee;
callee = r.principal();
cout << “Inside inReplyFailure After executing ”
<< r.operation ()<< “ For ”<< callee << endl;
}
};
The ProcessFilter class is derived from the CORBA::Filter class. It implements all ten
methods specified as virtual functions in the super class. As mentioned earler, it is possible to
extract all sorts of useful information from the request object.
The code extracts two pieces of information from the request object: It discovers the principal that
is making the invocation and what method is part of the request that is being made. The acquisition
of the principal is accomplished through invoking

request.principal();
The code returns a constant character array indicating the user. This information may be used to
implement a simple Access Control Filter.

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-----------
The operation is discovered by using r.operation (). It returns a character array
telling the name of the operation. A combination of principal and the requested operation
would allow the design of profile-based access to an interface. For instance, the filter
could maintain a list of users and a list of associated authorization to an interface. If an
unauthorized invocation is attempted, the filter could throw an exception.

Installing a Per-Process Filter

Installation of per-process filters is easy: Just instantiate an instance of the filter in the
appropriate process. For instance, consider the following interface:

module sentry{
interface filters{

void inn(in short a_value);

void outt(out short b_value);
short response();
};

};
This interface will illustrate how to use a filter. The interface itself is rather trivial. The
idea is to show how filters can be used.
A per-process filter can be installed to both the client and the server processes. Listing
13.2 illustrates installing a filter on the server.
Listing 13.2 Installing the Server Filter

#include “filter.hpp”
#include “processf.h”
ProcessFilter ServerFilter;

int main() {
sentry::filters_var Filters_ = new sentry::filters_i();
try {
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“Filters”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
} catch (...) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}
cout << “server exiting” << endl;
return 0;
}
In the preceding code, the per-process filter is installed as a global object. This filter will
trigger two methods: the inRequestPreMarshal() and the
outReplyPostMarshal(). Listing 13.3 shows intalling a filter on the client.
Listing 13.3 Installing the Client Filter

#include “filter.hh”
#include <iostream.h>
#include “processf.h”

ProcessFilter Filter_instance;

void main (int argc, char **argv) {

sentry::filters_var Filters_;
try {
Filters_ = sentry::filters::_bind(“:Filters”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch(...){
cerr << “Bind to object failed” << endl;
cerr << “Unexpected exception ” << endl;
exit(1);
}

try {
Filters_->inn(200);
CORBA::Short out_val;
Filters_->outt(out_val);
cout<<out_val<<endl;
cout<<Filters_->response()<<endl;
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
}
As in the server, the filter is instantiated as a global object. The filter will trigger two
methods: outRequestPreMarshal() and inReplyPreMarshal().

Per-Object Filters
Unlike the per-process filters, the per-object filter is attached to individual objects. There
are a couple of details that you have to follow when using the per-object filtering
technique:
• The implementation must use TIE to facilitate per-object filtering.
• The -F switch must be toggled on the Orbix IDL pre-compiler to generate
per-object filtering on the object.
The mechanism of defining a per-object filter involves creating two classes that intercept
the invocation of operations specified in an interface. Let us consider such an interface:

interface objectFilter{

short objFilter(in short a_val, out short b_val);

};
The objectFilter interface has a single operation that can be intercepted. Run the
Orbix IDL pre-compiler with the following switches:

prompt$> idl -S -F objectfilter.idl

The -F switch will generate support for per-object filters. The generated class has to be
implemented with the definitions of the filters. You could define and implement the filter
as shown in Listing 13.4.
Listing 13.4 Defining and Implementing a Per-Object Filter

#ifndef objfil_ih
#define objfil_ih

#include “objfil.hh”
#include <iostream.h>

class IT_DECLSPEC_objfil objectFilter_i{

public:
virtual CORBA::Short objFilter (CORBA::Short a_val,
CORBA::Short& b_val, CORBA::Environment
&IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
};

class PreObjectFilter{
public:
virtual CORBA::Short objFilter (CORBA::Short a_val,
CORBA::Short& b_val, CORBA::Environment
&IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) {
cout<<“Pre Filter Called..”<<endl;
cout<<a_val<<endl;
b_val = 0;
return 0;
}
};

class PostObjectFilter{
public:
virtual CORBA::Short objFilter (CORBA::Short a_val,
CORBA::Short& b_val, CORBA::Environment
&IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) {
cout<<“Post Filter Called..”<<endl;
cout<<a_val<<endl;
cout<<b_val<<endl;
return 0;
}
};

DEF_TIE_objectFilter(objectFilter_i);
DEF_TIE_objectFilter(PreObjectFilter);
DEF_TIE_objectFilter(PostObjectFilter);

#endif
Along with the modification to the objectFilter class, two additional classes are
defined: PreObjectFilter and PosObjecttFilter.
The second thing is the definition of three macros. These macros will generate TIE
support. (Refer to Appendix B, “TIE and BOA,” for more information.) Orbix’s
implementation of the filters mandates TIE support as compulsory for using per-object
filters.
The implementation of the objectFilter class itself is trivial. Nevertheless, it is
shown for clarity:

#include “objfil.hpp”
#include <iostream.h>

CORBA::Short objectFilter_i:: objFilter (CORBA::Short a_val,

CORBA::Short& b_val, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<a_val<<endl;
b_val = 1001;
return 1002;

}
Keep in mind that the parameters that are passed into the per-object filter cannot be
modified. Any modification will be lost. This is all that remains to building per-object
filters. The next step is to create a server to host the TIE object and to attach the filters to
this object.

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The Per-Object Filter Server

The code for the server is given in Listing 13.5. If you are not familiar with the TIE approach,
please refer to Appendix B.
Listing 13.5 Constructing a Per-Object Filter Server

#include “objfil.hpp”
#include <iostream.h>

int main(int , char *argv[]){

objectFilter_ptr objFilter = new

TIE_objectFilter(objectFilter_i) (new objectFilter_i());
objectFilter_ptr PreFilterPtr = new
TIE_objectFilter(PreObjectFilter) (new PreObjectFilter());
objectFilter_ptr PostFilterPtr = new
TIE_objectFilter(PostObjectFilter) (new PostObjectFilter());

objectFilter_ptr temp_PrePtr = PreFilterPtr;

objFilter->_attachPre (temp_PrePtr);
objectFilter_ptr temp_PostPtr = PostFilterPtr;
objFilter->_attachPost (temp_PostPtr);

try {

CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“ObjectFilter”);

}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}
catch (...) {
cerr << “Unexpected exception : impl_is_ready” << endl;
exit(0);
}
CORBA::release(objFilter);
CORBA::release(PreFilterPtr);
CORBA::release(PostFilterPtr);

return 0;
}
The first three lines of code essentially instantiate the three TIE objects. After these objects are
successfully instantiated, the filters have to be attached to the object that requires pre- and
post-filtering.
Here are the lines that accomplish this:

objectFilter_ptr temp_PrePtr = PreFilterPtr;

objFilter->_attachPre (temp_PrePtr);
objectFilter_ptr temp_PostPtr = PostFilterPtr;
objFilter->_attachPost (temp_PostPtr);
The two methods that accomplish the attachments are _attachPre() and _attachPost().
If any filters (pre- or post-) are attached to the objects, these are removed and returned from the
call. It is possible to chain these filters by recursively calling the _attach..() method on
successive filters.
Register the server with the Orbix implementation repository, using either the putit utility or
the Orbix Server Manager. Ensure that the right name is given to the server.
To summarize, the following steps have to be taken to implement per-object filters on an object:
1. Implement the interface as usual, except the class has to support TIE instead of the
BOA approach.
2. Derive a class from the interface that needs to have filter support. Every operation and
attribute operation needs to have a corresponding member function in the filter class.
3. Inside the server, attach these filter classes either as a pre-filter or a post-filter.

The Per-Object Filter Client

The client implementation is straightforward, as usual. If the client does not have any process
filter support, it does not even know that the server objects have filter support. The code is given
in Listing 13.6.
Listing 13.6 Constructing a Per-Object Filter Client

#include “objfil.hh”
#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main (int argc, char **argv) {

objectFilter_var objecfilter;

try{
objecfilter = objectFilter::_bind (“:ObjectFilter”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << &sysEx;
cerr << “Bind failed” << endl;
exit(1);
}

try{
CORBA::Short out_val;
CORBA::Short x = objecfilter->objFilter(1002,out_val);
cout<<x<<endl;
cout<<out_val<<endl;
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << &sysEx;
cerr << “Bind failed” << endl;
exit(1);
}
return 0;
}
The code is typical for any “normal” CORBA client. It binds to the appropriate object reference
and make its invocations as usual. The client is oblivious to the fact that there are filters between
it and the server objects.

Summary
Orbix filters are a versatile mechanism for controlling client/server interactions to a very fine
granularity. These filters have the capability of intercepting incoming and outgoing method
invocations.
Through this interception, a number of auxiliary design constraints may be imposed on an
implementation. These could be issues relating to security or auditing requirements. There are
two types of Orbix filters. The first type is a global filtering mechanism known as a per-process
filter. It is attached to the process as a whole. The second type of filter is a per-object filter. It
allows the filtering of invocations on individual objects. Between the two, a certain granularity of
interceptions can be achieved.

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-----------

Chapter 14
CORBA and Threads
In This Chapter
• CORBA Thread Strategies
• Implementing Threads
One of the consequences of a shared activation server is the fact that, in terms of
scalability, its potential is rather limited. For simple objects, this might not be a
problem. On the other hand, if a server process has an arbitrarily large number of
objects, each of them complex, the ensuing design will be full of bottlenecks that
will degrade performance.
Threads provide a clean and consistent mechanism for introducing parallelism into
a design. Just as there are different modes of process activation, there are also
different strategies for managing threads.
Any complex CORBA application design will use threads. Some ORB
implementations have built-in multithread support that can be leveraged by just
changing the link libraries. Some ORBs, on the other hand, require server design to
explicitly use threads. This chapter will look at some of the issues involved.

CORBA Thread Strategies

There are three strategies that could be adopted for managing threads in a CORBA
implementation:
• Thread per session
• Thread per object
• Thread pool
Thread Per Session

A thread-per-session strategy, as shown in Figure 14.1, involves the allocation of a

thread for every client that connects to the server. These are called worker threads.
When the connection is lost, these worker threads are discarded. All the objects in
the server execute in this one thread.

Figure 14.1 Thread per session.

Thread Per Object

In a thread-per-object strategy, as shown in Figure 14.2, a worker thread is created

for each object that is hosted by a server. This strategy could be ideal where a
design has to have certain objects having priority over other objects.

Figure 14.2 Thread per object.

Thread Pools

This is the most efficient strategy in terms of resource allocations. A fixed set of
threads is created during server initialization. When a request comes in, this request
is assigned to a thread. If all the threads are busy, the request could be buffered in a
queue until a thread becomes free. The thread pool is shown in Figure 14.3.

Figure 14.3 Thread pool.

Implementing Threads
Threads are implemented using variations of waiting on shared semaphores. A
semaphore is a mechanism that prevents two or more threads from accessing a
shared resource simultaneously. In conjunction with interceptors or Orbix filters, a
thread could be designed to wait on this shared resource in an
inRequestPreMarshal() filter.
When the filter is triggered, the synchronization mutex could be signaled so that
the waiting thread could do its job on a thread.

Thread-Per-Client

A thread-per-client strategy could be implemented in the following manner. The

implementation will use Orbix and its filter capability. Before getting on with the
task of implementing the thread-per-client strategy, consider the following
interface:

interface tpc {
void read(out short a_value);
void write(in short b_value);
};
The goal is to have a client call these two operations asynchronously. The example
will not attempt to show how to efficiently synchronize the invocations so that
reads and writes happen in one step.
A number of factors affect the functioning of threads. Thread priority is determined
by the underlying operating system. But it is possible to change the priority setting
by invoking the appropriate API.
The client will invoke the two methods on two separate threads, while the server,
on the other hand, should be able to service the request on a thread. This means that
each incoming request will have the server launch a thread to handle the request.
The implementation uses Orbix and Orbix filters. Compile tpc.idl with the
following switches:

prompt$>idl -S tpc.idl

Implementing Thread-Per-Client
Modify the generated header file, as shown in Listing 14.1.
Listing 14.1 Thread-Per-Client Header File

#ifndef tpc_ih
#define tpc_ih

#include “tpc.hh”
#include <windows.h>
#include <process.h>

class IT_DECLSPEC_tpc tpc_i{

HANDLE mutex_;
CORBA::Short readWriteVariable;
public:
tpc_i();
~tpc_i();
virtual void read (CORBA::Short& a_value,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
virtual void write (CORBA::Short b_value,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
};

class tpcFilter:public CORBA::ThreadFilter{

virtual int inRequestPreMarshal(
CORBA::Request& request, CORBA::Environment& env);
};

DEF_TIE_tpc(tpc_i)

#endif
Support for WIN32 threads are defined in <process.h>. This chapter assumes
familiarity with WIN32 threads. The tcp class has to use the TIE mechanism
because it is using Orbix filters to implement threads.
The variable mutex_ is the shared synchronized variable that will maintain a
synchronization lock on a shared resource. In this case, it is CORBA::Short
ReadWriteVariable. A constructor and destructor are also defined for the
class.
The implementation will use an Orbix filter to control the threading requirements.
This can be accomplished by subclassing the CORBA::ThreadFilter class.
This is a per-process filter. As with any per-process filter, the 10 monitor points
described in Chapter 13, “Orbix Filters,” may be handled on a thread. For this
exercise only, the inRequestPreMarshal() monitor point is attached to the
filter. This means that when a request comes in, the filter will intercept the request
before marshaling the code.
Finally, the TIE macro DEF_TIE_tpc(tpc_i) is defined so that TIE support is
generated for the tpc_i class.

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The Per-Client Thread Implementation
With the header files defined, the associated classes can be implemented, as shown in Listing 14.2.
Listing 14.2 Thread-Per-Client Implementation File

#include <iostream.h>
#include “tpc.hpp”

tpc_i::tpc_i(){
readWriteVariable = 0;
mutex_ = CreateMutex(0,FALSE,0);
}

tpc_i::~tpc_i(){
CloseHandle(mutex_);
}

void tpc_i::read (CORBA::Short& a_value, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

WaitForSingleObject(mutex_,INFINITE);
cout<<”Read Called..”<<endl;
a_value = readWriteVariable;
ReleaseMutex(mutex_);
}

void tpc_i::write (CORBA::Short b_value, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

WaitForSingleObject(mutex_,INFINITE);
cout<<”Write Called..”<<endl;
readWriteVariable = b_value;
ReleaseMutex(mutex_);

static void* startThread(void *voidptr)

{
CORBA::Orbix.continueThreadDispatch(*(CORBA::Request *)voidptr);
return NULL;
}

int tpcFilter::inRequestPreMarshal(
CORBA::Request& request, CORBA::Environment& env){

int threadid;
threadid =
(int)_beginthread((void(*)(void*))startThread,0,(void *)&request);
return -1;
}

tpcFilter threadDispatcher;
The constructor creates an unnamed mutex object. Any thread of the calling process can specify the mutex
object handle in a call to one of the wait functions. The single-object wait functions return when the state of
the specified object is signaled. The destructor of the class releases the mutex handle.
The heart of the threading strategy is the implementation of the inRequestPreMarshal method:

int tpcFilter::inRequestPreMarshal(
CORBA::Request& request, CORBA::Environment& env){

int threadid;
threadid =
(int)_beginthread((void(*)(void*))startThread,0,(void *)&request);
return -1;
}
This method will be invoked when a request comes in. The implementation creates a thread using the
_beginThread() function that is defined in <process.h>. The function takes three parameters. The
first parameter is a pointer to the starting address of the routine that begins execution of the new thread. The
second is the stack size that has to be allocated for the thread. The third is any argument that needs to be
passed into the thread.
The starting address of the routine that begins execution of the new thread is defined in the function
startThread():

static void* startThread(void *voidptr)

{
CORBA::Orbix.continueThreadDispatch(*
(CORBA::Request *)voidptr);
return NULL;
}
The startThread() function is a static function and takes a void pointer. Internally, it calls a static
Rrbix function named continueThreadDispatch(). This function notifies Orbix that the request
needs to be dispatched to a new thread. This means that, for example, if the read() method is encapsulated
in the request, it is handled on the thread.
The read and write functions essentially wait for the state of the mutex object to change. This is
accomplished when the request comes into the function. At that point, the function executes because it owns
the mutex. A mutex can be owned by only one thread at a time. This enables threads to control mutually
exclusive access to a shared resource. The mutex is for the class as a whole. Because this is a per-client
thread, each client would have to wait its turn to have access to the shared resource.

The Per-Client Thread Server Implementation

The server, as shown in Listing 14.3, is nothing special. The only difference is that it is dealing with a TIE
object.
Listing 14.3 Per-Client Thread Server Implementation

#include <string.h>
#include “tpc.hpp”
#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main()
{
tpc_ptr ThreadForAClient;
ThreadForAClient = new TIE_tpc(tpc_i) (new tpc_i());

try {
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“TPC”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
cerr << “Exception in impl_is_ready” << endl;
exit(1);
}
catch (...) {
cerr << “Exception in impl_is_ready” << endl;
exit(1);
}

CORBA::release(ThreadForAClient);

return 0;
}
Register the server as a shared activation process “TPC”.

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The Per-Client Thread Client Implementation
The client implementation, shown in Listing 14.4, is a little involved. It uses two threads: one to
invoke the write operation and another to invoke the read operation.
Listing 14.4 Per-Client Thread Client Implementation

#include “tpc.hh”

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <iostream.h>
#include <process.h>

int main (int argc, char *argv[]){

tpc_ptr object_one;
tpc_ptr object_two;
unsigned long thread_one, thread_two;

try {
object_one = tpc::_bind (“:TPC”);
object_two = object_one;
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
}
catch (...) {
cerr << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
}

if ((thread_one = (unsigned long)CreateThread(

NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)thread_read,
(void *)object_one, 0, &thread_one)) == NULL){
cerr << “thread: creation failed” << endl;
exit(-1);
}
if ((thread_two = (unsigned long)CreateThread(
NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)thread_write,
(void *)object_two, 0, &thread_two)) == NULL){
cerr << “thread: creation failed” << endl;
exit(-1);
}

if(WaitForSingleObject
((HANDLE)thread_one, INFINITE) == WAIT_FAILED){
cerr << “thread:” << thread_one << “ wait failed ” << endl;
}

if(WaitForSingleObject
((HANDLE)thread_two, INFINITE) == WAIT_FAILED){
cerr << “thread:” << thread_two << “ wait failed “ << endl;
}
CORBA::release(object_one);
return 0;
}

void * thread_write(void *ptr_){

tpc_ptr tpc_ = (tpc_ptr)ptr_;
for (CORBA::Short j = 0; j < 5; j++){
try {
tpc_->write(j+1);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
}
catch (...) {
cerr << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
}

return ptr_;
}

void * thread_read(void *ptr_){

for (i = 0; i < 5; i++)

{
try {
CORBA::Short out_var;
tpc_->read(out_var);
cout<<“Called Read on thread ”<<“Read Variable is:
“<<out_var<<endl;
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
}
catch (...) {
cerr << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
}

return ptr_;
}
The application defines two instances of the tpc interface. The first one is acquired by calling
Orbix bind(). The second one essentially points to the same object reference. This means that
object_one and object_two point to the same object reference.
The implementation defines two functions: thread_read() and thread_write(). These
functions are executed on the threads created by the following functions:

if ((thread_one =
(unsigned long)CreateThread(NULL, 0,
(LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)thread_write,
(void *)object_one, 0, &thread_one)) == NULL){
cerr << “thread: creation failed” << endl;
exit(-1);
}

if ((thread_two =
(unsigned long)CreateThread(NULL, 0,
(LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)thread_read, (void *)object_two,
0, &thread_two)) == NULL){
cerr << “thread: creation failed” << endl;
exit(-1);
}
The CreateThread() function is a WIN32 API function to create threads within the application.
On these threads, the two functions execute thread_read() and thread_write().
The thread_read() and thread_write() functions are essentially normal CORBA code.
The only distinction is the fact that they execute on two separate threads.
The execution of two clients and the server is shown in Figure 14.4.

Figure 14.4 Thread-per-client execution.

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-----------
Thread Pools

This section demonstrates how thread pools can be used to control requests on a
server. Typically, thread pools are configured to handle a maximum number of
simultaneous threads, where numerous requests are made on the server. Thread
pooling is the default thread model for VisiBroker 3.3, which will be used to
demonstrate this example. The following interface will be used to demonstrate the
thread pool model. Compile the IDL using VisiBroker’s idl2java pre-compiler:

module Pool {
interface Request{
void stopThread(in long stime);
};
};
The implementation of the interface, Request, is shown in Listing 14.5.
Listing 14.5 Request Implementation

package Pool;
import java.io.*;

public class RequestImpl extends Pool._RequestImplBase {

public RequestImpl(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}

public RequestImpl() {
super();
}
public void stopThread(int stime) {
Thread thisThread = Thread.currentThread();
try{
thisThread.sleep((long)stime);
} catch (Exception e){
System.out.println(“Sleep Exception”);
}

}
}
The argument to the stopThread() method is an integer representing the time (in
milliseconds) that is used to put the object to sleep:

Thread thisThread = Thread.currentThread();

try{
thisThread.sleep((long)stime);
} catch (Exception e){
System.out.println(“Sleep Exception”);
}
The Thread.currentThread() method obtains a reference to the thread on
which the object is running. The thread is then put to sleep using the time, stime,
passed to the stopThread() method.
The request server implementation, which will instantiate the Request objects, is
shown in Listing 14.6.
Listing 14.6 Request Server Implementation

package Pool;

import java.util.*;

public class RequestServer {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb_ = null;
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public RequestServer(String[] args) {

orb_ = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

Properties props = new Properties();

props.put(“OAthreadMax”,“2”);

boa_ = orb_.BOA_init(“TPool”, props);

RequestImpl request1 = new RequestImpl(“Request1”);

RequestImpl request2 = new RequestImpl(“Request2”);
RequestImpl request3 = new RequestImpl(“Request3”);
try{
boa_.obj_is_ready(request1);
System.out.println(request1 + “ is ready.”);
boa_.obj_is_ready(request2);
System.out.println(request2 + “ is ready.”);
boa_.obj_is_ready(request3);
System.out.println(request3 + “ is ready.”);

}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}

boa_.impl_is_ready();

public static void main(String[] args) {

RequestServer reqestServer = new RequestServer(args);
}
}
In order to demonstrate how a thread pool can be modified, the server class is going
to set the maximum number of threads running to two. This is accomplished by using
a Java Properties class to set the parameter “OAthreadMax” to two. The
object adapter uses “OAthreadMax”, a VisiBroker-specific parameter, to set the
thread pool size during the adapter’s initialization:

Properties props = new Properties();

props.put(“OAthreadMax”,“2”);

boa_ = orb_.BOA_init(“TPool”, props);

The adapter can also use other parameters to modify threading characteristics, such
as thread model, minimum thread size, and thread idle time. These can be found in
the VisiBroker reference documentation.
When the server is instantiated, it creates three different request objects: Request1,
Request2, and Request3:

RequestImpl request1 = new RequestImpl(“Request1”);

RequestImpl request2 = new RequestImpl(“Request2”);
RequestImpl request3 = new RequestImpl(“Request3”);
These three objects are instantiated to simulate multiple server objects to handle
requests.
The client implementation, as shown in Listing 14.7, is a simple program that will
invoke the stopThread() method on the request server.

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-----------
Listing 14.7 Request Client Implementation

package Pool;

public class RequestClient {

public static void main(String[] args) {

String sRequest = args[0];

System.out.println(sRequest);

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

Request request = RequestHelper.bind(orb, sRequest);

System.out.println(“Invoking request on “+sRequest);

request.stopThread(30000);
System.out.println(“Finished request on “+sRequest);

}
}
The request client uses a String argument, sRequest, to determine which request object
to bind to. The stopThread() method on the request object is invoked using a time of
30,000 milliseconds, or 30 seconds. This invocation puts the request object’s thread to sleep,
thus keeping the thread busy for a while.
Now it is time to run the example. Start the request server:

>start vbj Pool.RequestServer Request1

This will start three request server objects, as shown in Figure 14.5.
Figure 14.5 Request server objects.

Now, start three request client executions, using Request1, Request2, and Request3
as arguments:

>start vbj Pool.RequestClient Request1

>start vbj Pool.RequestClient Request2
>start vbj Pool.RequestClient Request3
This will start three request client requests, as shown in Figure 14.6.

Figure 14.6 Three request clients.

The Request1 and Request2 client programs invoke the stopThread() method on
their respective request server objects, as shown by the entry “Invoking request on
RequestX”. Because the maximum thread pool size is set to two, the Request3 client
must wait until a thread is returned to the thread pool. After 30 seconds, Request1 is
finished, and its thread is returned to the thread pool. Request3 now has a thread available
to process its request, which it obtains to start its invocation (see Figure 14.7).

Figure 14.7 Request3 client invocation.

Of course, it is doubtful that a thread pool would be set to two for an actual system
implementation. However, for high-volume server transactions, consider the size of the
thread pool in order to manage throughput and performance.

Summary
Threads are an integral part of any serious CORBA solution. Designing programs with
multiple independent threads provides concurrency within an application and improves
performance. Threads enable the design of applications to service multiple requests
simultaneously.
This is required especially when multiple clients connect to a shared server and request an
arbitrary number of services at the same time. Threads enable writing apps that
asynchronously manage incoming requests.
There are three types are threading strategies: thread per session, where every client is
allocated a thread to service its requirements; thread per object, which involves every object
executing in its own thread; and thread pooling, which enables allocation of a fixed number
of threads to service any request that comes in.
Ultimately, threads improve performance and increase the efficiency of an implementation’s
utilization of host resources. However, care must be taken when using threads, because
implementations that do not take the underlying complexity of threaded architectures into
account tend to create unmaintainable and unreliable applications.

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-----------

Chapter 15
Orbix Dynamic Loaders
In This Chapter
• Why Write Loaders?
• Using a Loader
• Implementing a Loader
• Providing Persistence Using Loaders
• The Loader Server Implementation
Orbix Loaders enable a server to load objects during runtime. The loaders can provide
this service under two situations. The loaders can instantiate an object when a client
dispatches a request for an object reference through string_to_object() or
bind() and when a request comes into the server’s address space for an object that isn’t
initialized. Under the latter scenario, the ORB responds with an exception if an object is
not found. If, however, a loader is installed, the server will request it to load the object
when an invocation comes in.
Loaders are implemented by subclassing the CORBA::LoaderClass. When a loader
is defined and implemented, it has to be installed with the Orbix ORB. A loader can be
associated with an object when it is created. This is accomplished by passing a pointer to
the loader as a parameter into either the TIE constructor or the BOAImpl constructor with
Orbix.

Why Write Loaders?

A loader has the capability of dynamically loading objects during runtime. This could
provide a designer with interesting design options. For one, depending on which object is
being requested, a loader could initialize the object to a predefined state. This feature is
also ideal if you have multiple implementations of the same interface. Depending on the
type that is requested by a client, a loader could initialize different implementations of the
same interface.
All loaders should be subclassed from the CORBA::LoaderClass. This class specifies
a number of methods that need to be overridden to create a loader:
• load()—This method is invoked when an invocation arrives at the server for
an object that hasn’t been loaded into memory. The load() method is passed the
marker identifying the object that is required to handle the invocation.
The load() request could be the place to implement load audit information. For
instance, every time an object reference is requested, you could write information
to an audit file regarding when the object reference was requested.
• save()—This method is called when the process that hosts the loader is
terminated. This enables a loader to save an object. This method is also called
when the object managed by a loader is destroyed. For example, you could save an
object by storing it in an object-oriented database. It is also possible to write audit
information about an object reference when the save() method is called.
• record() and rename()—These are essential functions that enable a loader
to control the naming of an object that it manages.

Using a Loader
The process of implementing an interface that uses a loader is not any different from
what we have done before. In fact, Orbix uses a default loader if you do not provide one.
To illustrate the implementation of a loader, let’s consider a simple interface to illustrate
the essentials of coding an Orbix loader.
We will implement loaders in both C++ and Java. The differences between them are not
that great. Both implementations use the following interface. It is only in the server
implementation that changes occur. That is primarily because it is easier to construct user
interfaces in Java Swing than in MFC:
Here is the Hangar interface:

module Soar{
interface Aircraft{
attribute long identifier;
};
interface Hangar{
Soar::Aircraft CheckOutAircraft(in long identifier);
void CheckInAircraft(in Soar::Aircraft anAircraft);
};
};
The preceding module is very simple. It specifies two interfaces, one named Aircraft
and the other named Hangar. The object is to pass an instance of an Aircraft to and
from the Hangar. It is rather simple. The interface is not under scrutiny here. Rather, at
issue is how we could write a loader to intervene between the object that implements the
interface and the client that requests the interface. The interface can be implemented in
the following manner.
The first thing that you have to provide for an interface implementation is to overload its
constructor so that it can use a user-defined constructor. If this is not done, the default
Orbix loader is used. Listing 15.1 is the C++ Soar::Aircraft implementation,
Listing 15.2 is the Java AirCraft implementation, and Listing 15.3 is the Java
Hangar Implementation.

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Listing 15.1 C++ Soar::Aircraft Implementation

#ifndef hangar_ih
#define hangar_ih
#include “hangar.hh”
namespace Soar{

class IT_DECLSPEC_hangar Aircraft_i:public virtual AircraftBOAImpl{

public:
Aircraft_i(const char* marker, CORBA::LoaderClass* loader);
virtual void identifier (
CORBA::Long identifier,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment);
virtual CORBA::Long identifier (
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
private:
CORBA::Long id;
};

class IT_DECLSPEC_hangar Hangar_i:public virtual HangarBOAImpl{

public:
Hangar_i(const char* marker, CORBA::LoaderClass* loader);
~Hangar_i();
virtual Soar::Aircraft_ptr CheckOutAircraft (
CORBA::Long identifier,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
virtual void CheckInAircraft (
Soar::Aircraft_ptr anAircraft,
CORBA::Environment &IT_env=CORBA::default_environment) ;
private:
Soar::Aircraft_ptr aircraft;
CORBA::LoaderClass *t_loader;
};
};

#endif
#endif
Listing 15.2 Java AirCraft Implementation

package Loader;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb.Features.LoaderClass;
import Soar.*;

public class Aircraft_i extends _AircraftImplBase{

private int id = 0;

public Aircraft_i(String marker, LoaderClass loader){

super(marker,loader);
}

public int identifier(){

return id;
}

public void identifier(int value){

id = value;
}
}
Listing 15.3 Java Hangar Implementation

package Loader;
import Soar.*;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb.Features.LoaderClass;

public class Hangar_i extends _HangarImplBase{

private int aircraftID;
private Soar.Aircraft aircraft;

public Hangar_i(String marker, LoaderClass loader){

super(marker,loader);
aircraft = new Aircraft_i(“AircraftOne”,loader);
}

public Soar.Aircraft CheckOutAircraft(int identifier){

return aircraft;
}
public void CheckInAircraft(Soar.Aircraft anAircraft){
this.aircraft = anAircraft;
}
}
We have provided the Aircraft and the Hangar classes with overloaded constructors for both C++
and Java implementations.
These are the constructors for the C++ implementation of Hangar and Aircraft:

Hangar_i(const char* marker, CORBA::LoaderClass* loader);

Aircraft_i(const char* marker, CORBA::LoaderClass* loader);
These are the constructors for the Java versions of these classes:

public Hangar_i(String marker, LoaderClass loader)

public Aircraft_i(String marker, LoaderClass loader)
The methods take two parameters: a marker to identify the interface instance itself and a parameter
pointing to the loader instance that is to load the object. If a Loader object is not specified, Orbix uses
the default loader to instantiate a class. But in this case, a LoaderClass is specified. The first
parameter in both the constructors is the marker name for the object. A marker is a way to enable an
implementation to differentiate different objects of the same type in a server.
Besides this small change, the implementation is as normal as for any other implementation. Listing 15.4
shows the implementation of the C++ classes. Because Java classes contain the definition and the
implementation in one place, you need to show only the C++ code here. The Java equivalent for this code
was provided in Listing 15.2 and 15.3.
Listing 15.4 C++ Implementation

include “hangar.hpp”
#inclide <iostream.h>

void Soar::Aircraft_i:: identifier (

CORBA::Long identifier, CORBA::Environment &IT_env){
id = identifier;
}

CORBA::Long Soar::Aircraft_i::identifier(
CORBA::Environment &IT_env){
return id;
}

Soar::Hangar_i::Hangar_i(
const char* marker, CORBA::LoaderClass* loader){
aircraft = new Soar::Aircraft_i(“AirCraftOne”,t_loader);
}

Soar::Hangar_i::~Hangar_i(){
CORBA::release(aircraft);
}

Soar::Aircraft_ptr Soar::Hangar_i::CheckOutAircraft (
CORBA::Long identifier, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
return Soar::Aircraft::_duplicate(aircraft);
}

void Soar::Hangar_i:: CheckInAircraft (

Soar::Aircraft_ptr anAircraft, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {
aircraft = Soar::Aircraft::_duplicate(anAircraft);
}
The Hangar class constructor instantiates the Aircraft object. To the aircraft constructor, it
passes a marker AirCraftOne and the loader that was passed to it by the server. This means that the
Orbix loader is used at two different places: One is at the server that instantiates the Hangar, and the
other is when the Hangar has to instantiate the Aircraft. The Hangar constructor needs to be
elaborated a bit, as shown in the following code:

Soar::Hangar_i::Hangar_i(const char* marker, CORBA::LoaderClass*

loader):HangarBOAImpl(marker,loader),t_loader(loader){
aircraft = new Soar::Aircraft_i(“AirCraftOne”,t_loader);
}
The Hangar_i constructor attaches the marker and the loader to its superclass HangarBOAImpl. It
then proceeds to instantiate an instance of the Soar::Aircraft_i, to which it passes the marker and
the loader that was passed into the Soar::Hangar_i constructor. Because the BOA-related classes are
closest to the ORB, it is there that the loader interfaces with your classes.
For brevity, I have not shown any Java code here. But it should be obvious from the preceding discussion
that the implications for the Java code are the same as for the C++ code. This takes care of the SOAR
module implementation. In terms of the requirements, the Java code does the same as the C++ code. The
constructor instantiates the Aircraft object and so forth. We can now proceed to construct a loader to
interface between these implementations and the client.

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-----------
Implementing a Loader
As mentioned earlier, the loader has to be a subclass of CORBA::LoaderClass (or
Corba.LoaderClass in Java). Further, it needs to override the necessary methods. This means that if
you need to specialize any of the methods that are specified in the CORBA::LoaderClass (or
Corba.LoaderClass), it can be done in the subclass. Listing 15.5 is a simple loader interface.
Listing 15.5 A Simple Loader Interface

#include <CORBA.h>
#include <string.h>
#include “hangar.hpp”

class loader : public CORBA::LoaderClass{

public:
loader ();
virtual ~loader ();
virtual CORBA::ObjectRef load (const char* interfce,
const char* marker, CORBA::Boolean isBind, CORBA::Environment& env);
virtual void save (CORBA::Object*, CORBA::saveReason reason,
CORBA::Environment&);
};
The loader overrides the load() and save() methods. The load() method is called when an object
needs to be loaded. The save() method is called when the object is deleted or if the process is deleted.
Later in this chapter, you learn how persistence could be provided to these classes as well.
Listing 15.6 shows only the implementation of the loader class.
Listing 15.6 A Simple Loader Implementation

#include “loader.hpp”
#include <iostream.h>
#include <string.h>

loader::loader ():CORBA::LoaderClass(1){}
loader::~loader () {}

CORBA::ObjectRef loader::load (const char *interfce, const char

*marker,CORBA::Boolean, CORBA::Environment& env){

CORBA::ObjectRef retValue;

if(strcmp(marker,“”)){
Soar::Aircraft_ptr aircraft = new Soar::Aircraft_i(marker, this);
cout << “[LOADER]: ”<<marker<< “ Loaded”<< endl;
retValue = Soar::Aircraft::_duplicate(aircraft);
}
if(strcmp(marker,“Hangar51”)){
Soar::Hangar_ptr hangar = new Soar::Hangar_i(marker, this);
cout << “[LOADER]: ”<<marker<< “ Loaded”<< endl;
retValue = Soar::Hangar::_duplicate(hangar);
}
else{
cout << “[LOADER]: ”<<marker<< “ Not Loaded”<< endl;
}
return retValue;
}

void loader::save (CORBA::Object* obj, CORBA::saveReason reason,

CORBA::Environment&) {

cout<<“[LOADER]: unloaded”<< endl;

if(reason == CORBA::objectDeletion){
const char *marker = obj->_marker ();
cout<<“[LOADER]: Save called for ”<< marker << endl;
CORBA::release(obj);
}
if(reason == CORBA::processTermination){
const char *marker = obj->_marker ();
cout<<“[LOADER]: Save called for ”<< marker << endl;
CORBA::release(obj);
}
}
The load() method determines which object to load by the marker that is passed into the constructor for
the object required. This construction can take place when a bind() is called or an object is passed as a
parameter. In any case, the code checks whether the marker is null. If so, it constructs an instance of the
Aircraft interface. Otherwise, a Hangar is constructed and returned.
The save() method is called when the object is released or the process is terminated. The save() method
can also be explicitly called on the loader. The implementation checks for both. The code does not do
anything interesting other than deallocating the object reference that was loaded.

ADDING A cleanOut() OPERATION:

More interesting things could be done on the instance if the object reference is cast back to the type it is. In the
previous code, all the methods are invoked on an instance of CORBA::object. But this object can be cast into
its subtype. For instance, if the Hangar interface had defined an operation named cleanOut(), the code
could be modified to do the following:

if(reason == CORBA::processTermination){
const char *marker = obj->_marker ();
if(strcmp(marker,“Hangar51”){
Soar::Hangar *hangar = (Soar::Hangar*)obj
hangar->cleanOut();
}
cout<<“[LOADER]:Save called for ”<< marker << endl;
CORBA::release(obj);
}
The cleanOut() operation could be implemented to accomplish any number of things. This could do things
such as logging or persistence of state data. If persistence is accomplished, this data could be read back when
the load() method is called so that the state of an object could be initialized to a state that was saved before
the object was deactivated.

Logging can be accomplished through a simple text log. A more sophisticated log could use a database to
capture the log information. Persistence can be accomplished by using either serialization or through the use of
an object- oriented database.

