Using Event Gateways with CFMX7

1
Using Event Gateways with CFMX7

• By Jeff Tapper
• Tapper.net Consulting

2
Agenda

• Introduction to Event Gateways
• Working with Events
• Configuring Gateways
• Listener Applications
• Broadcaster Applications
• Summary
• Questions

3
Who Am I

• Jeff Tapper (jeff_at_tapper.net)
• Chief Technologist Tapper.net Consulting
• Working with CF since 1995 (v 1.5)
• Authored 6 books about CF and/or Flash
• Certified MM Instructor for all CF, Flashand Flex
  courses

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Event Gateways

• Allow access to CF without HTTP
• Call CF code from anything Java can react to
• Such as
• Instant Messages
• Text Messages from Phones
• Java Messaging Service
• File System Changes
• Etc.

5
How it works

• Message Generator
• Event Gateway (Java)
• Event Gateway Services (CF)
• Listener CFC

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Understanding the Architecture

• Message
• Generator/Receiver
• SMSC Server
• IM Provider
• Etc.

Listener CFC
CF Event Gateway Services
Event
Listener CFC or CFM Page
Event
ltCFMLgt
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Gateway Types

• Several gateway types are provided
• SMS
• XMPP
• CFML
• JMS
• Directory Watcher
• Etc.
• Custom Gateway types can be built as needed

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Gateway Types

• Event Listeners
• Creates an event structure and queues it in the
  Gateway

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Gateway Instance

• Relates a gateway type to a Listener CFC
• Each instance properties set with Configuration
  file

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Application Types

• Listener Applications
• CFC reacts to outside events
• Broadcaster Application
• CFML initiates a message to be sent

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Listener Applications

• Listener CFC called by gateway instance
• Method specified in Configuration is called
• CFEvent Structure passed as argument

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Listener CFC

• Contains methods for handling events
• Optionally responds to sender with CFReturn
• Method is passed CFEvent Struct
• RFAFileWatch.cfc

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CFEvent Structure

• Java Object provided by gateway
• gatewayId reference to Instance
• data struct of incoming message
• customized for each Event Type
• originator who sent message
• SMS phone
• IM handle
• Etc.
• gateway Type reference to gateway which heard
  the event

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Configuring a Gateway

• Create config file
• Build CFC with appropriate methods
• Add Gateway Instance to CFAdmin
• Start the Gateway
• CFAdmin

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Setting Config file

• DirectoryWatcherGateway settings are defined in a
  Config file --cfroot\gateway\config\directory-wa
  tcher.cfg
• Specifies
• directory
• recurse
• extensions
• Interval
• addFunction
• changeFunction
• deleteFunction
• RFAUploadDirectory-watcher.cfg

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Config File gateway/config/directory-watcher.cfg

• The directory you want to watch. If you are
  entering a Windows path either use forward
  slashes (C/mydir) or escape the back slashes
  (C\\mydir).
• directory
• Should we watch the directory and all
  subdirectories too Default is no. Set to 'yes'
  to do the recursion.
• recurseno
• The interval between checks, in milliseconds
  Default is 60 seconds
• interval60000
• The comma separated list of extensions to
  match. Default is - all files
• extensions
• CFC Function for file Change events Default is
  onChange, set to nothing if you don't want to see
  these events
• changeFunctiononChange
• CFC Function for file Add events Default is
  onAdd, set to nothing if you don't want to see
  these events
• addFunctiononAdd
• CFC Function for file Delete events Default is
  onDelete, set to nothing if you don't want to see
  these events

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DirWatch.cfc

• ltcfcomponentgt
• ltcffunction name"onAdd" output"no"gt
  ltcfargument name"CFEvent" type"struct"
  required"yes"gt
• ltcfset dataCFEvent.datagt
• ltcflog file"MydirWatcher" application"No"
  text"ACTION data.type FILE
  data.filename TIME timeFormat(data.lastmod
  ified)"gt
• lt/cffunctiongt
• lt/cfcomponentgt

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Customizing Directory Watcher

• Problem Needed easier way to remotely add songs
  to Radio Free Astoria play list
• Solution Using a modified Directory Watcher, I
  am now able to ftp songs to the server, have them
  moved to the appropriate directory and
  automatically added to play list

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RFA Directory Watcher Flow
New mp3 ftpd to server
Directory Watcher triggers CFC
File moved
Added to playlist
Confirmation Sent
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Broadcaster Applications

• CFML can be used to broadcast out custom events
• Some examples
• Send CFML Event to start new thread
• SMS site admin about system errors
• Send new events to JMS messaging queue
• Send Instant Message about application

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Sending an Event

• CFMX7 introduced new sendGatewayMessage()
  function
• Takes two arguments
• gatewayID - gateway instance configured in
  CFAdmin
• Message struct containg message data
• Return type varies based on gateway. Often true
  or false indicating success

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sendGatewayMessage

• ltcffunction name"sendConfirm" access"private"
  output"no"gt
• ltcfargument name"songName" type"string"gt
• ltcfset var struct structNew()gt
• ltcfset struct.buddyId "theAstorian"gt
• ltcfset struct.message "Song songName
  added"gt
• ltcfset result sendGatewayMessage("RFAXMPP",str
  uct)gt
• ltcfif result neq 'ok'gt
• ltcflog
• file"rfafileupload"
• type"Information"
• text"result"gt
• lt/cfifgt
• lt/cffunctiongt

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getGatewayHelper()

• Returns an object containing details about the
  gateway
• Instant Message Helper ships with CFMX7
• Example
• myHelper getGatewayHelper("rfaxmpp")
• status myHelper.getBuddyInfo("jefftappernyc_at_yaho
  o.myjabber.net")

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Communicating with IM
Gateway Instance
XMPP Gateway
Jabber Network
AIM/MSN/ Yahoo Transport
AIM/MSN or Yahoo Network
Or, you can use JBuddy CF from Zion Software
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Where to learn more?

• CFUnited
• Damon Cooper - CFMX 7 Mobile SMS Applications
  Made Easy
• Tom Jordahl Advanced ColdFusion Event Gateways
• Lots of new docs
• JBuddyCF http//www.zionsoftware.com
• Blogs
• boyzoid.com
• jeff.mxdj.com
• weblogs.macromedia.com/mxna/

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Summary

• Gateways allow for CFML to be triggered by things
  other than HTTP requests
• Gateways react to certain events and calls
  methods in a CFC
• Gateway settings are specified in a Config File
• Gateways can be registered using the ColdFusion
  Administrator

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Questions

• ?