[comment {-*- tcl -*- doctools manpage}]
[manpage_begin transfer::connect n 0.3]
[keywords active]
[keywords channel]
[keywords connection]
[keywords passive]
[keywords secure]
[keywords ssl]
[keywords tls]
[keywords transfer]
[copyright {2006-2009 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>}]
[moddesc   {Data transfer facilities}]
[titledesc {Connection setup}]
[category  {Transfer module}]
[require Tcl               "8.5 9"]
[require snit              [opt 1.0]]
[require transfer::connect [opt 0.3]]
[description]
[para]

This package provides objects holding enough information to enable
them to either actively connect to a counterpart, or to passively wait
for a connection from said counterpart.

I.e. any object created by this packages is always in one of two
complementary modes, called [term active] (the object initiates the
connection) and [term passive] (the object receives the connection).

[para]

Of the two objects in a connecting pair one has to be configured for
[term active] mode, and the other then has to be configured for
[term passive] mode. This establishes which of the two partners
connects to whom (the [term active] to the other), or, who is waiting
on whom (the [term passive] on the other).

Note that this is completely independent of the direction of any data
transmission using the connection after it has been established.

An active object can, after establishing the connection, either
transmit or receive data. Equivalently the passive object can do the
same after the waiting for its partner has ended.

[section API]
[subsection {Package commands}]

[list_begin definitions]

[call [cmd transfer::connect] \
	[arg objectName] \
	[opt [arg options]...]]

This command creates a new connection object with an associated Tcl
command whose name is [arg objectName].

This [term object] command is explained in full detail in the sections
[sectref {Object command}] and [sectref {Object methods}]. The set of
supported [arg options] is explained in section [sectref {Options}].

[para]

The object command will be created under the current namespace if the
[arg objectName] is not fully qualified, and in the specified
namespace otherwise.

The fully qualified name of the object command is returned as the
result of the command.

[list_end]

[subsection {Object command}]

All objects created by the [cmd ::transfer::connect] command have the
following general form:

[list_begin definitions]

[call [arg objectName] [method method] [opt [arg "arg arg ..."]]]

The method [method method] and its [arg arg]'uments determine the
exact behavior of the command.

See section [sectref {Object methods}] for the detailed
specifications.

[list_end]

[subsection {Object methods}]

[list_begin definitions][comment ----methods]

[call [arg objectName] [method destroy]]

This method destroys the object.

This is safe to do for an [term active] object when a connection has
been started, as the completion callback is synchronous.

For a [term passive] object currently waiting for its partner to
establish the connection however this is not safe and will cause
errors later on, when the connection setup completes and tries to
access the now missing data structures of the destroyed object.

[call [arg objectName] [method connect] [arg command]]

This method starts the connection setup per the configuration of the
object. When the connection is established the callback [arg command]
will be invoked with one additional argument, the channel handle of
the socket over which data can be transfered.

[para]

The detailed behaviour of the method depends on the configured
mode.

[list_begin definitions][comment ----mode-behaviour]
[def [term active]]
The connection setup is done synchronously. The object waits until the
connection is established. The method returns the empty string as its
result.

[def [term passive]]

The connection setup is done asynchronously. The method returns
immediately after a listening socket has been set up. The connection
will be established in the background.

The method returns the port number of the listening socket, for use by
the caller. One important use is the transfer of this information to
the counterpart so that it knows where it has to connect to.

[para]

This is necessary as the object might have been configured for port
[const 0], allowing the operating system to choose the actual port it
will listen on.

[para]

The listening port is closed immediately when the connection was
established by the partner, to keep the time interval small within
which a third party can connect to the port too.

Even so it is recommended to use additional measures in the protocol
outside of the connect and transfer object to ensure that a connection
is not used with an unidentified/unauthorized partner

One possibility for this is the use of SSL/TLS.
See the option [option -socketcmd] and section
[sectref {Secure connections}] for information on how to do this.

[list_end][comment ----mode-behaviour]
[list_end][comment ----methods]

[subsection Options]

Connection objects support the set of options listed below.

[list_begin options]
[include include/connect_options.inc]
[list_end]

[vset OBJCREATE {transfer::connect C}]
[include include/secure.inc]

[vset CATEGORY transfer]
[include ../common-text/feedback.inc]
[manpage_end]