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-----------
Implementing a loader in Java is reasonably similar to C++. The only major distinction between them is that
Java does memory management differently. As far as Orbix and OrbixWeb is concerned, the Application
Programming Interfaces are fairly similar. The superclass that has to be subclassed to construct a loader is
defined in IE.Iona.OrbixWeb.Features.LoaderClass. This class has to be subclassed and the
relevant methods overridden.
The first thing about the loader itself is that just as in C++, the Java loader has to be subclassed from
IE.Iona.OrbixWeb.CORBA.LoaderClass. In terms of the actual implementation, you then need to
determine which methods need to be overridden. In Listing 15.7, you will find an implementation of a loader
that closely mirrors the loader that was implemented earlier in C++.
Listing 15.7 Java Loader Implementation

package Loader;
import org.omg.CORBA.SystemException;
import org.omg.CORBA.Object;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb.Features.LoaderClass;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._OrbixWeb;
import org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder;
import java.io.*;

class Loader extends LoaderClass {

private PrintWriter log = null;

public Loader() {
super (true);
try{
FileWriter file = new FileWriter(“loader.log”);
log = new PrintWriter(file,true);
}
catch(IOException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
System.exit(-1);
}
}

public org.omg.CORBA.Object load (String interface,String marker,

boolean isBind){
org.omg.CORBA.Object returnobject = null;

if(marker.equals(“”)){
Soar.Aircraft returnAircraft = new Loader.Aircraft_i(marker,this);
String message = “[LOADER] ” + marker + “ Loaded.”;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
returnobject = returnAircraft;
}

if(marker.equals(“Hangar51”)){
Soar.Hangar returnHangar = new Loader.Hangar_i(marker,this);
String message = “[LOADER] ” + marker + “ Loaded.”;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
returnobject = returnHangar;
}
return returnobject;
}

public void save (org.omg.CORBA.Object obj, int reason){

String message = “[LOADER] Saving”;

System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);

String marker = _OrbixWeb.Object(obj)._marker();

message = “[LOADER] ” + marker + “ Loaded.”;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);

if (reason == _CORBA.processTermination){
message = “Save Called because reason = _CORBA.processTermination”;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
}
else if (reason == _CORBA.explicitCall){
message = “Save Called because reason = _CORBA.explicitCall”;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
}
else if (reason == _CORBA.objectDeletion){
message = “Save Called because reason = _CORBA.objectDeletion”;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
}
}

public boolean rename (Object obj, StringHolder marker)

{
String message = “Renaming marker = “ + marker.value;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
marker.value = new String(“DummyMarker”);
return true;
}
public void record (Object obj, StringHolder marker){
String message = “Recording Marker ” + marker.value;
System.out.println(message);
log.println(message);
if (marker.value.equals(“DummyMarjer”))
marker.value = new String (“Hangar51”);
}
}
The Java loader overrides all the methods in the IE.Iona.OrbixWeb.CORBA. LoaderClass. These
are the load(), save(), record(), and rename() methods. Before you look at the nature of
implementing these methods, let’s see how the constructor has changed in a subtle manner.
The super constructor of LoaderClass takes a parameter. This boolean parameter is used by the
superclass to indicate whether the current loader that is being constructed is added to a list of loaders that are
invoked when an object fault occurs. Such faults can occur when a client invokes a service and the object is
not discovered by the ORB, forcing it to return an object-not-found exception. When a client needs a loader,
the orb looks up a list of loaders that are installed. A loader can be installed with the ORB by controlling the
boolean parameter. The default behavior is always false. In Listing 15.7, passing a true indicates that
instances of the current loader should be added to this list.
The server that hosts the service that a client requests usually constructs the instance of the loader. When
installed, the requests that come in from the client will be passed on to the loader for action. Further on, the
loader class also specifies an instance of a PrintWriter. An instance of this class is used to create a
log file. Whenever an invocation is received by the loader, an entry is written to the log file. The log file
itself is not very sophisticated, but it could easily be extended to contain other information, such as the date
and time and information about the client.
In the preceding implementation, all the methods of the LoaderClass are specialized in the loader
implementation. The load() method is called when a client requires an object reference. At that point, the
loader can instantiate and return the object reference to the client. In Listing 15.7, the object reference is
returned in the context of the marker provided from the client. If the client requests an object without
providing any marker, an instance of the Aircraft object reference is returned to the client. On the other
hand, if the client explicitly requests a hangar named Hangar51, the loader creates an instance of the
Hangar object reference and returns that to the client.

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-----------
The save() method can be called under three different circumstances:
• processTermination A process termination is triggered when a server exits. At that
point, the save() method on the loader instance will be called. This point can be useful for
general “cleaning up” of a system. For instance, in Listing 15.7, the log file is closed when the
save() is called because of process termination.
• explicitCall An explicit call is made when a process or an object explicitly invokes the
save() method on the loader instance.
• objectDeletion When an object that is controlled by the loader is deleted, the save()
method is called. As mentioned earlier, this would be a good place to provide persistence for
the objects that are controlled by the loader process.

Note:
Another, perhaps more important, action that can be taken on all three types of reasons for the save()
method being called is to enable the objects that are being controlled by the loader to save their state to
some medium such as a database of a file system. Of course, the benefit of the loader is to enable these
objects to also internalize their state when the load() method is called.

Providing Persistence Using Loaders

Both the load() and save() methods are provided with two pieces of information that can be
used to provide persistence to the objects. The first piece of information is the name of the interface.
This enables the loader to load an instance of a class that implements the required interface. If the
object is persistent, the marker can be used as a key to locate the object and internalize the object into
memory. This would entail that each object be uniquely identified by a marker to enable the loader to
save and/or load the appropriate object into memory.
There are a number of ways persistence could be achieved. The following are three of these ways:
• A relational database—Using such a storage enables you to externalize the state of an object
when the save() is called and to internalize it when load() is called.
• An object-oriented database—Such a database enables entire sets of objects to be saved
efficiently. Because object-oriented databases are single-level storage engines, you need not
work with intermediate languages, such as SQL.
• A file system—This is the easiest and the least expensive. Under this strategy, the state of
the object can be written to a record table as text. When required, this information can then
read in by the load() method.
The Loader Server Implementation
It is the server’s responsibility to instantiate the loader class. The loader is just a normal class like any
class, which means that there is no special application programming interface to use a loader. First,
let’s implement a C++ server, then a Java server.
With the LoaderServer class, as with the interface, implementation is kept simple to show only
the aspects of the simple loader. Listing 15.8 shows the C++ server, and Listing 15.9 shows the Java
server.
Listing 15.8 C++ Server

#include <iostream.h>
#include “loader.hpp”

void main(int argc, char** argv) {

loader *a_loader = new loader();

try {
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“Area51”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
}
catch(...) {
cerr << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
}
}
Listing 15.9 Java Server

package Loader;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._OrbixWeb;

import org.omg.CORBA.ORB;
import org.omg.CORBA.SystemException;

import java.util.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class LoaderServer extends JFrame{

JTextArea DisplayArea = new JTextArea();
JButton StartButton = new JButton();
JButton StopButton = new JButton();
LoaderThread lthread = null;
Thread thread = null;

public static void main(String args[]) {

new LoaderServer();

}
public LoaderServer() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.addWindowListener(new java.awt.event.WindowAdapter() {
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {
this_windowClosing(e);
}
});
DisplayArea.setBounds(new Rectangle(8, 8, 375, 213));
StartButton.setText(“Start”);
StartButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(302, 235, 80, 23));
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
StopButton.setText(“Stop”);
StopButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(220, 236, 80, 23));
StopButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StopButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
StopButton.enable(false);
this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
this.getContentPane().add(DisplayArea, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StartButton, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StopButton, null);
}

void StopButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
lthread.stop();
StartButton.enable(true);
StopButton.enable(false);
}

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
lthread = new LoaderThread();
thread = new Thread(lthread);
thread.start();
StartButton.enable(false);
StopButton.enable(true);
}

void this_windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {
System.exit(0);
}
}

class LoaderThread implements Runnable{

public void run() {

ORB.init();
Loader loader = new Loader();

try {
_CORBA.Orbix.impl_is_ready(“Area51”);
}
catch(SystemException se) {
System.out.println(
“Exception during creation of construction of Area51: ”
+ se.toString());
return;
}
System.out.println(“ Server Exiting ...”);
_CORBA.Orbix.finalize();
}
public void stop(){
}
}

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-----------
Note that in the code, neither the Hangar nor the Aircraft is instantiated. The loader will
construct them when an invocation comes in from a client. In Listings 15.8 and 15.9, besides the
instantiation of the loader, no other object is constructed. When a request for a particular object does
come in, the loader will dynamically construct and return the object through the load() method.
Implementation of the client is just as simple as implementation of the server. Listings 15.10 and
15.11 illustrate this implementation.
Listing 15.10 C++ Client

#include <iostream.h>
#include “hangar.hh”

void main(int argc, char** argv){

Soar::Hangar_ptr hangar;
try {
hangar = Soar::Hangar::_bind (“Hangar51:Area51”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
}
catch(...) {
cerr << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
}
try{
Soar::Aircraft_ptr aircraft = hangar->ChecOutAircraft(1554);
CORBA::release(aircraft);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
}
CORBA::release(hangar);
}
Listing 15.11 JAVA CLIENT

package Loader;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._OrbixWeb;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;

import org.omg.CORBA.ORB;
import org.omg.CORBA.SystemException;
import org.omg.CORBA.IntHolder;

public class LoaderClient {

private Soar.Hangar hangar = null;
private Soar.Aircraft aircraft = null;

public LoaderClient() {

try{
hangar = Soar.HangarHelper.bind(“Hangar51:Area51”);
aircraft = Soar.AircraftHelper.bind(“:Area51”);
}
catch(SystemException se) {
System.out.println(
“Exception during retrieval of the Hangar object reference”
+ se.toString());
return;
}
try{
aircraft.identifier(5001);
hangar.CheckInAircraft(aircraft);
Soar.Aircraft temp = hangar.CheckOutAircraft(5001);
}
catch(SystemException se) {
System.out.println(
“Exception during retrieval of the Hangar object reference”
+ se.toString());
return;
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

LoaderClient loaderClient = new LoaderClient();
loaderClient.invokedStandalone = true;
}
private boolean invokedStandalone = false;
}
When the client invokes Soar::Hangar::_bind (“Hangar51:Area51”) on the server, the
loader dynamically loads the hangar object into memory. The marker determines which loader is
loaded into memory; in the previous example, the marker is Hangar51. The loader looks for this
marker if it is to load the Hangar object into memory. If on the other hand only the name of the
server is provided, the aircraft is loaded into memory. The default marker is an empty string, and the
loader considers this a request to load an instance of the Aircraft object into memory.
At any point during the execution of the client (or for that matter the server), the two objects can be
“unloaded” if the save() method is invoked. As mentioned earlier, this can be accomplished in one
of three ways. The most common point when the save() is called is when the object reference is
removed from memory or when the server process terminates. The loader handles all these cases.

Summary
Orbix loaders enable the dynamic loading of classes. This could be a benefit in designing flexible
systems that could intercept an incoming request for objects. Depending on the name of the object
that is requested to be loaded, the loader can load the object. If can also load different
implementations of the same interface.
This can be used in security features if required. The other benefit of the loader is that it also gets
called when an object is deactivated or if the process is naturally terminated. The save() method
enables an object to save data that needs to be persistent. It can also log important data. The object
can use the state that is made persistent when it is loaded again so that the state of the object can be
long-lived.

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-----------

Chapter 16
Distributed Callbacks
In This Chapter
• Defining Callback Interfaces
• Asynchronous Callbacks
• The Client Interface Implementation
Callbacks are a mechanism of coupling components. The use of the word components
is intentional. It is meant to denote a system where the subcomponents are essentially
“black box” elements. In such a system, designers try to ensure as little coupling as
possible. This leads to systems that are inherently more flexible and scalable.
One of the ways of achieving this is by designing systems that do callbacks. Using this
technique, a client registers with a server for notification of a state change or
something similar through callbacks. The callback registration interface needs to be
kept as simple as possible so that the dependency introduced between client and server
is minimized. Another approach is to standardize the callback interfaces through
standard coding conventions so that the server will always know what operation to
invoke on the client. This is the approach taken by the JavaBeans event notification
design. This standardization should be two-sided. The client interfaces for notification
and the server interfaces for registration should be standard.
Callbacks allow the design of systems that are driven by the server. If asynchronicity
is introduced using oneway calls from the client to the server, callbacks will enable a
mechanism for the server to notify the client if the operation succeeded. Another
possibility is to use callbacks as a simpler and lighter alternative to the CORBA Event
Services that implement the push mechanism. Using callbacks, especially in a
peer-to-peer CORBA application, interdependencies can be managed by using
callback interfaces that enable the various peers to notify each other when conditions
are met.
Callbacks in themselves are rather simple to implement. However, care should be
taken to use the callback mechanism judiciously. If used, the interfaces need to be
defined to be consistent across the entire architecture. This would allow the callback
interfaces to be reused across the architecture.
Areas where callbacks can be used include simple push architectures. They are also an
ideal pattern when a different component of the architecture needs to be synchronized
to a consistent state. In this chapter, we will build the latter to demonstrate callbacks.

Defining Callback Interfaces

Callback interfaces have to be defined for both registration and notification. This can
best be demonstrated through the construction of a simple chat application. The
interfaces to be defined are
• Server interface for registration
• Client interface for notification

Defining the Chat Server

The chat server needs to do two things. Its primary function is to act as a gateway for
chat clients. Its other function is to enable clients to register themselves for callbacks
so that chat messages can be passed on to the appropriate client. Any number of
clients can be logged into the server. The intricacies of concurrency are beyond the
scope of the chapter. However, one constraint that can be imposed on the
implementation is that authors of messages should not be notified of their own
messages.
The following interface is simple enough to demonstate how a chat server can be built:

module callback{

interface ChatParty{
attribute string name;
void chatListener(in string message);
};

interface chatServer{
void registerParty( in ChatParty party);
void deregister(in ChatParty party);
void chat(in ChatParty party, in string message);
};
};
chat.idl specifies two interfaces. One will be implemented as a chatServer,
and the other as a chatClient. Both these are to be implemented as servers.
Depending on the roles the interfaces are playing, one of them will always be a client
while the other is the server.
The primary operations for allowing a client to be registered for notifications or
deregistration are the registerParty() and deregister() operations. For
registration or deregistration, the chatServer is treated as a server. After it is
registered, a chatParty can send messages to others by invoking the chat()
operation. When the chatServer receives the invocation through this operation, the
server then chooses the client role and invokes the chatListener() method to
notify the client of what other clients have sent to the chatServer. Listing 16.1
shows the implementation of the chatParty interface.
Listing 16.1 Implementing the chatParty Interface

package callback;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class ChatPty extends callback._ChatPartyImplBase {

private String name = null;
private JTextArea RemoteWindow = null;

public ChatPty(String name,JTextArea RemoteWindow) {

super(name);
this.RemoteWindow = RemoteWindow;
}

public void chatListener(

java.lang.String message
) {
RemoteWindow.append(“message”);
}
public void name(java.lang.String name) {
this.name = name;
}
public java.lang.String name() {
return this.name;
}
}
The only important method is chatListener(). It is at this point that
chatServer notifies the client with a message that has been sent by others. The
implementation appends the incoming message into a Swing TextWindow.

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Implementing the chatParty Client/Server

The client code presented in Listing 16.2 is, for most part, GUI-related. All the server-related code is in the
chatClientServer class.
Listing 16.2 The Chat Client

package callback;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class ChatClient extends JFrame {

JTextField LoginName = new JTextField();
JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel();
JButton LoginButton = new JButton();
JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JScrollPane jScrollPane2 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea LocalWindow = new JTextArea();
JButton ChatButton = new JButton();
JButton Logoutbutton = new JButton();
chatClientServer party = null;
Thread thread = null;
JTextArea RemoteWindow = new JTextArea();
callback.chatServer chatSrv = null;

public ChatClient(String[] args) {

party = new chatClientServer(RemoteWindow);
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

ChatClient chatClient = new ChatClient(args);
}
public ChatClient() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
this.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
LoginName.setBounds(new Rectangle(4, 23, 153, 19));
jLabel1.setText(“Login Name”);
jLabel1.setBounds(new Rectangle(4, 6, 97, 15));
LoginButton.setText(“Login”);
LoginButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(165, 21, 71, 23));
LoginButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
LoginButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(3, 50, 447, 111));
jScrollPane2.setBounds(new Rectangle(4, 167, 446, 108));
ChatButton.setText(“Chat”);
ChatButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(377, 282, 71, 23));
ChatButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
ChatButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
Logoutbutton.setText(“Logout”);
Logoutbutton.setBounds(new Rectangle(239, 21, 71, 23));
Logoutbutton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
Logoutbutton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.getContentPane().add(LoginName, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jLabel1, null);
this.getContentPane().add(LoginButton, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(RemoteWindow, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane2, null);
jScrollPane2.getViewport().add(LocalWindow, null);
this.getContentPane().add(ChatButton, null);
this.getContentPane().add(Logoutbutton, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(RemoteWindow, null);
this.getContentPane().add(RemoteWindow, null);
this.setVisible(true);
}

void LoginButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
party.register(LoginName.getText());
chatSrv = party.getChatServer();
thread = new Thread(party);
thread.start();
}
void Logoutbutton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
party.deregister();
thread.stop();
}

void ChatButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
String msg = LocalWindow.getText();
try{
chatSrv.chat(LoginName.getText(),msg);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
//The Server Implementation
class chatClientServer implements Runnable{
private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private callback.ChatPty party;
private com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
private callback.chatServer chatSrv = null;
chatClientServer(JTextArea RemoteWindow){
orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
party = new callback.ChatPty(“Party”, RemoteWindow);
try{
resolver =
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = resolver.locate(
“http://localhost:15000/chatserver.ior”);
chatSrv = callback.chatServerHelper.narrow(obj);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName ivn){
ivn.printStackTrace();
}
catch(com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ReqFailure rf){
rf.printStackTrace();
}
catch(com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.CommFailure cf){
cf.printStackTrace();
}
catch(com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.InvalidURL ivu){
ivu.printStackTrace();
}
}

public void run(){

try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public void register(String name){

party.name(name);
chatSrv.registerParty(party);
}
public void deregister(){
chatSrv.deregister(party);
}

callback.chatServer getChatServer(){
return chatSrv;
}
}
An instance of chatClientServer is created. This is accomplished in the line

party = new chatClientServer(RemoteWindow);

An instance of RemoteWindow is passed into the implementation. This will be as shown in the
implementation so that callback.ChatPty can output messages back to the GUI.
All the CORBA-related aspects are implemented in the chatClientServer. The code uses VisiBroker
URL naming to acquire the object reference to the chatServer. This instance is passed back to the GUI so
that it can respond to user events (button clicks). When the required ORB initializations are finished, the
chatClientServer then calls the impl_is_ready() waiting for incoming events from the
chatServer.

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-----------
The logic of the implementation is in the user-generated events. When the user clicks login, the
chatParty is registered with the chatServer. The reverse occurs when deregister is called on the
chatServer. When the chat button is clicked, the message that was typed in the LocalWindow is sent
to the chatServer.
The chatClientServer is implemented as a thread so that the user interface can be operated upon,
independent of the chatClientServer. This is required because the impl_is_ready() blocks until
the server exists. When implemented, the server can be launched just as any other CORBA server.

Implementing the chatServer

The chatServer will use a JGL stack to keep a list of chatPartys in memory. When a request comes
in, the implementation will iterate over the stack and invoke the chatListener() operation on the
chatClient. Listing 16.3 shows the implementation of chatServer.
Listing 16.3 The Chat Server

package callback;
import com.objectspace.jgl.*;
import java.util.*;

public class ChatSrv extends callback._chatServerImplBase {

private com.objectspace.jgl.Stack listeners =
new com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();
public ChatSrv(String name) {
super(name);
}

public void registerParty(

callback.ChatParty party
) {
System.out.println(party.name());
listeners.push(party);
}

public void deregister(

callback.ChatParty party
) {
System.out.println(party.name());
for (Enumeration e = listeners.elements() ; e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
callback.ChatParty temp_ = (callback.ChatParty)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.name() == party.name()){
listeners.remove(e);
}
}
}
public void chat(
java.lang.String id,
java.lang.String message
) {
System.out.println(message);
for (Enumeration e = listeners.elements() ; e.hasMoreElements() ;) {
callback.ChatParty temp_ = (callback.ChatParty)e.nextElement();
if(temp_.name() != id){
temp_.chatListener(message);
}
}
}
}
The registerParty and the deregister operations essentially add and remove a party from the
stack that is maintained by the implementation. When a client invokes the chat() method, the server
iterates over the stack and invokes the notification operation on the client. At this point, the client should
receive the callback from the server.

The chatServer Runtime Implementation

The runtime to host the chatServer implementation is typical of most of the servers we have
constructed. It uses the VisiBroker URL naming to register the IOR so that a client can easily bind to the
server, as shown in Listing 16.4.
Listing 16.4 The Chat Server Runtime

package callback;

public class ChatServerImpl{

private org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa;
private com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.Resolver resolver = null;
private callback.ChatSrv chatserver = null;

public ChatServerImpl() {
try{
orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
chatserver = new callback.ChatSrv(“ChatServer”);
resolver =
com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ResolverHelper.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“URLNamingResolver”));
resolver.force_register_url(
“http://localhost:15000/chatserver.ior”,chatserver);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName ivn){
ivn.printStackTrace();
}
catch(com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.ReqFailure rf){
rf.printStackTrace();
}
catch(com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.CommFailure cf){
cf.printStackTrace();
}
catch(com.visigenic.vbroker.URLNaming.InvalidURL ivu){
ivu.printStackTrace();
}

try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

ChatServerImpl chatServerImpl = new ChatServerImpl();
}
}
The entire applicaton is shown running in Figure 16.1. This application is a simple demonstration of the
essential feature of CORBA: peer-to-peer technology. Client/server roles are just that—roles that a
designer assigns to a component of an architecture.

Figure 16.1 The chat application.

Let’s implement another callback application, this time using OrbixWeb. The use of some ORB application
programming interfaces to enable callbacks will differentiate the OrbixWeb implementation from the
VisiBroker. A further distinction is the use of asynchronous callbacks in the OrbixWeb application.

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-----------
Asynchronous Callbacks
The default invocation semantics that CORBA enables is a blocking call from the client to a service. This
means that for the duration of the invocation, the client blocks until the service returns from the invocation.
Callbacks are one requirement where this type of invocation might be undesirable.
An asynchronous invocation by the client means that the invocation immediately returns from the call,
enabling the client to continue with autonomous processing. This is accomplished if operations on the
interface are specified as oneway. When an operation is specified as being oneway, a client that makes
the invocation is immediately returned control from the call. The oneway calls do have some constraints
placed on them. For one, the operations that are specified as being oneway cannot return anything to the
client. This means that the only type that can be returned is a void. The other restriction is that an oneway
invocation cannot throw any exception. A service that implements a oneway operation is not required to
notify the client if the operation succeeds or not.
A simple interface will illustrate how callbacks are accomplished asynchronously. The basic principles are
the same as that for the VisiBroker Java implementation. In the VisiBroker application, we leveraged the
peer-to-peer nature of CORBA. This enabled us to reverse the roles of clients and servers as and when it
suited us. The OrbixWeb application will be a little more “traditional”: There will be clearly defined client
and server roles. The following interface shows how asynchronous callbacks can be constructed:

module Callback{
interface client{
void notify(in string message);
};
interface server{
oneway void registerReference(in Callback::client aClient);
};
};
The single operation in the server interface is specified as oneway. This enables the Callback.client
to invoke the operation asynchronously. The next sections implement the server and then the client.

The Interface Implementation

Every client that is interested in having the CallbackService object asychronously callback on the
registered interface is kept in an instance of Java.util.Vector. The CallbackService
implements the Callback.server interface. It also implements the Java Runnable interface so that
you can execute the service in a thread.
The callback is made in the run() method. Every client that is registered with the server object is
retrieved and the notify() method is invoked on it. This callback from the server does not go through
the ORB. The consequence of this aspect is that the CallbackService object does not have to retrieve
the Callback.client interface through a bind() or other mechanism. The server can directly invoke
the method on the client. The invocation is made in the run() method so that it does not interfere with the
normal running of the server that host the CallbackService object. Listing 16.5 shows the
implementation of the asynchronous server.
Listing 16.5 The Asynchronous Server Implementation

package Callbacks;
import Callback.*;
import java.util.Vector;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class CallbackService extends

Callback._serverImplBase implements Runnable{
private Vector clients;
private JTextArea DisplayWindow;

public CallbackService(String name,JTextArea DisplayWindow){

super(name);
clients = new Vector();
this.DisplayWindow = DisplayWindow;
}

public synchronized void registerReference(Callback.client aClient){

clients.addElement(aClient);
DisplayWindow.append(aClient.toString() + “ registered.”);
}

public synchronized void run(){

while(true){
if(clients.size() > 0){
for(int i = 0; i <clients.size(); i++){
Callback.client temp = (Callback.client)clients.elementAt(i);
temp._notify(“Server Notification ” + new Integer(i));
}
}
}
}
}

The Server Implementation

The implementation shown in Listing 16.6 is very similar to the other servers that we have implemented
using OrbixWeb. The constructor CallbackServer() initializes the CallbackService object,
passing it an instance of the GUI object. CallbackService is then executed in an instance of a
Thread object so that the implementation can execute the callback routines without interfering with the
server’s execution.
Listing 16.6 The Callback Server

package Callbacks;
import java.util.*;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._OrbixWeb;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;
import org.omg.CORBA.ORB;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class CallbackServer implements Runnable{

CallbackService cs = null;
JTextArea DisplayWindow = null;

public void run(){

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
try{
_CORBA.Orbix.impl_is_ready(“Callback”);
orb.disconnect(cs);
System.out.println(“Shutting down server...”);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException se) {
System.out.println(
“Exception raised during creation of Callback Server” +
se.toString());
System.exit(1);
}
}

public CallbackServer(JTextArea DisplayWindow) {

this.DisplayWindow = DisplayWindow;
cs = new CallbackService(“Callback”,DisplayWindow);
Thread serviceThread = new Thread(cs);
serviceThread.start();
DisplayWindow.append(“Server Is Ready \n”);
}
}
The final piece of constructing of the callback back-end is to construct a user interface to hold the server
objects.

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-----------
The Callback Server User Interface

The user interface, as shown in Listing 16.7, is a simple JText object to display any messages that the
service or the server object wants to display. The CallbackServer is constructed when the user clicks the
Start button. When this event occurs, the CallbackServer is constructed and launched in a thread. When
the server is up and running, it just waits for a Callback client to register its object reference for callback.
Listing 16.7 The Callback Server User Interface

package Callbacks;

import java.awt.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class CallbackServerWindow extends JFrame {

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea DisplayWindow = new JTextArea();
JButton StartButton = new JButton();
CallbackServer cs = null;
Thread thread = null;

public CallbackServerWindow() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CallbackServerWindow callbackServerWindow1 =
new CallbackServerWindow();
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.setTitle(“Callback Server Window”);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(8, 7, 444, 214));
StartButton.setText(“Start”);
StartButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(376, 229, 71, 23));
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(DisplayWindow, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StartButton, null);
this.setVisible(true);
}

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
cs = new CallbackServer(DisplayWindow);
thread = new Thread(cs);
thread.start();
}
}
We can now construct a client to make the callback on the CallbackServer.

The Client Interface Implementation

The client interface has to be implemented as shown in Listing 16.8. This enables the server to make a
callback on that interface. It is this interface that is registered with the server.
Listing 16.8 The Callback Client

package Callbacks;

import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;
import org.omg.CORBA.SystemException;
class CallbackClient extends Callback._clientImplBase implements Runnable{
private JTextArea DisplayWindow;

public CallbackClient(JTextArea DisplayWindow){

this.DisplayWindow = DisplayWindow;
this.DisplayWindow.append(“Waiting For Callback \n”);

try{
Callback.server srv = Callback.serverHelper.bind(“:Callback”);
srv.registerReference(this);
}
catch (SystemException se) {
System.out.println(“Unexpected exception:\n”+ se.toString());
}
}

public void run(){

try {
_CORBA.Orbix.processEvents();
}
catch (SystemException se) {
System.out.println(“Unexpected exception:\n” + se.toString());
return;
}
}

public void _notify(String message){

DisplayWindow.append(message + “\n”);
}
}
The first thing that the client object does is acquire the object reference to a Callback.server. This is
accomplished with the following line of code:

Callback.server srv = Callback.serverHelper.bind(“:Callback”);

When this is accomplished, the client registers its own object reference with the server object reference:

srv.registerReference(this);
When the registration is completed, the core of the client code will be executed. This occurs in the following
lines of code, which are executed in the run() method of the client code:

try {
_CORBA.Orbix.processEvents();
}
catch (SystemException se) {
System.out.println(“Unexpected exception:\n” + se.toString());
return;
}
_CORBA.Orbix.processEvents() waits for incoming events from the Callback server. When this
occurs, methods on the callback interface on the client side are invoked to notify the client that an event
arrived from the server.
Next, we implement a user interface to host the Callback.client object.

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-----------
The Callback Client GUI

The callback client GUI, as shown in Listing 16.9, is very simple. The user interface is very similar to
the server user interface. A window is created to display the server callback messages. The user
interface button enables a user to click on it to launch the Client object on a thread. When that
occurs, the client connects to the server and registers its interface to enable the server to make a
callback.
Listing 16.9 The Callback Client User Interface

package Callbacks;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import IE.Iona.OrbixWeb._CORBA;
import org.omg.CORBA.SystemException;

public class CallbackClientWindow extends JFrame {

private CallbackClient cc;
private Thread thread;

public CallbackClientWindow() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CallbackClientWindow callbackClientWindow =
new CallbackClientWindow();
callbackClientWindow.invokedStandalone = true;
}
private boolean invokedStandalone = false;
JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea DisplayWindow = new JTextArea();
JButton ListenButton = new JButton();

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
this.setTitle(“Callback Client Window”);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(11, 10, 379, 209));
ListenButton.setText(“Listen”);
ListenButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(304, 227, 80, 23));
ListenButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
ListenButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(DisplayWindow, null);
this.getContentPane().add(ListenButton, null);
this.setVisible(true);
}

void ListenButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
cc = new CallbackClient(DisplayWindow);
thread = new Thread(cc);
thread.start();
}
}
As you can see, the VisiBroker and OrbixWeb callback strategies are similar.

Summary

Callback is a mechanism that enables coupling of clients and servers in a bidirectional manner. This
enables architectures that are driven by both tiers of a client/server relationship. One of the pitfalls of
this type of design is that it introduces all sorts of dependencies between the client and server. This can
be mitigated to a large extent if the design adheres to a standardized interface throughout the
architecture.
Callbacks can be designed as either synchronous or asynchronous callbacks. Both can be used to
benefit an architecture. Asynchronous callbacks can be useful when a client needs to autonomously
process while it makes an invocation on the server. Asynchronous callbacks, on the other hand, enable
a client to wait for a server while the server completes some processing on its end.

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-----------

Chapter 17
VisiBroker Caffeine
In This Chapter
• Java to IIOP
• Implementing a Java2iiop Application
• Constructing the Server
• Implementing a Java2iiop Client
The Caffeine extensions from Visigenic are extensions of the standard CORBA specification.
As a product, it is in the forefront of CORBA—Java integration. Application level
development is rather cumbersome in C++. In this type of environment, the emphasis is most
likely to be on the generation of user interfaces. C++ is my language of choice for
general-purpose systems level programming. By this, I mean programming general
architectural services. Java, on the other hand, is ideally suited for more general level
programming, because it enables you to test your assumptions and show it off to the user.
Just as Caffeine extends CORBA, Caffeine is also an attempt to extend this usefulness of Java
to distributed computing. Using Caffeine, you can design and implement CORBA
components in Java. The development process using Caffeine works largely like Java RMI. It
enables a developer to work with the constructs that Java provides. At any point, if the design
requires these components to be distributed, they can use the tools provided with Caffeine.
The Caffeine enhancements come with three components:
• The Java2iiop compiler
• The Java2idl compiler
• The URL Naming facility

Java2iiop

Java2iiop enables an application to work with IIOP-compliant stubs and skeletons. It is ideal
for a Java-only implementation. Using Java2iiop, you could pass a Java interface and the
compiler would generate IIOP-compliant stubs, skeletons, and support files.

Java2idl

The Java2idl compiler turns normal Java interfaces to idl. If certain constraints are adhered to,
the compiler generates OMG IDL. If usage of Java is pushed to constructions that may not
have support in IDL, VisiBroker IDL is generated. This idl cannot be used outside the
VisiBroker for Java environment.

URL Naming

URL Naming is a nifty feature that enables a Java-based application to refer to an object with
an URL.

Java to IIOP
The starting point of Java2iiop is a Java interface. Within this Java interface, you can define a
distributable public interface for which you can generate the CORBA support code. The
benefit of such a scheme is that an applications developer is working only with Java
interfaces, no IDL. As long as you understand one of the major reasons for having OMG IDL,
you can use this feature. The OMG IDL is used to provide language independence to
CORBA. If there is no IDL, there is no language independence on the fly. Therefore, if Java is
the only platform in your distributed application, Java2iiop may not be such a bad thing.
It is possible to generate OMG-compliant IDL using Java2iiop and Java2IDL. Then it stands
to reason that it is a lot easier to start with OMG IDL in the first place! I would use Caffeine
when OMG IDL is no longer enough to implement all my requirements without undue
heartache. Caffeine is an extension to CORBA. As such, it should be used only when standard
CORBA is not enough.
For instance, it would be useful to pass objects such as Vectors or Hashtables between
clients and servers. IDL enables you to pass a sequence or an array. For example, a data
access server that provides access to databases could find it useful to pass Hashtables
between server and client.
All Java interfaces must be subclasses of org.omg.CORBA.Object. Only such interfaces
can be used with Java2iiop. This marker enables the Java2iiop tool to recognize whether an
interface is a Caffeine interface. On finding the marker, the compiler generates all the
marshaling and demarshaling code. The rest of the development process is mostly typical to
CORBA.
This brings up the question: When could I use Caffeine?. Use Caffeine if requirements dictate
that the full power and flexibility of Java as a language be utilized for a solution. Such a
solution would be an all-Java affair, because the solution would be using IDL that the rest of
CORBA would not be able to understand. The following example demonstrates one such use.
Before getting into the details of development, let’s define a Caffeine interface in Java:
The First step in the Caffeine development process is to define a Java interface that subclasses
from org.omg.CORBA.Object:

package Java2iiop;

public interface RuntimeInterface extends org.omg.CORBA.Object{

Object getTableModel();
Object getJGLContainter();
Object getGuiObject();
}
Note that the interface extends the org.omg.CORBA.Object. The interface helps
demonstrate a number of things. The first aspect is that all three methods return objects of the
type java.lang.Object. These will be passed back by value. The three methods are
getTableModel(), getJGLContainer(), and getGUIObject(). This means that
the states of the objects are transferred back to the client.
The first method, getTableModel(), is coded to pass back an instance of
com.sun.java.swing.table.DefaultTableModel. This object allows an
application to set up the data model for a JTable. The second method,
getJGLContainer(), passes back an instance of a com.objectspace.jgl.Stack,
and the third method, getGUIObject() passes an instance of a GUI widget.

Note:
Keep in mind the semantics of pass-by-value: A copy is passed back, not an object reference.
This means that an action on the copy is local and not transferred back to the original.

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Implementing a Java2iiop Application
Take the following steps to construct a Java2iiop application:
1. Define a Java interface subclassed from org.omg.CORBA.Object.
2. Compile the interface produced in step one using the javac compiler.
3. On the Java bytecode produced by step two, run the Java2iiop compiler.
The Java2iiop compiler produces the CORBA stubs and skeletons source
files.
At this point, implementation of the interface can be done as with any other
CORBA implementation.
4. Implement the Server.
5. Compile all the source files using the Javac bytecode pre-compiler.
6. Deploy the server.
7. Implement the client to use the server interface.
8. Compile and run the client.
The development process is depicted in Figure 17.1.

Figure 17.1 Implementing the generated interface.

The RuntimeInterface is designed to enable you to demonstrate a number

of things. It enables you to show any type of Java object as a CORBA object. The
interface passes three different objects back to the client: a user interface element
(through getGUIObject()), a model object that drives a user interface object
(through getTableModel()), and a collection object (through
getJGLContainer()). The example does not show passing of any business
object between client and server, because that feature has been demonstrated
adequately using just IDL.
The implementation is shown in Listing 17.1.
Listing 17.1 Java2iiop Component

package Java2iiop;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class DistributedJava extends

Java2iiop._RuntimeInterfaceImplBase {

com.objectspace.jgl.Stack stack = null;

DistributedModel model = null;
JTextArea gui = null;

public DistributedJava(java.lang.String
name,com.objectspace.jgl.Stack stack,DistributedModel
model,JTextArea gui) {
super(name);
this.stack = stack;
this.model = model;
this.gui = gui;
}

public DistributedJava() {
super();
}
public java.lang.Object getTableModel() {
return model;
}
public java.lang.Object getJGLContainter() {
return stack;
}
public java.lang.Object getGuiObject() {
return gui;
}
}
The coupling between the component and the rest of the application is
implemented with the following constructor:

public DistributedJava(java.lang.String name,

com.objectspace.jgl.Stack stack,
DistributedModel model,
JTextArea gui) {
super(name);
this.stack = stack;
this.model = model;
this.gui = gui;
}
The Server class using the component passes the three objects when it instantiates
the DistributedJava class. These objects are then are passed to a distributed
client when it invokes the three methods specified in the RuntimeInterface
interface. A word on the design of this class: The preceding class has an
unpardonable fault. At the end of the day, the class that uses the preceding
implementation will have tight coupling as a result of the way the constructor is
designed. Consider this question; What would you do if the three objects that are
passed to the constructor change their interface? If such issues are a concern of
yours, read any good book on design patterns and perhaps some good tomes on
OO software metrics.
The rest of the implementation simply passes back the objects that were passed to
the component. The three objects will be constructed in the server runtime.

Constructing the Server

For the most part, the server, which is shown in Listing 17.2, is just JFC Swing
code. The source file defines two classes: the orbRuntime class and the
DistributedModel class. The former encapsulates the code required for
setting up and running the CORBA component. The latter class defines a
Datamodel for a Jtable that is defined in the runtime. This is the component
that is passed back to the client. This enables a client to use the same Datamodel
that is being used by the client.

Note:
Swing uses the Smalltalk-inspired Model View Controller pattern to couple user
interfaces to data. Almost all the user interfaces that make up a Swing have an
associated Model object that encapsulates data. In the previous case, Jtable
objects have a corresponding Model object that is derived from the the
DefaultTableModel class. In the previous discussion, this object is referred
to as the Datamodel.

