Re: Extension

[Patrick Tullmann <tullmann@cs.utah.edu>]

Dany wrote:
> I need to add some functions to the Node,  without touching the Node.java
> class. For this I think to use extension.

It depends on what the functions you add do (and specifically, what
ervices they rely on.)

If they do something standalone (like, for example, crypto
functions which are pure functions), then the user applications just
need to link with your code (think of your "extension" as a dynamic
library).  There is no explicit support in ANTS for this, but you
don't really need it.

If your functions do something with an available ANTS service (like
mucking with the routing table), then you need to give your service
the appropriate ANTS2.x permissions.  This isn't elegant in ANTS2.x,
either.  You can either link your extension to the app/capsule code
(and grant both the appropriate rights), or you can install your
extension as its own "flow", and pass capsules between it and the
flows that want to use it.

If your functions do something entirely separate (like provide access
to raw UDP packets, or start new threads, or something like that),
you'll probably need to re-work it for ANTS2.x anyway (because ANTS is
built on the JNodeOS now) --- perhaps using the JNodeOS directly would
let you accomplish what you want to do?

-Pat

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Pat Tullmann                                       tullmann@cs.utah.edu
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