Re: [xmlblaster] Requirement Protocol.email working?

[Marcel Ruff <mr at marcelruff.info>]

chris lau wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have a project which requires the use of email for communication to and from the client
> and I would like to use xmlBlaster to handle the messages on the server. I was looking
> around on the website and found the protocol.email in the reference section but it says
> "INWORK" I also noticed that in the TODO section, it says 
>
> "EMAIL support is not implemented.
> The callback is already implemented."
>
> Does this mean that xmlBlaster will not work with email?
>
> I have a email server running on one computer and xmlBlaster on another. Will xmlBlaster be able
> to pick up the messages and forward them to the subscribers?
>  
Hi Chris,

what you want is currently not implemented, but it should be very simple 
to add.

I'm currently working on the email protocol driver, my work should be 
finished the next
14 days.

I'm extending the email callback driver for this scenario:


Email callbacks:
-----------

xmlBlasterServer -(1)-> callbackMsg --> smtp-MTA --> msg -(2)-> 
xmlBlasterClient(Java)
xmlBlasterServer <-(2)- ACK/NAK     <-- smtp-MTA <-- ACK/NAK <-(1)- 
xmlBlasterClient(Java)

The content or attachment based delivery / mapping is configurable and the
ACK/NAK (the UpdateReturnQos) is customizable for specific MTA firewall 
needs.

(1) is the smtp protocol -> javax.mail.Transport.send(javax.mail.Message)
(2.a) is the pop3 protocol (polling)
    -> javax.mail.Folder.getMessages()
(2.b) or an embedded MTA (like james with a mailet plugin) with smtp 
(pushing)

The mails would be following the xmlBlaster scripting markup, see
http://www.xmlblaster.org/xmlBlaster/doc/requirements/client.script.html
with additional attachment support.
In the (2) case the xmlBlasterServer can have a POP3 poller protocol driver
or it can be an MTA itself (using an embedded james.apache.org MTA)
to receive instantly the mail via SMTP and a Matcher/Mailet plugin.

Your use case is:
--------------------

MTA --> POP3 --> nativeClient --> publish --> xmlBlasterServer

My use case covers more or less your use case.
If you can't wait or want your own simple solution:
What you need is a small 'proxyClient' which polls with POP3 on your MTA 
(on the other computer)
and publishes it into xmlBlasterServer.
This should be only some lines of code: A pop3 access with javax.mail 
and publishing it to xmlBlaster.
It should probably be a native client inside xmlBlaster (so you don't 
need to take care on the
live cycle of your proxy), see
http://www.xmlblaster.org/xmlBlaster/doc/requirements/protocol.local.html

The main thing to take care is that we use all the same converters 
(which should be pluggable):

  org.xmlBlaster.util.MsgUnit 
convertToXmlBlasterMsgUnit(javax.mail.MimeMessage email);
  javax.mail.MimeMessage 
convertToEmailMessage(org.xmlBlaster.util.MsgUnit msgUnit);

This would cover all mails containing 'connect', 'publish', 'subscribe' 
etc. commands
(as described in 
http://www.xmlblaster.org/xmlBlaster/doc/requirements/client.script.html).
Our MsgUnit can hold all xmlBlaster commands.

If you have your own email markup, you would need your own set of 
converters.

regards
Marcel