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-----------
Listing 17.2 Java2iiop Server

package Java2iiop;

import java.awt.*;
import java.util.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.table.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.event.TableModelListener;
import com.sun.java.swing.event.TableModelEvent;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import com.objectspace.jgl.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class DJavaServer extends JFrame {

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();

JTextArea GuiObject = new JTextArea();
JScrollPane jScrollPane2 = new JScrollPane();
DistributedModel t_tabelModel = new DistributedModel();
JTable TableObject = new JTable(t_tabelModel);
JButton StartButton = new JButton();
JButton StopButton = new JButton();
orbRuntime orb_ = null;
com.objectspace.jgl.Stack t_stackObject = new
com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();
String[] arg = null;

public DJavaServer(String[] args) {

this.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {System.exit(0);}});

for(int i=0; i<args.length;i++){

arg[i] = args[i];
}

try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

DJavaServer RuntimeApp = new DJavaServer(args);
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

this.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
this.setTitle(“Pass By Value Monitor”);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(6, 127, 415, 112));
jScrollPane2.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 5, 413, 120));
StartButton.setText(“jButton1”);
StartButton.setLabel(“Start”);
StartButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(274, 246, 71, 23));
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked;
}
});
StopButton.setText(“jButton2”);
StopButton.setLabel(“Stop”);
StopButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(349, 246, 71, 23));
StopButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StopButton_mouseClicked;
}
});
this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(GuiObject, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane2, null);
jScrollPane2.getViewport().add(TableObject, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StartButton, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StopButton, null);

DistributedModel _model = (DistributedModel)TableObject.getModel();

java.util.Vector rows = new java.util.Vector();
String[] temp_ = new String[2];
temp_[0] = “This Airline”;
temp_[1] = “001992K”;
rows.addElement(temp_);
_model.addRow(temp_);
TableObject.setModel(_model);
TableObject.tableChanged(new TableModelEvent
(_model,t_tabelModel.getRowCount()));
TableObject.repaint();

t_stackObject.push(temp_[0]);
t_stackObject.push(temp_[1]);
GuiObject.setText(“This text is from the remote object”);
this.setVisible(true);
}

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
orb_ = new orbRuntime(arg, t_stackObject, t_tabelModel, GuiObject);
Thread thread = new Thread(orb_);
thread.start();
}
void StopButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
this.dispose();
}
}

class DistributedModel extends DefaultTableModel{

String columns[] = {“Airline”, “FlightNumber”};

String[] row = new String[0];
Vector rows = new Vector();

public DistributedModel(){
}

public int getColumnCount(){

return columns.length;
}

public int getRowCount(){

return rows.size();
}

public java.lang.Object getValueAt(int row,int column){

java.lang.Object temp_[] = (String[])rows.elementAt(row);
return temp_[column];
}

public boolean isCellEditable(int row, int col) {return false;}

public void setValueAt(java.lang.Object aValue, int row, int column){

java.lang.Object temp[] = (String[])rows.elementAt(row);
temp[column] = aValue;
rows.setElementAt(temp,row);
fireTableChanged (new TableModelEvent(this,row));
}

public String getColumnName(int columnIndex){

return columns[columnIndex];
}

public void addRow(String row[]){

rows.addElement(row);
}

public void removeRow(int index){

rows.removeElementAt(index);
}
}

class orbRuntime implements Runnable{

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = null;

orbRuntime(String[] args,com.objectspace.jgl.Stack
stack,DistributedModel model,JTextArea gui){
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
boa = orb.BOA_init();
RuntimeInterface impl = new DistributedJava(“Server”,stack,model,gui);
boa.obj_is_ready(impl);
System.out.println(impl + “ is ready.”);
}

public void run(){

try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.toString();
}
}
}
The CORBA component is initialized in the constructor for the orbRuntime:

RuntimeInterface impl = new DistributedJava(“Server”,stack,model,gui);

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The three objects initialized by the server are passed in the CORBA component. Because
Java2iiop passes objects around by value, the object state as the server initialized them is passed
to the client. The Datamodel is initialized with just one row. The stack object contains only one
object. The GuiObject is initialized with a line of text, “This text is from the
remote object”. The establishes the state of the GuiObject, which is an instance of
JText.
This ends the implementation of the server object. All that remains is to implement a client that
uses the Java2iiop interface.

Implementing a Java2iiop Client

The Java2iiop client is like any other CORBA client (see Listing 17.3). The exception is that
the objects the client retrieves from the server are used to construct the client-side user interface
objects.
Listing 17.3 Java2iiop Client

package Java2iiop;
import java.awt.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;

public class DJClien extends JFrame{

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();

JTextArea GuiObject = null;
DistributedModel t_tabelModel = null;
JScrollPane jScrollPane2 = new JScrollPane();
JTable TableObject = new JTable();
com.objectspace.jgl.Stack t_stackObject = new
com.objectspace.jgl.Stack();

public DJClien(String[] args) {

this.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {System.exit(0);}});

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

Java2iiop.RuntimeInterface remoteObject =
Java2iiop.RuntimeInterfaceHelper.bind(orb);

try{
t_tabelModel = (DistributedModel)
remoteObject.getTableModel();
TableObject.setModel(t_tabelModel);
GuiObject = (JTextArea)remoteObject.getGuiObject();
t_stackObject = (com.objectspace.jgl.Stack)
remoteObject.getJGLContainter();
GuiObject.append(“\n” + t_stackObject.toString());
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.toString();
}
catch(Exception ex){
ex.toString();
}

try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
private void jbInit() throws Exception {
this.setTitle(“Pass By Value Client”);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(6, 127, 415, 112));
jScrollPane2.setBounds(new Rectangle(7, 5, 413, 120));
this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(GuiObject, null);
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane2, null);
jScrollPane2.getViewport().add(TableObject, null);
this.setVisible(true);
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

DJClien dJClien = new DJClien(args);
}
The client also defines three objects: a JText object, a DistributedModel, and a JGL stack
object. These objects are not constructed by the class itself, but they are constructed by the server
object and retrieved by the client:

t_tabelModel = (DistributedModel)remoteObject.getTableModel();
TableObject.setModel(t_tabelModel);
GuiObject = (JTextArea)remoteObject.getGuiObject();
t_stackObject = (com.objectspace.jgl.Stack)
remoteObject.getJGLContainter();
GuiObject.append(“\n” + t_stackObject.toString());
All the methods defined by the Java2iiop are specified to return java.lang.Object.
Therefore, the implementation has to explicitly cast into the desired object. The state of the
objects is the same as it was when we initialized the objects on the server side. This means that
the state of the object is copied by value over to the client side. This does not mean, however,
that modifying the state of the object is transparently transmitted back to the server.
The finished application is shown executing in Figure 17.2.

Figure 17.2 Java2iiop in action.

If a change of state has to be transmitted back to the server, the design of the implementation has
to modified. Such bidirectional communication could be accomplished by callbacks or by
implementing a peer-to-peer client/server relationship between the components.
How could an application benefit from Caffeine? Pass-by-value is a very powerful technique. It
can be the basis of replicated workflow where document objects are shipped from place to place
to alter its state.

Summary
The Caffeine extensions from Visigenic are a powerful extension over the OMG-defined
standard for CORBA. If a CORBA application uses only Java, it is a technology that enables
CORBA to have pass-by-value semantics. Using pass-by-value, a client can retrieve a server
component by value. This enables the state of a component to be distributed as well.
The Caffeine product enables a developer to work entirely in Java. The Java2iiop technology
enables a developer to generate iiop compliant from Java interfaces. When this is done, any Java
Language construction can be passed between client and server. Care must be taken with such
design on two levels: First, it is quite easy to build implementations that can work only with
Visigenic. The second, more important pitfall is that a designer might inadvertently introduce
multidimensional dependencies between distributed components. An indication of this habit was
briefly touched on when an unnecessary coupling was introduced between client and server in
the previous implementation.

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-----------

Chapter 18
VisiBroker SmartStubs
In This Chapter
• Internals of a SmartStub
• Constructing a SmartStub
Interactions between clients and servers are rather simple in their mechanisms. Architecturally, a
server is coupled to a skeleton, and a client is connected to a stub. Invocations in either direction are
marshaled and demarshaled by these components.
An invocation going in from the client side is marshaled by the stubs and passed to the ORB. A
server receiving an invocation receives the invocation after it has been demarshaled by a skeleton.
The reverse of this process is done when the server responds to the invocation. VisiBroker enables
you to modify the proxy on the client side. SmartStubs are a mechanism by which the stubs on the
client side can be modified to interpose between the client and the server.
SmartStubs can intercept the messages before they are marshaled or demarshaled on the client side.
The SmartStub, in turn, can invoke the methods on the actual stub that the VisiBroker idl2java
pre-compiler generates to make the invocation on the server. The difference is shown in Figures
18.1 and 18.2.

Figure 18.1 Application before marshaling.

Figure 18.2 Application after marshaling.

Functionally, SmartStubs and Interceptors seem similar. However, they are different in fundamental
respects. VisiBroker Interceptors are more general and low-level than SmartStubs. Interceptors are
installed with the ORB. As such, they can be used on the client side or the server side. Interceptors
can redirect invocations at a very low level. SmartStubs are specific for each interface, whereas
Interceptors can be generalized to be useful with any client. As a result, the general areas of using
SmartStubs are rather limited. Among the areas where you could use SmartStubs are the following:
• Logging—Potentially any methods you specify in an interface could be designed to be
invoked through a SmartStub. This feature can be used to transparently log the client
invocations and server responses. This means that when a client invokes a method on an
interface, the SmartStub could be designed to intercept the invocation and log information to
some form of persistent log. Such logging could be used as a trace log, or perhaps you could
establish nonrepudiation parameters on a client requesting a service from a server.
• Network invocations—No matter how efficient the protocol is, it is still slower than a local
method call. Proxies, whether normal stubs or SmartStubs are statically bound to a client. If a
SmartStub is implemented to cache state information that a server responds with, the next
time the client makes a repeat invocation on the server it could have the SmartStub return the
cached information. This means that repeated invocations on the server object would be
reduced. When an invocation is made by the client, the SmartStub could respond with a
cached result. The parameters for what information is cached are, of course, dependent on the
fact that the information the server provides is more-or-less invariant in time. If this
invariance cannot be established, an expiration time on the state of the cached information
would have to be determined to get rid of state information.
Such a mechanism could be used in a variety of applications. Consider an application that
uses real-time data—for example, a weather-monitoring application. This application usually
uses polling to retrieve data from the monitoring station. Polling is usually inefficient because
it tends to repeat over a predetermined interval of time. This application can be modified to
use SmartStubs to reduce the network communication by providing the client with cached
information.

Internals of a SmartStub
Extending a normal stub generated by the VisiBroker idl2java pre-compiler creates SmartStubs. The
pre-compiler specifies a switch that generates SmartStub support. Running the following command:

prompt$> idl2java -smart_stub file.idl

generates SmartStub support with the normal stub class. With this example, you can create a
SmartStub by extending the _st_file class that the idl2java pre-compiler generates on the
interface file. When you extend the normal stub, you can override a method specified in the
interface to add value-added support. The methods that are not handled are still handled by the
normal stub.
The following interface illustrates how SmartStubs can be used:

module smartStub{

interface proxy{

void newConnection(in string name);

string getConnectionName();
void getParameters(inout string status, out string params);

};
};
This interface needs to be pre-compiled with the idl2Java pre-compiler that VisiBroker provides.
Run this interface through the pre-compiler using the following command:

prompt$>idl2Java no_tie no_comments smart_stub smartstub.idl

The pre-compiler will have generated all the files that are necessary to support CORBA. You
subclass and extend the st_proxy class. The st_proxy class will have support for SmartStubs.
Some or all of the operations can be handled by the SmartStub. The mechanism by which
SmartStubs are actually constructed is shown later in the chapter.
After the stub has been defined and implemented, it should be installed with a client. VisiBroker
provides a set of simple APIs that enables installing SmartStubs with the client:
• setStubClass() enables you to install a specific SmartStub with the client. It is
possible to have more than one subclass of a stub class. This means that you can have
multiple SmartStubs for a given interface. The setStubClass() enables you to install a
specific SmartStub. For instance, you could design SmartStubs for user profiles so that when
a user with a specific user profile uses an application, a SmartStub that corresponds to that
profile could be installed on the client side.

Note:
You can create any number of specific SmartStubs and, depending on the context of the client,
you can specify that one or the other is loaded.

• getStubClass() enables you to access the current stub that is being used. Perhaps you
could run the Java operator instanceof to figure out what stub is being used.
• resetStub() method releases the SmartStub and relinquishes control to the normal
default stub.

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-----------
These methods are defined on the helper class for the interface. The next code snippet illustrates
how SmartStubs can be used with the previous API.
The interface that was specified previously is named proxy. The IDL pre-compiler generates a
holder class for this interface, which is named proxyholder. The previously mentioned
methods are specified in this class. So if you want to invoke these methods, you could do the
following:

proxyholder.setStubClass(..);
proxyholder.getStubClass();
proxyholder.resetStub(..)

Constructing a SmartStub
Developing a SmartStub is reasonably simple. In terms of this development, the effect on the rest of
your normal development is almost zero. You still build your servers the way you always do. The
client has a minor change; you use the setStubClass() to install the SmartStub with the client.
The interface that was defined previously will now be developed in full to show how SmartStubs
can be used. More specifically, you create a simple SmartStub to do logging:

module smartStub{

interface proxy{

void newConnection(in string name);

string getConnectionName();
void getParameters(inout string status, out string params);

};
};
The interface specifies three methods. The first one passes a string object to the server. For
performance reasons it is possible that if the same string is sent to the server, the invocation need
not be made. Instead, the proxy could be programmed to do nothing. The second method returns a
string. Here, there is a clear case for the invocation not being made at all after the string has been
retrieved. The third method is a little trickier. There is one inout parameter and an out
parameter. It can be argued that the server might choose to send over whatever it likes. This means
that the SmartStub really cannot cache anything locally, just in case it gets it wrong. On top of all
this, the logging bit has to be implemented as well.
You could use the SmartStub to override the newConnection() and the
getConnectionName() methods and not the getParameters() method. But for clarity, we
will implement support for all the methods.
Run the idl2java pre-compiler on the interface. Here is the exact command:

prompt$>idl2java -smart_stub -no_tie -no_comments proxy.idl

Implementing the Server

The implementation of the server and client is extremely straightforward:

1. Implement the interface (see Listing 18.1).
2. Implement a server runtime (see Listing 18.2).
3. Construct a SmartStub (see Listing 18.3).
4. Construct a client (see Listing 18.4).
As discussed in the preceding paragraph, you can decide what methods the SmartStub could
support. Listing 18.1 shows how you can construct a SmartStub.
Listing 18.1 The Proxy Interface Implementation

public class Smart extends smartStub._proxyImplBase {

String connection = null;

public Smart(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}
public Smart() {
super();
}
public void newConnection(
java.lang.String name
) {
connection = name;
}
public java.lang.String getConnectionNAme() {
return connection;
}
public void getParameters(
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder status,
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder params
) {
System.out.println(status.value);
if(status.value.equals(“Open”)){
params.value = “Rift:Valley”;
}
if(status.value.equals(“Closed”)){
params.value = “Open:Seseme”;
status.value = “Open”;
}
System.out.println(params.value);
}

}
The implementation of the interface is standard as advertised. For instance, the
getParameters() method is passed two StringHolder classes. As mentioned in Chapter 5,
“Java/IDL Mapping,” when complex types are passed as out or inout, the types map to a holder
class. All the implementation does is check out the inout parameter, set its state, and then set the
state of the out parameter.
The server is also standard. It advertises to the VisiBroker ORB that it is ready for business, as
shown in Listing 18.2.
Listing 18.2 The SmartStub Server Implementation

package smartStub;

public class StubServer {

public StubServer(String[] args) {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();
proxy object = new Smart(“StubServer”);
try{
boa.obj_is_ready(object);
System.out.println(object + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();
boa.deactivate_obj(object);
orb.shutdown();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

StubServer stubServer = new StubServer(args);
}
}

Implementing the SmartStub

You implement the SmartStub by subclassing a normal stub and providing value added support. In
this case, the idl2java pre-compiler would generate a class called _st_proxy. This class can be
extended to create a SmartStub. The implementation is shown in the next section (see Listing 18.3).
As discussed earlier, we will support all the operations that we specified in the proxy interface
definition. In order to build a SmartStub, you do the following:
1. Create a class that subclasses the appropriate stub class. In this case, you subclass the
st_proxy class.
2. Override all the methods that you want to handle in the SmartStub from the superclass. In
this example, we want to support the entire proxy interface in the SmartStub. This means that
we need to override all the methods.
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Implementation of the Proxy SmartStub Client

The SmartStub serves two purposes in this case. In the first instance, it logs every invocation. The
second purpose is to cache information so that unnecessary invocations to the server are not made. A
sample implementation is shown in Listing 18.3.
Listing 18.3 Implementation of the Proxy SmartStub

package smartStub;
import org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
public class SmartProxy extends _st_proxy{
String ConnectionName = null;
FileOutputStream logFile = null;
PrintWriter ios = null;
Date now = new Date();

public SmartProxy() {
try{
logFile = new FileOutputStream(“Log.dat”,true);
ios = new PrintWriter(logFile,true);
}
catch(IOException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]: Started ” + now.toString()));
}

public void newConnection(String parm1) {

if(ConnectionName == null){
super.newConnection( parm1);
ios.println(now + “ [Remote newConnection Called]”);
ConnectionName = parm1;
}
else{
if(parm1.equals(ConnectionName)){
ios.println(now + “ [Local newConnection Called]”);
}
else{
ios.println(now + “ [Remote newConnection Called]”);
super.newConnection( parm1);
ConnectionName = parm1;
}
}
}

public String getConnectionName() {

if(ConnectionName == null){
ConnectionName = super.getConnectionName();
ios.println(now + “ [ Remote getConnectionName Called]”);
}
else{
ios.println(now + “ [ Local getConnectionName Called]”);
}
return ConnectionName;
}
public void getParameters(StringHolder parm1, StringHolder parm2) {
ios.println(now + “ [Remote getParameters Called]”);
super.getParameters( parm1, parm2);
}
public void finalize(){
try{
ios.close();
logFile.close();
}
catch(IOException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
As you can see, the SmartStub class is a subclass of _st_proxy. I have chosen to override every
method in the superclass for logging purposes.
Logging is accomplished using the PrinterWriter class from the java.io package. This is a
neat little class that can easily accomplish character output to a file that is opened using the
FileOutputStream class. One of the reasons why I used this class is that flushing is automatic,
which enables new log information to be appended to the end of the file. The logs are initialized in the
proxy constructor.
The class maintains a state variable named ConnectionName. The client passes this variable to the
server in two requests. It first initializes the server with a connection string. The server maintains this
string. When the client requests this string, the server returns the same string the client registered with
the server. This is a contrived but simple example that seeks to illustrate when to use caching.
Caching is always a useful technique in CORBA. There are a number of areas where caching can be
used productively. The ideal place to think about caching is in relationship to the number of network
connections a client has to use to get a service. When repeated connections are required, you can cache
the information so that the overhead of a network call is minimized.
Let us look at the code a little closer for the newConnection() method:

public void newConnection(String parm1) {

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-----------
The first thing the SmartStub checks for is whether its own state variable is initialized. If it is not, it invokes the
newConnection() method on the server. It logs the invocation and then initializes its own state variable
with the one the client has passed to the server. This is essentially what the server is doing. So the state of the
server object is mirrored by the SmartStub. On the other hand, if the local state variable is initialized, the stub
checks whether the new string that is passed to the server is the same as before. Only if it is a new string does
the stub pass the invocation to the normal stub. Otherwise, it does nothing. Whenever an invocation is made on
the server, the stub always resets its own local variable to the string that is being passed to the server.
The getConnectionName() on the server is essentially the connection string the client passes to the server
when it invokes newConnection on the server. Because this state is mirrored in the stub, the implementation
calls getConnectionName() only if the stub’s state does not mirror that of the server object.
The getParameters() is not cached, because the state of the server cannot be mirrored on the SmartStub.
This essentially means that the server’s state, as far as this method is concerned, cannot be mirrored. Therefore,
this method is always passed on to the normal stub. The only thing the SmartStub does here is log the
invocation.
That completes the implementation of the SmartStub. Now let us look at the implementation of the client.
The only difference between normal clients and a client that uses a SmartStub is that a SmartStub has to be
installed, as shown in Listing 18.4.
Listing 18.4 Implementation of the Proxy Smart Client

package smartStub;

public class ProxyClient {

public ProxyClient(String[] args) {

proxy remoteObject = null;
try{
proxyHelper.setStubClass(SmartProxy.class);
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
remoteObject = proxyHelper.bind(orb,“StubServer”);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}

try{
remoteObject.newConnection(“scot:tiger”);
String connection = remoteObject.getConnectionNAme();
for(int i = 0; i<3; i++){
remoteObject.newConnection(“scot:tiger”);
}
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
try{
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder status = new org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder();
status.value = new String(“Open”);
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder params = new org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder();

remoteObject.getParameters(status,params);
System.out.println(status.value);
System.out.println(params.value);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
System.out.println(“Holder ” + e.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

ProxyClient proxyClient = new ProxyClient(args);
}
}
The following is the crucial line in Listing 18.4:

proxyHelper.setStubClass(SmartProxy.class)
This is executed before the normal initialization of the client. Once this has been done, the client can be
implemented as usual. The implementation invokes newConnection() with the same parameter,
scot:tiger, three times. The first time, the SmartStub makes a remote call. Additional times, the calls won’t
be made on the server object. This should be evident from this log, which is shown for a sample run:

[Logfile]: Started Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998

Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998 [Remote newConnection Called]
Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998 [Local getConnectionName Called]
Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998 [Local newConnection Called]
Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998 [Local newConnection Called]
Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998 [Local newConnection Called]
Wed Sep 02 20:29:25 GMT+00:00 1998 [Remote getParameters Called]
As you can see, the newConnection() is made on the remote object only once. When the SmartStub is
installed on the client side, all invocations the client makes go through the stub. In the context of this
implementation, all the methods that the service-side component exposes are intercepted by the SmartStub and
“value” is added to the implementation. In the implementation, value-added service is twofold. The first is in
logging of invocations into a file. The second is that network connections are minimized. The latter enables a
more responsive performance for the client.

Summary
SmartStubs are a VisiBroker feature that enables a developer to add value to the client side of a CORBA
client/server interaction. Unlike VisiBroker Interceptor or Orbix filters, SmartStubs are used only on the client
side. SmartStubs enable a developer to extend the default stub that is statically linked to a client. These
extensions can take a number of forms. They can be used for caching state information that is long-lived.
Caching minimizes the quantum of network traffic. Logging is another feature that is enabled using SmartStubs.
Logging on the client side enables a developer to record various information that could prove useful for fault
recovery or security audit.
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-----------

Chapter 19
Handling Distributed Events
In This Chapter
• Client-Side Event Handler
• The Registration Interface
• Installing a Handler
• Server-Side Handlers
VisiBroker provides an elegant event-handling mechanism that will notify clients and server
objects when a system event occurs. The event-handling mechanism is similar to the concept
of VisiBroker Interceptors except for the nature of events that are handled.
VisiBroker specifies two types of event handlers: one for the client side and one for the
server side. In the context of these events, the client can handle certain types of events, and
the server is capable of handling different kinds of events. The process of creating a handler
is the same for both the server and the client.
Specify and implement a communications event handler class. Within this class, you can
override any of the allowed methods, depending on where you intend to install the event
handler. Either the server side or the client side handler can handle the events shown in
Table 19.1.
Table 19.1 Event Types

Client-Side Events Server-Side Events

Successful Bind Bind Requested

Bind Unsuccessful Remove Bind Requested
Server Abort Client Abort
Successful Rebind Pre-Method Invocation
Unsuccessful Rebind Attempt Post-Method

Client-Side Event Handler

A client-side event handler can be constructed by implementing a class that is derived from
the ClientEventHandler interface. After the implementation is completed, the handler
has to be registered with the underlying ORB so that notifications can be forwarded to the
handler host for further action. A ClientEventHandler has to be registered for a
specific ORB object. When an event is triggered, the ORB will invoke the handler to handle
the event.
The client interface corresponds to the left column of Table 19.1. The methods that are
specified for the client do seem rather limiting. But for all intents and purposes, that is all the
client really needs in terms of how this situation can be handled.
The event handler is primarily intended to provide connection information to the client. This
provides a mechanism to enable logging and auditing functions on the client side. The
methods that have to be overriden correspond to the list of events shown in Table 19.1. The
methods that the ClientEventHandler has to override provide the following as a
parameter:

struct ConnectionInfo{
string hostname;
long port;
};
This structure is passed as a parameter into the methods on the client side. It can be used to
figure out rudimentary information about the requested connection. Listing 19.1 illustrates
how a ClientEventHandler can be built.
Listing 19.1 Client Event Handler

import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;

class SimpleClientEventHandler implements ClientEventHandler {

private String Handler_name;

MyClientEventHandler(String name) {
Handler_name = name;
}

public void bind_succeeded(org.omg.CORBA.Object obj,

ConnectionInfo info) {
System.out.println(_name + “: bind_succeeded: ” +
obj + “ info: ” + toString(info));
}

public void bind_failed(org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {

System.out.println(_name + “: bind_failed: ” + obj);
}
public void server_aborted(org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: server_aborted: ” + obj);
}

public void rebind_succeeded(org.omg.CORBA.Object obj,

ConnectionInfo info) {
System.out.println(_name + “: rebind_succeeded: ” +
obj + “ info: ” + toString(info));
}

public void rebind_failed(org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {

System.out.println(_name + “: rebind_failed: ” + obj);
}

private String toString(ConnectionInfo info) {

return “ConnectionInfo[hostname=” + info.hostname +
“,port=” + info.port + “]”;
}
}
In Listing 19.1, all the methods of the ClientEventHandler are overridden. The
implementation just outputs the connection information to the standard I/O terminal. The
org.omg.CORBA.Object that is passed as a parameter into some of the methods is the
target object on which some operation was attempted.

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-----------
The Registration Interface
With the ClientEventHandler built, it is necessary to register the handler. This is
accomplished by using the services of the HandlerRegistry interface. It provides a
number of operations that can be used to register a Handler. The interface is given in full
in Listing 19.2.
Listing 19.2 Registration Interface

interface HandlerRegistry {
void reg_obj_client_handler(
in Object obj,
in interceptor ClientEventHandler handler
)
raises(
interceptor HandlerExists,
interceptor InvalidObject
);
void reg_glob_client_handler(
in interceptor ClientEventHandler handler
)
raises(
interceptor HandlerExists
);
void reg_obj_impl_handler(
in Object obj,
in interceptor ImplEventHandler handler
)
raises(
interceptor HandlerExists,
interceptor InvalidObject
);
void reg_glob_impl_handler(
in interceptor ImplEventHandler handler
)
raises(
interceptor HandlerExists
);
void unreg_obj_client_handler(
in Object obj
)
raises(
interceptor NoHandler,
interceptor InvalidObject
);
void unreg_glob_client_handler(
)
raises(
interceptor NoHandler
);
void unreg_obj_impl_handler(
in Object obj
)
raises(
interceptor NoHandler,
interceptor InvalidObject
);
void unreg_glob_impl_handler(
)
raises(
interceptor NoHandler
);
interceptor ConnectionInfo get_client_info(
in Object obj
);
};
The interface in Listing 19.2 is used by both the client and the server objects for handler
administration. Four of the methods correspond to the client-side requirements, and the other
four provide support for the server side. The client-side operations are the ones with the
word client in the names of the operations. Server-side handler operations have the word
impl in their names.
A client can register the handlers two ways. It can add handler support for one object that is
a ClientEventHandler for a single object. VisiBroker also enables a client to have a
single handler registered for all the objects that it chooses to communicate with.
If the client needs to have support for monitoring events for just one object reference, it can
use the reg_obj_client_handler() operation. When using this method, the client
has to pass the instance of the handler and the reference to the remote object. Only a single
handler can be registered for the object at any given time.
On the other end, an implementation can register a single handler for all the objects the
client communicates with. Such a handler is called a global handler. This type of handler is
registered using the reg_glob_client_handler() operation. Just like the per-object
event handler, only one global event handler can exist at any given time.
After the objects are registered, they need to be unregistered. This is accomplished by using
the following API:

unreg_obj_client_handler() and unreg_glob_client_handler().

The former unregisters an object event handler, and the latter unregisters a global event
handler.

Installing a Handler
The following client implementation is taken from Chapter 20, “VisiBroker Interceptors.”
Because, technically, EventHandlers are the same as Interceptors, it would be nice
to show both Interceptors and the ClientEventHandler side by side.
The client has to be modified. The difference between Interceptors and
EventHandlers is highlighted in bold in Listing 19.3.
Listing 19.3 Client Handler Implementation

package Interceptor;

public class FilterClient {

public static void main(String[] args) {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);

HandlerRegistry registry = HandlerRegistryHelper.narrow(o

rb.resolve_initial_references(“HandlerRegistry”));
SimpleClientEventHandler handler =
new SimpleClientEventHandler(“GlobalClientHandler”);
registry.reg_glob_client_handler(handler);

Filter Global_filter = FilterHelper.bind(orb, “Filter”);

Global_filter.foo((short)1002);

SimpleClientEventHandler(“ObjectClientHandler”);
registry.reg_glob_client_handler(handler);
Filter Object_filter = FilterHelper.bind(orb, “Filter”);
Object_filter.foo((short)1002);
}
}
The handler instance is retrieved by invoking
orb.resolve_initial_references(). When the instance of the
HandlerRegistry is retrieved, the appropriate API methods, which were discussed
earlier in the chapter, can be used to administer the client-side handler.

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Server-Side Handlers
On the server side, as on the client side, an object reference can register server-side handlers with
the ORB. The administration process is on the same object as for the client, on the
HandlerRegistry object.
The handler on the server side has to be subclassed from ImplEventHandler. The following
methods are provided for the subclasses to override:

interface ImplEventHandler {

public void bind(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) ;
public void unbind(ConnectionInfo info,
org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj);

public void client_aborted(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Object obj);

public void pre_method(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ,
String operation_name, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) ;

public void post_method(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ,
String operation_name, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) ;

public void post_method_exception(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ,
String operation_name, String exception_rep_id,
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj);
}
The most interesting operations are pre_method() and post_method(). The
pre_method() operation is the handler that is invoked by the ORB when a client makes an
invocation on the implementation. This handler invocation occurs before the action object
reference is called.
The post_method() is called after the invocation of the server by a client. The most
important parameter in both the methods is the Principal. This object encapsulates the
information like the method name and a reference of the object are all passed to this method.
This enables the server handler to determine what method is being invoked by the client. Along
with the name of the method, any parameter that is passed into the method can also be
determined. Listing 19.4 implements the server object.
Listing 19.4 Implementing the Server Object

class MyImplEventHandler implements ImplEventHandler {

private String _name;

MyImplEventHandler(String name) {
_name = name;
}

public void bind(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: bind: ” +
“\n\tinfo=” + toString(info) +
“\n\tprincipal=” + princ +
“\n\tobject=” + obj._repository_id());
}

public void unbind(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: unbind: ” +
“\n\tinfo=” + toString(info) +
“\n\tprincipal=” + princ +
“\n\tobject=” + obj._repository_id());
}

public void client_aborted(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: client_aborted: ” +
“\n\tinfo=” + toString(info) +
“\n\tobject=” + obj._repository_id());
}

public void pre_method(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ, String operation_name,
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: pre_method: ” +
“\n\tinfo=” + toString(info) +
“\n\tprincipal=” + princ +
“\n\toperation=” + operation_name +
“\n\tobject=” + obj._repository_id());
}
public void post_method(ConnectionInfo info,
org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ,
String operation_name, org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: post_method: ” +
“\n\tinfo=” + toString(info) +
“\n\tprincipal=” + princ +
“\n\toperation=” + operation_name +
“\n\tobject=” + obj._repository_id());
}

public void post_method_exception(ConnectionInfo info,

org.omg.CORBA.Principal princ,
String operation_name, String exception_rep_id,
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj) {
System.out.println(_name + “: post_method_exception: ” +
“\n\tinfo=” + toString(info) +
“\n\tprincipal=” + princ +
“\n\toperation=” + operation_name +
“\n\texception=” + exception_rep_id +
“\n\tobject=” + obj._repository_id());
}

private String toString(ConnectionInfo info) {

return “ConnectionInfo[hostname=” + info.hostname +
“,port=” + info.port + “]”;
}
}
Just as with the client, the object of Listing 19.4 is to show the API of the handler. As with the
client, the code for the server only outputs to the standard I/O.
As with the client object, the handler has to be registered with the ORB. The registration is
shown in Listing 19.5.

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-----------
Listing 19.5 Filter Server Implementation

package Interceptor;

public class FilterServer {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb_ = null;
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public FilterServer(String[] args) {

orb_ = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
Init i = new Init();
i.install(orb_,null);
boa_ = orb_.BOA_init();
Filter filter = new FilterObject(“Filter”);
try{
boa_.obj_is_ready(filter);
System.out.println(filter + “ is ready.”);
boa_.impl_is_ready();
boa_.deactivate_obj(filter);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

FilterServer filterServer = new FilterServer(args);
}
}
In this listing, most of the code is typical for a CORBA server. The only distinction is shown in the
following two lines of code:

Init i = new Init();

i.install(orb_,null);
In the first line, an instance of the Init class is instantiated. This class is responsible for installing the
server-side handler with the ORB. Its functions are similar to that of the Handler listed in Listing 19.6.
Listing 19.6 Server Handler Implementation
package Interceptor;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.orb.*;
import java.util.*;

public class Init {

public void init(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb, Properties properties){

System.out.println(“Installing Interceptors”);
ChainServerInterceptorFactory serverFactory = null;
try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj =
orb.resolve_initial_references(“ChainServerInterceptorFactory”);
serverFactory = ChainServerInterceptorFactoryHelper.narrow(obj);

serverFactory.add(new Interceptor.ServerFilterFactory());
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
The installation of the handler is given in the following line of code:

serverFactory.add(new Interceptor.ServerFilterFactory());
The code in Listing 19.6 initializes the server object as in Listing 19.3, with the slight complication of
initializing the Handler object and registering them with the ORB.

Summary
The VisiBroker distributed events are a mechanism that enables clients and servers to respond to various
predefined events that take place on the client side and the server side. These events mainly indicate when
an ORB-level event takes place. These events are the request to bind or remove a bind. These events can
also give indications as to the state of the server process or the client process.
These event handlers can be attached either on the client side or the server side. The main purpose of these
events is to allow preprocessing before and/or after these predefined events take place. This would enable
the implementations to perform routines such as logging and security audits.

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-----------

Chapter 20
VisiBroker Interceptors
In This Chapter
• Types of Interceptors
• Constructing a ServerInterceptor
• Constructing a BindInterceptor
VisiBroker interceptors are filter objects that, when deployed, act as sieves
through which invocations to clients or servers pass. These messages may be
viewed or altered as they pass through the interceptor. The benefit of an
interceptor is that it enables your applications to view how an ORB processes a
request. This feature might be of benefit in the following ways:
• Security measures, in terms of access privileges, could be controlled
through an interceptor. This could enable the design of a message-based
Access Control List implementation strategy.
• Low-level load balancing could be implemented using interceptors.
Depending on load constraints imposed on a server, invocations could
be forwarded to alternate instances of a CORBA server running in a
cluster.

Note:
Designing an interceptor for load balancing can be effective only in
proportion to its statelessness. If an interceptor has to manage its state
as well, design would probably dictate a load balance agent for an
interceptor. The more stateless an interceptor is, the more scalable it
will be in terms of handling client requests.

• Availability and fault tolerance issues could be designed into an

interceptor. For designs where these quality-of-service issues are
important, an interceptor could redirect requests for a server that is
unavailable to one that is available.
• Performance could be monitored to control the constraints of load
balancing. An interceptor can be implemented to log invocations to
servers and from clients. Load balancing schemes can be devised based
on the analysis results of the logs.
• An interceptor could modify the message. This capability can be
useful in low-level encryption of the messages. This methodology can
be used over and above the facilities provided by secure socket layers.
The most important aspect of an interceptor is the fact that it is essentially a
very low-level component. This means that servers and clients are oblivious to
its presence. The most powerful feature of the interceptor is that it can can be
used to modify the very essence of client/server interactions at a basic
semantic level. Power is only one side of the coin. With power comes
responsibility.
Client/server programming, especially the CORBA kind, is about
programming by contract, which means that a server is contractually bound to
provide services that it advertises through its interfaces. An interceptor can be
juxtaposed on the server to modify this contract—hence its semantics. A
careless interceptor can render a contract useless.

Types of Interceptors
There are essentially three basic types of interceptor that a developer can
inherit and/or extend:
• Server interceptor
A server interceptor is an interceptor that works on the server side.
Invocations coming in from a client to a server can be intercepted to
perform functions that you want the interceptor to do. These could be
any one of the areas where an interceptor can be used.
• Client interceptor
A client interceptor is analogous to the server interceptor except it is
installed on the client side. This interceptor can filter both outgoing
invocations as well as incoming messages on the client side.
• Bind interceptor
Whenever a bind or associated method is called, the bind interceptor
intercedes on behalf of the invocation. At this point, an interceptor can
be used to design a low-level access control list–based service for your
applications.
Interceptor APIs are mostly defined to take in parameters. These parameters
are passed to the interceptors from the ORB. Interceptor APIs are also
provided with inout parameters that allow bidirectional communication
between the ORB and the interceptors. These are especially powerful because
they provide a mechanism for directly interacting with the ORB messages
themselves.
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-----------
Interceptor APIs

Let us now look at some of the important APIs for each of the interceptor classes. The APIs
can be extended from the default interceptor classes to enable the developer to implement
specific interceptor behavior.

ServerInterceptor Class
The ServerInterceptor methods are invoked on the server by the ORB when client
requests are made:

public abstract IOR locate(int req_id, byte object_key[],

Closure closure)
The locate() method in the interceptor is called whenever the client uses an API such as
bind() to locate and bind to the object. This is a useful method to use for load balancing
by forwarding the request to another object and returning the IOR:

public abstract InputStream receive_request(

RequestHeader hdr,
ObjectHolder target,
InputStream buf,
Closure closure
)
When a client sends a message to the server, the ORB will invoke this method in the
interceptor. Among other things, the method contains all the objects required to make sense
of the invocations. The RequestHeader encapsulates the GIOP message header and the
InputStream encapsulates the IIOP message stream. The ObjectHolder hides the
out and inout parameters that are passed by the client to the server. Using these
parameters, the interceptor can determine the nature of the invocation:
public abstract void prepare_reply(RequestHeader hdr,
ReplyHeaderHolder reply,
Object target,
Closure closure)
Just as the receive_request() in invoked by the ORB on the interceptor when a client
makes an invocation, the prepare_reply() is invoked on the interceptor before the
response from the server is marshaled back to the client. Nonrepudiation, in the context of
security, is very important to CORBA. This means that neither the client nor a server should
be able to deny services rendered or received. As far as the server is concerned, an
interceptor can be designed to log that a server did respond as advertised back to the client:

public abstract OutputStream send_reply(RequestHeader

reqHdr,
ReplyHeader hdr,
Object target,
OutputStream buf,
Environment env,
Closure closure)
This method is analogous to receive_request() in the number of parameters. The
send_reply() contains parameters referring to the marshaled messages going back to
the client. It also contains information about the intended target and the environment object
that contains exception information:

public void request_completed(RequestHeader hdr,

Object target,
Closure closure)
The request_completed() method is invoked upon successful execution of the
send_reply() method:

public abstract void shutdown(ShutdownReason reason)

The ORB will invoke this method on the interceptor when a server shuts down.

ClientInterceptor Class
The ClientInterceptor methods are invoked by the ORB on the client side when
requests are made to the server:

public abstract void prepare_request( inout

RequestHeader hdr,
Closure closure );
This method is invoked by the ORB during the preparation of the request. This method can
be used to modify the request header before the request is received by the server:

public abstract OutputStream send_request(RequestHeader hdr,

OutputStream buf,
Closure closure );
The send_request method() is invoked by the ORB before the request is sent. This
method can be used to initiate such actions as logging, or be used to make modifications to
the InputStream:

public abstract void receive_reply(ReplyHeader hdr,

InputStream buf,
Environment env,
Closure closure);
This receive_reply method is invoked when the request is received by the ORB. This
method can also be used to modify the contents of the InputStream before it is passed on
to the server.

