roal

A Remoting Object Access Layer for communicating for C/S on top of any transport that transfers JSON data.

What is it?

This package provides a simple RPC mechanism on top of any transport that transfers JSON data. It can be used on top of different transport channels, i.e. postMessage between frames, websockets via socket.io or JSON encoded messages over pipes.

Useage

Installation

npm install roal

The library is written in Typescript and will work in any environment that supports ES5 and ES6-style promises (either native or through a shim). No external typings are required for using this library with Typescript (version >= 2).

Examples

Comming Soon

API

The API is built around the Provider and RPC class. A Provider or RPC acts both as client and server for RPC calls and event-like signals. The library uses ES6 promises and can consume any A+ compliant promises.

Creating a new provider

const rpc = new Provider(dispatcher, timeout);

• dispatcher: A function that will be called for dispatching messages. The first argument will be an opaque message object, and the second argument an error of Transferable objects that are to be passed via ownership transfer (if supported by the transport).
• timeout (optional): The timeout for RPC transactions in milliseconds. Values of 0 or smaller disable the timeout (this is the default).

Creating a new rpc

const rpc = RPC.create(transport, options);

Coming Soon

Incoming messages

rpc.handle(message);

Similar to message dispatch, trpc does not provide a built-in mechanism for receiving messages. Instead, incoming messages must be relayed to the provider by invoking handle.

• message: The received message.

Registering One RPC handler

rpc.method(name, definition);

Register a srvice method for RPC calls with name name. Returns the provider instance.

• name: RPC call name. Only a single handler can be registered for any name.
• definition: The handler function or method instance. This function receives the payload object as its argument and can return its result either as an immediate value or as a promise.

Registering RPC handlers

rpc.methods({[name: string]: function});

Register multiple rpc handlers.

Listening signal

rpc.onSignal(signal, listener));

Register a handler function for signals with id id. Returns the provider instance.

• signal: Signal name. The namespace for signal ids is seperate from that of RPC names, and multiple handlers my be attached tp a single signal. Naems should be strings
• listener: The linster function. This function receives the payload object as its argument; the result is ignored.

Sending RPC remote calls

const result = rpc.request(name, payload);

Dispatch a RPC call and returns a promise for its result. The promise is rejected if the call times out or if no handler is registered (or if the handler rejects the operation).

• name: RPC call name.
• payload (optional): RPC call payload.

Emitting signals

rpc.signal(signal, payload);

Dispatch a signal.

• signal: Signal name.
• payload (optional): Signal payload.

Returns a Disposable instance. The Disposable instance has one method dispose, it can remove the signal handler.

Removing RPC handlers

rpc.removeMethod(name);

Returns the provider instance.

Removing signal handlers

rpc.offSignal(signal);

Returns the provider instance.

Errors

rpc.on('error', handler);

The error event is dispatched if there is either a local or remote communcation error (timeout, invalid id, etc.).

License

Feel free to use this library under the conditions of the MIT license.