rootclass

This class provides you with a very easy way to implement an ARexx interface. It will setup a unique ARexx port, start ARexx macros, parse commands and dispatch command handler functions.

All ARexx class methods and the callbacks you provide it are run in the context of the task you call ARexx class from. Thus if your application is a process, DOS is safe to use.

OM_NEW: Passed to superclass first. Creates a new ARexx interaction object. See the list of attributes below:
OM_GET: Retrieves attributes from the class.
OM_DISPOSE: Closes the port and frees all resources. Passed onto superclass.
AM_HANDLEEVENT: Checks for incoming ARexx messages and handles them. In case the message is a replied message from a ARexx execution, the AREXX_ReplyHook is called. For incoming commands, the list of ARexx commands (see AREXX_Commands above) is scanned for a fitting command, and the corresponding call-back is executed. If not found, the incomming command is dispatched as a script to the RexxHost.
AM_FLUSH: retrieves all pending ARexx commands and ignore them, in order to shut down the ARexx command port.
AM_EXECUTE: Executes an ARexx command or macro.

AREXX_HostName (STRPTR)

The name of the host. The ARexx portname is derived from this. In pretty much all cases, this should the same as your app's basename. You should refrain from using names like "MYPROG_RX" or others with unnecessary suffixes.

To create the portname, the hostname will be uppercased, and, unless AREXX_NoSlot is specified, a slot number will be appended.

Applicability is (OM_NEW, OM_GET)

AREXX_NoSlot (BOOL)

Specifies that no slot number should be appended to the port name when it is being created. This greatly increases the chances that your requested portname is in use, so your code must be sure to handle this situation.

Defaults to FALSE.

Applicability is (OM_NEW)

AREXX_DefExtension (STRPTR)

Default filename extension for macros started by your app. Do not include the ".", just the extension text. In pretty much all cases, this should be the same as your app's basename. You should refrain from using extensions like "myrx".

Defaults to "rexx".

Applicability is (OM_NEW)

AREXX_Commands (struct ARexxCmd *)

The table of the commands supported by your ARexx interface. This will be a pointer to an array of struct ARexxCmd. If this array is not passed then your host will not be able to process any ARexx commands.

The following fields must be setup initially by the app before OM_NEW:

ac_Name (STRPTR): The name of the command. By convention this is usually all

uppercase, though a case-insensitive comparisons will be done.

ac_ID (WORD): A unique number identifying this command.
ac_Func: A pointer (*()(struct ARexxCmd *, struct RexxMsg *)) to the function that will be called when this command is received by your programme. The function will get past a pointer to its ARexxCmd entry and the RexxMsg structure received for the command. You may use this for setting ARexx variables, but please note that is may be NULL
ac_ArgTemplate (STRPTR): DOS ReadArgs()-style argument template for this command.
ac_Flags (ULONG): Command flags. Currently unused, but in order to remain compatable, you must ensure that this is NULL.

These fields are ignored in OM_NEW and are set by the class when calling the ac_Func command callback.

ac_ArgList (ULONG *): Result of ReadArgs() using the arguments received with the

command and ac_ArgTemplate as the template.

ac_RC (LONG): Primary result, the RC variable. Also causes the RC2

variable to return, and will cause RESULT to NOT be set.

ac_RC2 (LONG): Secundary result, the RC2 variable. This will not be set

unless RC is non-zero.

ac_Result (STRPTR): RESULT variable, this should be a string. If you want to

return a number, you will have to convert it to a string first. This string will not be set if RC is non-zero.

The array must be terminated with a NULL ac_Name field.

Applicability is (OM_NEW)

AREXX_ErrorCode (ULONG *)

A pointer to storage space for OM_NEW to store an error code when it fails trying to create the object. Possible values are:

RXERR_NO_COMMAND_LIST: No command list was provided.
RXERR_NO_PORT_NAME: No host base name was provided.
RXERR_PORT_ALREADY_EXISTS: The class was unable to create a unique name of the base name you provided.
RXERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY: Not enough free memory.

No error code will be returned if you provide a NULL pointer.

Defaults NULL.

Applicability is (OM_NEW)

AREXX_SigMask (ULONG)

The signal mask for the object's message port. This is the signal you will want to Wait() on so you know when there is activity at the ARexx port.

Applicability is (OM_GET)

AREXX_ReplyHook (struct Hook *)

This is a function hook that will get called whenever your host replies to an ARexx message. This generally happens after your host has sent a message (eg. via AM_EXECUTE) and the task receiving the message has completed its processing with the message. This is most useful for checking return codes from commands sent via AM_EXECUTE.

The object parameter in the hook function will point to the Object * that is yur host, and the message parameter will be the ARexx message that is being replied to (from which you could extract result codes).

Defaults to NULL.

Applicability is (OM_NEW, OM_GET)

AREXX_PreserveIOChannel (BOOL): If TRUE, the I/O channel(s) will not be freed after each ARexx command. (V47.3+)

AREXX_HostName MUST be all uppercase in V40 otherwise the checks for an already existing port won't work right.

arexx.class

FUNCTIONS

SUPERCLASS

DESCRIPTION

METHODS

ATTRIBUTES

BUGS

SEE ALSO