BindInterceptor Class
The BindInterceptor methods are invoked by the ORB whenever a bind() or
rebind() request is made by the client to the server:

public abstract boolean bind(IOR ior,

Object object,
Closure closure);
This method is invoked just prior to the binding of a server object. This method can use the
IOR to determine which server object to bind to. A developer can also use this method to
monitor binding time to resolve potential bottlenecks in the system.
The bind_succeeded() method:

public abstract void bind_succeeded(IOR ior,

Object object,
Closure closure)
is invoked by the ORB whenever the client successfully binds to the server. This method
does not return anything, and it is typically used for notification.
The bind_failed() method:

public abstract boolean boolean bind_failed( IOR ior,

Object object,
Closure closure);
is invoked by the ORB whenever the client fails to bind to the server. This method can be
used to modify the binding request so that the client can bind to an alternate object.
The rebind() method:

public abstract boolean rebind(IOR ior,

Object object,
Closure closure);
is invoked just prior to rebinding to an object. It can be used when a developer wants to
modify the standard rebind() done by the ORB.
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Constructing a ServerInterceptor
This section will construct a server-side interceptor. The implementation of client-side and bind
interceptors is similar in methodology, differing only in the semantics of the classes that are used.
The ServerInterceptor interface is an abstract interface that must be implemented to create an
interceptor. We will attempt to override only the methods that I have elaborated for the
ServerInterceptor class. Visigenic provides default interceptor classes that may be reused through
extension rather that using the interface. This would enable you to override only the methods that I
elaborated previously.
The interceptor demonstration is going to use a very simple interface to demonstrate how it is going to
work:

module Interceptor
interface Filter{
void foo(in short in_value);
};
};
The interface is extremely trivial. Run the interface through the VisiBroker IDL pre- compiler to generate
all the support files. The implementation of the Filter interface is equally simple. This is shown in Listing
20.1.
Listing 20.1 FilterObject Implementation

package Interceptor;
public class FilterObject extends Interceptor._FilterImplBase {
private short mine = 0;
public FilterObject(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public FilterObject() {
super();
}
public void foo(
short in_value
) {
mine = in_value;
}
}
The foo() method does not do anything except set its own instance variable, mine, to the value passed to
it.
Critical about interceptors is the fact that they can be used with minimal changes to the server
implementation. Before doing that, let’s implement the ServerInterceptor and install it with the
ORB.
First, you implement the interceptor and name it ServerFilter. This can be easily accomplished by
subclassing the DefaultServerInterceptor class provided by Visigenic. The benefit of doing this
rather than implementing the ServerInterceptor interface is that you don’t need to implement all the
methods specified in the DefaultServerInterceptor class—just the ones you are interested in. The
implementation of the interceptor is shown in Listing 20.2.
Listing 20.2 ServerFilter Implementation

package Interceptor;

import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.IOP.IOR;
import
com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.ServerInterceptorPackage.
ShutdownReason;
import org.omg.CORBA.portable.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.GIOP.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.Principal;

public class ServerFilter extends DefaultServerInterceptor {

public ServerFilter(){
System.out.println(“Filter Instantiated”);
}

public IOR locate(int parm1, byte[] parm2, Closure parm3) {

System.out.println(“[FILTER] locate Invoked: ”);
return null;
}

public void shutdown(ShutdownReason parm1) {

System.out.println(
“[FILTER] shutdown invoked: ” + “Reason is ” + parm1.toString());
}
public InputStream receive_request(
RequestHeader hdr,
org.omg.CORBA.ObjectHolder target,
InputStream buf, Closure closure){

System.out.println(“[FILTER] receive_request invoked”);

System.out.println(“[FILTER] Operation ” +
hdr.operation + “‘s services requested”);
System.out.println(“[FILTER] receive_request invoked on ”
+ target.value.toString());
System.out.println(“[FILTER] ” + hdr.operation +
“ passed ” + new Short(buf.read_short()).toString());
return null;
}

public void prepare_reply(

RequestHeader hdr,
ReplyHeaderHolder reply,
org.omg.CORBA.Object target,
Closure closure){

System.out.println(“[FILTER] Preparing to return Invocation ”);

}

public org.omg.CORBA.portable.OutputStream send_reply(

RequestHeader reqHdr,
ReplyHeader hdr,
org.omg.CORBA.Object target,
OutputStream buf,
org.omg.CORBA.Environment env,
Closure closure){

System.out.println(“[FILTER] Return Marshal Of Invocation

Complete ”);
return null;
}

public void request_completed(

RequestHeader reqHdr,
org.omg.CORBA.Object target,
Closure closure){

System.out.println(“[FILTER] Service Of Invocation Complete ”);

}
}
The locate() method will be called when a client tries to attach itself to the server object’s object
reference or IOR. The method can be used to forward the IOR of a different object reference than the one
intended by the client.
The shutdown() method will be notified when a client terminates the connection and disposes of any
object references it might have had.
The receive_request() method is key, because this method is invoked by the server when a client
sends over an invocation on some interface operation. As mentioned earlier, the implementation of this
method uses a number of APIs to determine what the client is trying to do. To this extent, the code even
extracts the value of the parameter from the marshaled buffer coming in from the client. This is
accomplished by invoking the appropriate method on the InputStream object that the ORB passed to
the interceptor. At this juncture, it must be pointed out that using the right call on the InputStream,
get_ short() is possible because you knew what was being passed to the foo() method.
The prepare_reply() is called by the ORB just before the return message is converted to an IIOP
stream. Just as you introspected the internals of an incoming invocation from the client, it is possible to use
a similar API to do the same with the parameters of prepare_reply().
When the return message has been marshaled, it is sent back to the client. In this case, there isn’t much to
send over because the return type is void and the foo() method defined only one in parameter. At this
point, the ORB will inform the interceptor that send_reply() is under way.
When the message has been safely returned to the client, the ORB informs the interceptor through the
request_completed() that the invocation cycle is completed.

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-----------
That concludes the implementation of the interceptor itself. The next step is to install the interceptor with the
ORB. VisiBroker provides the facilities of factories to instantiate an interceptor when the ORB requires one.
VisiBroker defines interfaces for all three types of interceptors. In this case, you need to construct a
ServerInterceptorFactory to create a server interceptor when the ORB requires one. This is
accomplished in the code shown in Listing 20.3.
Listing 20.3 ServerFilterFactory Implementation

package Interceptor;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.IOP.*;

public class ServerFilterFactory implements ServerInterceptorFactory {

private ServerFilter filter = null;

public ServerInterceptor create(TaggedProfile client_profile){

if(filter == null){
filter = new ServerFilter();
}
return filter;
}
}
The factory class is created by implementing the ServerInterceptorFactory interface. This interface
specifies only one method, create(). The only thing that it does is instantiate a server interceptor
(ServerFilter) when the factory is requested to create one. This particular implementation creates only
one interceptor. When the interceptor is created, the object that requested the factory’s service is returned to
the client.
At this point we have two classes that deal with the interceptor and a factory class that will initialize the
interceptor when it is needed by the ORB. In order for the ORB to request the interceptor, the interceptor
object must be installed with the ORB. It is standard practice to create a simple installer that will install the
interceptor with the ORB. The benefit of such an install is the fact that it can be used with other
interceptors as well. The custom installer is shown in Listing 20.4.
Listing 20.4 InterceptorInstaller Implementation

package Interceptor;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.orb.*;
import java.util.*;

public class InterceptorInstaller {

public void install(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb, Properties properties){

System.out.println(“Installing Server Interceptors”);
ChainServerInterceptorFactory serverFactory = null;
try{
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj =
orb.resolve_initial_references(“ChainServerInterceptorFactory”);
serverFactory = ChainServerInterceptorFactoryHelper.narrow(obj);

serverFactory.add(new Interceptor.ServerFilterFactory());
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
The installer object essentially retrieves an object reference to the already installed chain of
ServerInterceptorFactory interfaces. This implies that there can be more than one interceptor
installed on the server. When the object reference is resolved, the factory class that was implemented
previously is registered to the chain of interceptor factories. This does not, however, mean that the interceptor
itself is initialized. That can occur only when a client makes an invocation on a server that is attached to an
interceptor. The server code is shown in Listing 20.5.
Listing 20.5 FilterServer Implementation for Server Interceptor

package Interceptor;

public class FilterServer {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb_ = null;
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public FilterServer(String[] args) {

orb_ = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
InterceptorInstaller inst = new InterceptorInstaller ();
inst.install(orb_,null);
boa_ = orb_.BOA_init();
Filter filter = new FilterObject(“Filter”);
try{
boa_.obj_is_ready(filter);
System.out.println(filter + “ is ready.”);
boa_.impl_is_ready();
boa_.deactivate_obj(filter);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

FilterServer filterServer = new FilterServer(args);
}
}
The only code that is different in this server—that sets it apart from normal CORBA servers—is shown in the
following two lines:
InterceptorInstaller inst = new InterceptorInstaller ();
inst.install(orb_,null);
Essentially, the code instantiates an instance of the InterceptorInstaller class and invokes the
install() method on it. This will have the interceptor installed with the ORB, waiting for invocations from
the client side.
The server is now ready to be run. All that remains is to construct a client to use the server to test whether the
interceptors are working (see Listing 20.6). The client implementation does not do anything except invoke the
foo() method on the server.
Listing 20.6 FilterClient Implementation for Server Interceptor

package Interceptor;

public class FilterClient {

public static void main(String[] args) {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
Filter filter = FilterHelper.bind(orb, “Filter”);
filter.foo((short)1002);
}
}
When the foo() method is invoked, the method passes 1002 to the server side. The application is now ready
to be run. The client doesn’t do any thing spectacular, so we can skip the mug shots for that screen. The server
screen shot (see Figure 20.1), on the other hand, clearly shows that the server interceptor works as advertised.

Figure 20.1 Filter client.

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Constructing a BindInterceptor
This section constructs a bind interceptor. The example is similar to ServerInterceptor, except that the
interceptor is invoked by the ORB when the bind() occurs.
For this example, the bind interceptor is implemented by extending the DefaultBindInterceptor class.
The code for the bind interceptor is shown in Listing 20.7.
Listing 20.7 BindFilter Implementation

package BindInterceptor;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.IOP.IOR;
public class BindFilter extends DefaultBindInterceptor {
public BindFilter(){
System.out.println(“Bind Filter Instantiated”);
}
public boolean bind(IOR ior,
org.omg.CORBA.Object object,
Closure closure){
return false;
}
public void bind_succeeded(IOR ior,
org.omg.CORBA.Object object,
Closure closure) {

System.out.println(“Bind succeeded”);
}
This interceptor is very trivial. The only method that will be invoked in this interceptor is
bind_succeeded() to notify that the bind was successful.
For the bind interceptor example, an initialization class will be used to install the bind interceptor, rather than
the InterceptorInstaller class that was used in the ServerInterceptor example. The
initialization class is subclassed from VisiBroker’s ServiceInit class, and it will be executed during the
ORB’s initialization. The initialization is done by the ORB at runtime by using the ORB services option at
startup, -Dorbservices=xxxxx, where xxxxx is the name of the package that contains the initialization
class. The code for this class is shown in Listing 20.8.
Listing 20.8 Initialization Class for BindInterceptor
package BindInterceptor;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.*;
import com.visigenic.vbroker.orb.*;
import java.util.*;

public class Init extends com.visigenic.vbroker.orb.ServiceInit

{
public void init(org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb, Properties properties)
{
System.out.println(“Installing Bind Interceptors”);
// install bind interceptor
try
{
ChainBindInterceptor bind =
com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.
ChainBindInterceptorHelper
.narrow(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“ChainBindInterceptor”));
bind.add(new BindFilter());
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.ORBPackage.InvalidName e)
{
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
}
}
Basically, when this object executes, it retrieves a reference to the chain of BindInterceptors that are
already installed and simply adds the BindFilter object to the chain:

ChainBindInterceptor bind =
com.visigenic.vbroker.interceptor.ChainBindInterceptorHelper.narrow
(
orb.resolve_initial_references(“ChainBindInterceptor”));
bind.add(new BindFilter());
Because, in this example, the bind interceptor is not installed by the server, the server code is like standard
CORBA servers, as shown in Listing 20.9.
Listing 20.9 FilterServer Implementation for BindInterceptor

package BindInterceptor;

public class FilterServer {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb_ = null;
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public FilterServer(String[] args) {

orb_ = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
boa_ = orb_.BOA_init();
Filter filter = new FilterObject(“Filter”);
try{
boa_.obj_is_ready(filter);
System.out.println(filter + “ is ready.”);
boa_.impl_is_ready();
boa_.deactivate_obj(filter);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

FilterServer filterServer = new FilterServer(args);
}
}
The client is not impacted by the introduction of the bind interceptor class, as shown in Listing 20.10, which is
identical to the client implementation used by the server interceptor example.
Listing 20.10 FilterClient Implementation for BindInterceptor

package BindInterceptor;

public class FilterClient {

public static void main(String[] args) {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
Filter filter = FilterHelper.bind(orb, “Filter”);
System.out.println(filter);
filter.foo((short)1002);
}
}
When the FilterClient is executed, the ORB invokes the bind() and bind_succeeded() methods
on the interceptor. When executed successfully, the filter object executes its foo() method to assign the
object’s internal value to 1002. Figure 20.2 depicts the execution of the FilterClient. The
bind_succeeded() methods indicate that the bind was successful and that the ORB intercepted the bind.

Figure 20.2 BindInterceptor execution.

Summary
VisiBroker interceptor technology enables the creation of a filter to intervene before, after, and during
client/server interactions. This can be leveraged in all sorts of ways. It can be used for tracing interactions and
logging states of the server objects. Creation of load balancing and enforcing security are important areas
where interceptors can be used effectively.
VisiBroker defines three types of interceptors: server interceptors, client interceptors, and bind interceptors.
These three interceptors enable a designer to completely control client/server interactions.

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-----------

Part V
CORBA Integration and Interfaces
In This Part
• CORBA and Java Servlets
• CORBA and Mobile Agents
• CORBA and Design Patterns
• CORBA Interface Repository
• CORBA Dynamic Invocation Interfaces
• Developing CORBABean Wrappers

Chapter 21
CORBA and Java Servlets
In This Chapter
• Why Use Servlets with CORBA?
• HTML as a Presentation Layer
• Building with Servlets
• A Short Introduction to the Servlet API
• A Simple CORBA Servlet
Java servlets provide a simple but effective mechanism for extending Web
servers. There are a number of problems currently evident with server-side
extensions on the World Wide Web, because the great majority of server-side
extensions are Common Gateway Interface (CGI)–based applications. It
should be noted that Perl-derived CGI have been evolving to answer some of
the problems that will be enumerated here. First, let’s define CGIs and
examine their problems.
CGI enables a developer to build applications on the server side that are
executed when an invocation arrives from the client side. As such, CGI-based
applications are a mechanism to extend a Web server. As it is conceived, the
World Wide Web (WWW) is a pure two-tier client/server application. The
user interface is “dumb”—just a veneer of presentation written in HTML. For
a simple document, hyperlinking this is sufficient. The server is also rather
dumb. Its only function is to serve out HTML pages. It contains no logic other
than this.
Very early in the evolution of the WWW, developers needed a mechanism to
add some “smarts” to the server side. These smarts were CGI. They are
per-request executables that are executed on the server side. For every request
that came in from the client, a new CGI instance was created and executed.
After the execution was completed, the CGI was unloaded from memory.
As a technology, CGI has all the hallmarks of brilliance. For one, it was simple
to implement; the vast majority of CGI scripts were written in Perl (I wonder if
Perl could be mapped to OMG IDL). It is a technology that is pervasive. In the
meantime, the WWW became insanely pervasive! With this pervasiveness, the
drawbacks of CGI became obvious. The biggest problem was scalability. As
more and more developers got online, CGI was being extended into oblivion!
The powers that be decided to “fix” the problem with their own ways of
extending CGI, but without its problems. Some of them are MS Active Server
Pages; Netscape has Server Side JavaScript. JavaSoft put out its own Web
server, the Java Web Server (JWS), and through it JavaSoft introduced Java
servlets as a mechanism of extending JWS. The servlets are written entirely in
Java, and as a technology, they have been adopted widely as a “Cross Web
Server extension” technology.
As a technology, the servlets sit on the server side, persistently loaded into
memory of the server for providing immediate response to a client request.
After they are loaded into memory, servlets continue to reside in memory until
they are explicitly unloaded. They are thus much faster than the classical forms
of CGI. Servlets as a technology also follow the rules of the JavaSoft
specification process, so they are as open a standard as the circumstances
allow. Because they use Java as the language for extending the server,
everything that is available in Java can be used within a servlet, including Java
implementations of CORBA.

Why Use Servlets with CORBA?

CORBA over the Internet would be of enormous benefit to second-generation
Internet applications. Before you can understand what these second-generation
applications will look like, let’s briefly survey the current state of Web-based
applications.
The majority of the Web is purely textual. It is primarily composed of HTML
pages that are hyperlinked together to provide a Web of information. Nascent
e-commerce applications are also coming online. Most of these applications
are CGI protocol–based or use server-side extensions that the Web server
vendors provide, such as ASP, server-side JavaScript, or even Java servlets.
With second-generation Internet applications, the WWW will be
fundamentally different. A Web page will contain not only hyperlinked pages
rich in multimedia and dynamic HTML, XML, and Java, but also will contain
hyperlinked objects. For instance, consider a potential e-commerce application
such as http://www.cbooks.com. This is an electronic shopping center for
buying books on the Web. When you put in an order, it forwards the order to a
distributor who ships the book to cbooks, and they in turn forward it to you.
There are a number of areas where the service that is offered by cbooks can be
automated using CORBA. All the various parties that interact in order to
enable me to buy books could build CORBA components that offer their
services on the Web. This would mean that publishers could offer their
inventory to distributors such as cbooks. Shipping companies could offer their
services, and so forth. A firm sych as cbooks could tie up all these various
services into a coherent whole and offer it to me. In short, you would have a
Web of objects that are hyperlinked to offer you a service.
The problem in the meantime is bandwidth. The Internet right now is, at its
peak hours, more like a one-way street with no traffic rules or cops!
Java user interfaces are easy to build, and as most of this book has shown,
doing CORBA in Java is relatively painless. Unfortunately, unless the logjams
on the electronic “superhighway” are solved, extensive and complex
applications using Java on the client side over the Internet is not really an
option (on the other hand, an intranet poses no serious problems). HTML, and
perhaps DHTML, is by far still the smartest and lightest way to make an
application on the Internet. Java servlets enable you to use Java on the server
side while still continuing to use HTML on the client side. This option enables
you to use the gamut of features and options that Java provides as both a
platform and a language. With the integration of CORBA, you could also
integrate legacy solutions over the Internet.

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HTML as a Presentation Layer
N-tier client/server applications are fast becoming the norm for building applications. They are useful
because of the level of decoupling they bring to bear on the solution. Figure 21.1 illustrates what I am
talking about.

Figure 21.1 An enterprise architecture.

In any large enterprise, it is natural that a variety of heterogeneous solutions must coexist. In a large
organization, solutions exist, side by side, that use different languages, different platforms, and even
different operating systems. This makes them interesting and also a bother to maintain. CORBA provides
the capability of supporting all these variations by breaking up architectures into three tiers.
Three-tier client/server architecture enables you to isolate the dynamics of user interface requirements
from the underlying application requirements. In most architecture, the business logic and the process
logic can usually be separated.
This enables the same application layer to support many user interface requirements. HTML, in my view,
is another presentation layer. As such, if it could somehow support CORBA-based applications, existing
business logic (also known as legacy applications) and processes can be adapted to the Internet or
HTML-based intranet solutions.
The Java servlet is one such technology. Servlets can be used to add a new presentation layer over
existing solutions. For example, you could have a contact application that you would like to extend over
the Internet or an intranet. You could use CORBA to wrap these legacy applications and then deploy them
over the Internet or intranet using Java servlets. The converse is also true: Newer applications can be built
using CORBA, and servlet-based extensions can be used to add Internet support to them. When the
necessary bandwidth becomes available, the big-gun applications can be seamlessly deployed over the
Internet as well.
Building with Servlets
The example assumes that you are reasonably familiar with servlets and how they can be used in the
context of the Internet. I also assume that you have installed either the Java Web server or the Java Servlet
Development Kit. The example also assumes that you are adept at administering the Web server.
Servlets at their basic level are extremely simple to use. The simplest way to write a servlet is to subclass
the javax.servlet.GenericServlet class. At that point, you only have to override the service(ServletRequest,
ServletResponse) method. If you want to code an HTTP-based servlet, you can subclass the
javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet class and override the doGet(HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse) and
doPost(HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse) methods. HttpServlet is an extension of
GenericServlet. GenericServlet also implements the javax.servlet.Servlet and
javax.servlet.ServletConfig interfaces. The servlet interface contains the lifecycle methods
that can be overridden and implemented by your servlets.
In Listing 21.1, a simple servlet is built. This servlet will subclass the HttpServlet. When this servlet
is invoked, it displays Hello World on the client side.
Listing 21.1 A Hello World Servlet

import java.io.*;

import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;

public
class HelloWorldServlet extends HttpServlet {

public void doGet (HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse res)

throws ServletException, IOException
{
res.setContentType(“text/html”);
ServletOutputStream out = res.getOutputStream();
out.println(“<html>”);
out.println(“<head><title>Hello World</title></head>”);
out.println(“<body>”);
out.println(“<h1>Hello World</h1>”);
out.println(“</body></html>”);
}
public String getServletInfo() {
return “Create a page that says <i>Hello World</i> and send it
back”;
}
}

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A Short Introduction to the Servlet API
The next sections use the HTTPServlet to demonstrate how CORBA clients can be wrapped as servlets. At
the core of how this class works are the doPost() and the doGet() methods. Both these methods have two
parameters: the HttpServletRequest parameter and the HTTPServletResponse parameter.
The HttpServletRequest object that is passed as a parameter represents the request coming in from an
HTTP client. As a class, HttpServletRequest contains all the details of an HTTP request protocol.
Various parameters, such as parameters being passed from the client and the client connection itself, can be
accessed through an instance of HttpServletRequest.
The HTTPServletResponse class provides a clean set of APIs for interacting with the HTTP response
API. The crucial method in this class is the getOutputStream(), which returns a stream object
representing the output buffer that you want to write a response to. For detailed information on these classes,
please refer to the Java servlets API documentation.

A Simple CORBA Servlet

This example uses the application for Dynamic Invocation Interfaces that is demonstrated in Chapter 25,
“Using Dynamic Invocation Interfaces.” Turn to that chapter for the full details of how this application is
built. Using an already existing application helps keep application details not relevant to this chapter in the
background. All that remains is to create a servlet.

Note:
Reusing and extending an already existing application is the usually prescribed strategy for dealing with CORBA
applications.
CORBA applications’ architectures have always encouraged reuse. This essentially means that if you construct a
CORBA service, its potential power is evident only when it is reused in new contexts. For instance, consider
applications that do human resource management. It is useful if you can provide a solution to this problem using
classical client/server strategies. But if you were asked to extend the solution so that the same solution could be
used over the Internet/intranet, you would probably end up constructing a new application.
Using CORBA, you would first create a Common Object Model that is general to both the internal network
application and the intended Internet solution. On this foundation, you extend the solution to meet the
requirements of the internal solution. Further, if an Internet solution is required, you extend the Common Object
Model to provide that solution.
Critical to this solution is the Common Object Model, which can be reused. This essentially means that the
Internet/intranet should really be considered as an extension of the work that has already been done. You design
the components of the solution that can be reused either on the Internet or on the intranet without having to recode
or redesign existing solutions.

Creating a CORBA Client Servlets

The servlet will subclass the HTTPServlet class. It will override the getPost() method, because the
client is going to use a POST to send a request to the servlet, as shown in Listing 21.2.
Listing 21.2 CORBA Servlets Implementation

package idlservlet;

import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;

public class GetInterface extends HttpServlet {

static org.omg.CORBA.Object DynamicObject;
static org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
PrintWriter out;

public void init(ServletConfig config) throws ServletException {

}

public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request,

HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException,
IOException {

response.setContentType(“text/html”);
out = new PrintWriter (response.getOutputStream());

out.println(“<html>”);
out.println(“<head><title>GetInterface</title></head>”);
out.println(“<body>”);
out.println(“ ;<p>”);
try{
makeStructCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
getStructCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
makeSequenceCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
getSequenceCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
makeNumberCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
getNumberCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
makeStringCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
getStringCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
makeReferenceCall();
out.println(“<p>”);
getReferenceCall();
}
catch(Exception e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
out.println(“Tempad” + e.toString());
out.println(“<p>”);
}
out.println(“<p>”);
out.println(“</body>”);
out.println(“</body></html>”);
out.close();
}
public String getServletInfo() {
return “idlservlet.GetInterface Information”;
}

private void makeStructCall(){

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
DynamicObject = orb.bind(“IDL:Dynamic/dii:1.0”, “DynamicServer”, null,
null);

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takestruct”);

Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder outStruct = new
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder();
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder inOutStruct = new
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder();
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct inStruct = new
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();

inStruct.age = 22;
inStruct.name = “Koolaire”;

inOutStruct.value = new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();

inOutStruct.value.age = 55;
inOutStruct.value.name = “INOUT VALUE”;

outStruct.value = new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();

outStruct.value.age = 0;
outStruct.value.name = “”;

Any In = request.add_in_arg();
Any Out = request.add_out_arg();
Any Inout = request.add_inout_arg();

Out.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.type());
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.insert(In,inStruct);
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.insert(Out,outStruct.value);
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.insert(Inout,inOutStruct.value);

request.invoke();
outStruct.value = Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.extract(Out);
inOutStruct.value = Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.extract(Inout);
out.println(outStruct.value.name + “\n”);
out.println(inOutStruct.value.name + “\n”);
}

private void makeSequenceCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takesequence”);
java.lang.String[] inSequence;
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder outSequence;
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder inoutSequence;

inSequence = new String[2];

outSequence = new Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder();
inoutSequence = new Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder();
outSequence.value = new String[2];
inoutSequence.value = new String[2];
for(int i = 0; i < inSequence.length; i++){
inSequence[i] = “INSEQUENCE STRING ” + new Integer(i).toString();
outSequence.value[i] = “OUTSEQUENCE STRING ” + new
Integer(i).toString();
inoutSequence.value[i] = “”;
}

Any In = request.add_in_arg();
Any Out = request.add_out_arg();
Any Inout = request.add_inout_arg();

Out.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.type());
Inout.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.type());

Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.insert(In,inSequence);
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.insert(Out,outSequence.value);
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.insert(Inout,inoutSequence.value);

request.invoke();

outSequence.value = Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.extract(Out);
inoutSequence.value = Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.extract(Inout);

for(int i = 0; i < outSequence.value.length; i++)

out.println(outSequence.value[i] + “\n”);

for(int i = 0; i < inoutSequence.value.length; i++)

out.println(inoutSequence.value[i] + “\n”);
}

private void getStructCall(){

out.println(“RETURN STRUCT: AGE ” + new Integer(result.age) + “\n”);

out.println(“RETURN STRUCT: NAME ” + result.name + “\n”);

private void getSequenceCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getsequence”);

request.set_return_type(orb.create_sequence_tc(0,
orb.get_primitive_tc(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string)));
request.invoke();
String[] result;
result =
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.extract(request.return_value());

for(int i = 0; i < result.length; i++)

out.println(“RETURN SEQUENCE: ” + result[i] + “\n”);
}

public void makeNumberCall(){

int inNumber = 1001;
IntHolder outNumber = new IntHolder();
IntHolder inoutNumber = new IntHolder();
inoutNumber.value = 1002;
inoutNumber.value = 0;

org.omg.CORBA.Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takenumber”);

Any ins = request.add_in_arg();
Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();

ins.insert_long(inNumber);
inouts.insert_long(inoutNumber.value);
outs.insert_long(outNumber.value);
request.invoke();
outNumber.value = outs.extract_long();
inoutNumber.value = inouts.extract_long();
out.println(“INOUT PRIMITIVE: “ + new Integer(inoutNumber.value) +
“\n”);
out.println(“OUT PRIMITIVE: ” + new Integer(outNumber.value) + “\n”);
}

public void getNumberCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getnumber”);
request.set_return_type(orb.get_primitive_tc
(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_long));
request.invoke();
int ReturnPrimitive = 0;
ReturnPrimitive = request.return_value().extract_long();
out.println(“RETURN PRIMITIVE: ” + new
Integer(ReturnPrimitive) + “\n”);
}

public void makeStringCall(){

String inString = new String(“IN STRING”);

StringHolder outString = new StringHolder();
StringHolder inoutString = new StringHolder();
outString.value = “”;
inoutString.value = “INOUT STRING”;

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takestring”);

org.omg.CORBA.Any ins = request.add_in_arg();

org.omg.CORBA.Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
org.omg.CORBA.Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();
ins.insert_string(inString);
outs.type(orb.get_primitive_tc(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string));
outs.insert_string(outString.value);
inouts.insert_string(inoutString.value);
request.invoke();
outString.value = outs.extract_string();
inoutString.value = inouts.extract_string();
out.println(“INOUT STRING : ” + inoutString.value + “\n”);
out.println(“OUT STRING: ” + outString.value + “\n”);
}

public void getStringCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getstring”);
request.set_return_type(orb.get_primitive_tc
(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string));
request.invoke();
String returnString;
returnString = request.return_value().extract_string();
out.println(“RETRURN STRING : ” + returnString + “\n”);
}

public void makeReferenceCall(){

Dynamic.dii inReference = new Dynamic.dynamic();

Dynamic.diiHolder outReference = new
Dynamic.diiHolder();
Dynamic.diiHolder inoutReference = new
Dynamic.diiHolder();

Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“takereference”);
Any ins = request.add_in_arg();
Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();
outs.type(Dynamic.diiHelper.type());
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(ins, inReference);
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(outs, outReference.value);
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(inouts, inoutReference.value);
request.invoke();

outReference.value = Dynamic.diiHelper.extract(outs);
inoutReference.value =
Dynamic.diiHelper.extract(inouts);
out.println(“OUT REFERENCE : ” +
outReference.value.toString() + ”\n”);
out.println(“<p>”);
out.println(“INOUT REFERENCE : ” +
inoutReference.value.toString() + ”\n”);
}

public void getReferenceCall(){

Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“getreference”);
request.set_return_type(Dynamic.diiHelper.type());
request.invoke();
Dynamic.dii returnReference;
returnReference =
Dynamic.diiHelper.extract(request.return_value());
out.println(“RETURN REFERENCE : ” +
returnReference.toString() + “\n”);
}
}

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This servlet is very simple in the way it works. It essentially does exactly the same as the DII. The only
difference is that the output is now redirected to a HttpServletResponse stream. The client code is
just the same as before. The only slight changes have been the insertion of an HTML tag <p> to make the
output a little more presentable.
To use the servlet, you must also construct an HTML client to invoke it. Here is the code for the HTML
page:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=”Content-Type”
CONTENT=”text/html;
charset=iso-8859-1”>
<TITLE>
Corba Servlet
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>

<FORM action=http://galileo.oa.nl:8080/servlet/idlservlet.GetInterface
method=POST>
<BR><BR> Press Submit to Invoke the CORBA Servlet GetInterface
<BR><BR><input type=submit><input type=reset></form>
</BODY>
</HTML>
The rendering of the page as output is shown in Figure 21.2.

Figure 21.2 HTTP servlet client in action.

On pressing the submit button, a POST request is sent to the servlets. The POST is then handled by the
following public void method:

doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)

The logic of this statement is very simple. The inputstream to the response object is retrieved, and a
PrintWriter object is created from it. The benefit of using PrintWriter is that flushing is
automatic in this case.
The doPost() method then serially invokes the various methods on the DII interface that is hosted on
the Dynamic Server. The salient aspect about this servlet is that it uses Dynamic Invocation Interfaces to
interact with a remote object. This means that the various client-side stubs are not linked with the servlet.
In terms of scalability, this might have some drawbacks, because it usually takes a certain amount of
overhead to make the invocation marshaling. Dynamic Invocation enables you to easily integrate diverse
CORBA applications. If the overhead of DII is unacceptable in an application, you could design your
application to use the default static invocations interfaces with CORBA.
The output from the servlets is shown in Figure 21.3.

Figure 21.3 The servlet output in Netscape.

Summary
Currently, the bandwidth problems on the Internet mean that, for the majority of CORBA applications,
using Java would have extremely long download times. This also means that fully fledged GUI
applications on the client side using Java are not the best options if the chances are that the user has low
bandwidth. HTML under these circumstances is still the best solution.
HTTP and the underlying infrastructure of the Internet are not really equipped to build the kinds of
solutions we are trying to build now, especially in the e-commerce space. The ideal architecture for such a
solution is a three-tier client/server architecture.
CORBA is ideal for building highly scalable multitier architectures. On top of all this, CORBA is
cross-platform and multilingual. Servlets enable a clean solution for painlessly integrating such diverse
solution spaces into a coherent Internet/intranet package.

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Chapter 22
CORBA and Mobile Agents
In This Chapter
• Voyager—An Agent Orb for Java
• Implementing an Agent
• The Aircraft Implementation
• The Agents.Airport Implementation
The concept of mobile agents is an emerging paradigm shift. As a technology,
it perhaps stands at the extreme of distributed computing. Over the last twenty
years, information technology has been shifting to greater decentralized
systems. Perhaps this shift mirrors and is a consequence of the great
decentralization process that is taking place in society.
The first thing that struck me when using mobile agents was a strange sense of
dislocation. Danny Lange, one of the preeminent practitioners of agent
technology soon put it right for me. In an email to me, he wrote, “The norms
of client server relations are no longer valid with mobile agents.” Mobile
agents are pieces of logic that have the capability of transferring over the
network from one node to another. After it arrives at the target site, an agent
executes its program. Theoretically, this logic can be anything; after the agent
finishes its execution, most implementations enable the retraction or
deactivation of the agent at the host.
Mobile agents are best modeled on peer-to-peer schemas. That means that
there are essentially no servers or clients. Every agent is a quantum of logic
that is usually ascribed a single task. Applications are built using an “ecology”
of agents cooperating to get a task done. The ecology can be spread over any
number of hosts, both spatially and temporally.
Let’s look at a typical scenario. Suppose you want to buy an airplane ticket.
The process of doing so involves first dispatching a search agent to a directory
server. There, the search agent could interact with other agents to locate an
appropriate agent that is willing to sell airplane tickets at the right price (for
instance). When this is accomplished, the search agent could invoke the
services of a purchase agent to buy the actual ticket. It does so by interfacing
with a product agent—in our case, a ticketing agent. When the sale is
complete, the purchasing agent could dispatch a payment agent to conclude the
sale by paying for the ticket. When all this is accomplished, the purchasing
agent comes home with the ticket.
Currently, the problem facing agent technology is not the mechanism of
mobility. That part has largely been solved using Java as a platform. Java in
that respect has been a great boon to implementers; the Java virtual machine
guarantees a homogeneous execution environment that shields an agent from
the underlying host environment. Agents can also be considered as an alien
piece of code that executes in the host. The world being the world, it is
probable that at one time or another some of that code will be akin to a
malignant tumor, a network-borne virus. Java’s built-in security provides a
good immune system in preventing most of these potential attacks.
The threat from virus aside, mobile agents have the potential for radically
changing the way in which distributed systems are designed. First, there are no
clients and servers. An agent is dispatched to the remote host and it executes
when it arrives there. If a more classical approach to client/server is required,
an agent is dispatched to the remote host, where it will try to interact with
“resident” agents to acquire some service.
At any rate, the fundamental problem that mobile agent technology faces is
interagent communications. There is yet no standard lingua franca for agent
communications. It is consequently one of the most intensely researched areas
of agent technology. OMG has realized the potential of agents. It is currently
under the process of standardizing The Mobile Agent Facility specification.
After the standard is formally accepted, all current implementations of agents
are expected to comply.
Currently, there are a number of agent implementations in the market. As far
as I have been able to ascertain, none of them conforms to MAF yet.
Nevertheless, a careful look at these technologies could be worthwhile. I have
worked with a number of agent technologies. Some of the more interesting
ones are IBM Aglets, Oddessey, and Concordia. These can be downloaded
from the URLs given at the end of the chapter. I must confess that my favorite
is the Aglets because it is an implementation that is closest to the mobile agent
spirit.
This book will not demonstrate how agents can be used in their natural
domain. That is best left to books specializing in agent technology. Because
this is a book on CORBA, it will demonstrate how agents can be integrated
with CORBA applications. One of the ways in which agents can be used in the
context of CORBA is that a CORBA client can be constructed as an agent.
This agent can then be dispatched to a host. On arriving at the host, the agent
can then accomplish a normal bind to a server object at the host. After the
connection is made, it can then communicate using the normal CORBA
distribution mechanism. One of the reasons you might choose to use such a
technique is to minimize IIOP traffic over the network.

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Voyager—An Agent Orb for Java
Voyager is a fine implementation of mobile agent technology, from among a fine crop of mobile agent
technologies. I use a number of agent technologies, and I could have used any one of the agent technologies
out there—for example, IBM Japan’s Aglet Technology or General Magic’s Odyssey. I chose Voyager for
this book because it also contains a tidy implementation of CORBA.
Voyager is used to illustrate how mobility can be used in conjunction with classical object reference base
communication. Let’s look at the steps for using Voyager with CORBA:
1. Define and implement a CORBA component.
The following interface demonstrates how Voyager can be used:

module Agents{
interface Hangar{
struct aircraft{
long id;
string name;
};
void CheckInAirCraft(in aircraft t_aircraft);
void CheckOutAirCraft(in long id);
};
};

The application will use VisiBroker for the CORBA part and Voyager for the mobility. Compile the
interface using the following syntax:

prompt$> idl2java -no_tie -no_comment Agents.idl

Here is the implementation of the interface:

package Agents;

public class AgentCorba extends Agents._HangarImplBase

implements java.io.Serializable{
Agents.HangarPackage.aircraft craft;

public AgentCorba(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}

public AgentCorba() {
super();
}

public void CheckInAirCraft(

Agents.HangarPackage.aircraft t_aircraft
) {
System.out.println(new Integer(t_aircraft.id));
System.out.println(t_aircraft.name);
craft = t_aircraft;
}
public void CheckOutAirCraft(
int id
) {
if(craft.id == id)
System.out.println(“Checking out aircraft.”);
}

The implementation is in a class named AgentCorb.java. The CheckInAirCraft() method

just assigns the in parameter to a local instance of the Agents. HangarPackage.aircraft,
and the CheckOutAirCraft() method prints a simple message to the standard output if the in
parameter ID matches that of the local variable.
2. Implement a CORBA server. After the interface has been implemented, the next step is to construct
a normal CORBA server to host the component. The CORBA server in our case is not an executable.
It will be contained within the actual agent host. For this reason, the server needs to be threaded so that
the agent host can construct it and run it on a thread:

package Agents;

public class CorbaServer implements Runnable{

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = null;
public CorbaServer() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
AgentCorba ac = new AgentCorba(“AgentServer”);
boa.obj_is_ready(ac);
System.out.println(ac + “ is ready.”);
}

public void run(){

try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
e.toString();
}
}
}

The server is named AgentServer. Other than that, this implementation is no different than the
other servers that we have built. After the server is built, you need to build a agent host server that will
serve as a target for a remotely dispatched agent. Take the following steps to accomplish this:
• Define a Java class named Store that represents a store and generate a virtual version of
Store so it can be constructed remotely.
• Choose a class for the registry and generate a virtual version of this class.
• Compile the Server programs.
• Start the Voyager Server to hold the persistent remote objects.
The class that is built in the last step is given in Listing 22.1.
Listing 22.1 Agent Server Implementation

package Agents;
import com.objectspace.voyager.*;
public class AgentServer {

public AgentServer() {
try {
Voyager.setExtendedStackTrace( true );
VCorbaServer corba = new VCorbaServer(“galileo.oa.nl:2001/Hangar”);
Thread corbathread = new Thread(corba);
corbathread.start();
System.out.println(“AgentServer is “ + corba );
Voyager.shutdown();
}
catch( VoyagerException exception ){
System.err.println( exception );
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

AgentServer agentServer = new AgentServer();
}
}
Voyager works with virtual versions of classes. These classes can be generated using the pre-compiler
provided with Voyager called vcc.exe. The server that is instantiated in the following line is the
CorbaServer:

VCorbaServer corba = new

VCorbaServer(“localhost:2001/Hangar”);
The server is named Hangar. It runs on a specific port, 2001. Because the CorbaServer implements a
java.util.Runnable interface, a thread object is created and the object executes in that thread. After
this has been accomplished, the implementation shuts down. It should be noted that any object that is used by
a visiting object needs to be “virtualized.” This is accomplished by running the vcc.exe on the required
classes. When an agent is dispatched to a server, it essentially communicates with the virtual versions of the
actual classes. These virtual versions of a class can be thought of as a proxy standing in for the real class.
The thread in the preceding instance is not used remotely, so it does not need to be made virtual.
You run the vcc.exe on the classes that are to be made virtual. For the purpose of this example, a number
of classes need to be made virtual:

org.omg.CORBA.ObjectImpl

org.omg.CORBA.Skeleton
Agents._HangarImplBase
Agents.AgentCorba
Agents.CorbaServer
Execute the vcc.exe using the following command:
prompt$> vcc.exe Agents.AirCraft

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-----------
Repeat the command for these files. After this has been done, you will see that the virtualized classes
have been created in the current directory. Move these to the appropriate package subdirectory. After
this has been done, run the Java compiler on the files to create the bytecode. The application is now
ready to be deployed. To execute the application, two things have to be done: Voyager has to be started
and then the AgentServer can be executed. The two applications are shown in Figure 22.1.

Figure 22.1 AgentServer and Voyager.

The server side is thus implemented. There are two servers and one component. One is a Voyager server
that hosts a CORBA server that acts as a host for incoming clients. The component is a pure CORBA
client and is hosted by the CORBA server that runs inside the Voyager server. Now you have to
implement an agent that can be dispatched to this server.

Implementing an Agent
You use the following steps to build an agent in this chapter:
1. Define and implement a class named Aircraft that represents an Aircraft agent that is to be
moved from one hangar to another.
2. Implement a class named Airport to instantiate and launch an instance of Aircraft.
3. Create a virtual version of Aircraft.
4. Compile all the files created earlier in this chapter.
5. Restart the Voyager servers.
6. Run Agents.Airport to launch the Aircraft.

Step One: The Aircraft Implementation

This class has to be a subclass of agent. The agent specifies a number of methods that, among other
things, define the method defining mobility, as shown in Listing 22.2.
Listing 22.2 Aircraft Agent

package Agents;
import com.objectspace.voyager.*;
import com.objectspace.voyager.agent.*;

public class Aircraft extends Agent{

public void Depart(VCorbaServer Hangar){

try{
moveTo(Hangar,”Arrived”);
}
catch( VoyagerException exception ){
System.err.println( exception );
}
}
public void Arrived(CorbaServer Hangar){
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
Agents.Hangar hangar = Agents.HangarHelper.bind(orb);
Agents.HangarPackage.aircraft airc =
new Agents.HangarPackage.aircraft();
airc.id = 2001;
airc.name = “Agent Air”;
hangar.CheckInAirCraft(airc);
hangar.CheckOutAirCraft(2001);
}
}
The class implements two methods: Depart() and Arrived(). The latter is a callback method that
is called when the agent arrives at its designated server that is passed as a parameter into depart().
The method that executes the mobility is the following:

moveTo(String address,String callback)

This method moves the agent to the specified address and executes the callback function that is provided
in the second parameter. When the agent arrives at the server, it executes the callback function
Arrived(). It is within the callback function that the agent implements the normal CORBA functions.
The code in the Arrived() method is a similar to typical CORBA method implementations. The only
difference is that as opposed to being a remote call, the agent executes the method in the host where the
CORBA server runs.
The next step is to virtualize the Aircraft class. Execute the following at the command line:

prompt$> vcc Agents.Aircraft

This will create Agents.Vaircraft.java.

Step Two: The Agents.Airport Implementation

The Airport class lauches the Aircraft agent to the target server, as shown in Listing 22.3.
Listing 22.3 Aircraft Server

package Agents;
import com.objectspace.voyager.*;

public class Airport {

public HangarClient() {
try{
VCorbaServer Hangar =
(VCorbaServer)VObject.forObjectAt(“galileo.oa.nl:2001/Hangar”);
Aircraft aircraft = new Aircraft();
aircraft.Depart(Hangar);

}
catch( VoyagerException exception ){
System.err.println( exception );
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

Airport airport = new Airport();
}
}
The key to the implementation is in the following lines of code:

VCorbaServer Hangar =
(VCorbaServer)VObject.forObjectAt(“galileo.oa.nl:2001/Hangar”);
Aircraft aircraft = new Aircraft();
aircraft.Depart(Hangar);
The first line of code creates the remote object that is running at port 2001. In this case, this is the virtual
CorbaServer. The Aircraft is then instantiated and the Depart() method is then invoked on
the Aircraft object. This causes the Aircraft to move to the remote server and execute the
callback function after it arrives there. The execution of the three runtimes is shown in Figure 22.2.

Figure 22.2 The three runtimes.

As you can see from the illustration, the gent did move to the remote server and execute the callback
function. As was shown before, the callback function executes the CORBA code. The aircraft get
checked into the hangar, and then the aircraft gets checked out.

Summary
Mobile agents perhaps constitute a radical departure from current technology for enabling distributed
computing. A technology enables a piece of code to be dispatched physically to a remote site where, on
its arrival, it continues to function autonomously. As technology goes, mobility can be the foundation of
many interesting and innovative solutions. Extremely dynamic and responsive workflow environments
can be built. Components with mobility over the next few years will give rise to solutions suites being
built on demand—just in time.
More importantly, many outstanding issues at the heart of AI, such as natural language processing and
complex adaptive systems, should once again take the forefront of redoubled research. Whatever
directions agents take, information technology will perhaps never be the same again.

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-----------

Chapter 23
CORBA and Design Patterns
In This Chapter
• The Command Pattern
• The OpenConnection Interface Implementation
• The Proxy Pattern
• The Abstract Factory Pattern
The preface to Design Patterns, Elements Of Reusable Object-Oriented by
Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides, hereafter
referred to as the Gang Of Four (GoF), defines patterns as “…simple and
elegant solutions to specific problems in object oriented software design.”
Since the publication of the above- mentioned book by the GoF, there has been
an explosive growth in both the interest in design patterns and their application
to the problems of design. The designs of technologies such as CORBA and
Java can be best understood if studied from the application of design patterns.
The problems of design are fundamental to the “quality” of the result of
software engineering projects or products. These can be defined as processes
that take place along the lines of an industrial process; massive amounts of
resources are allocated to see it through. It has been well documented that one
of the main problems with object-oriented software engineering is the process
of requirements acquisitions. All popular methodologies accept this drawback
and devote considerable intelligence to this problem. During the phase in
which a product of analysis moves to design, I have found certain vagueness.
Engineering is about trade-offs; it is also a pragmatic science, because it
accepts the fact that resources are always finite—hence the ideal product can
never be built. So if you accept that engineering is about trade-offs, design is a
process where you make those trade-offs. However, a methodology can never
tell you what trade-offs to make. I am not faulting any method here; the
problem space for design is much too large for any one method to anticipate all
requirements.
It has been “discovered” in the context of design patterns that there is a
recurrent nature inherent in problems of software design. Corresponding to
these recurring problems are associated solutions that, once mastered, can be
applied to the problem almost without thought. Design patterns therefore
constitute a template that can be applied to many areas to solve many
problems.
Design patterns do not teach you how to make a design trade-off, however.
Trade-offs are usually made in terms of the relative cost of implementing
various alternatives. For instance, in the context of using CORBA, despite the
fact that IIOP is comparatively an efficient protocol, there is nevertheless a
finite overhead when a client makes a remote invocation. Because the network
bandwidth is also finite, it is probable that at some point a bottleneck can
occur. How can system design anticipate this?
For example, in CORBA applications a recurrent solution to design systems
involves a client making an arbitrary number of calls to transform one object
into another. Between each of these transformations, the client makes an
invocation on the transformed object. Each such transformation and the
subsequent invocation on the transformed object might prove costly under
certain circumstances.
There are other situations when an existing application should be modified.
Complete reengineering is not an option with most of these problems. Under
these circumstances, your only option is to wrap the “legacy” solution.
There are many such situations. Opting between these options means the
difference between just a solution and the solution. In his groundbreaking book
Object-Oriented Design Measurements, Whitmore proposed to call design a
hypothesis. Ultimately, a hypothesis would need to be proved by experiment.
Because software construction is so expensive, such experiments can only be
simulated. Such a simulation will involve analyzing many variants of a
solution to choose the optimal solution. This problem is tackled in the process
known as design metrics.
You will find that applying the right design pattern to the right problem will
constitute a better design. The trick is to know where to apply what and why.
There are, unfortunately, no hard and fast rules except a set of idioms and
heuristics for those who are not mathematically adept.
In this chapter, you look at only three design patterns. Although this might
seem unfair, given the body of knowledge on design patterns and the sheer
number of patterns out there, this is a book on CORBA programming and not
one on designing CORBA solutions.
The patterns you will look at—command, proxy, and abstract factory—are
taken from the GoF book.
The command pattern is extremely useful in reducing the number of calls
made over the network. It does not not eliminate them, but it does reduce them
when compared to some alternative designs. In my view, the application of this
pattern to the problem keeps with the spirit of the intention of this pattern,
which was stated in the book. Essentially, a command pattern can be used to
transform a request into an object. Each of these requests can encapsulate a
certain implementation of a command. The request objects can then be passed
as parameters into a server where they can be executed.
This is sometimes handy when the execution needs to take place at the server;
but from a design perspective, it would be unwise for the server to know
anything about the operation itself. Consider an operation on the database.
Under “normal” circumstances, the server implements an object wrapper over
the underlying database API behind a standard interface. The client then makes
the appropriate invocation on the server. Such a solution, though adequately
satisfying the requirements, introduces undue interdependence between the
client and server. The client has to know the various interface operations to
make on the server that are specific to the operation that the client would like
to perform on the server.

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The Command Pattern
The command pattern could be used to encapsulate such operations requested as command objects. The
benefit of such a design is that interdependence between the client and the server is at the level of the
command interface and nothing more. The client could construct the command object and pass the object to
the server. Because the server knows the interface to the command object, all it needs to do is invoke the
appropriate method on the command object to cause its execution.
I have found the command object to be extremely useful to design a related set of operations within a single
interface as a set of command objects that are passed to the server. The server then makes the invocation on
the command interface to execute the operations. These have proved extremely useful in cutting down the
number of invocations to the server, as well as reducing the dependencies between client and server.
Consider the interface shown in Listing 23.1.
Listing 23.1 A Command Interface

module Patterns{

interface Command{
void execute();
};

struct db{
string user;
string pwd;
};

interface OpenConnection : Command{

void OpenConnection(in db database);
};

interface OperateOnDatabse: Command{

void sql (in string sqlCommand);
};

interface CloseConnection: Command{

};

interface DataOperations: Command{

void Add(in Command aCommand);
void Remove(in Command aCommand);
};
};
In this module, Patterns, there are five interfaces. At the highest level, there is the Command interface. It
specifies only one operation, execute(). Further on, four more interfaces are specified; each is a subclass
of the Command interface.
Because the four interfaces are subclasses of Command, they all have access to the execute method. Each
of these in turn is going to override and implement the execute method.
The last interface specified, DataOperations, acts as a container for other command objects. A client
could add a series of command objects using the add(in Command aCommand) method. The reverse
can be accomplished using the remove() method. The benefit of the DataOperations interface is that
when its execute() is called, it can execute the command method execute() on all the command
objects that it holds. This way, the client can save on a couple of network calls.
The implementations of these interfaces are given in the following sections. The Command interface does
not have any implementation; it just serves as an abstract interface for classes that are derived from it.
Run the VisiBroker Java IDL pre-compiler on the interface file to generate the required files:

prompt$> idl2java patterns.idl

The Command Interface

The implementation of the Patterns::Command interface is shown in Listing 23.2. As mentioned, it

does not contain any implementation.
Listing 23.2 The Command Pattern Implementation

package Patterns;
public class iCommand extends Patterns._CommandImplBase {
public iCommand(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public iCommand() {
super();
}
public void execute() {
// IMPLEMENT: Operation
}
}
All the implementation is done with the subclasses of the Command interface. Let us take a look at them,
one at a time.

The OpenConnection Interface Implementation

The implementation of the interface, as shown in Listing 23.3, contains an instance variable, database,
which we will use to simulate a database connection.
Listing 23.3 The OpenConnection Class

package Patterns;
public class iOpenConnection extends Patterns._OpenConnectionImplBase {
Patterns.db databse;

public iOpenConnection(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}
public iOpenConnection() {
super();
}
public void OpenConnection(
Patterns.db database
) {
this.databse = database;
}
public void execute() {
System.out.println(“Opening Connection to Databse for user: “ +
databse.user);
}
}
When the object reference of the iOpenConnection is acquired, the client will invoke the
OpenConnection() method, passing it a Patterns.db object. When a client invokes the
execute() method, the implementation in this case just prints out a string to the standard I/O. In a
concrete real-life implementation of this class, you could use JDBC to connect to the database.
The client is not expected to directly invoke the execute method.

The OperateOnDatabse Interface Implementation

The intent of this interface is to allow a client to pass any valid SQL statement as a string. When that has
been accomplished, a client could then call the execute method on the concrete implementation of the
OperateOnDatabse interface. In this case, it is implemented along the lines shown in Listing 23.4.
Listing 23.4 The OperateOnDatabase Class

package Patterns;
public class iOperateOnDatabse extends Patterns._OperateOnDatabseImplBase
{

String SQLCommand;

public iOperateOnDatabse(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}
public iOperateOnDatabse() {
super();
}
public void sql(
java.lang.String sqlCommand
) {
this.SQLCommand = sqlCommand;
}
public void execute() {
System.out.println(“Executing SQL command: “ + SQLCommand);
}
}
Again, the execute could act on a real database. In the context of the preceding design, that is not very
realistic, because the iOperateOnDatabse does not contain any information about any database. As with
the implementation of the other interfaces, the execute() method just outputs to the standard I/O.

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-----------
The CloseConnection Interface Implementation

As with iOperateOnDatabse, the code shown in Listing 23.5 is also not very realistic, because
iCloseConnection does not contain any information about the database that was opened. When a client
calls the execute() method, a realistic implementation would close the active data connection.
Listing 23.5 The CloseConnect Class

package Patterns;
public class iCloseConnection extends Patterns._CloseConnectionImplBase {
public iCloseConnection(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public iCloseConnection() {
super();
}
public void execute() {
System.out.println(“Closing Connection to the Databse.”);
}
}
Thus we have the implementation of the three command classes that together could be used to act on a
database. All that remains is to implement the DataOperations interface.

The DataOperations Interface Implementation

As mentioned before, DataOperations acts as a container for related sets of command objects that act on
databases. A client constructs a command object and calls the add() method on the interface. When all the
command objects are added, a client could call the execute() on this object. On doing so, the
DataOperations implementation will iterate over all the command objects that it is holding and invoke
the execute() method on each of them in turn. Listing 23.6 shows the implementation of the interface.
Listing 23.6 The DataOperations Class

package Patterns;
import java.util.*;

public class iDataOperations extends Patterns._DataOperationsImplBase {

Vector Commands = new Vector();
public iDataOperations(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}

public iDataOperations() {
super();
}

public void Add(

Patterns.Command aCommand
) {
Commands.addElement(aCommand);
}

public void Remove(

Patterns.Command aCommand
) {
Enumeration e = Commands.elements();
while(e.hasMoreElements()){
System.out.println(“removeing Elements.”);
e.nextElement();
}
}

public void execute() {

Enumeration e = Commands.elements();
while(e.hasMoreElements()){
Patterns.Command cmd =
(Patterns.Command)e.nextElement();
cmd.execute();
}
}
}
Internally, the iDataOperations class uses a Vector to hold the command object. Inside the
execute() method, when it is invoked, the iDataOperations iterates over all the members of the
Vector object and invokes execute on each of them in turn.
In terms of overall design, things could have been done differently. It is possible to have a similar outcome
using other designs. The benefit of this design is that when the execute() method is called on the
iDataOperatations object, the execute() method decides what the sequence of the command
object’s execution would be.

The Command Server

The command server that hosts the three command objects is, as shown in Listing 23.7, similar to the many
other CORBA servers that we have built.
Listing 23.7 The Command Pattern Server

package Patterns;

public class CommandServer {

public CommandServer() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();

iOpenConnection oops = new iOpenConnection(“OpenDB”);

iOperateOnDatabse sql = new iOperateOnDatabse(“SQL”);
iCloseConnection cops = new iCloseConnection(“CloseDB”);
iDataOperations dops = iDataOperations(“Ops”);

boa.obj_is_ready(oops);
boa.obj_is_ready(sql);
boa.obj_is_ready(cops);
boa.obj_is_ready(dops);

System.out.println(oops + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(sql + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(cops + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(dops + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CommandServer commandServer = new CommandServer();
}
}
The server instantiates the four command objects. These are the objects that the client will talk to. The client,
as shown in Listing 23.8, is just slightly different from the usual. This difference is explained after the
listing.
Listing 23.8 The Command Pattern Client

package Patterns;

public class CommandClient {

public CommandClient() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();

DataOperations cmd = DataOperationsHelper.bind(orb, “Ops”);

OpenConnection open = OpenConnectionHelper.bind(orb,“OpenDB”);
OperateOnDatabse sql = OperateOnDatabseHelper.bind(orb,“SQL”);
CloseConnection close = CloseConnectionHelper.bind(orb,“CloseDB”);

db database = new db();

database.user = “Remrandt”;
database.pwd = “******”;

open.OpenConnection(database);

cmd.Add(open);

sql.sql(“SELECT * FROM PAINTERS”);

cmd.Add(sql);
cmd.Add(close);

cmd.execute();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CommandClient commandClient = new CommandClient();
}
}
The key object reference is the cmd object. When the other three object references are initialized, the three
data command objects are added to the cmd object. When the cmd object is properly set up, the execute
method is called on it.

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The Proxy Pattern
The proxy pattern is a structural pattern. In the GoF book, it is defined as a placeholder for another object
to control access to it. Proxy patterns are especially useful when you need to wrap non–object-oriented
code in an object-oriented wrapper. Such a strategy is especially useful when you are dealing with legacy
systems or data access systems.
In fact, CORBA uses the proxy pattern. On the client side, the stubs that are generated by the IDL
pre-compiler are acually a proxy implementation. As a proxy, the intention is to act as a placeholder for a
remote object reference. This enables a number of benefits; for one, it shields the underlying complexity
of the IIOP protocol marshaling and demarshaling.
The for_var variables are also proxies in a sense. They encapsulate the underlying foo_ptr as smart
pointers to automatically manage reference counting. Most of the interceptor/filter technology discussed
in earlier chapters also serve as proxies. However, as proxies, they are very transparent to both the client
and the server.
The following code illustrates how proxies can be used to augment an existing implementation—in this
case, wrapping:

#include “command.idl”

module Patterns {

interface proxy:DataOperations{
exception proxyException{string reason;};
};
};
The preceding interface inherits from the DataOperations interface that was defined in
command.idl. The object of this exercise is to implement the proxy interface to act as a go-between for
the client and the component. The implementation is shown in the following section. Compile the
interface using the following command:

prompt$> idl2java -no_tie -no_comments proxy.idl

The Proxy Interface Implementation

The proxy implementation, as shown in Listing 23.9, holds an iDataOperations as an instance

variable. When an invocation to the iDataOperations is made by the client, the proxy masquerading
as the iDataOperations delegates the service to the real iDataOperations. All the methods
intended for the iDataOperations instance are passed on the instance—all except the execute()
method. The proxy checks to see whether the number of command objects held by iDataOperations
is three, the number to execute the iDataOperations command object. Within these modifications,
the proxy does not do anything other than output the standard I/O.
Listing 23.9 The Proxy Class

package Patterns;
public class iproxy extends Patterns._proxyImplBase {

iDataOperations cmds = new iDataOperations();

public iproxy(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}
public iproxy() {
super();
}
public void Add (
Patterns.Command aCommand
) {
cmds.Add(aCommand);
}
public void Remove(
Patterns.Command aCommand
) {
cmds.Remove(aCommand);
}
public void execute(){
if(cmds.Commands.size() == 3)
cmds.execute();
else
System.out.println(“Inconsistent Command Object”);
}
}

The Proxy Server Implementation

The proxy server, as shown in Listing 23.10, contains only a minor modification to the one implemented
for the command objects. Instead of the iDataOperations object, an instance of the proxy object is
initialized.
Listing 23.10 The Command Server With Proxy

package Patterns;

public class CommandServer {

public CommandServer() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();

iOpenConnection oops = new iOpenConnection(“OpenDB”);

iOperateOnDatabse sql = new iOperateOnDatabse(“SQL”);

iCloseConnection cops = new iCloseConnection(“CloseDB”);
iproxy proxy = new iproxy(“Ops”);

boa.obj_is_ready(oops);
boa.obj_is_ready(sql);
boa.obj_is_ready(cops);
boa.obj_is_ready(proxy);

System.out.println(oops + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(sql + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(cops + “ is ready.”);
System.out.println(proxy + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CommandServer commandServer = new CommandServer();
}
}

The Proxy Client Implementation

The client does not require any modifications; it will function as before without any change. The code is
given in Listing 23.11.
Listing 23.11 The CommandClient Class

package Patterns;

public class CommandClient {

public CommandClient() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();

DataOperations cmd = DataOperationsHelper.bind(orb, “Ops”);

db database = new db();

database.user = “Remrandt”;
database.pwd = “******”;

open.OpenConnection(database);

cmd.Add(open);

sql.sql(“SELECT * FROM PAINTERS”);

cmd.Add(sql);

cmd.execute();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CommandClient commandClient = new CommandClient();
}
}
The code is modified to illustrate the presence of the proxy on the server. The client has not been
modified at all. The cmd object is populated with only two command objects. This means that when the
execute() is called on the cmd object, it will not complete the execution.

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The Abstract Factory Pattern
The abstract factory pattern is one of my favorite patterns. One of the main consequences of using this pattern
is that you can almost totally decouple the construction of complex objects from the client. When designing
CORBA applications, it is inevitable that a client would require the services of a reasonable number of object
references to get the job done. Under normal circumstances, it is also usual that the client is given
responsibility for constructing each one of these object references in some server and invoking the required
interface protocols on them.
The abstract factory pattern enables a designer to hide a lot of this behind a Factory interface. This enables
you to give a rather simple picture to the client while the implementation of the abstractFactory does all
the hard work.
The abstract factory pattern can be extremely useful if used in conjunction with Orbix filters or VisiBroker
interceptors. Under these mechanisms, when a client request comes in, the filter or interceptor could construct
the appropriate object reference and pass it back to the client. This enables the fullfillment of one of the areas
that the GoF book lists in which the pattern can be used. The specific area is the design of a system that is
independent of how the objects on the server side are “created, composed and represented.”
Let’s use the abstract factory pattern in a similar fashion. Primarily, let’s use VisiBroker to implement a
factory to mediate between a client and the server to construct an object reference and return to the client. The
example uses the following interface:

module patterns {
interface abstractFactory{

Object create();
void destroy();
};

interface concreteFactory:abstractFactory{
struct Struct{
short number;
};
readonly attribute long identifier;
Struct getStruct();
};
};
The patterns module specifies two interfaces. The abstractFactory interface serves as an abstraction
for subinterfaces. This enables you to pass back subclasses to the client by utilizing polymorphism.
The concreteFactory:abstractFactory interface specifies two operations: one to create an object
reference and the other to destroy it. The implementations of these interfaces are shown in the next sections.
The first thing we have to do is implement the Factory service.

Implementing the Interface

You implement only the concreteFactory interface. Because it is a subclass of the

abstractFactory, the underlying plug into the Basic Object Adapter (BOA) will ensure that, if required,
the client can treat it as an abstractFactory. The implementation is shown in Listing 23.12.
Listing 23.12 The ConcreteFactory Class

package Patterns;
public class concreteFactory_i extends Patterns._concreteFactoryImplBase {
private Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct a_struct = new
Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct();
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public concreteFactory_i(java.lang.String name, org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa) {

super(name);
a_struct.number = 10010;
boa_ = boa;
}

public concreteFactory_i(org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa) {

super();
a_struct.number = 10010;
boa_ = boa;
}

public Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct getStruct() {

return a_struct;
}

public org.omg.CORBA.Object create() {

return this;
}

public void destroy() {

boa_.deactivate_obj(this);
}

public int identifier() {

return a_struct.number;
}
}
The create() method returns an instance of the current object. The example could be extended so that other
objects that extend the Factory interface can be returned. In this case, only the current object reference is
returned. When the destroy() method is invoked by the client, the instance of the BOA is a request to
deregister the object reference.
When this has been implemented, you need to construct a server to host this factory instance, of course. This is
shown in Listing 23.13.
Listing 23.13 The FactoryServer Implementation

package Patterns;

public class FactoryServer {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb_ = null;
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public FactoryServer() {
orb_ = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa_ = orb_.BOA_init();
Patterns.concreteFactory cf = new
Patterns.concreteFactory_i(“Factory”,boa_);

try{
boa_.obj_is_ready(cf);
System.out.println(cf + “ is ready.”);
boa_.impl_is_ready();
boa_.deactivate_obj(cf);
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

FactoryServer factoryServer = new FactoryServer();
factoryServer.invokedStandalone = true;
}
private boolean invokedStandalone = false;
}
The key statement in this implementation is the actual construction of the object that implements the
Factory interface. This is accomplished in the following line of code:

Patterns.concreteFactory cf = new
Patterns.concreteFactory_i(“Factory”,boa_);
When the concreteFactory instance is created, the BOA goes into a blocked mode awaiting requests
from the client. The implementation of the client is shown in Listing 23.14.

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-----------
Listing 23.14 The FactoryClient Class

package Patterns;
public class FactoryClient {

public FactoryClient() {
try{
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
Patterns.concreteFactory cf =
Patterns.concreteFactoryHelper.bind(orb, “Factory”);
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = cf.create();
Patterns.concreteFactory factory =
Patterns.concreteFactoryHelper.narrow(obj);
Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct struct = factory.getStruct();
System.out.println(new Integer(struct.number));
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException ex){
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

FactoryClient factoryClient = new FactoryClient();
}
}
The code in Listing 23.14 shows two mechanisms in which an object reference can be constructed by a
client. The first method is to use the bind() method:

Patterns.concreteFactory cf =
Patterns.concreteFactoryHelper.bind(orb, “Factory”);
When the instance of the factory is returned, it can then be used to create objects. A fully blown
implementation of the Factory service would use the Naming Service to register itself so that the client
could use a standard CORBA service to acquire the Factory object reference.
When the Factory object reference is acquired, it can be used to construct the object references that are
required by the client to function. When the reference is acquired, it is used to demonstrate how a Factory
interface can be used to construct an object reference:
org.omg.CORBA.Object obj = cf.create();
This is the second mechanism that can be used to construct an object reference. This time, let’s use the
method on the concreteFactory. Invoking the create() method returns an instance of
CORBA.Object. This reference has to be narrowed to get hold of the reference to the
concreteFactory interface. This is accomplished by narrowing the general object reference
CORBA.Object to a more specific one:

Patterns.concreteFactory factory =
Patterns.concreteFactoryHelper.narrow(obj);
This enables you to retrieve the interface. When this has been done successfully, you can invoke methods on
the interface as you normally do.
The abstract factory pattern can be a powerful tool to decouple the creation of an object from the use of it.
This can be helpful when you have to isolate complex routines for creating an object from the client. This
might be necessary when the client need not have the knowledge of how to construct the object.

Summary
Design patterns are a fundamental shift in transforming software development to software engineering.
Patterns encapsulate the best practices that characterize good software. When you are developing distributed
systems, design, more than anything else, is the most critical aspect. The onus on analysis is, to an extent, the
same for distributed systems as it has been for classical systems. But the design of distributed systems is
different.
Many issues that are nonessential to standalone applications are important when considering distributed
applications. Issues of network bandwidth, availability, fault tolerance, and perhaps the aspect of CORBA
being essentially a peer-to-peer technology place a strong emphasis on good design.
Design patterns help focus these principles of good design and bring them to bear on CORBA applications.
Three-tier client/server applications promise better maintainability and efficient adaptation to changing
requirements. With design patterns, that promise can be redeemed.

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-----------

Chapter 24
CORBA Interface Repository
In This Chapter
• The Structure of the Interface Repository
• The ModuleDef Interface
• The InterfaceDef Interface
• The OperationDef Interface
• Using the Interface Repository
• Reading information from the IR
The Interface Repository (IR) is a runtime database that holds a component’s
interface definition in a machine-readable format. The IR potentially has many
uses. Because it essentially holds a component’s IDL information, this
information can be used to make a dynamic invocation on the component.
Remember that the IR contains only interface information; it does not contain
information about the runtime parameters of the component itself. That
information is held in the Implementation Repository.
The interface definitions are at the heart of what makes CORBA tick. A client
communicates with a server component through a “published” interface. In recent
years, there has been a growth of complex architectures being built using
CORBA. These can consist of tens of thousands of components. At some point,
the management of these interfaces could pose a problem. It is at that point that
the IR can become truly useful. A client could introspect the IR to find the right
interface definitions. If the client is designed to use dynamic invocations, the
various parameters of an interface could be introspected to assist in the invocation
of an operation. If, on the other hand, static invocations are being used, the IDL
pre-compiler could be modified to directly generate all the required files directly
from the IR.
As more visual builders become available for developing CORBA applications
(ComponentBroker, IBM VisualAge, VisiBroker, C++ Builder, and so forth), the
IR will be at the center of the visual toolkit. The application builder’s toolkit will
allow the import of component interfaces directly from the IR. This enables a
developer to use drag and drop to construct applications. Nevertheless, we have
some way to go before the IR becomes pervasive.

The Structure of the Interface Repository

The IR, in a nutshell, contains all the information pertaining to an interface. It can
contain modules, interfaces, attributes, operations, exceptions, and so forth. In
short, it can contain any valid piece of the IDL. It can be extended to value-added
information as well. Such value-added information could enable a repository
administrator to have version control information, and so forth. For instance, the
SOM/DSOM implementation from IBM that was used for OpenDoc (now sadly
put to death by the powers that be. . .sigh) used a repository called Bento that
could essentially store anything. But for the most part, the existing repository is
fairly simple. Some of them use a binary format to store interface information
while others store the information as ASCII stores this information.
OMG has defined a standard API for describing the IR. This enables an
application or an application builder to easily access the IR. The benefit of this
scheme is that no matter what type of repository is being used, as long as it
supports a standard interface, any IIOP client could use the IR to discover
interfaces.
From a structural perspective, the IR API defines a number of definitions (DEFS).
Refer to the interface used to illustrate dynamic invocations in Chapter 25, “Using
Dynamic Invocation Interfaces”; it explains what I am talking about. Listing 24.1
shows the interface.
Listing 24.1 Dynamic.idl for the Interface Repository

module Dynamic {
interface dii {
struct DyStruct {
string name;
short age;
};

void takestruct(in DyStruct ins, out DyStruct outs,

inout DyStruct inouts);

dii::DyStruct getstuct();

typedef sequence<string> strings;

void takesequence(
in strings ins,
out strings outs,
inout strings inouts
);

strings getsequence();

void takenumber(
in long ins,
out long outs,
inout long inouts
);
long getnumber();
void takestring(
in string ins,
out string outs,
inout string inouts
);

void takestring(
in string ins,
out string outs,
inout string inouts
)

string getstring();

void takereference(
in Dynamic::dii ins,
out Dynamic::dii outs,
inout Dynamic::dii inouts
);
Dynamic::dii getreference();
};
};

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-----------
There are a number of logical divisions in the preceding module. These are shown
in Figure 24.1.

Figure 24.1 The Interface Repository module.

The Interface Repository API is structured as definitions. Every element in IDL has
its corresponding definition. You might think that it would have been simple just to
leave IDL undefined in a repository. But Defs, as I call them, serve a higher
purpose: They isolate the semantics of the IDL structure. That way, you don’t have
to construct a parser to figure out what the IDL file contains. Every aspect of IDL is
defined—all the way from modules to exceptions. They all have Defs.
If you consider the previous example, the Dynamic.idl contains five Defs: the
ModuleDef, the InterfaceDef, the StructDef, the SequenceDef, and
the OperationDef. At the root of all the Defs stands the Repository.
Further still, if you take an operation, the IR API also defines methods to figure out
an operation’s parameters, the direction in which a parameter is passed, and its
type. It also specifies how to look up the details of a return type. Furthermore, if an
operation raises any exception, you can use the ExceptionDef to gain
knowledge of that as well.
All these Defs are fine, but they are pretty much useless unless you have a
mechanism of navigating a repository. That is where the next set of abstract entities
comes in: IRObject, Contained objects, and Container objects. The
relationship is depicted in Figure 24.2.

Figure 24.2 The IRObject object model.

The following is a brief description of these entities:
• IRObject—The IROBject is essentially everything in the Repository,
including the Repository itself.
• Container—These are IRObjects that can contain other
IRObjects. The figure shows three types of containers: the Repository
itself, the ModuleDef (because it can contain pretty much everything), and
the InterfaceDef.
• Contained—These are the contents of a container. If we are talking
about a module, the Contained can be InterfaceDefs,
ConstantDefs, ExceptionDefs, and so on. The full list is shown in
the figure. As you can see, all IRObjects can be a Contained object.
All three concepts are abstract. But it helps to be familiar with their protocol if you
intend to use the Interface Repository. The following code shows the internals of
IRObject and the interface describing the container.

interface IRObject{
readonly attribute DefinitionKind def_kind;
void destroy();
};
typedef sequence<Contained> ContainedSeq;

interface Container:IRObject {

ContainedSeq lookup(in ScopedName search_name);

ContainedSeq lookup_name(in Identifier search_name,

in long levels_to_search,
in DefinitionKind limit_type,
in boolean exclude_inherited);

struct Description{
Contained contained_object;
Definition kind;
any value;
};

typedef sequence<Description> DescriptionSeq;

DescriptionSeq describe_contents(
in DefinitionKind limit_type,
in boolean exclude_inherited,
in long max_returned_objs
);
......
......
......
};
The lookup() operations are the important operations on the Container
interface. It is possible to look up a Contained object by passing either a relative
or an absolute name to a Contained. Remember that a Container can
essentially contain a Contained.
The contents() allow you to retrieve entire sets of Contained objects from a
container. The first parameter, DefinitionKind, is the parameter that enables
you to retrieve some or all of the contents of a container. Each of the Contained
objects has it own DefinitionKind ID. For instance, _dk_Module is the ID
for ModuleDef. If you specify _dk_all, all the Contained objects at that
position are retrieved. If, on the other hand, you want to retrieve only operations,
you can set the limit_type variable to _dk_ operation so that the
ContainedSeq will only contain operations if any are found.
lookup_name() enables you to locate a Contained object by name within a
container. Again, the other parameters are essential to make a search more
efficient; for example, the first parameter enables you to specify the depth of the
search to be conducted, the limit_type plays the same role as it does with
lookup(), and the last parameter can be set to false (in this case, the IR would
search for registered IRObjects in the inherited interfaces).
Finally, the describe_contents() provides you with a sequence of
Descriptions of the Contained objects. The described_contents()
are a combination of the IR client calling contents() and then each of the
content objects, iteratively invoking Contained:describe(), retrieving all
the essentials of the results in a tidy array of the Container:Description
struct. The following code shows the Contained interface:

interface Contained:IRObject{

attribute RepositoryId id;

attribute Identifier name;
attribute VersionSpec version;
readonly attribute Container defined_in;
readonly attribute ScopedName absolute_name;
readonly attribute Repository containing_repository;

struct Description {
DefinitionKind kind;
any value;
};
Description describe();
.......
.......
};

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-----------
When the Container object has returned either a
Container:DescriptionSeq or a Container:ContainedSeq
sequence, the Contained interface protocol can be used to drill down to the
details of the IRObject that is contained.
The describe() is the key operation to invoke on a Contained object.
Every IRObject has a description attached to it if it is a Contained object.
Again, you can use the kind (_dk_operation, _dk_module, and so forth)
to figure out how to extract the value that is a CORBA.Any type.
Along with describe(), the various accessor methods for the attribute
provide you with enough information to determine what the Contained
object is.
Essentially, all the components of a repository are subclasses of either
Container and/or Contained. The relationship is the same as shown in
Figure 24.2.
We will only look at ModuleDef, InterfaceDef, and OperationDef
for brevity. For more information on the various API, consult either the
CORBA 2.x specification or your favorite ORB reference manual.

The ModuleDef Interface

The module is both a Container and a Contained. As a Contained, it
can be part of a repository or other modules. As a Container it can hold
constants, aliases (typedefs), exceptions, interfaces, and other modules. All
the operations specified in the superclass are available to the ModuleDef.
The most essential method to invoke on an instance of ModuleDef is
Contained.describe(). It returns a Contained.Description
struct. It will define a kind as dk_module, and its value will point to a
ModuleDescription struct:
struct ModuleDescription {
identifier name;
RepositoryId Id;
RepositoryId defined_in;
VersionSpec version;
};
For instance, the name will give you the name of the module, and the
defined_in will indicate where it is Contained.

The InterfaceDef Interface

Like the ModuleDef, the InterfaceDef is also a subclass of
Container and Contained. The following is a partial listing of this
interface:

interface InterfaceDef:Container,Contained,IDLType{

attribute InterfaceDefSeq base_interfaces;

boolean Is_a(in RepositoryId interface_idl);

struct FullInterfaceDescrition{

Identifier name;
RepositoryId id;
RepositoryId defined_in;
VersionSpec version;
OpDescriptionSeq operations;
AttrDescriptionSeq attributes;
RepositoryIdSeq base_interfaces;
TypeCode type;
};

FullInterfaceDescription describe_interface();

. . . .
. . . .
};
Within its protocol, it specifies an operation named
describe_interface(). It returns a struct
FullInterfaceDescription. It also provides you with a sequence of
operations that are Contained within the interface as well as attributes.

The OperationDef Interface

The OperationDef interface is derived from Contained. This means that
it can only be a contained object. It might be handy to think of the parameters
as something that are contained in an operation. But this is not the case. All the
parameters, the return types, and the exceptions raised by the operations make
up an atomic whole. The interface is shown here:

interface OperationDef:Contained{

readonly attribute TypeCode result;

attribute IDLType result_def;
attribute ParDescriptionSeq params;
attribute OperationMode mode;
attribute ContexSeq contexts;
attribute ExceptionDefSeq exceptions;
}
The attributes that are specified enable you to determine an operation in its
entirety (except for the semantics of the what the operation will do!).
The params is defined as a sequence of ParameterDescriptions. This
structure is given here:

struct ParameterDescription{
identifier name;
TypeCode type;
IDLType type_def;
ParameterMode mode;
};
The identifier gives you the name of the parameter, the TypeCode to the
underlying TypeCode, and TCKind to specify the type of parameter; the
ParameterMode gives you the direction in which the parameter is passed.
Because the OperationDef is also a Contained, you can treat it as one
by invoking Contained.Describe on it. It will return a Description
struct with the following information that is represented as a struct. The
kind will be dk_operation, and the value will hold a CORBA.Any
pointing to an OperationDescription struct:

struct OperationDescription{
Identifier name;
RepositoryId id;
RepositoryId defined_in;
VersionSpec version;
TypeCode result;
OperationMode mode;
ContextIdSeq contexts;
ParDescriptionSeq parameters;
ExcDescriptionSeq exceptions;
};

Using the Interface Repository

The following example illustrates how the Interface Repository can be used to
read in an interface and write to a file locally.
The example uses the Dynamic.dii interface that we specified for using
Dynamic Invocation Interfaces (DIIs). The example uses VisiBroker for Java.
The following section illustrates some of the issues dealing with VisiBroker’s
Repository.

Using the VisiBroker Repository

The VisiBroker Repository can be started by executing the the irep

application. Its command line is shown here:

syntax: irep [-console] IRName [File.idl]

The irep can be started either as a console application or be run in its own
GUI. The GUI is shown in Figure 24.3. VisiBroker allows any number of
repositories to be run. You can do that by providing a name to the repository.
The repository can be loaded with an interface during startup by providing a
File.idl parameter. So if you want to start the repository with dii.idl,
use the follwing command:

syntax: irep SOAR dii.idl

Figure 24.3 The systems output terminal.

The Repository should be populated with the interfaces. VisiBroker provides a

utility named idl2ir. This tool can be used to update the repository.

Syntax: idl2ir [-ir name] [-replace] name.idl

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-----------
The idl2ir can be used to update a specific IR by specifying a name for the IR. If the repository already
contains the interface, an exception will be thrown. If you want to replace a particular interface, use the
-replace flag. Updating the repository with dii is shown here:

syntax: idl2ir -ir SOAR -replace dii.idl

Reading Information from the IR

The following example illustrates how the IR can be used. The example builds a simple IR reader. The
example will not attempt to do anything fancy—just read an interface that is defined in a module. Listing 24.2
shows the code for the example.
Listing 24.2 IR Reader Client

package Dynamic;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.InterfaceDefPackage.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.TypeCodePackage.*;
import java.util.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.Repository;

public class IRClient {

FullInterfaceDescription InterfaceDescription;
org.omg.CORBA.Repository repository;
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;
private int _indent = 0;

public IRClient(String[] args) {y

if ( args.length == 0 ) {
System.out.println(
“Usage: Java Dynamic.IRClient Fully Qualified Interface Name”);
System.exit(1);
}

orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
repository = org.omg.CORBA.RepositoryHelper.bind(orb);

InterfaceDef idef = InterfaceDefHelper.narrow(

repository.lookup(args[0]));

if(idef==null){
System.out.println(“Defenition Not Found”);
System.exit(1);
}

InterfaceDescription = idef.describe_interface();
ReadInterface();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

IRClient iRClient = new IRClient(args);
}

protected void ReadInterface(){

OperationDescription[] operations = InterfaceDescription.operations;
StringBuffer line = new StringBuffer();
line.append(“interface ” + InterfaceDescription.name + “ {\n”);
for(int j = 0; j < operations.length; j++){
ParameterDescription[] arguements = operations[j].parameters;
line.append(“\t”);
line.append(typecodeToString(operations[j].result) + “ ” +
InterfaceDescription.operations
[j].name + “(” ); for(int k = 0; k < arguements.length; k++){
line.append(getParameterMode(arguements[k].mode) +
typecodeToString(arguements[k].type) +
“ ” + arguements[k].name
);
if(k<arguements.length-1)
line.append(“, ”);
}
line.append(“);” + “\n”);
}
line.append(“};” + “\n”);
System.out.println(line.toString());
}
String getParameterMode(ParameterMode kind){
String returnString = null;
switch(kind.value()){
case kind._PARAM_IN:{
returnString = “in ”;
break;
}
case kind._PARAM_INOUT:{
returnString = “inout ”;
break;
}
case kind._PARAM_OUT:{
returnString = “out ”;
break;
}
}
return returnString;
}
String typecodeToString(TypeCode kind){
String ret = null;

switch(kind.kind().value()){
case TCKind._tk_void:
ret = “void”;
break;
case TCKind._tk_short:
ret = “short”;
break;
case TCKind._tk_long:
ret = “long”;
break;
case TCKind._tk_float:
ret = “float”;
break;
case TCKind._tk_double:
ret = “double”;
break;
case TCKind._tk_objref:
try{
ret = kind.name();
break;
}
catch(BadKind bk){break;}
case TCKind._tk_struct:
try{
ret = kind.name();
break;
}
catch(BadKind bk){break;}
case TCKind._tk_string:
ret = “string”;
break;
case TCKind._tk_sequence:
try{
ret = kind.name();
break;
}
catch(BadKind bk){break;}
default:
break;
}
return ret;
}

private String toIdl(org.omg.CORBA.IDLType idlType) {

org.omg.CORBA.Contained contained =
org.omg.CORBA.ContainedHelper.narrow(idlType);
return contained == null ?
idlType.type().toString() :
contained.absolute_name();
}

}
When the reference to the Repository is retrieved using the bind call, the constructor for the class uses the
following line to construct an instance of InterfaceDef:

InterfaceDefHelper idef =
InterfaceDefHelper.narrow(repository.lookup(args[0]));
The name that is passed into the command line must be a fully qualified name to an interface. So if you want
to look up the dii interface defined in the Dynamic module, it can be done by invoking the class with the
following syntax:

syntax: Dynamic.IRClient Dynamic.dii

Ensure that the interface has been loaded into the VisiBroker Repository. This can be determined by issuing
the next code, typing in the name of the interface in the repository browser.
The reading of the interface is done in the ReadInterface() method. It acts on an instance of
FullInterfaceDescription. This is a struct that contains all the information that is required to
determine the interface:

struct FullInterfaceDescrition{

Identifier name;
RepositoryId id;
RepositoryId defined_in;
VersionSpec version;
OpDescriptionSeq operations;
AttrDescriptionSeq attributes;
RepositoryIdSeq base_interfaces;
TypeCode type;
};

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-----------
The first member of the struct provides us with the name of the interface. The
attributes and the operations members encapsulate a sequence of operations and attributes
that are defined in the interface.
Because we are dealing only with interfaces, it is not necessary to consider the module.
For this reason, the first for loop just iterates over the length of the operation sequence:

for(int j = 0; j < operations.length; j++){

ParameterDescription[] arguements =
operations[j].parameters;
line.append(“\t”);
line.append(typecodeToString(operations[j].result) +
“ ” +
InterfaceDescription.operations[j].name + “(” );
. . .
. . .
The first for loop also prints out the return type by using a typecodeToString()
method.
The second for loop iterates over the parameter list. The list of parameters can be
retreived by invoking operations[j].parameters. During iteration,
operations[j].parameters prints out the parameters in the operation with their
mode of passage and their names and types:

for(int k = 0; k < arguments.length; k++){

line.append(getParameterMode(arguments[k].mode)
+ typecodeToString(arguments[k].type) +
“ ” + arguments[k].name
);
Internally, the implementation uses a string buffer to hold an expanding string. At the end
of the process, its contents are printed to the system output terminal, as shown in Figure
24.3.

Summary
The Interface Repository is a runtime database that can contain interface definitions in
machine-readable format. Any aspect of an interface can be recorded in a Repository.
When recorded, a client can use standard IR API to read and/or modify various parts of
an interface.
One way such a technology can be used is by next-generation CORBA application
builders that can enable developers to build drag-and-drop CORBA applications. It is
also useful for Dynamic Invocation Interfaces. A DII client can use the IR to introspect
the interface and dynamically construct an invocation in memory and make this
invocation. A word of caution, though. IR does not contain meta-interface information.
By that, I mean that the IR does not contain any information that describes the semantics
of an interface. That is something that probably will be available in the next couple of
decades.

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-----------

Chapter 25
CORBA Dynamic Invocation Interfaces
In This Chapter
• Using Dynamic Invocation Interfaces
• Implementing the dii Interface
• Implementing the Dynamic Server
• The Dynamic Client Implementation
• Invoking struct Operations Dynamically
• Invoking Sequence Operations Dynamically
• Invoking String and Primitive Operations Dynamically
• Invoking Object Reference Operations Dynamically
CORBA has always been about compromises. For an organization as large as
Object Management Group (OMG), compromises are the only way such a body can
go forward with the standardization process for distributed systems architectures.
The core CORBA specification is perhaps the most striking feature of such a
process. The C in CORBA stands for Common; as such, it is a compromise that
involves CORBA supporting two types of distributed object interactions: direct, or
static, and indirect, or dynamic.
Static invocations are generally the most common way in which CORBA
applications are built. This type of invocation involves a client being statically
linked to a client-side stub. This type of invocation is generally faster because the
application knows the methods that it needs to invoke on the server side. However,
even the best-designed distributed object applications suffer from one drawback.
This can be characterized as a coupling of interfaces. Object-orientation, at the
most basic level, is about representing a model in terms of interfaces (read
encapsulation). I call it the interface representation paradigm. Objects are different
from the older ways of building systems. The old paradigm can be thought of as
data representation. The two paradigms are related in that the complexity of data
representation systems led to efforts to manage this complexity through data
hiding—encapsulation, to be more precise (see Figure 25.1). Over time, this led to
a full-blown paradigm known as object-oriented systems.

Figure 25.1 The paradigm shift.

From this perspective, the evolution of software engineering can be viewed as a
series of paradigms that reduces interdependencies between the subcomponents of
a software solution. The current paradigm through encapsulation decreases
interdependencies by hiding the data representation behind interfaces. The logical
question to ask then is: What if the interfaces change? The answer would provide
an indication to the next paradigm that will emerge in software engineering. I
would call such a paradigm semantic representation. The contours of such a shift
are already emerging. Figure 25.2 shows a schematic of these paradigms in relation
to each other.

Figure 25.2 Semantic representation paradigm.

CORBA Dynamic Invocation Interfaces (DII) is one of the outlines of such a

paradigm change. Changes in software engineering occur when an older paradigm
is no longer sufficient to deal with the complexity of the solutions that the
paradigm help create. It is safe to assume that the semantic representation paradigm
will occur when the number of interfaces a system has to support cannot be
managed by the same technology that created it. The “Object World Wide Web”
might represent such a system.
DII is the prototype of the next paradigm. As it is currently conceived, the evolving
paradigm does not have any mechanism for representing interfaces; it does,
however, provide an outline of what such a technology might look like.
DII allows an application to have as few interdependencies as possible. Through
DII, a client can construct an invocation during runtime and use the ORB to
marshal and demarshal an invocation during runtime. DII uses CORBA::Any and
the associated CORBA::Typecode extensively.

Using Dynamic Invocation Interfaces

You use the following steps to make a dynamic invocation. Essentially, a client
needs to interact with an instance of the CORBA::Request object. Using this
object, a client can construct a runtime operation, set the arguments and return
types, and then make the invocation:
1. Obtain an object reference to the target object on which a client wants to
makes the invocation. This can be accomplished using either a bind, the
interface repository, or the IOR.
2. Initialize a Request object for the target object. This involves retrieving
the Request object and setting the parameters and/or return values for the
request.
3. Invoke the Request. This invocation can be synchronous or
asynchronous. If it is the former type, the client has to wait for the return of
the call. The latter type enables the client to continue with its execution.
4. Retrieve the result when the invocation returns.
The illustration of DII uses the following interface. The dii interface seeks to use
a number of interfaces with parameters and return types, both primitive and
complex types:

module Dynamic {
interface dii {
struct DyStruct {
string name;
short age;
};

void takestruct(
in DyStruct ins,
out DyStruct outs,inout DyStruct inouts);

dii::DyStruct getstruct();

typedef sequence<string> strings;

void takesequence(
in strings ins,
out strings outs,
inout strings inouts
);

strings getsequence();

void takenumber(
in long ins,
out long outs,
inout long inouts
);
long getnumber();
void takestring(
in string ins,
out string outs,
inout string inouts
);

void takestring(
in string ins,
out string outs,
inout string inouts
)

string getstring();

void takereference(
in Dynamic::dii ins,
out Dynamic::dii outs,
inout Dynamic::dii inouts
);

Dynamic::dii getreference();
};
};
The implementation uses VisiBroker For Java 3.3. The interface is compiled using
the -portable flag:

prompt$> idl2java -portable -no_tie -no_comments dii.idl

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-----------
Implementing the dii Interface
The fact that the client uses DII has no implication for how the dii interface is constructed.
The server in this case (see Listing 25.1) can be implemented as in Chapter 5, “Java/IDL
Mapping.”
Listing 25.1 Dynamic Object Implementation

package Dynamic;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class dynamic extends Dynamic._diiImplBase {

FileOutputStream logFile = null;

PrintWriter ios = null;
Date now = new Date();
java.lang.String[] returnStrings = null;
Dynamic.dii insreference= null;

public dynamic() {
}

public dynamic(String name) {

super(name);
try{
logFile = new FileOutputStream(“Log.dat”,true);
ios = new PrintWriter(logFile,true);
}
catch(IOException e){
System.out.println(e.toString());
}
ios.println(new String(
“[Logfile]:Dynamic Started ” + now.toString()));
}
public void takestruct(
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct ins,
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder outs,
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder inouts
) {
String retname = ins.name + “out and inout add”;
int retage = ins.age + 20;

String message = “takestruct() Called IN Parmam is: ”

+ ins.name + “ ” + new Integer(ins.age).toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));

outs.value = new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();

outs.value.name = “OUT STRUCT NAME”;
outs.value.age = (short)4450;

message = “takestruct() Called OUT Parmam is: ”

+ outs.value.name + “ ”
+ new Integer(outs.value.age).toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));

int inoutage = inouts.value.age;

String inoutname = inouts.value.name;

message = “takestruct() Called INOUT Parmam is: ”

+ inoutname + “ ” + new Integer(inoutage).toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));

inouts.value.name = retname;
inouts.value.age = (short)retage;
}
public Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct getstuct() {
String message = “getstuct() Called”;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
return new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct(“
Return Name”,(short)44);
}

public void takesequence(

java.lang.String[] ins,
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder outs,
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder inouts
) {

returnStrings = new String[ins.length];

outs.value = new String[ins.length];
for(int i = 0; i< ins.length; i++){
String message =
“takesequence() Called IN PARAM IS: ” + ins[i];
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
outs.value[i] = new String();
outs.value[i] = ins[i] +
new Integer(i+i).toString();
message = “takesequence() Called OUT PARAM IS: ”
+ outs.value[i];
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
inouts.value[i] = ins[i] +
new Integer(i+i*2).toString();
message = “takesequence() Called INOUT PARAM IS: ”
+ inouts.value[i];
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
returnStrings[i] = new String(ins[i]);
}
}
public java.lang.String[] getsequence() {
String message = “getsequence() Called”;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
return returnStrings;
}

public void takenumber(

int ins,
org.omg.CORBA.IntHolder outs,
org.omg.CORBA.IntHolder inouts
) {
String message = “takenumber() Called IN Param: ”
+ new Integer(ins).toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
outs.value = ins + 100;
message = “takenumber() Called OUT Param: ”
+ new Integer(outs.value).toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
inouts.value = outs.value + 100;
message = “takenumber() Called OUT Param: ”
+ new Integer(inouts.value).toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
}

public int getnumber() {

String message = “getnumber() Called”;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
return 1001;
}
public void takestring(
java.lang.String ins,
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder outs,
org.omg.CORBA.StringHolder inouts
) {
String message = “takestring() Called IN Param ” + ins;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
outs.value = ins + “ outString”;
message = “takestring() Called OUT Param ” + outs.value;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
message = “takestring() Called OUT Param ” + inouts.value;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
inouts.value = outs.value + “inoutString”;
}
public java.lang.String getstring() {
String message = “getstring() Called”;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ” + message));
return new String(“Returning String”);
}
public void takereference(
Dynamic.dii ins,
Dynamic.diiHolder outs,
Dynamic.diiHolder inouts
) {
insreference = ins;
String message = “takereference() Called IN Param ”
+ ins.toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
outs.value = this;
message = “takereference() Called OUT Param ”
+ outs.toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
message = “takereference() Called INOUT Param ”
+ inouts.toString();
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
inouts.value = this;
}
public Dynamic.dii getreference() {
String message = “getreference() Called”;
ios.println(new String(“[Logfile]:Dynamic ”
+ message));
return this;
}
}

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-----------
The code has no complexity whatsoever. The only novel feature is that instead of outputting a client
request to the system output terminal, the application uses a log file that is constructed with the
constructor. The following code snippet initializes the log file:

logFile = new FileOutputStream(“Log.dat”,true);

ios = new PrintWriter(logFile,true);
Other than this bit, the rest of the code is very standard and simple. So let’s get to the implementation
of the client. Nevertheless, before that we have to implement a server to host the interface
implementation.

Implementing the Dynamic Server

The server implementation is standard, as most are (see Listing 25.2).
Listing 25.2 DII Server

package Dynamic;n

public class DynamicServer {

public DynamicServer(String[] args) {

org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init(args,null);
org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = orb.BOA_init();
Dynamic.dii dynamicObject = new Dynamic.dynamic(“DynamicServer”);
boa.obj_is_ready(dynamicObject);
System.out.println(dynamicObject + “ is ready.”);
boa.impl_is_ready();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

DynamicServer dynamicServer = new DynamicServer(args);
}
}
The server is called DynamicServer. The client we are going to build will be using the low-level
bind call. This name, DynamicServer, is the one that the client is going to use to acquire the object
reference.

The Dynamic Client Implementation

As indicated earlier, the client has to take a number of steps in order to make the invocation.
The sum of the code the client contains is a bit too much; I am going to break it up into a number of
clients, each client making just two invocations. The dii interface that is implemented by the server
contains the following set of operations:
• struct operations—The struct operation performs in, out, and inout on a struct
that is passed back and forth between the client and server:

void takestruct(in DyStruct ins, out DyStruct outs,

inout DyStruct inouts);
dii::DyStruct getstuct();

The struct is defined as follows:

struct DyStruct {
string name;
short age;
};
• Sequence operations—The sequence operation does the same as the struct in the following
operation:

typedef sequence<string> strings;

void takesequence(in strings ins,

out strings outs,inout strings inouts);
strings getsequence();

The sequence operation uses a sequence of strings as parameters. The getsequence()

returns a struct.
• String operations—This operation handles all aspects of string handling:

void takestring(
in string ins,
out string outs,
inout string inouts
)

string getstring();
• Primitive operations—Just as with the string operations, the code for dynamically handling
any primitive is pretty much the same:

void takenumber(
in long ins,
out long outs,
inout long inouts
);
long getnumber();
• Object reference operations—These operations pass and return object references:
void takereference(
in Dynamic::dii ins,
out Dynamic::dii outs,
inout Dynamic::dii inouts
);

Dynamic::dii getreference();
Let’s construct a client. Because the client differs very little from other CORBA clients, I shall show
the initialization code just once (see Listing 25.3).
Listing 25.3 DII Client

package Dynamic;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;

public class DynamicClient {

static org.omg.CORBA.Object DynamicObject;
static org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb;

static{
orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
DynamicObject = orb.bind(“IDL:Dynamic/dii:1.0”,
“DynamicServer”, null, null);
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

DynamicClient dynamicClient = new DynamicClient();
}

public DynamicClient() {
//The implementations to be placed here.
}
}
The first thing the implementation should do is acquire an instance of CORBA::Object representing
the remote object. The following code does this by using bind():

DynamicObject = orb.bind(“IDL:Dynamic/dii:1.0”,
“DynamicServer”, null, null);
The ten operations (two of each type) can be placed in the client’s constructor. I have chosen to isolate
them in separate methods:

//Struct Operations
makeStructCall();
getStructCall();
//Sequence Operations
makeSequenceCall();
getSequenceCall();
//Primitive Operations
makeNumberCall();
getNumberCall();
//String Operations
makeStringCall();
getStringCall();
//Object reference Operations
makeReferenceCall();
getReferenceCall();
The first thing all these methods should do is acquire an instance of the Request class. There are
three ways the request object may be retrieved. All three are specified on the CORBA::Object
interface. The CORBA::Object has been initialized statically:

import org.omg.CORBA.Request;

public Request _request(String operation);

Request _create_request(Context ctx,

String operation, NVList arg_list,
NamedValue result);

Request _create_request(Context ctx,

String operation, NVList arg_list,
NamedValue result,
ExceptionList exclist,
ContextList ctxlist);

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-----------
The three operations enable three ways to construct a request. The first creates a request
by passing a string. This string represents the name of the operation on the server-side
interface. After the request has been initialized in this manner, all the arguments and
returns, if any, must be initialized before the request can be made.
The other two methods in the previous code snippet work with NVList and
NamedValues. The NVList represents the parameter list of the operation, and the
NamedValues contains the return types. If the last two operations are used, the
NVLIst and the NamedValue must be initialized before the Request object is
constructed. The NVList and the NamedValue objects do not have constructors, so
they cannot be constructed in the usual manner. Invoking the appropriate method in the
ORB can initialize these objects. These are ORB.create_list and
ORB.create_operation_list for NVList and ORB.create_named_
value for NamedValue.
For the purposes of this chapter, let’s use the first mechanism to create a Request
object. As mentioned, after the Request object has been created, the parameters have to
be initialized. Parameters, when passed dynamically, have to be converted to
org.omg.CORBA.Any. The Any type does not have a constructor. The CORBA::Any
type can be created by invoking ORB.create_any().

Invoking struct Operations Dynamically

In the following code listing, the implementation will use DII to dynamically make the
call on the server; more specifically, the DII will be used to construct the invocation.
The first method is makeStructCall(). This method invokes the takestruct()
operation on the dii interface. The code is shown in Listing 25.4.
Listing 25.4 Constructing structs Dynamically

private void makeStructCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takestruct”);

Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct inStruct =
new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder inOutStruct =
new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder();
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder outStruct =
new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHolder();

inStruct.age = 22;
inStruct.name = “Koolaire”;

inOutStruct.value = new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();

inOutStruct.value.age = 55;
inOutStruct.value.name = “INOUT VALUE”;

outStruct.value = new Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct();

outStruct.value.age = 0;
outStruct.value.name = “”;

Any In = request.add_in_arg();
Any Out = request.add_out_arg();
Any Inout = request.add_inout_arg();

Out.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.type());

Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.insert(Out,
outStruct.value);
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.insert(Inout,
inOutStruct.value);
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.insert(In,inStruct);

request.invoke();

outStruct.value =
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.extract(Out);
inOutStruct.value =
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.extract(Inout);

System.out.println(outStruct.value.name);
System.out.println(inOutStruct.value.name);
}
The Result object is constructed by invoking the _request on an instance of
org.omg.CORBA.Object:

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takestruct”);

The operation to invoke on the server side is named takestruct. After the Request
object has been created, the three parameters have to be initialized. All three parameters
are passed as org.omg.CORBA.Any. The in parameter is mapped to the Java final
class. The OUT and INOUT are mapped to holder classes.
The takestruct operation now has to be initialized for the parameters:

Any ins = request.add_in_arg();

Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();
These lines create instances of org.omg.CORBA.Any as placeholders for any
parameters. The add_in_arg() creates a placeholder for an in parameter, the
add_out_arg() for the out parameter, and the add_inout_arg() for the inout
parameter.
The Request interface also specifies interfaces to pass named parameters in an
invocation.
After the placeholders are initialized, the CORBA.Any type has to be initialized. This is
accomplished by inserting a type into CORBA.Any. These functions are always found in
the Helper functions generated by the IDL pre-compiler. The insertion of a client type
into CORBA.Any is shown in the following code:

Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(ins, inReference);
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(outs, outReference.value);
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(inouts, inoutReference.value);
All the Helper classes have these functions. They convert a type into CORBA.Any. In
the preceding code, the inReference, outReference.value, and
inoutReference.value types are converted into CORBA.Anys.
If you think about it, the server will face a subtle problem with just this code. The out
parameter is initialized on the server side and passed back to the client. The struct that
is passed contains a string. The size of this string can be determined only at runtime,
because internally the string object is a pointer to a character array.
The server will receive only a CORBA.Any, which is a void pointer. Other than this, the
server has no information to determine the type it is expected to initialize and pass back.
It could have the void pointer, in theory, point to any location in memory.

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-----------
In essence, the CORBA.Any is not just a void pointer; it contains a crucial piece of information called
the CORBA.Any.TypeCode that unambiguously represents the type of CORBA.Any that is being
passed around. CORBA.Any and CORBA.Any.TypeCode are provided in the appropriate Helper
classes. For our purposes, the TypeCode support is found in the
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper class. The Any placeholder has to contain the
TypeCode as well. This is done in the following line of code:

Out.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.type());
As for the in and inout parameters, because the client has initialized them, the server has the required
information to determine what to pass back.
CORBA.Any is now completely initialized and ready to be passed into the server dynamically. At this
point, the Request object is ready to be invoked. The operation has been named, and all the
parameters have been initialized. The actual invocation is made on the following line:

request.invoke();
The request is dynamically marshaled and passed into the server object for execution. Now there is the
small matter of trying to figure out what the server has passed back in the out and inout over to the
client. The types are now CORBA.Any. They need to be converted back to the appropriate types. This is
accomplished by using the very same Helper class that was used to convert the type into a
CORBA.Any. The code is shown here:

outStruct.value =
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.extract(Out);
inOutStruct.value =
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.extract(Inout);
Essentially, that is all there is to dynamic invocations. The rest of the implementation will not be
discussed in as much depth, except when something new needs to be explained.
The second operation that is to be implemented is the getStructCall() method. This method needs
to dynamically handle a struct that is being returned as a result of the invocation:

private void getStructCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getstuct”);
request.set_return_type(
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.type());
request.invoke();
Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStruct result;
result = Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.
extract(request.return_value()); System.out.println(“RETURN STRUCT:
AGE ” +
new Integer(result.age));
System.out.println(“RETURN STRUCT: NAME ” +
result.name);

}
The code is very similar to the implementation that was detailed in the makeStructCall() method.
In the preceding code, the CORBA.Any that is being returned is set to the right TypeCode in the
following line:

request.set_return_type(Dynamic.diiPackage.DyStructHelper.type());

Invoking Sequence Operations Dynamically

The two operations that handle sequence operations, getSequenceCall() and
makeSequenceCall(), are illustrated in this section. Listing 25.5 shows the
makeSequenceCall() method.
Listing 25.5 Constructing Sequences Dynamically

private void makeSequenceCall(){

Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“takesequence”);

java.lang.String[] inSequence;
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder outSequence;
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder inoutSequence;

inSequence = new String[2];

outSequence = new Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder();
inoutSequence = new Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHolder();
outSequence.value = new String[2];
inoutSequence.value = new String[2];

for(int i = 0; i < inSequence.length; i++){

inSequence[i] = “INSEQUENCE STRING ” +
new Integer(i).toString();
outSequence.value[i] = “OUTSEQUENCE STRING ” +
new Integer(i).toString();
inoutSequence.value[i] = “”;
}

Any In = request.add_in_arg();
Any Out = request.add_out_arg();
Any Inout = request.add_inout_arg();

Out.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.type());
Inout.type(Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.type());

Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.insert(In,inSequence);
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.insert(Out,
outSequence.value);
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.insert(Inout,
inoutSequence.value);

request.invoke();

outSequence.value =
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.extract(Out);
inoutSequence.value =
Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.extract(Inout);

for(int i = 0; i < outSequence.value.length; i++)

System.out.println(outSequence.value[i]);

for(int i = 0; i < inoutSequence.value.length; i++)

System.out.println(inoutSequence.value[i]);
}
The implementation of the sequence parameter follows along the same lines as the steps necessary to
handle struct objects. First the Request object is created. Then the parameters to be passed are
created and, if necessary, they are initialized. CORBA.Any placeholders for parameters are set up on the
Request object depending on the directions the parameters are passed. If required, the exact type of
the CORBA.Any is added as well, invoking the appropriate method on a Helper class. After the
Request object has been prepared, the invoke() method is called on it. On the method returning,
the extract() method on the correct Helper class is used to convert the returned Any (as out and
inout) to the appropriate type.
The getSequenceCall() on the client side is constructed along similar lines, as shown in Listing
25.6.
Listing 25.6 Making Sequences Dynamically

private void getSequenceCall(){

Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“getsequence”);
request.set_return_type(orb.create_sequence_tc(0,
orb.get_primitive_tc(
org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string)));
request.invoke();
String[] result;
result = Dynamic.diiPackage.stringsHelper.extract(
request.return_value());

for(int i = 0; i < result.length; i++)

System.out.println(“RETURN SEQUENCE: ” + result[i]);
}

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-----------
The singular difference in this implementation is the setting of the return type on the Request
object:

request.set_return_type(orb.create_sequence_tc(0,
orb.get_primitive_tc(
org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string)));
The return type is in essence an array of String objects. The string object is considered to be a
primitive, so the implementation does not have to use a holder class to construct the return
CORBA.Any or its TypeCode.

Invoking String and Primitive Operations Dynamically

The code for handling strings and primitive types is essentially the same. You encountered some
of the issues relating to strings earlier in this chapter when you saw how to handle sequences of
strings. The two methods that pass strings and primitives in parameters are implemeted in
makeNumberCall() and makeStringCall(). Return primitives and strings are handled
in the getNumberCall() and getStringCall() implementations. The actual mechanism
is illustrated in Listing 25.7.
Listing 25.7 Making Strings and Numbers Dynamically

public void makeNumberCall(){

int inNumber = 1001;

IntHolder outNumber = new IntHolder();
IntHolder inoutNumber = new IntHolder();
inoutNumber.value = 1002;
inoutNumber.value = 0;

org.omg.CORBA.Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“takenumber”);
Any ins = request.add_in_arg();
Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();

ins.insert_long(inNumber);
inouts.insert_long(inoutNumber.value);
outs.insert_long(outNumber.value);

request.invoke();

outNumber.value = outs.extract_long();
inoutNumber.value = inouts.extract_long();

System.out.println(“INOUT PRIMITIVE: ” +
new Integer(inoutNumber.value));
System.out.println(“OUT PRIMITIVE: ” +
new Integer(outNumber.value));
}

public void getNumberCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getnumber”);

request.set_return_type(orb.get_primitive_tc
(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_long));
Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getnumber”);
request.set_return_type(orb.get_primitive_tc (org.omg.CORBA.
TCKind.tk_long));
request.invoke();

request.invoke();

int ReturnPrimitive = 0;
ReturnPrimitive = request.return_value().extract_long();
System.out.println(“RETURN PRIMITIVE: ” +
new Integer(ReturnPrimitive));
}

public void makeStringCall(){

String inString = new String(“IN STRING”);

StringHolder outString = new StringHolder();
StringHolder inoutString = new StringHolder();
outString.value = “”;
inoutString.value = “INOUT STRING”;

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“takestring”);

org.omg.CORBA.Any ins = request.add_in_arg();

org.omg.CORBA.Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
org.omg.CORBA.Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();

outs.type(orb.get_primitive_tc
(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string));

ins.insert_string(inString);
outs.insert_string(outString.value);
inouts.insert_string(inoutString.value);

request.invoke();

outString.value = outs.extract_string();
inoutString.value = inouts.extract_string();

System.out.println(“INOUT STRING : ” +
inoutString.value);
System.out.println(“OUT STRING: ” + outString.value);
}

public void getStringCall(){

Request request = DynamicObject._request(“getstring”);

request.set_return_type(orb.get_primitive_tc
(org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string));
request.invoke();
String returnString;
returnString = request.return_value().extract_string();

System.out.println(“RETURN STRING : ” + returnString);

}
The implementations of string and primitive operations follow, on average, a similar pattern. As
a representation, you will explore only two methods: makePrimitiveCall() and
getStringCall().
In makePrimitiveCall(), the Request object is first constructed as usual. The Request
encapsulates the takenumber() operation on the server side. The operation takes three
parameters, all of them CORBA::Longs. The parameters to the operations are initialized as
shown in the following code:

Any ins = request.add_in_arg();

Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();

ins.insert_long(inNumber);
inouts.insert_long(inoutNumber.value);
outs.insert_long(outNumber.value);
In this instance, CORBA.Any.TypeCode is not required, because the amount of memory
required for CORBA.Long is specified, and the associated marshaling can be unambiguously
handled by the code generated for DII.
After the arguments are constructed and initialized, the invocation is made with
request.invoke(). The out and inout parameters are retrieved by the following code:

outNumber.value = outs.extract_long();
inoutNumber.value = inouts.extract_long();
The implementation for makePrimitiveCall() follows along similar lines. The difference
is that CORBA.Any.TypeCode needs to be added for the out parameter, because the server
needs to know how to handle this type correctly.
In the getStringCall(), the implementation enables the client to dynamically invoke the
corresponding operation getstring() on the Dynamic.dii interface. The code is standard
as for other implementations. The difference is in how the return type is set up. Because the
return type is CORBA.Any, the correct CORBA.Any.TypeCode is passed on so that the
cast from CORBA.Any to java.lang.String happens correctly:

request.set_return_type(orb.get_primitive_tc(
org.omg.CORBA.TCKind.tk_string));

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Invoking Object Reference Operations Dynamically
Operations involving object references can also be constructed dynamically. These
operations can have object references passed in all three directions—in, out, and
inout—and can handle return types. The two methods dealing with object references
are makeReferenceCall() and getReferenceCall(). The issues related to
dynamic operations that involve object references are very similar to implementations
dealing with parameters that involve allocation of memory that can only be determined
during runtime. Because parameters are passed as CORBA.Any, the associated Helper
classes are used to convert an object reference type to CORBA.Any and back. These
classes handle the allocation of memory correctly for you.
The implementations for the two methods are illustrated in Listing 25.8.
Listing 25.8 Constructing References Dynamically

public void makeReferenceCall(){

Dynamic.dii inReference = new Dynamic.dynamic();

Dynamic.diiHolder outReference =
new Dynamic.diiHolder();
Dynamic.diiHolder inoutReference =
new Dynamic.diiHolder();

Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“takereference”);

Any ins = request.add_in_arg();

Any outs = request.add_out_arg();
Any inouts = request.add_inout_arg();
outs.type(Dynamic.diiHelper.type());

Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(ins, inReference);
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(outs, outReference.value);
Dynamic.diiHelper.insert(inouts, inoutReference.value);

request.invoke();
System.out.println(“OUT REFERENCE : ”
+ outReference.toString());
System.out.println(“INOUT REFERENCE : ”
+ inoutReference.toString());
}

public void getReferenceCall(){

Request request =
DynamicObject._request(“getreference”);

request.set_return_type(Dynamic.diiHelper.type());
request.invoke();

Dynamic.dii returnReference;
returnReference =
Dynamic.diiHelper.extract(request.return_value());

System.out.println(“RETURN REFERENCE : ”
+ returnReference.toString());
}
The code in the makeReferenceCall() is very similar to the code for handling
struct parameters dynamically. The Request object is constructed. Calling the
appropriate Request interface operation sets the CORBA.Any placeholders for the
parameters. If an out parameter cannot be correctly identified by the server for runtime
memeory allocation, the TypeCode is set. If you are dealing with native IDL types then,
the CORBA.Any.Typecode is formally specified. If they are user-defined types, as is
in the case of out, the correct TypeCode should be set for the CORBA.Any. The
setting of the TypeCode is shown here:

outs.type(Dynamic.diiHelper.type());
The getReferenceCall() needs to correctly convert the returning CORBA.Any to
the right type. This is accomplished as you would handle an out parameter:

request.set_return_type(Dynamic.diiHelper.type());
With the ten methods laid out in this chapter, you should be able to handle any
combination of parameters dynamically and synchronously.

Summary
Dynamic Invocation Interfaces (DII) are the other half of the CORBA way of doing
things—compromises. Together with Static Invocation Interfaces, you have the Common
in CORBA. As more and more complex distributed systems are built, the property that
has been the strength of object-oriented technology, encapsulation, will become strained.
Encapsulation is the mechanism by which interdependencies between the components
that make up a system are kept to a minimum.
When the minimum is not enough, meaning when the complexity of a solution grows
beyond the confines of the original problem into a matrix client/server problem, clients
should be capable of making dynamic requests on the server. This enables a server-side
interface to be changed without disrupting existing solutions.

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-----------

Chapter 26
Developing CORBABean Wrappers
In This Chapter
• The Simple JavaBeans Component Model
• JavaBean Properties and Editors
• JavaBean Event Model
• Using the CorbaBean
• The BeanInfo Class
• Implementing a BeanInfo Class for the CoffeeMaker
• Property Editors and Property Sheets
Object-oriented (OO) systems are in the process of maturing. There was a time
when you dealt with OO by dealing with issues such as classes and objects.
Over the last few years, the paradigm has matured into a more robust
worldview.The worldview is very simple and elegant. It is based on the
premise that complex software systems can be built like a child building
something using LEGO bricks, through a process of assembling blocks with a
standard interface. Such a worldview is known as component-based
application development. The main difference between a normal object and a
component is that the former is just a runtime instance of some class. A
component can also be an object that is an instance of some class, but it differs
in one essential manner: Components are usually restricted to a standardized
convention in describing the interface.
Like your LEGO bricks, a component model also has a standard interface that
enables the rest of the world to interact with it in a standard manner. Such
interactions could involve GUI-based workbenches that enable a developer to
drag and drop components from a pallet to construct an application. They
could be one of those expensive CASE tools that enables animation of a model
using prebuilt components to display the various interactions.
There are two popular component models in the industry right now: MS
Component Object Model–based components and JavaSoft’s JavaBeans
component model. At one level, both are competing platforms for developing
components, but both vendors have technology that enables you to integrate
one in the other. In this chapter, we shall consider only the JavaBeans model
for building components. CORBA as a solution is used mainly to solve
problems that involve integrating systems across operating systems and
platforms, such as an NT-based client being serviced by a UNIX server and so
on. Java is inherently a multiplatform technology; this enables Java solutions
to have both source code portability as well as bytecode portability. This
makes Java ideal for building CORBA solutions.
In that context, it is also beneficial if systems architects could rely on a
multiplatform component model as well. Hence, JavaBeans makes the ideal
component model for building CORBA components. Before we look into the
relationship between CORBA and JavaBeans, let’s take a brief tour of the
JavaBeans component model.

The Simple JavaBeans Component Model

The JavaBeans component model is very simple. At its foundation, building a
JavaBean component can be accomplished with just two steps:
1. A JavaBean component is a Java class that is provided with a default
constructor.
2. Every property of a Java class that you want to expose as a property
of the component you are creating should be provided with accessor and
modifier methods.
For example, the following is a legal JavaBean component:

public class Date{

private String date;
public date();
void setdate(String date){
this.date = date;
}
String getdate(){
return date;
}
};
That’s all it takes to create simple JavaBean components. Of course, most
components will not be so trivial. The JavaBean component model offers a
flexible architecture to extend and add more power of expression to your
components. For the most part, CORBA components encapsulated as
JavaBeans do not require all the features of the JavaBean model. CORBA
components require only the simpler aspects of the bean model, because the
JavaBean model is squarely aimed at the client side. The JavaBean model is
designed to enable client-side use of Java a little more easily.
More importantly, most of the existing Java classes could already be JavaBean
components because you probably followed good class design conventions,
providing a default constructor and accessor and modifier methods for all your
attributes.
In addition to the simple requirements of a default constructor and the accessor
and modifier functions that a Java class needs to become a bean, it could
support the following to become more sophisticated:
• A customizer class to enable a developer to modify sets of properties
as a whole.
• Accessing properties through property editors and property sheets.
• Support for events.
• Support for introspection to enable a JavaBean-aware toolkit to
discover the internals of a class at runtime.
• A BeanInfo class, to specify information such as what property
sheets and customizers can be used with a JavaBean. You can also add
information for icons as well.
• Persistence through serialization.
The tricky part about using any of these features is the art of figuring out when
and why to use them when you build your bean. A complex JavaBean would
support the entire range of auxiliary JavaBean support through property sheets,
customizers, BeanInfo classes, and introspection. But for the most part,
simple JavaBeans would not require all these auxiliary classes. The same can
be said about CORBA beans. For most requirements, the basic requirements
for JavaBeans is all that you would have to support. At most, you would also
add event supports.
The server-side problems are to be addressed through another architecture that
is based on JavaBeans. It is called the Enterprise JavaBeans model (EJB). The
EJB model is based on the JavaBean model itself, but for building server-side
components. EJB components can be considered as components very much
like CORBA components, except they define a set of interfaces that a potential
EJB component needs to support. EJB implementations currently use RMI
protocols for distribution, but JavaSoft is currently extending to add support
for IIOP as well. When this does occur, we will have a CORBABean model
for components.

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Let’s look at the client-side beans model as it is aimed at IDEs. IDEs are critical to CORBA if it is
to survive the sustained attack it will come under from other distributed component models.
CORBA components wrapped as JavaBeans enable developers to use CORBA in the
drag-and-drop, click-and-connect environments that JavaBeans are capable of providing. This
enables you to add JavaBean-wrapped CORBA objects to a component pallet to allow a developer
to simply drag and drop these components to build a GUI.
The following example will help illustrate how a simple JavaBean component can be built. We are
going to take a simple CORBA interface and wrap it inside a JavaBean. The following IDL
interface is used as an example:

module CorbaBean{
interface CoffeeMachine{
void setSwitchOn(in boolean value);
void setCoffee(in string brew);
void setTimer(in long time);
void brew();
};
};
The three operations could have been specified as read-only operations. In that case, the resulting
Java interface would have been incompatible with the JavaBean model. Therefore, the IDL interface
was specified so that the resulting interface would be JavaBean-compatible. In the example, the
three methods, setSwitchOn(), setCoffee(), and setTimer() correspond to three
modifier methods for three encapsulated properties of a bean. get and set methods result from
specifying attributes in your interfaces. Unfortunately, the accessor and modifier functions mapped
from attributes are not JavaBean-compatible. You have to specify the accessor and modifier
operations directly in your interface itself. For example, consider the following IDL interface:

interface Date{
attribute string date;
};
This interface will generate the following Java code when it is run through a JavaIDL pre-compiler:

public class date extends _DateImplBase {

String date;
public date (java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public date() {
super();
}
public void date(
java.lang.String date
) {
this.date = date;
}
public java.lang.String date() {
return date;
}
}
This class does have a default constructor. Most important are the accessor and modifiers. IDL
attributes generate accessor and modifier methods, but these are just a set of overloaded methods
with the same name as the attribute itself. JavaBean requires the class to be as follows:

public class Date{

private String date;
public date();
void setdate(String date){
this.date = date;
}
String getdate(){
return date;
}
};
Run the preceding interface through the Visigenic idl2Java pre-compiler with the following
command:

prompt$> idl2Java -no_tie -no_comments coffeemachine.idl

The implementation of the CoffeeMachine, as shown in Listing 26.1, is straightforward. The
object of the exercise is not to show how the CORBA component can be implemented, but how it
can be wrapped as a JavaBean component.
Listing 26.1 CoffeeMachine Implementation

package CorbaBean;
public class CoffeeMaker extends CorbaBean._CoffeeMachineImplBase {
boolean SwitchOn;
String Coffee;
int Timer;
public CoffeeMaker(java.lang.String name) {
super(name);
}
public CoffeeMaker() {
super();
}
public void setSwitchOn(
boolean value
) {
if(SwitchOn != value)
SwitchOn = value;
}
public void setCoffee(
java.lang.String brew
) {
if(!SwitchOn)
Coffee = brew;
}
public void setTimer(
int time
) {
if(!SwitchOn)
Timer = time;
}
public void brew() {
Syste.out.println(Coffee “ is brewing for “ + Timer + “ Seconds”);
}
}
At this point, there is nothing special about our component. The next step is to add support for
beans. This has been partially done though the accessor methods that our component already
supports. This support can be augumented by adding support for editors and the Beaninfo class to
the component.

JavaBean Properties and Editors

Properties are named attributes that a bean supports. You provide support for properties through
accessor and modifier methods. A JavaBean differs from other Java classes primarily through the
support of get and set functions for its properties. Before going into how these properties can be
changed from the outside, let’s look at the various kinds of properties that a bean can support.

Simple Property

Simple properties are the ones that are directly accessible through the get and set methods that
you provide. In the preceding example, the CorbaBean.CoffeeMaker supports three simple
properties: SwitchOn, Coffee, and Timer. These three are only provided with modifier
methods that a client can use.
The JavaBean model specifies additional ways of exposing properties.

Indexed Properties

Indexed properties are really like simple properties except that there is a sequence of such
properties. In this case, the index is used to refer to the correct property element within the
sequence. Such a property mechanism can be used when a JavaBean component refers to a whole
series of properties. The following is a snippet of code that shows how such a set of properties could
be used:

private String indexedProperty; //Property declaration

String[] getindexedProperty();
void setindexedProperty(String[] indexedProperty);
The preceding are get and set methods for the entire array of properties. When the developer
needs to access or modify just one property from an index, the following methods can be used:

String getindexedProperty(in index);

void setindexedProperty(in index, String value);

Bound Properties

Bound properties are properties that generate events when the states of these properties are altered.
Such a mechanism can be used for a bean with bound properties to notify other beans when a
property is changed. For such a bean to generate events when a bound property changes, it must
implement the Java.beans.PropertyChangeListener interface.

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Bound properties are useful if you want to tie state-dependent subcomponents together. This
means that when one component changes its state, it triggers the change of state in a dependent
object and so on. In the preceding interface implementation, the Timer can be considered as a
bound property. When the Timer’s state violates a certain constraint—in our case, when the
timer expires—the bean should trigger an event to notify interested parties that the timer has
expired.

Constrained Properties

Constrained properties are an extension of bound properties. Like the bound properties, a
constrained property also notifies interested listeners that the state of a component has changed.
The listener, in turn, can raise an exception, vetoing a potential change. Such an architecture
enables you to couple an arbitrary number of components together purely in terms of their internal
state transitions.
The event that is generated by a component is the vetoableChange event. On receiving the
event, if the listener needs to veto the change of state, the listener can throw the
Java.beans.PropertyVetoException to veto the change of event.
We will not try to build a fully fledged JavaBean component. Keet in mind that JavaBeans is a
client-side component model. As such, supporting the entire JavaBean model might be
unnecessary for CORBA components. But aspects of the model can be used to make the
components you build a bit simpler to understand. This simplicity enables us to use CORBA
components inside an IDE. At the most basic level, properties are the only things that a bean needs
to support. Beyond that, anything that you provide is a bonus. I always try to hook up events to
properties. They are a much better way for components to modify or access properties than with
get and set methods.

JavaBean Event Model

Events are the notification mechanism used by the JavaBeans components. Of course, they don’t
really have to be JavaBeans to support events; a plain Java class can send and receive events. The
critical aspect of understanding JavaBeans is that the JavaBeans components are all just Java
classes, except a rigorous and precise but simple design strategy is imposed on them. Events are
one such constraint.
There are a number of things that a component needs to accomplish in order to support events:
• An event object
• An event listener
• An event source
• An interface that enables you to tie up an event listener to an event source
In order for a component to become a listener, all it has to do is support the interface supplied. As
for a component to become a source of the event, a component could fire an event object. The
example that we built earlier will now be extended using events. Listing 26.2 shows the
BrewEvent class.
Listing 26.2 BrewEvent Class

package CorbaBean;
import java.util.*;

public class BrewEvent extends EventObject {

String event;
public BrewEvent(Object source, String msg) {
super(source);
event = msg;
}

public String toString(){

return event;
}
}
The BrewEvent class extends the Java.util.Event class. Any class that is used as an event
object needs to do this. The class itself provides two methods: a constructor and an overriding of
the toString() method from the Java.lang.Object.toString(). The event itself is
encapsulated in a String object. Listing 26.3 shows the BrewListener interface.
Listing 26.3 BrewListener Interface

package CorbaBean;

import java.util.*;

public interface BrewListener extends EventListener {

public void Brewing(BrewEvent e);
}
Objects that need notification when a state transition in a component occurs have to implement the
preceding interface. This enables the class that generates the event to notify the class that
implements the listener interface that a state has changed. The server will pass an event object into
the Brewing() method to the listener that could encapsulate an event in the CORBA
component.
The event objects enable the CORBA component to notify listeners when a remote client makes
an invocation on the server component. Thus, the various GUI components that make up the
server can be tied together using the event model. The CoffeeMaker implementation can now
be extended to support our event model, as shown in Listing 26.4.
Listing 26.4 CoffeeMaker Implementation with Events
package CorbaBean;
import java.beans.*;
import java.util.*;

public class CoffeeMaker extends CorbaBean._CoffeeMachineImplBase{

boolean SwitchOn;
String Coffee;
int Timer;
private transient Vector brewListeners;

public CoffeeMaker(java.lang.String name) {

super(name);
}
public CoffeeMaker() {
super();
}
public void setSwitchOn(
boolean value
) {
BrewEvent event = null;
if(SwitchOn != value){
SwitchOn = value;
event = new BrewEvent(
this,”Coffee Machine Is Switched On.”);
}
else
event = new BrewEvent(
this,”Coffee Machine Is Switched Off.”);

fireBrewing(event);
}
public void setCoffee(
java.lang.String brew
) {
if(!SwitchOn){
Coffee = brew;
BrewEvent event = new BrewEvent(this,brew +
“ Coffee Has been Selected”);
fireBrewing(event);
}
}

public void setTimer(

int time
) {
if(!SwitchOn)
Timer = time;
}

public void brew() {

BrewEvent event = new BrewEvent(
this, “Coffee Is Brewing”);
fireBrewing(event);
}

public synchronized void removeBrewListener(BrewListener l) {

if (brewListeners != null
&& brewListeners.contains(l)) {
Vector v = (Vector) brewListeners.clone();
v.removeElement(l);
brewListeners = v;
}
}

public synchronized void addBrewListener(BrewListener l) {

Vector v = brewListeners == null ? new Vector(2) :
(Vector) brewListeners.clone();
if (!v.contains(l)) {
v.addElement(l);
brewListeners = v;
}
}

protected void fireBrewing(BrewEvent e) {

if (brewListeners != null) {
Vector listeners = brewListeners;
int count = listeners.size();
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
((BrewListener) listeners.elementAt(i)).Brewing(e);
}
}
}

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In the preceding implementation, the component fires an event whenever the remote client makes an
invocation on the server object. In our context, the GUI will acknowledge the events by displaying them in
some widget.
The class can fire an event whenever it chooses. To do so, the class first constructs an event object. It does
so as shown in the following code snippet:

event = new BrewEvent(this,

“Coffee Machine Is Switched On.”);
An event object is constructed with a string message. The object is of the type BrewEvent. After the
object is constructed, it needs to fire the event at the listener. These listeners, of course, implement the
BrewListener interface. Two methods enable a listener to register its interest in BrewEvents:
addBrewListener(BrewListener l) and removeBrewListener(BrewListener l). The
addBrewListener(BrewListener l) method is used to register the interface, and the
removeBrewListener(BrewListener l) method is used when an interface needs to deregister
with the component.
Internally, the class uses a Java.util.Vector to hold the interface instances that are interested in
being notified. The following is the code that implements the event firing:

protected void fireBrewing(BrewEvent e) {

if (brewListeners != null) {
Vector listeners = brewListeners;
int count = listeners.size();
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
((BrewListener) listeners.elementAt(i)).Brewing(e);
}
}
The code essentially consists of the component iterating over the contents of the Vector object and
invoking the Brewing() method on the BrewListener. Thus, through a process of callbacks, the
listeners are notified when the state of the component changes.

Using the CorbaBean

The previous code only implements events to couple various components. In our case, we will use the
events to couple our GUI for the CORBA component with the GUI. The code is shown in Listing 26.5.
Listing 26.5 JavaBean User Interface
package CorbaBean;
import java.awt.*;
import CorbaBean.*;
import com.sun.java.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class CoffeeFrame extends JFrame {

JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
JTextArea EventListerDisplay = new JTextArea();
JButton StartButton = new JButton();
CoffeeMaker coffeeMakerComponent = new CoffeeMaker(“CoffeeMaker”);

public CoffeeFrame() {
try {
jbInit();
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

CoffeeFrame coffeeFrame1 = new CoffeeFrame();
}

private void jbInit() throws Exception {

coffeeMakerComponent.addBrewListener(
new CorbaBean.BrewListener() {
public void Brewing(BrewEvent e) {
coffeeMakerComponent_Brewing(e);
}
});
this.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
jScrollPane1.setBounds(new Rectangle(9, 12, 378, 202));
StartButton.setText(“Start”);
StartButton.setBounds(new Rectangle(294, 222, 90, 27));
StartButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
StartButton_mouseClicked(e);
}
});
this.getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, null);
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(EventListerDisplay, null);
this.getContentPane().add(StartButton, null);
setVisible(true);
}

void coffeeMakerComponent_Brewing(BrewEvent e) {
EventListerDisplay.append(e.toString() + “\n”);
}

void StartButton_mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
CorbaBeanServer server = new CorbaBeanServer(
EventListerDisplay,coffeeMakerComponent);
Thread thread = new Thread(server);
thread.start();
}
class CorbaBeanServer implements Runnable{

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = null;

JTextArea display;
CorbaBeanServer(JTextArea display,CoffeeMaker coffeeMakerComponent){
this.display = display;
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
boa = orb.BOA_init();
boa.obj_is_ready(coffeeMakerComponent);
display.append(coffeeMakerComponent + “ is ready.\n”);
}

public void run(){

try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
display.append(e.toString() + “\n”);
}

}
}
}
This listing consists of two classes. The first is the GUI class itself, which is named CoffeeFrame and is
a subclass of JFrame. The second class is the CORBA class that is implemented as a thread.
CoffeeFrame is mostly user interface–related. However, in the next sections, I discuss how the GUI can
be coupled with the CORBA bean.
The GUI uses Java inner classes to construct the BrewListener interface:

coffeeMakerComponent.addBrewListener(
new CorbaBean.BrewListener() {
public void Brewing(BrewEvent e) {
coffeeMakerComponent_Brewing(e);
}
}
);
The callback interface is implemented in the following manner:

void coffeeMakerComponent_Brewing(BrewEvent e) {
EventListerDisplay.append(e.toString() + “\n”);
}
The method just updates the display when a remote client alters the state of the CORBA component. The
GUI is also the CORBA server. Because the server blocks when the impl_is_ready() method is
called, it is run on a thread. The server implementation is shown in Listing 26.6 for completion.
Listing 26.6 CORBABeanServer Implementation

class CorbaBeanServer implements Runnable{

org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa = null;

public void run(){

try{
boa.impl_is_ready();
}
catch(org.omg.CORBA.SystemException e){
display.append(e.toString() + “\n”);
}

}
}
}

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-----------
The server code executes on a thread. The server itself is launched by the GUI in response to a mouse click on a
button. The bean model is not used with the client. Therefore, the client is very similar to the ones that we have
built before, as shown in Listing 26.7.
Listing 26.7 CorbaBean Client Implementation

package CorbaBean;

public class CorbaBeanClient {

public CorbaBeanClient() {
org.omg.CORBA.ORB orb = org.omg.CORBA.ORB.init();
CoffeeMachine coffee = CoffeeMachineHelper.bind(orb,”CoffeeMaker”);
coffee.switchOn(true);
coffee.selectCoffee(“Java”);
coffee.setTimer(5001);
coffee.brew();
coffee.switchOn(false);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
CorbaBeanClient corbaBeanClient = new CorbaBeanClient();
}
}
The client is a straightforward implementation. It sequentially invokes the server interface. What should be
happening on the server side is that when an invocation comes into the component, the component generates an
event that is delivered to the GUI component. In Figure 26.1, that is precisely what is happening.

Figure 26.1 The CORBA client user interface.

The BeanInfo Class

All the information about a component’s properties, methods, and events can be exposed to a development
environment through a BeanInfo class. It is the BeanInfo class that enables you to specify which
properties, events, and methods you would like to expose for a bean.
The class Java.beans.SimpleBeanInfo can be used as a template to construct a BeanInfo class.
There are a number of SimpleBeanInfo methods that can be implemented by your component:
• getPropertyDescriptors()
• getEventSetDescriptors()
• getMethodDescriptors()
• getBeanDescriptor()
• getDefaultPropertyIndex()
• getAdditionalBeanInfo()
• getDefaultEventIndex()
• getIcon(int)
• loadImage(String)
The degree of implementation depends on the sophistication of your bean. The first three methods are the most
crucial. With these three methods, the internals of a JavaBean component can be exposed through its
BeanInfo class. These methods enable you to expose the properties, events, and methods of the bean,
respectively. A tool can then introspect the bean and publish the descriptors in the editors that accompany the
IDE that enables you to use a bean.

Implementing a BeanInfo Class for the CoffeeMaker

The class shown in Listing 26.8 implements the BeanInfo class for the CoffeeMaker bean. This enables an
IDE to understand our bean, so to speak.
Listing 26.8 BeanInfo Class

package CorbaBean;

import java.beans.*;

public class CoffeeMakerBeanInfo extends SimpleBeanInfo {

Class beanClass = CoffeeMaker.class;
String iconColor16x16Filename = “icon.gif”;
String iconColor32x32Filename;
String iconMono16x16Filename;
String iconMono32x32Filename;

public CoffeeMakerBeanInfo() {
}

public PropertyDescriptor[] getPropertyDescriptors() {

try {
PropertyDescriptor _coffee = new PropertyDescriptor(
“coffee”, beanClass, null, “setCoffee”);
_coffee.setDisplayName(“Coffee”);
_coffee.setPropertyEditorClass(CorbaBean.CoffeeList.class);

PropertyDescriptor _switchOn =
new PropertyDescriptor(“switchOn”, beanClass, null, “setSwitchOn”);
_switchOn.setDisplayName(“Power”);
PropertyDescriptor _timer = new PropertyDescriptor(
“timer”, beanClass, null, “setTimer”);
_timer.setDisplayName(“Timer”);
PropertyDescriptor[] pds = new PropertyDescriptor[] {
_coffee,
_switchOn,
_timer,
};
return pds;
}
catch (IntrospectionException ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
return null;
}
}

public java.awt.Image getIcon(int iconKind) {

switch (iconKind) {
case BeanInfo.ICON_COLOR_16x16:
return iconColor16x16Filename !=
null ? loadImage(iconColor16x16Filename) : null;
case BeanInfo.ICON_COLOR_32x32:
return iconColor32x32Filename !=
null ? loadImage(iconColor32x32Filename) : null;
case BeanInfo.ICON_MONO_16x16:
return iconMono16x16Filename !=
null ? loadImage(iconMono16x16Filename) : null;
case BeanInfo.ICON_MONO_32x32:
return iconMono32x32Filename !=
null ? loadImage(iconMono32x32Filename) : null;
}
return null;
}
}
The BeanInfo class overrides the getPropertyDescriptors()and the getIcon() methods. The
former method specifies the kinds of methods the CoffeeMaker bean supports. To assist in this, it uses a
Property Editor class that is explained in the next section. The code for the property editor will be shown
there as well. The getIcon() method loads a simple GIF file that represents the icon of the component when
it is added to a pallet of an IDE bean builder.

Property Editors and Property Sheets

Property editors are the primary interface through which a developer could modify the default state of a
JavaBean component. Each property that can be edited has its own property editor. it is the type that determines
the kind of property editors that are available.
If a BeanInfo class is not provided for a bean, the development environment generates a default BeanInfo
class for the bean using introspection. On the other hand, if a BeanInfo class is provided for the bean, the tool
uses that class to generate an editor.
Using introspection, the tool generates the appropriate editor based on the type of property it is dealing with.
Beyond the basic type that corresponds to the primitives, a developer needs to provide a custom property editor
for types that are beyond a primitive type.
The BeanInfo class that we discussed before uses a property editor that is more specific that the one the
default editor provides. The editor provides a set of values for the Coffee property of the bean. This property
can only be a certain value that is specified in the Editor class. The code for the Property Editor class
is shown in Listing 26.9.

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Listing 26.9 CoffeeMaker Property Editor Implementation

package CorbaBean;

import java.beans.*;

public class CoffeeList extends PropertyEditorSupport {

private static String[] tagStrings =

{ “Jarro”, “Calistor”,
“Havana”, “Rim”, };

public CoffeeList() {
}

public String[] getTags() {

return tagStrings;
}

public String getJavaInitializationString() {

return “\”” + getAsText() + “\””;
}

public void setAsText(String text) throws IllegalArgumentException {

setValue(text);
}
}
The Coffee property, which is encapsulated by a String object via this editor, can have only four
values, which are returned as an array of Strings. These show up as a drop-down combo box in the
property sheet that the IDE provides. Property editors are best used if the value of a certain property is
atomic. However, it is also conceivable that an atomic property is a derived property that is computed
from a combination of multiple properties. Under these circumstances, you need to provide a customizer
to set the derived property.

Summary
The JavaBean component model is a crucial breakthrough in the evolution of object- oriented systems to
the next level of abstraction, which is based on components instead of classes. The JavaBean component
model is inherently simpler than the older component models that came before it, because it does not
take a lot of work to turn an existing Java class into a component.
One of the ways in which the JavaBean model can be leveraged by CORBA development is to use
JavaBean as a mechanism to integrate in a cohesive manner the requirements of a GUI on the server
side. This can be accomplished in a clean and nonintrusive manner by using various structural design
patterns that promote decoupling. The JavaBean model, at its heart, is a set of design patterns, with the
added benefit of the model being a standard as well.
As much as possible, design your server components with the plugs that enable it to be integrated into a
GUI using the JavaBean model. Such a strategy will ultimately promote cleaner layers of abstractions
that should ease your maintenance problems.

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PART VI
Appendixes
In This Part
• CORBA API Reference
• TIE and BOA
• Orbix and MFC

Appendix A
CORBA API Reference
In This Appendix
• The BOA API Reference
• The CORBA::Object API
• CORBA::ORB
• CORBA::Request
• CORBA::Principal
The core API that is exposed by an ORB implementation is explained in this appendix. Only
CORBA-compliant APIs are explained. For the proprietary extensions various vendors make to an ORB, it
is best to refer to the appropriate manuals.

The BOA API Reference

The following interface specifies the functionality that the BOA exposes:

pseudo interface BOA (

Object create(in ReferenceData id,
in InterfaceDef intf,
in ImplementationDef impl);
void dispose(in Object obj);
ReferenceData get_id(in Object obj);
void change_implementation(in Object obj,
in ImplementationDef impl);
Principal get_principal(in Object obj,
in Environment env);
void impl_is_ready(in Object obj,
in ImplementationDef impl);
void deactivate_impl(
in ImplementationDef impl);
void obj_is_ready(in ImplementationDef impl);
void deactivate_obj(in Object obj);
};

CORBA::BOA::change_implementation()

CORBA::BOA::change_implementation() enables the change of the implementation that is

associated with an object. The CORBA::ORB::setServerName() function can be used to modify the
implementation for all objects created by a server. This means that all objects in a server can be referred to
by the name of the server.

CORBA::BOA::create()

CORBA::BOA::create() can be used to create a new object reference. This function does not create an
object. This means that a call to this method assumes that the object already exists in a server.

CORBA::BOA::deactivate_impl()

When a server is ready to receive invocations from the client, it goes into a blocked call that is initialized
by the impl_is_ready() method.
When the server is ready to shut down, it can deactivate the resources that it initialized by the
impl_is_ready() call. The server can accomplish the deactivation by calling deactivate_impl()
and passing the server name in the parameter impl. Invoking the deactivate_impl() causes
impl_is_ready() to return from its blocked state.

CORBA::BOA::deactivate_obj()

As with the BOA, an implementation can notify the BOA that an object reference is ready for interaction
with a client. This occurs when an implementation requires informing the BOA that it has completed the
initialization of the implementation. When the server needs to deinitialize the implementation, it can call
the deactivate_obj to remove the object from the request pool.

CORBA::BOA::dispose()

CORBA::BOA::dispose() invalidates the object reference.

CORBA::BOA::get_id()

CORBA::BOA::get_id() returns the identification information of the object obj that was initialized
when the CORBA::BOA::create() was called.

CORBA::BOA::get_principal()

CORBA::BOA::get_principal() enables information about the client to be returned by the ORB.

This information relates to the client that made the current invocation on the server object.
A server application can call this member function when processing an operation call from a client.

CORBA::BOA::impl_is_ready()

The impl_is_ready() method is at the heart of CORBA. This is the main method that is invoked
when all the initialization is completed. This method blocks until the deactivatate_ impl() is
invoked that causes this method to return. When this method is invoked, it informs the ORB that the
implemention is ready to receive invocations from the client.
This method blocks the server until an event occurs, handles the event, and reblocks the server to await
another event. The impl_is_ready() function returns only under the following circumstances:
• A timeout occurs.
• An exception occurs while waiting for or processing an event.
• The function CORBA::BOA::deactivate_impl() is called.

CORBA::BOA::obj_is_ready()

The obj_is_ready() method is called when the initialization of the object is completed and it is ready
to receive requests from the client. As with imp_is_ready, this method enables a service to remain
active as long as the following conditions do not occur:
• It calls CORBA::BOA::deactivate_obj().
• The call to obj_is_ready() times out.
• An exception is raised.

The CORBA::Object API

CORBA::Object is the base class of the IDL C++ classes. All objects are either directly or indirectly
subclasses of this class. As such, all the methods that are available in this class are available in all the
classes. Keep in mind that an instance of this class is available at both the client side (as a proxy) and at the
server side (as a concrete object). The interface as defined by CORBA follows:

interface Object {
boolean is_nil();
Object duplicate();
void release();
ImplementationDef get_implementation();
InterfaceDef get_interface();
Status create_request(
in Context ctx,
in Identifier operation,
in NVList arg_list,
in NamedValue result,
out Request request,
in Flags req_flags);
};

CORBA::Object::_duplicate()

CORBA::Object::_duplicate() is called whenever the reference count of an object needs to be

incremented. This might be necessary when a copy of an object reference needs to be passed back to a
client.

CORBA::Object::_get_implementation()

CORBA::Object::_get_implementation() enables a client to retrieve the name that is used to

CORBA::Object::_get_interface()

CORBA::Object::_get_interface() returns the interface that is registered with the Interface

Repository. On returning the interfacedef, the client can construct the interface and make invocations
on it dynamically.

CORBA::Object::_hash()

Every object reference that is constructed by an application has an object identifier associated with it. This
identifier remains unique throughout the lifetime of the object reference. When using this method, it is
conceivable that two separate and different object references may provide the same hashed value. If this is
the actual case, the two object references in question are different objects.

CORBA::Object::_is_a()

CORBA::Object::_is_a() is useful when there is ambiguity over an inheritance hierarchy.

CORBA::Object::_is_equivalent()

CORBA::Object::_is_equivalent() is useful in determining whether two object references are

equivalent. Two objects are equivalent if they have the same object reference, or they both refer to the same
object.

CORBA::Object::_nil()

CORBA::Object::_nil() can be used to initialize a null reference to an object reference.

CORBA::Object::_non_existent()

CORBA::Object::_non_existent() can be used to see whether an object reference is present in a

server. This method is invoked on the client side and is useful in determining whether the real object exists.

CORBA::Object::_request()

CORBA::Object::_request() can be used to dynamically construct an invocation on the server.

This method can be extremely useful if the target operation is known beforehand.

CORBA::ORB
CORBA::ORB provides a set of functions that enable you to control an ORB from both the client side and
the server. Some of these operations include support for an application to convert object references to a
string (IOR) and back to an object reference. The full interface that is CORBA-compliant follows. After the
interface, I discuss briefly the more important APIs of this interface:

// Pseudo IDL
// In module CORBA
pseudo interface ORB (
typedef sequence<Request> RequestSeq;
typedef sequence<string> arg_list;
typedef string OAid;
BOA BOA_init(inout arg_list argv,in OAid boa_identifier);
string object_to_string(in Object obj);
Object string_to_object(in string str);
Status create_list(in long count,out NVList new_list);
Status create_operation_list(in OperationDef oper, out NVList new_list);
Status get_default_context(out Context ctx);
Status create_environment(out Environment new_env);
Status send_multiple_requests_oneway(in RequestSeq req);
Status send_multiple_requests_deferred(in RequestSeq req);
boolean poll_next_response();
Status get_next_response(out Request req);
};

BOA BOA_init(inout arg_list argv,in OAid boa_identifier)

BOA BOA_init(inout arg_list argv,in OAid boa_identifier) initializes a server’s

connection to the Basic Object Adapter (BOA). The BOA controls the lifecycle of a server process.
string object_to_string(in Object obj)

string object_to_string(in Object obj) converts an object reference into a string. This
string is the IOR for an object.

Object string_to_object(in string str)

When an IOR is constructed, it can be converted back to an object reference using this operation. The
string_to_object() returns an instance of CORBA::Object. This object reference has to be
narrowed to the required object.

Status create_list(in long count,out NVList new_list)

Status create_list(in long count,out NVList new_list) can be used to construct an

argument list for Dynamic Invocation Interfaces (DIIs). The NVList object returned from the server can
contain an argument that makes up the parameters of a DII invocation. It returns true if successful or false
if not.

Status create_operation_list(in OperationDef oper, out NVList new_list)

returns a list of an NVList, in the parameter list, initialized with the argument descriptions for the
operation specified in OperationDef.

Status get_default_context(out Context ctx)

Use Status get_default_context(out Context ctx) to retrieve the context attached to a

process. It returns a Boolean typedef whether it is successful or not.

Status create_environment(out Environment new_env)

Status create_environment(out Environment new_env) can be used to create an

Environment object. The Environment object is used to transfer errors between clients and servers.

CORBA::Request
The interface CORBA::Request provides all the support required for Dynamic Invocation Interface
(DII). DII enables an application to send requests to an interface without actually knowing anything about
the interface during compile-time. The pseudo interface for this object follows. The request object is
constructed by the client and issued to the ORB to make a remote invocation on a server object:

pseudo interface Request {

readonly attribute Object target;
readonly attribute Identifier operation;
readonly attribute NVList arguments;
readonly attribute NamedValue result;
readonly attribute Environment env;
attribute Context ctx;
Status invoke();
Status send_oneway();
Status send_deferred();
Status get_response();
boolean poll_response();
};

Status invoke()

Status invoke() instructs the ORB to make a request on a target object using DII. This method
assumes that the operation itself has been properly constructed before the invocation can be made.
Status send_oneway()

Status send_oneway() enables the construction of an operation that can be invoked on the target as
a oneway operation. A oneway operation enables a client to make an asynchronous operation on the
server object. Like the invoke() method, the operation itself must be constructed properly before the
invocation is made.

Status send_deferred()

Status send_deferred() enables the construction of an operation that can be invoked on the target
as a oneway operation. A oneway operation enables a client to make an asynchronous operation on the
server object. Like the invoke() method, the operation itself must be constructed properly before the
invocation is made.

Status get_response()

Status get_response() enables the client to determine the outcome of an operation that has been
made on the server object. It returns only when the request has completed.

boolean poll_response()

If the client made an invocation on the server object using send_deferred(), boolean
poll_response() can be used to determine the outcome. The function returns immediately. If the
operation has completed, the result is available in the Request.

CORBA::Principal
Class CORBA::Principal implements the IDL pseudo interface Principal, which represents
information about principals that are the client. The information encapsulated in the Principal object
can be used to provide authentication and access control.

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Appendix B
TIE and BOA
In This Appendix
• The BOA Approach
• The TIE Approach
You should understand the essential difference between TIE and Basic Object Adapter (BOA), because it has
consequence on the overall design and extensibility of a solution. The role of these components is to relate an
IDL interface to its implementation. Most implementations of CORBA provide the BOA approach as well as
the TIE approach. The interesting thing about these mechanisms is that they can be mixed so that an
implementation can use both TIE and BOA.
BOA approaches are by far the most favored approach taken by most implementers. I believe this is mainly
because most documentation and examples seem to deal exclusively with BOA-based approaches.

The BOA Approach

BOA support is usually generated by default, but for some CORBA implementations, you have to explicitly
request the IDL pre-compiler to generate BOA support. BOA works by inheritance. The IDL pre-compiler
generates the plug that binds an implementation to the generated mapping classes. This plug is the BOA class
that your implementation class has to inherit.
All the examples in this book use the BOA model to implement the services and servers. Let’s go over the
process of showing how the BOA can be used.
The following example uses the Factory interface from Chapter 23, “CORBA and Design Patterns”:

module Patterns {
interface abstractFactory{

Object create();
void destroy();
};

interface concreteFactory:abstractFactory{

struct Struct{
short number;
};
readonly attribute long identifier;
Struct getStruct();
};
};
After the interface has been pre-compiled, it has to be implemented. If you choose to use the BOA method,
you have to subclass from the [Name Of the interface]ImplBase. This class is generated by the
pre-compiler. In the case of the Factory interface, there are two ImplBase classes that are generated, one
for each interface in the module:

public class concreteFactory_i extends Patterns._concreteFactoryImplBase

public class abstractFactory_i extends Patterns._abstractFactoryImplBase

..
It is the ImplBase classes that are the key to the BOA method of using CORBA.
The ImplBase classes are generated for the module that you define. Here is the definition of the
*ImplBase class:

abstract public class _concreteFactoryImplBase extends

org.omg.CORBA.portable.Skeleton implements
Patterns.concreteFactory {
There are two pieces to the preceding class; the first is that it implements the Java interface mapping that
corresponds to the IDL interface. The second is that the class extends the Skeleton class. The Skeleton
class on the server side is the component that marshals and demarshals incoming invocations from the client
side.
A class that extends the *ImplBase class automatically acquires all these functions. All that the deriving
subclass has to do is override the methods that are specified in the interface. This is shown in Listing B.1.
Listing B.1 BOA Factory Component

package Patterns;
public class concreteFactory_i extends Patterns._concreteFactoryImplBase {

private Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct a_struct = new

Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct();
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;

public concreteFactory_i(java.lang.String name, org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa) {

super(name);
a_struct.number = 10010;
boa_ = boa;
}

public concreteFactory_i(org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa) {

super();
a_struct.number = 10010;
boa_ = boa;
}
public Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct getStruct() {
return a_struct;
}

public org.omg.CORBA.Object create() {

return this;
}
public void destroy() {
boa_.deactivate_obj(this);
}

public int identifier() {

return a_struct.number;
}
This is all that is required to implement the BOA model in a object.

The TIE Approach

TIE achieves the same result as BOA, but through using delegation instead of inheritance. Under C++, TIE is
achieved by using a macro to “tie” together an implementation and the mapping. One of the prime reasons for
using TIE instead of BOA is that TIE is considered more flexible because it enables a developer to have
multiple implementations for the same interface.
The process of implementing a TIE model is given in Listing B.2. The first thing you have to do is
pre-compile the interface. The TIE model is implemented by overriding the *Operations interface that is
generated by the pre-compiler.
The Factory interface has a corresponding TIE interface,
Patterns.abstractFactoryOperations. In order to implement the TIE, you must implement the
interface shown in Listing B.2.
Listing B.2 TIE Factory Component

package Patterns;

public class TieFactory implements Patterns.abstractFactoryOperations{

private Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct a_struct = new

Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct();
private org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa_ = null;
public TieFactory(org.omg.CORBA.BOA boa){
a_struct.number = 10010;
boa_ = boa;
}

public org.omg.CORBA.Object create(){

return this;
}

public void destroy(){

boa_.deactivate_obj(this);
}

public Patterns.concreteFactoryPackage.Struct getStruct(){

return a_struct;
}

public int identifier(){

return a_struct.number;
}
}
Because the *Operations interface is an extension of the AbstractFactory interface, the
implementation of abstractFactoryOperations must implement all the methods that are specified in
both the interfaces.
The basic difference should be clear. I have specifically used the example of Java in the preceding example,
because Java makes the distinction between classes and types and that is essentially the difference between
BOA and TIE.

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Appendix C
Orbix and MFC
In This Appendix
• Starting an Orbix/MFC Project
• The Server-Side Interface Implementation
• Building the Client
In this appendix, you look at how to use Orbix and the Visual C++ environment together so that they can be
used productively.

Starting an Orbix/MFC Project

This project uses the following interface:

module mfc{
interface authenticator{

exception authenticationException{string reason;};

struct user {
string name;
string pwd;
};

void authenticate(in user aUser) raises (authenticationException);

};

};
This interface naturally consists of two projects: one for the server side and the other for the client side. The
server side uses a normal console application. The client side uses MFC to implement the application.

The Server-Side Interface Implementation

The implementation of the server-side interface is very straightforward. The main purpose in this appendix is
not to emphasize this implementation but to show how to build the client side. Here is how the server-side
interface is implemented:

#include <iostream.h>
#include “authn.hpp”

void mfc::authenticator_i:: authenticate (const mfc::authenticator::user&

aUser, CORBA::Environment &IT_env) {

cout<<aUser.name<<endl;
cout<<aUser.pwd<<endl;
}
The logic of the implementation is limited to just outputting the parameter to the standard I/O. The server
implementation is also very straightforward:

#include <iostream.h>
#include “authn.hpp”

void main(){
mfc::authenticator_var authenticate;

try {
CORBA::Orbix.impl_is_ready(“Signer”);
}
catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {
cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;
cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
} catch (...) {
cout << “Unexpected exception” << endl;
exit(1);
}

cout << “server exiting” << endl;

}
The server code consists of initializing the mfc::authenticator class and informing the BOA that the
implementation is ready to receive invocations.
Register the server using the Orbix Server Manager or the putit utility. When registered, the server runs as
shown in Figure C.1.

Figure C.1 The authentication server.

Building the Client

The client is built using MFC. Orbix 2.3c provides a Visual C++ add-on wizard to assist in the generation of
MFC-based projects. Take the following steps to create an Orbix/MFC project:
1. Select the MFC/Win32 Console Orbix Wizard from the Projects tab of the New dialog that appears
when you create a new project, as shown in Figure C.2.
Figure C.2 Orbix/MFC Wizard, page 1.
2. Insert the IDL file that was specified. Then instruct the Wizard to generate support for the client side.
This operation is shown in Figure C.3.

Figure C.3 Orbix/MFC Wizard, page 2.

3. When step 1 is done, you will be presented with a dialog box in which you can decide whether you
want an MFC window application or a console application. For this example, use the MFC application.
The window is shown in Figure C.4.

Figure C.4 Orbix/MFC Wizard, page 3.

4. Decide whether you want a full-blown MFC application with its own windows. This example uses a
simple dialog box to build the application. The choice is shown in Figure C.5.

Figure C.5 Orbix/MFC Wizard, page 4.

The application will not use all the fancy options that MFC provides. For instance, you can add support for
multidocument interface–based UI or add support for databased. For the present exercise, we will just stick to
the basics. Therefore, all the other options are turned off.
When the required files have been generated, switch to the resource pane. Select the dialog folder to open the
IDD_ORBIXMD_DIALOG resource. Add two text box and two button controls to the form so that the end
result looks like Figure C.6. The object is to allow someone to use the form as a password requestor dialog for
an application.

Figure C.6 MFC dialog building in progress.

The second TextField is a password field so that when the user enters some information, the text is
replaced with asterisks.
Modification to the application is made to the COrbixMDApp class. Therein, the following code is added to
the InitInstance() method:

BOOL COrbixMFCApp::InitInstance()
{

COrbixMFCDlg dlg;
int nResponse = dlg.DoModal();
try{
mfc::authenticator_var remoteObject =
mfc::authenticator::_bind(“:Signer”);
mfc::authenticator::user_var User;

if (nResponse == IDOK){
User->name = dlg.m_name;
User->pwd = dlg.m_pwd;
remoteObject->authenticate(User);
}
}

catch (CORBA::SystemException &sysEx) {

cerr << “Unexpected system exception” << endl;

cerr << &sysEx;
exit(1);
}

return FALSE;
}
This implementation is not radically different from other client implementations except that the
implementation is encapsulated in an MFC method.
After the code is entered, all you have to do is compile and link it.

Summary
Orbix 2.3 has taken another step toward closer integration with Microsoft Visual C++ with the addition of
improved support for MFC. MFC is, by far, the most-used class library on the market. Despite CORBA’s
cross-platform support, it seems likely that CORBA is going to be most heavily adopted in Microsoft
environments.
Therefore, it seems necessary to have MFC integration as painless and effortless as possible. As the example
in this appendix illustrates, this is now possible.

Table of Contents

Products | Contact Us | About Us | Privacy | Ad Info | Home

CORBA Programming Unleashed

(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Suhail Ahmed
Go! ISBN: 0672310260
Publication Date: 12/28/98
Keyword
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Table of Contents

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Index
A
abstract factory pattern interface implementation, listings
concreteFactory, 467
FactoryClient, 469-470
FactoryServer, 468
overview, 466-467
ACID characteristics of transactions, 236
funds transfer example, 237
activation modes
overview, 274
per-method activation, 291
persistent activation, 292
shared activation
C++ server implementation, 284
Java server implementation, 284-285
overview, 282
per-client process shared activation, 283, 286
per-client shared activation, 283
types, 275
unshared activation client
C++ implementation, 289
Java implementation, 290
unshared activation mode
C++ implementation, 287
Java implementation, 288
overview, 287
agents, mobile, 442-443
Voyager, 443-450
amazon.com Web site, 37
APIs (application programming interfaces)
BOA API, 536-538
Generic Security Services Application Program Interface (GSS
API), 262, 270
interceptor, 409-421
Java servlets, 430-431
applications
Java2iiop, 370-373
launching
options, 72
SOAR, 74
architectures, infrastructural components, 12
array IDL types, 146-154
array memory management, client-side and server-side, 177
asynchronous server implementation, 358
attaching. See installing
attachPost() method, 306
attachPre() method, 306
authentication, 261
authorization, 261

B
banking example of transactional programming, 241
LittleBank embedded SQL, 244-245
LittleBank interface, 242
LittleBank interface header, 243
LittleBank interface implementation, 246
LittleBank transaction client, 249-250
LittleBankServer interface implementation, 247
basic IDL types, 136
with IDL operations, 157
Basic Object Adapter (BOA) approach, 544-546
API, 536-538
compared to Portable Object Adapter (POA), 104
BeanInfo class, 528-530
bind interceptors, 409
bind method, 187
BindFilter interface implementation, 418
binding names, 187-188
BindInterceptor class, 411
initialization class, 419
BindInterceptor
implementations
BindFilter, 418
FilterClient, 421
FilterServer, 420
initialization class, 419
bind_context method, 187
bind_new_context method, 187
BOA (Basic Object Adapter) approach, 544-546
API, 536-538
compared to Portable Object Adapter (POA), 104
BOA BOA_init(inout arg_list argv,in OAid boa_identifier) function,
540
boolean poll_response() function, 542
bound JavaBean properties, 519-520
bridge concept, 9
bridges, IIOP, 10

C
C++
classes, mapping object references to, 124
OTS (Object Transaction Service), 240
C++ implementations
loaders, 329
memory management
client-side for IDL strings, 172
heuristics, 179
IDL arrays, 176
IDL operations, 166-167
IDL sequences, 172-174
IDL strings, 169-171
overview, 166
parameter types, 178
overview, 166
server, of shared activation mode, 284
unshared client implementation, 289
unshared server implementation, 287
Caffeine, 368
2iiop compiler, 368-370
Java2idl compiler, 368
Java2iiop
applications, 370-373
clients, 377-379
compiler, 368
servers, 373-377
URL naming, 368
callbacks
asynchronous, defining, 357-364
client user interface, 361-364
defining, 348
chat server application, 349-356
description, 348
server implementation, 359
server user interface, 360-361
uses, 348
cbooks.com Web site, 37
CGI (Common Gateway Interface), 426
chat server application, 349
chatParty client/server, 350-354
chatServer, 354-355
chatServer runtime implementation, 355-356
chatParty client/server interface, 349-354
classes
BeanInfo, 528-530
BindInterceptor, 411-412
ClientInterceptor, 410
Filter, 297
methods, 297-298
Holder, 156-157
IORTransmitter, 21
IORTuner, IORR server implementations, 26
Java, 136
objectFilter, 304
Offer, 203
OrbixIORTuner, 28-32
ProcessFilter, 300
Property Editor, 531
Repository, 204
ReservationEvent, code, 45
ServerInterceptor, 409-410
client interceptors, 409
client-side event handlers, 396-398
compared to interceptors, 400
installing, 400
registering, 398, 400
client-side memory management
arrays, 177
sequences, 175-176
strings, 172
ClientInterceptor class, 410
clients
CORBA servlets, 432-439
filters, installing
per-object, 306-307
per-process, 302
Hangar client implementation, 193-195
invocations, exception handling, 14
IORR transmitter, 19
IORR server implementations, 23
Java2iiop, 377-379
OTS (Object Transaction Service), developing
banking example, 241
Current interface, 240
LittleBank embedded SQL, 244-245
LittleBank interface, 242
LittleBank interface header, 243
LittleBank interface implementation, 246
LittleBank transaction client, 249-250
LittleBankServer interface implementation, 247
transactional C++ and Java, 240
register() method, IORR, 17
SOAR system, interacting with servers, 75
clientstubonly switch, 27
code, process activation mode interface, 275-276
code listings, filters
constructing, 299-300
per-object
clients, 306-307
defining, 303-304
servers, 305
per-process
client filters, 302
server filters, 301
command patterns
benefits, 456
listings, 456-457
CloseConnection interface, 459
command client, 462
command server, 461
DataOperations interface, 460-461
OpenConnection interface, 458
OperateOnDatabase interface, 458
Patterns::Command interface, 457
overview, 455
commands, idl, -F switch, 303
Common Gateway Interface (CGI), 426
Common Secure Interoperability (CSI), 266
levels of conformance, 266
compiling IDL, 15-19
component-based application development, 514
components
callbacks, 348
Trader Service, 199
connection-oriented transports, GIOP (General Inter-ORB
Protocol), 9-10
constancy of interfaces, power nine problem, 212
constants, 154-155
constrained JavaBean properties, 520
constraints, SOAR system, 38
constructed IDL types, 136, 140-141
DII (Dynamic Invocation Interface), 501-504
with IDL operations, 157-162
consumer-driven event model, Event Service, 214
containers, description, 167
contexts, NamingContexts, 186
continueProcess() method, OrbixIORTuner class, 31
cookies, stateless servers, 37
CORBA Java servlets, 431
clients, 430-439
presentation layers, 428-429
reasons for usage, 427
CORBA 1.0
ORB vendors, 8
protocols, 10
CORBA 2.0
IIOP, 10
vendors, 8
CORBA, String var type, memory management, 170
CORBA, events-based applications
typed push models
push consumer, 231-233
push supplier, 225-230
untyped push models, 217
push event client implementation, 222-224
push supplier, 217-221
CorbaBean applications, 524-528
CORBASEC (CORBA Security Specification)
elements, 260
authentication and authorization, 261
domain, 262
policy, 261
principal, 260
privileges, 261
session/context, 262
goals, 260
interfaces
accessing, 267
HTTP tunneling, 268
IIOP proxy servers and firewalls, 268
Java security, 269
levels of compliance, 266
Level 1, 266
Level 2, 267
overview, 260
CORBAServices, infrastructural components, 12
CORBA functions
_duplicate(), 538
_get_implementation(), 538
_get_interface(), 539
_hash(), 539
_is_a(), 539
_is_equivalent(), 539
_nil(), 539
_non_existent(), 539
_request(), 539
change_implementation(), 536
create(), 536
deactivate_impl(), 536-537
deactivate_obj(), 537
dispose(), 537
get_id(), 537
get_principal(), 537
impl_is_ready(), 537
obj_is_ready(), 538
Object\Principal interface, 542
Request interface, 541-542
cryptology, adding, 265
Secure Inter-ORB Protocol (SECIOP), 266
Secure Socket Layer (SSL), 265
current interface
CORBASEC and ORB integration, 267
HTTP tunneling, 268
IIOP proxy servers and firewalls, 268
Java security, 269
OTS (Object Transaction Service), defining, 240
CUTrader interface example, 200-201
client-side CUTrader service, 209-210
CUTrader exporter, 206
CUTrader importer, 208-210
CUTrader service, 207-208
implementing, 201-204
server-side implementation, 206
using, 206

D
data representation paradigm, 490
delegated event model, Event Channel, 214
semantics, 215-216
deleting names, 188
dependencies of interfaces, reducing, 212
design metrics, 455
design patterns
abstract factory pattern implementation, listings,
concreteFactory interface , 467
FactoryClient interface, 469-470
FactoryServer interface, 468
overview, 466-467
benefits, 455
command patterns, listings, 456-457
benefits, 456
CloseConnection interface, 459
command client, 462
command interface, 457
command server, 461
DataOperations interface, 460-461
OpenConnection interface, 458
OperateOnDatabase interface, 458
overview, 455
overview, 454
proxy pattern implementation, listings
overview, 463
proxy client, 465-466
proxy interface, 463-464
proxy server, 464
design problems, 454
DII (Dynamic Invocation Interface), 491-493, 541
implementation
client, 497-500
interface, 493-497
server, 497
object references, 509-511
operations
primitive, 506-509
sequence, 504-506
string, 506-509
struct, 501-504
distributed middleware, iBus, 13
distributed security issues
constantly changing implementions, 264
invocation chaining, 264
overview, 263
server location, 263
Distributed Transaction Process (DTP), 238
implicit/explicit propagation, 239
transaction context, 239
Transaction Manager, 239
domains
description, 262
ORBs, 9
Dynamic Invocation Interface (DII), 541

E
e-commerce example of transactional programming, 250-251
OnlineBookStore interface, 251-253
OnlineBookStore transaction client, 253-254
EJB (Enterprise JavaBeans) model, 516
embedded SQL for transactions, 244-245
Enterprise JavaBeans model (EJB), 516
enumerated IDL types, 141-142
environments, uses of CORBA, 166
ESIOP (Environment-Specific Inter-ORB Protocol), 10
Event Channel, delegated event model, 214
semantics, 215-216
event handlers, 396
client-side, 396-398
compared to Interceptors, 400
installing, 400
registering, 398-400
server-side, 400, 403-404
Event Service, 184
consumer-driven event model, 214
CORBA events-based application
push event client implementation, 222-224
typed push models, 225-233
untyped push models, 217-221
event types, 216
typed, 217
typed, example, 225-233
untyped, 216
untyped, example, 217-224
reducing interface dependencies, 212
supplier-driven event model, 213
events
client-side, 396
JavaBean, 520-524
server-side, 396
exporting services, Trader Service, 198

F
F switch (idl command), 303
Factory component, 62-63
Factory interface implementation, SOAR system, 61-62
FactoryServer
interface implementation, SOAR system, 63-66
listings
interface, 65-66
thread, 63-64
Filter class, 297
methods, 297-298
FilterClient interface implementation, listings
BindInterceptor, 421
ServerInterceptor, 417
FilterObject interface implementation
listing, 412
SOAR system, 62-63
filters (Orbix), 296. See also interceptors
monitor points, 296-297
per-object implementation, 296, 303-305
client, 306-307
server, 305-306
per-process filters
defined, 296
implementing, 298-301
installing, 301-302
methods, 297-298
FilterServer interface implementation, listings
BindInterceptor, 420
ServerInterceptor, 417
firewalls, overview, 268
flags, ior.idl, 15
flat transactions, 256
Flight interface implementation
listing, 225
server-side, 46-47
SOAR system, 40
FlightConsumer implementation, 223-224
funds transfer transaction scenario, 237

G
Gang of Four (GoF), 454
General Inter-ORB Protocol (GIOP), 9-10
Generic Security Services Application Program Interface (GSS
API), 262, 270
getReferenceCall() function, 509-511
getSequenceCall() function, 504-506
getStructCall() function, 503-504
getStubClass() method, 385
GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 9-10
global handlers, 399

H
half bridges, ESIOP (Environment-Specific Inter-ORB Protocol), 10
Hangar deactivation class, POA application, 112-114
Hangar interface, 188-189
implementations, 108-110
client, 193-195
interface, 189-190
server, 190-193
POA application, 107
Hangar Server GUI, POA application, 115-117
HangarClient, POA application, 118-119
HangarServer interface, POA application implementation, 110-111
hashcode() method, JGL Hashset, 17
header file defining IDL interfaces, 243
heuristics, memory management, 179
Holder classes, 156-157
hosting GUI objects
InternalFrames, using, 73-74
HTTP tunneling, 268

I
iBus, 13
client listeners, 23
IORR transmitter, 19-21
IORReceiver class, 24
IDL
arrays, memory management, 176
exceptions, 162-164
interfaces, 138
internal construction, 139-140
IORR, 14
compiling, 15-19
mapping, Java, reserved names, 136
modules, 137-138
operations, 155-156
classes, Holder, 156-157
memory management, 166-167
with types, 157-162
pre-compiler files generated, 15
typedefs and constants, 154-155
idl command, -F switch, 303
IDL memory management, 169-170
sequences, 172-173
in sequence, 174
inout sequence, 174
out sequence, 174
strings
client-side, 172
CORBA, String var type, 170
stringmap operation, 171
IDL pre-compilers
BOA (Basic Object Adapter) approach, 544-546
per-object filters, supporting, 303
seat as structure representing class, 43
TIE approach, 546-547
IDL types
array, 146-154
basic with IDL operations, 157
constructed, 140-141
DII, 501-504
with IDL operations, 157-162
enumerated, 141-142
mapping to Java, 136
primitive, DII, 506-509
sequence, DII, 504-509
template
sequence, 145-154
string, 143-145
union, 142-143
IIOP, 10
compliant stubs, skeletons, and support files, Java2iiop compiler,
368-370
proxy servers and firewalls, 268
implicit propagation, 239
in array (IDL), memory management, 176
in parameters, CORBA memory ownership principle, 167
in sequence (IDL), memory management, 174
in strings, memory management, 171
incrementing reference counts, object references
comparing IONA’s T ptr and T var, 129-130
on the client, 129
on the server, 128
on the server and client, 129
indexed JavaBean properties, 519
information model, IIOP, 10
infrastructural components, 12
inout parameter, 18
CORBA memory ownership principle, 169
inout sequence (IDL), memory management, 174
inout strings, memory management, 171
inReplyFailure() method, 298
inReplyPostMarshal() method, 298
inReplyPreMarshal() method, 298
inRequestPostMarshal() method, 297
inRequestPreMarshal() method, 297
threading strategy, 315
installing
event handlers, client-side, 400
per-object filters
client objects, 306-307
server objects, 305-306
per-process filters, 301
client processes, 302
server processes, 301
ServerInterceptor
FilterClient implementation, 417
FilterServer implementation, 417
InterceptorInstaller implementation, 416
ServerFilterFactory implementation, 415
interceptor APIs, 409
BindInterceptor class, 411-412
BindInterceptor, constructing, 418-421
ClientInterceptor class, 410
ServerInterceptor class, 409-410
ServerInterceptor
constructing, 412-414
installing, 415-417
InterceptorInstaller interface implementation, 416
interceptors. See also filters
compared to SmartStubs, 382-383
event handlers, client-side, 400
Interface Repository. See IR (Interface Repository)
interface representation paradigm, 490
InterfaceDef interface, 480-481
InternalFrames, hosting GUI objects, 73-74
interoperability, 8
GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 9
OMG’s reasons for, 8
problems with, 12
invocation chaining, security issues, 264
Invoice Client interface, 96-97
Invoice GUI, SOAR system, 96-97
IORR (IOR Registry), 12-13
IDL, 14
compiling, 15-19
server implementations, 21-23
client side, 23
IORReceiver class, 24-28
transmitter, 19-21
IORReceiver class
IORR server implementations, 24-28
OrbixIORTuner class, 30
IORs (Interoperable Object References), 11-12
IORTransmitter class, 21
IORTransmitter object, server implementations, 23
IORTuner class, IORR server implementations, 26
IP addresses, IORTransmitter class, 21
IP Multicast
iBus, IORR transmitter, 19
IORR server implementations, 27
IR (Interface Repository), 474-480
interfaces
InterfaceDef, 480-481
ModuleDef, 480
OperationDef, 481-482
using, 483-488
VisiBroker Repository, 482-483
IRObject object model, 477-480

J
Java
classes
basicJavaType, 136
type, 136
comparing to CORBA, 36
iBus, 13
implementation
loaders, 330
pam module, 278-279
pam::nactivation, 280-281
shared activation mode, 284-285
unshared client, 290
unshared server, 288
inout parameter, 18
mapping IDL types to Java, 136-137
array, 146-154
basic, 157
constructed, 140-141, 157-162
enumerated, 141-142
reserved names, 136
sequence, 145-154
string, 143-145
typedefs and constants, 154-155
union, 142-143
OTS (Object Transaction Service), 240
property files, IORR transmitter, 19
security, 269
servlets, 431
APIs, 430-431
CORBA clients, 432-439
developing, 429-430
presentation layers, 428-429
reasons for usage with CORBA, 427
Java AWT, CardLayout, SearchClient GUI (SOAR), 76, 80-81
Java2idl compiler, 368
Java2iiop
applications, 370-373
clients, 377-379
compiler, 368-370
servers, 373-377
JavaBean
components
model, 514-518
property editors and sheets, 530-531
events, 520-524
properties
bound, 519-520
constrained, 520
indexed, 519
simple, 519
JGL HashSet
Offer class, 203
Registry entries, 17
Repository class, 204

K-L
Kerberos (security system), 262, 270
launching applications
options for, 72
SOAR, 74
LifeCycle Service, 184
listeners, IORR client-side implementation, 23
listings
Agent Server implementation, 445-446
Aircraft Server, 449
asynchronous server implementation, 358
BeanInfo class implementation, 529-530
BindInterceptor initialization class, 419
BOA Factory Component, 545-546
BrewEvent Class, 521
BrewListener interface, 521
callback
client interface, 361-362
client user interface, 363-364
server implementation, 359
server user interface, 360-361
chatParty
client/server interface, 350-354
interface, 349
chatServer
interface, 354-355
runtime implementation, 355-356
CloseConnection interface implementation, 459
CoffeeMachine implementation, 518
CoffeeMaker Implementation with Events, 522-523
CoffeeMaker Property Editor, 531
command interface, 456-457
command pattern
client, 462
implementation, 457
server, 461
concreteFactory interface implementation, 467
CORBABeanClient implementation, 527-528
CORBABeanServer implementation, 527
CUTrader
client using, 209-210
interface, 200-201
interface implementation, 201-203
service, using, 207-208
DataOperations interface implementation, 460-461
embedded SQL for transactions, 244-245
event handlers
client-side, 397-400
client-side, registering, 398-399
server-side, 404
Factory component, 62-63
FactoryClient interface implementation, 469-470
FactoryServer
interface, 65-66
interface implementation, 468
thread, 63-64
FilterClient interface
implementation, 418
implementation for BindInterceptor, 421
implementation for ServerInterceptor, 417
FilterObject interface implementation, 412
FilterServer interface implementation, 403-404
BindInterceptor, 420
ServerInterceptor, 417
Flight
interface implementation, 225
server, 46-47
FlightConsumer implementation, 223-224
Hangar
client implementation, 193-195
interface implementation, 190
Server GUI (POA), 115-117
server implementation, 191-192
HangarClient (POA), 118-119
HangarImpl interface implementation, 108-110
HangarServer interface implementation, 110-111
header file defining IDL interfaces, 243
InterceptorInstaller interface implementation, 416
Invoice Client interface, 96-97
IORReceiver class, 24
IORRegistry transmitter, 19
IR (Interface Repository)
Dynamic.idl, 475-476
Reader Client, 483-486
Java implementation
pam module, 278-279
pam::nactivation, 280-281
Java2iiop
client, 377
component, 371-372
server 373-377
JavaBean user interface, 524-526
LittleBank
interface implementation, 246
transaction client, 249-250
LittleBankServer interface implementation, 247
loaders
C++ implementation, 329
Java implementation, 330
memory management
arrays, client- and server-side, 177
sequences, client- and server-side, 175-176
strings, server-side, 171
Object Header file, 130-131
object module
client-side, 133-134
implementation, 131-132
server implementation, 133
OnlineBookStore
interface, 251-253
transaction client, 253-254
OpenConnection interface implementation, 458
OperateOnDatabase interface implementation, 458
Orbix C++ implementation of pam module, 276-278
OrbixIORTuner class, 28
PaymentClient interface, 90-95
Payments component, 67-69
PaymentServer
interface, 71-72
thread, 69-70
Proxy implementations
client, 465-466
interface, 386-387, 463-464
Proxy Smart Client, 391-392
Proxy SmartStub, 388-390
server, 464
push event client implementation, 222
Registry interface, 15
Repository class, 204
reservation requirements, SOAR system, 40-43
ReservationsClient interface, 82-89
ReservationServer interface, 49
Search component, 52-54
SearchClient interface, 76-80
SearchServer interface, 58-60
server hosts, 22
server object, 401, 403
ServerFilter interface implementation, 413-414
ServerFilterFactory interface implementation, 415
servlets
CORBA implementation, 432-437
Hello World, 430
shared activation mode
C++ server implementation, 284
Java server implementation, 284-285
SmartStub Server, 387-392
SOAR Client
applet, 98-100
HTML page, 100-101
SOARServerWindow, 73-74
Terminator class (POA), 112-114
thread pools
request client implementation, 322-324
Request interface, 320
request server implementation, 321
thread-per-client
client implementation, 316-318
header file, 312-313
implementation file, 313-315
server implementation, 315
TIE Factory Component, 546
TimeTableServer thread, 57-58
TransactionalObject, constructing, 242
typed event client, 231-233
typed supplier implementation, 228-229
unshared client mode
C++ implementation, 289
Java implementation, 290
unshared server mode
C++ implementation, 287
Java implementation, 288
untyped event supplier implementation, 219-221
LittleBank embedded SQL, 244-245
LittleBank interface
implementation, 246-247
OTS, 242-243
LittleBank transaction client, 249-250
load balancing, designing interceptors, 408

M
makeNumberCall() function, 506-509
makeReferenceCall() function, 509-511
makeSequenceCall() function, 504-506
makeStringCall() function, 506-509
makeStructCall() function, 501-503
mapping
IDL types to Java, 136-137
array, 146-154
basic, 157
constructed, 140-141, 157-162
enumerated, 141-142
Java reserved names, 136
sequence, 145-154
string, 143, 145
typedefs and constants, 154-155
union, 142-143
object references to C++ classes, 124
marshaling, 296. See filters
memory management
C++
client-side for IDL strings, 172
heuristics, 179
IDL arrays, 176
IDL operations, 166-167
IDL sequences, 172-174
IDL strings, 169-171
overview, 166
parameter types, 178
object references, 125
principles, 167-169
message-oriented middleware (MOM), 256
messages, GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 9
methods
attachPost(), 306
attachPre(), 306
bind, 187
bind_context, 187
bind_new_context, 187
continueProcess(), OrbixIORTuner class, 31
getStubClass(), 385
inReplyFailure(), 298
inReplyPostMarshal(), 298
inReplyPreMarshal(), 298
inRequestPostMarshal(), 297
inRequestPreMarshal(), 297
narrow, 188, 195
outReplyFailure(), 298
outReplyPostMarshal(), 297
outReplyPreMarshal(), 297
outRequestPostMarshal(), 297
outRequestPreMarshal(), 297
principal(), 300
rebind, 188
rebind_context, 188
resetStub(), 385
resolve, 195
resolve_initial_references, 192
retrieveAndDeleteAircraft, 190
setStubClass(), 384
unbind, 188
MFC/Win32 Console Orbix Wizard, 552-554
mobile agents, 442-443
Voyager, 443-450
Model View Controller pattern, 373
modeling systems on state transitions, 212
ModuleDef interface, 480
mutual authentication, 261

N
NameComponent structure, 185-186
names. See also Naming Service
binding, 187-188
contexts
creating, 186
deleting, 188
naming hierarchy, 186
deleting, 188
NameComponent structure, 185-186
reserved, Java IDL mapping, 136
resolving, 188
Naming Service, 184. See also names
advantages, 185
comparing to Trader Service, 198
Hangar implementation
client, 193-195
interface, 188-190
server, 190-193
NameComponent structure, 185-186
NamingContexts
binding names, 187-188
creating, 186
deleting, 188
deleting names, 188
naming hierarchies, 186
resolving names, 188
narrow method, 188, 195
nested transactions, 256
networked file systems, IIOR, 13
nonrepudiation, 296

O
Object Header file, 130-131
Object Management Group. See OMG
object modules, implementations, 130-132
client, 133-134
server, 133
object references
as parameters, 126
passing from client to server, 126
passing inout, 127
passing server to client, 127
DII, 509, 511
mapping to C++ classes, 124
memory management for, 125
overview, 124
reference counts, 127
comparing IONA’s T__ptr and T__var, 129-130
incrementing on the server and client, 128-129
object string_to_object(in string str) function, 540
Object Transaction Service. See OTS
object-oriented analysis and design (OOA/D), SOAR system, 38
object-oriented approaches, systems with state transitions, 212
objectFilter class, 304
objects
location, GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 9
per-object filters, 303
client implemetation, 306-307
defined, 296
defining, 303-305
server implemetation, 305-306
reservations, constructing, 48
Offer class, 203
OMG (Object Management Group), 490
interoperability, 8
OnlineBookStore
interface (OTS), 251, 253
transaction client (OTS), 253-254
OperationDef interface, 481-482
ORB class, IORs, 11
ORB integration, CORBASEC interfaces, 267
HTTP tunneling, 268
IIOP servers and firewalls, 268
Java security, 269
Orbix
C++ implementation of pam module, 276-278
filters, 296
monitor points, 296-297
per-object filters, 296, 303-307
per-process filters, 296-302
thread-per-client
client implementation, 316-318
header file, 312-313
implementation file, 313-315
server implementation, 315
Orbix/MFC projects
implementations
client-side, 551-554
server-side, 550-551
starting, 550
OrbixIORTuner class implementation, 28-32
OrbixWeb implementations
applications, asynchronous callbacks, 358
Callback client, 361-362
Callback client user interface, 363-364
Callback server interface, 358-359
Callback server user interface, 360-361
pam module, 278-279
pam::nactivation, 280-281
ORBs, 9
CORBA 1.0, 8
GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 9
IIOP, 10
server implementations, 23
OTS (Object Transaction Service)
banking example, 241
LittleBank embedded SQL, 244-245
LittleBank interface, 242
LittleBank interface header, 243
LittleBank interface implementation, 246
LittleBank transaction client, 249-250
LittleBankServer interface implementation, 247
clients
banking example, 241
Current interface, 240
transactional C++ and Java, 240
Distributed Transaction Process (DTP), 238
implicit/explicit propagation, 239
transaction context, 239
Transaction Manager, 239
e-commerce example, 250-251
OnlineBookStore interface, 251-253
OnlineBookStore transaction client, 253-254
message-oriented middleware, 256
nested transactions, 256
overview, 236
transactions
commit and rollback operations, 236
definition, 236
funds transfer example, 237
two-phase commit protocol, 238
Transaction Processing Monitors, 256
out parameters, CORBA memory ownership principle, 167
out sequence (IDL), memory management, 174
out strings, memory management, 171
outReplyFailure() method, 298
outReplyPostMarshal() method, 297
outReplyPreMarshal() method, 297
outRequestPostMarshal() method, 297
outRequestPreMarshal() method, 297
ownership of memory, CORBA memory management principles,
167-169

P-Q
pam module
code for, 276
Java implementation, 278-279
Orbix C++ implementation, 276-278
pam::nactivation, Java implementation, 280-281
parameter passing, memory management
C++ parameter types, 178
client-side for IDL strings, 172
CORBA memory ownership principle, 167-169
heuristics, 179
IDL
arrays, 176
operations, 166-167
sequences, 172-174
strings, 169-171
parameters, object references as, 126
passing from client to server, 126
passing from server to client, 127
passing inout, 127
patterns, description, 454
Payment interface implementation, SOAR system, 67-69
Payment server, SOAR system, 66-67
PaymentClient GUI, SOAR system, 90-95
PaymentClient interface, 90-95
Payments component, 67-69
PaymentServer
interface implementation, SOAR system, 69-72
interface, 71-72
thread, 69-70
peer-to-peer technology, 9
per-client process shared activation
overview, 283
registering servers, 286
per-method activation, 291
per-object filters, 303
defined, 296, 303-305
implementations
client, 306-307
server, 305-306
per-process filters
defined, 296
implementing, 298-301
installation processes, 301
client, 302
server, 301
methods, 297-298
persistent activation, 292
pervasive security standards
Distributed Computing Environment (DEC) Security Services,
270
Kerberos, 270
POA (Portable Object Adapter)
acquiring and activating, 106-107
application, implementing, 107
Hangar deactivation class, 112-114
Hangar interface, 108-110
Hangar Server GUI, 115-117
HangarClient, 118-119
HangarServer interface, 110-111
architecture, 105
DAIS J2 examples, 105
overview, 104
rationale for, 104
root POA default policies, 106
steps for using, 106
power nine problem, 212
pre-compilers, IDL, files generated, 15
presentation layers, Java servlets, 428-429
primitive IDL types, DII, 506-509
principal, description, 260
principal() method, 300
privileges, description, 261
process activation modes (PAM), 274, 281. See also activation modes
processes, per-process filters
defined, 296
implementing, 298-301
installing, 301-302
methods, 297-298
monitor points, 296-297
ProcessFilter class, 300
programming by contract, 408
properties, JavaBean
bound, 519-520
constrained, 520
indexed, 519
simple, 519
Property Editor class, 531
property editors and sheets, 530-531
property files, IORR transmitter, 19
proto-e-commerce, 37
protocols
ESIOP (Environment-Specific Inter-ORB Protocol), 10
GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 9-10
IIOP, 10
proxy pattern
overview, 463
implementations
proxy client, 465-466
proxy interface, 463-464
proxy server, 464
pseudo object IDL types, 136
pulling events, PullSupplier interface, 214
PullSupplier interface, 214
push event client implementation, untyped push model,
CORBAEvents-based applications, 222-224
push supplier, untyped push model, CORBAEvents-based
applications, 217-221
PushConsumer interface, 213
pushing events, PushConsumer interface, 213

R
rebind method, 188
rebind_context method, 188
reference counts
object references, 127
comparing IONA’s T__ptr and T__var, 129-130
incrementing on the client, 129
incrementing on the server, 128
incrementing on the server and client, 129
references, IORs, 11
Register interface example, 205
register() method. IORR, 17
registering
event handlers, client-side, 398, 400
servers, 285
shared per-client activation, 286
Registry
IOR, 13
IORR, 14
OrbixIORTuner class implementation, 32
reliability, GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 10
RemoveEntry() method, TimeTable interface implementation, 55
Repository class, 204
Reservation interface implementation, SOAR system, 43-44
reserveSeat() method, 44
reservation requirements, SOAR system, 39-43
ReservationEvent interface implementation, SOAR system, 44-45
ReservationListener interface implementation, SOAR system, 51
reservations object, 48
ReservationsClient GUI, SOAR system, 82-89
ReservationsClient interface, 82-89
ReservationServer interface implementation, SOAR system, 46-50
reserved names, Java IDL mapping, 136
resetStub() method, 385
resolve method, 195
resolve_initial_references method, 192
resolving names, 188
retrieveAndDeleteAircraft method, 190

S
scalability
activation modes, 274
shared activation servers, 310
Trader Service, 199
Schedule class, TimeTable interface implementation, 52-54
Search component, 52-54
search engine, implementing, SOAR system, 52
SearchClient interface, 76-80
SearchClientGUI, SOAR system, 76-81
SearchServer interface implementation, SOAR system, 58-60
Secure Inter-ORB Protocol (SECIOP), 266
Secure Socket Layer (SSL), 265
secure transport
overview, 265
Secure Inter-ORB Protocol (SECIOP), 266
Secure Socket Layer (SSL), 265
security issues. See distributed security issues; pervasive security
standards
Security Service, 185
Security Specification. See CORBASEC
security systems, types, 262
semantics
delegated event models, 215-216
semantic representation paradigm, 490-491
semaphores, 311
sequence (template) IDL types, 145-154
DII, 504-506
sequence memory management
client-side, 175-176
server-side, 175
server interceptors, 409
server location, security issues, 263
Server Manager, 285
server object, calling, 246
server-side events, 396
handlers, 400, 403-404
server-side memory management
arrays, 177
sequences, 175
strings, 171
in strings, 171
inout strings, 171
listing, 171
out strings, 171
ServerFilter interface implementation, 413-414
ServerFilterFactory interface implementation, 415
ServerInterceptor class, 409-410
ServerInterceptor, constructing, implementations, 412
FilterObject, 412
ServerFilter, 413-414
ServerInterceptor, installing, implementations
FilterClient, 417
FilterServer, 417
InterceptorInstaller, 416
ServerFilterFactory, 415
servers
activation modes
per-method , 291
persistent, 292
degree of state, 274
description, 274
filters, installing
per-object, 305-306
per-process, 301
shared , 282-286
Hangar server implementation, 190-193
hosting transitional objects, 248
IORR implementations, 21, 23
client side, 23
IORReceiver class, 24-28
Java2iiop, 373-377
registering, 285
shared per-client activation, 286
shared versus shared per-client, 285
unshared activation client, implementations
C++ , 289
Java, 290
unshared activation mode, implementations, 287
C++ , 287
Java, 288
services, 184
Event Service, 184
LifeCycle Service, 184
Naming Service, 184
advantages, 185
binding names, 187-188
deleting names, 188
Hangar client implementation, 193-195
Hangar interface implementation, 188-190
Hangar server implementation, 190-193
NameComponent structure, 185-186
NamingContexts, 186
resolving names, 188
nonrepudiation, 296
Security Service, 185
Trading Service, 184
Transaction Service, 185
servlets (Java), 431
APIs, 430-431
CORBA clients, 432-439
developing, 429-430
presentation layers, 428-429
reasons for usage with CORBA, 427
SESAME (security system), 262, 270
session (security), 262
setStubClass() method, 384
shared activation modes
overview, 282
per-client process shared activation, 283
registering, 286
per-client shared activation, 283
server implementations
C++, 284
consequences, 310
Java, 284-285
registering, 286
simple JavaBean properties, 519
SimpleBeanInfo methods, 528-529
SmartStubs, 382
compared to interceptors, 382-383
developing, 385-386
implementations, 388
clients, 388-393
servers, 386-388
internals, 384-385
uses, 383-384
SOAR system
analysis and design
constraints, 38
object-oriented analysis and design (OOA/D), 38
client, interacting with servers, 75
Factory interface implementation, 61-62
Factory::Object interface implementation, 62-63
FactoryServer interface implementation, 63-66
Flight interface implementation, 40
Invoice GUI, 96-97
Payment
interface implementation, 67-69
server, 66-67
PaymentClient GUI, 90-95
PaymentServer interface implementation, 69-72
prototype for wall-to-wall solutions, 38
Reservation interface implementation, 43-44
reserveSeat() method, 44
reservation requirements, 39-43
ReservationEvent interface implementation, 44-45
ReservationListener interface implementation, 51
ReservationsClient GUI, 82-89
ReservationServer interface implementation, 46-50
search engine, implementing, 52
SearchClient GUI, 76-81
SearchServer interface implementation, 58-60
SOAR.infrastructure.transmitter package, IORR transmitter, 19
SOAR Client applet
executing in browser, 101
running, 100-101
SOAR Client GUI, 98-100
SOAR Client HTML page, 100-101
SOARServerWindow, 73-74
subsolutions, 39
TimeTable interface implementation, 52-54
RemoveEntry() method, 55
TimeTableEvent interface implementation, 55-56
TimeTableServer interface implementation, 57-60
stateless servers, cookies, 37
Status create_environment(out Environment new_env) function,
541
Status create_list(in long count,out NVList new_list) function, 541
Status create_operation_list(in OperationDef oper, out NVList
new_list) function, 541
Status get_default_context(out Context ctx) function, 541
Status get_response() function, 542
Status invoke() function, 542
Status send_deferred() function, 542
Status send_oneway() function, 542
string (template) IDL types, 143-145
DII, 506-509
string memory management on server-side, 171
string object_to_string(in Object obj) function, 540
stringified object references, 11
stringmap operation, memory management, 171
in string, 171
inout string, 171
out string, 171
structures, NameComponent, 185-186
stubs, SmartStubs, 382
compared to Interceptors, 382-383
developing, 385-386
implementations, 388
clients, 388-393
servers, 386-388
internals, 384-385
uses, 383-384
subactivation modes, 275
subsolutions, SOAR system, 39
supplier-driven event model:Event Service, 213
system exceptions, 162-164

T
takestruct() function, 501-503
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), IIOP,
10
template IDL types, 136
memory management, 167
sequence, 145-154
string, 143, 145
Terminator class (POA), 112-114
threads
classes, OrbixIORTuner, 30-31
implementations, 311
thread pools, 319
thread pools request client, 322-324
thread pools Request interface, 320
thread pools request server, 321
thread-per-client, 312-313
thread-per-client client, 316-318
thread-per-client file, 313-315
thread-per-client server, 315
managing, 310
strategies
thread pools, 311
thread-per-object, 311
thread-per-session, 310
using, 274
TIE approach, 546-547
TimeTable interface implementation, SOAR system, 52-54
RemoveEntry() method, 55
TimeTableEvent interface implementation, SOAR system, 55-56
TimeTableServer interface implementation, SOAR system, , 57-60
trade-offs in engineering and design, 454
Trader Service
components, 199
implementations, examples
client using CUTrader service, 209-210
CUTrader exporter, 206
CUTrader importer, 208-210
CUTrader interface, 200-204
CUTrader server, 206
CUTrader service, 207-208
CUTrader, using, 206
Register interface, 205
state, 200
importing and exporting, 198
overview, 198
scalability, 199
Trading Service, 184
transactions
commit and rollback operations, 236
context, 239
definition, 236
Distributed Transaction Process (DTP), 238
implicit/explicit propagation, 239
transaction context, 239
Transaction Manager, 239
flat versus nested, 256
funds transfer example, 237
two-phase commit protocol, 238
Transaction Manager, 239
Transaction Processing Monitors, 256
Transaction Service, 185
transactional programming, 236. See also OTS
banking example, 241
TransactionalObject, 242
transport protocols, GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol), 10
two-phase commit protocol, transactions, 238
typed events
client, 231-233
Event Service, 217
interface, typed push model, 225-226
typed push models
Event Service, 225-233
typed push consumer, 231-233
typed push supplier, 227-230
Typed Push Server, 227
typedefs, 154-155

U
unbind method, 188
union IDL types, 142-143
unshared activation client, implementations
C++, 289
Java, 290
unshared activation mode, implementations
C++, 287
Java, 288
overview, 287
untyped event supplier implementation, 219-221
untyped events, Event Service, 216
untyped push models, Event Service, 217-224
URL naming, 368
user-defined exceptions, 163-164

V
VisiBroker thread pools, 319
implementations
request client, 322-324
Request interface, 320
request server, 321
VisiBroker interceptors
benefits, 408-409
description, 408
interceptor APIs, 409
BindInterceptor class, 411
BindInterceptor, constructing, 418-421
ClientInterceptor class, 410
ServerInterceptor class, 409-410
ServerInterceptor, constructing, 412-414
ServerInterceptor, installing, 415-417
types, 409
VisiBroker Repository, 482-483
VisiBroker URL naming, 48
chatServer runtime implementation, 355
Visigenic servers, IORR object, 21
Voyager, 443-450

W-Z
wall-to-wall solutions
description, 37
SOAR as prototype, 38
Web sites
amazon.com, 37
cbooks.com, 37
wizards, MFC/Win32 Console Orbix, 552-554
worker threads, 310

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