| 1 | #LyX 1.1 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/ |
---|
| 2 | \lyxformat 218 |
---|
| 3 | \textclass docbook |
---|
| 4 | \language english |
---|
| 5 | \inputencoding auto |
---|
| 6 | \fontscheme default |
---|
| 7 | \graphics default |
---|
| 8 | \paperfontsize default |
---|
| 9 | \spacing single |
---|
| 10 | \papersize Default |
---|
| 11 | \paperpackage a4 |
---|
| 12 | \use_geometry 0 |
---|
| 13 | \use_amsmath 0 |
---|
| 14 | \paperorientation portrait |
---|
| 15 | \secnumdepth 3 |
---|
| 16 | \tocdepth 3 |
---|
| 17 | \paragraph_separation indent |
---|
| 18 | \defskip medskip |
---|
| 19 | \quotes_language english |
---|
| 20 | \quotes_times 2 |
---|
| 21 | \papercolumns 1 |
---|
| 22 | \papersides 1 |
---|
| 23 | \paperpagestyle default |
---|
| 24 | |
---|
| 25 | \layout Title |
---|
| 26 | |
---|
| 27 | Proposal for a Common Groupware Interface Standard |
---|
| 28 | \layout Author |
---|
| 29 | |
---|
| 30 | (C) 2001-2004 Miles Lott <milos@groupwhere.org> |
---|
| 31 | \layout Date |
---|
| 32 | |
---|
| 33 | September 13, 2001 and December 29, 2003 |
---|
| 34 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 35 | |
---|
| 36 | |
---|
| 37 | \begin_inset LatexCommand \tableofcontents{} |
---|
| 38 | |
---|
| 39 | \end_inset |
---|
| 40 | |
---|
| 41 | |
---|
| 42 | \layout Section |
---|
| 43 | |
---|
| 44 | Scope |
---|
| 45 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 46 | |
---|
| 47 | As many different opensource and freesoftware groupware systems are being |
---|
| 48 | developed, the full realization of the dream of a connected world should |
---|
| 49 | be prefaced by an agreement to interoperate. |
---|
| 50 | There are limited ways in which cooperation with these and commercial groupware |
---|
| 51 | systems may be achecived, the majority if not all of which were derived |
---|
| 52 | via the establishment of open standards. |
---|
| 53 | These might include email (POP3/IMAP), contacts(LDAP,vcard), or scheduling(ical |
---|
| 54 | /vcal). |
---|
| 55 | It is felt that while these have proven themselves to be very useful, they |
---|
| 56 | are insufficient to satisfy the real needs of a typical business environment. |
---|
| 57 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 58 | |
---|
| 59 | This document hopes to provide a reasonable, if limited, recommendation |
---|
| 60 | for a set of standardized methods to be used for groupware services interaction. |
---|
| 61 | More specifically, it hopes to address the need for such a standard as |
---|
| 62 | well as to spur discussion about the common service names and methods themselve |
---|
| 63 | s. |
---|
| 64 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 65 | |
---|
| 66 | Examples will be given for implementations in XML-RPC, since this standard |
---|
| 67 | is relatively fixed and open. |
---|
| 68 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 69 | |
---|
| 70 | This document does not provide recommendations for the underlying access |
---|
| 71 | control system which would allow or deny a particular action. |
---|
| 72 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 73 | |
---|
| 74 | Also not discussed here is login and authorization to be used for initial |
---|
| 75 | access to a service provider. |
---|
| 76 | \layout Section |
---|
| 77 | |
---|
| 78 | The Services |
---|
| 79 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 80 | |
---|
| 81 | Overview |
---|
| 82 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 83 | |
---|
| 84 | There are a few common services types that will be needed for minimum useability |
---|
| 85 | of a groupware server or application. |
---|
| 86 | They are: |
---|
| 87 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 88 | |
---|
| 89 | Contacts |
---|
| 90 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 91 | |
---|
| 92 | Schedule |
---|
| 93 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 94 | |
---|
| 95 | Notes |
---|
| 96 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 97 | |
---|
| 98 | Todo |
---|
| 99 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 100 | |
---|
| 101 | These services are represented already in places such as existing groupware |
---|
| 102 | client-server applications and also in the PalmOS basic-4 buttons and applicati |
---|
| 103 | ons. |
---|
| 104 | Different systems may have different names for these services internally, |
---|
| 105 | e.g. |
---|
| 106 | Contacts - addresses, addressbook, people, Schedule - calendar, agenda, |
---|
| 107 | meetings. |
---|
| 108 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 109 | |
---|
| 110 | Within each of these services are some common methods that would be called |
---|
| 111 | to store, retreive, or update data: |
---|
| 112 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 113 | |
---|
| 114 | read_list |
---|
| 115 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 116 | |
---|
| 117 | read |
---|
| 118 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 119 | |
---|
| 120 | save |
---|
| 121 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 122 | |
---|
| 123 | delete |
---|
| 124 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 125 | |
---|
| 126 | Detail |
---|
| 127 | \layout Subsubsection |
---|
| 128 | |
---|
| 129 | Contacts |
---|
| 130 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 131 | |
---|
| 132 | The concept of contacts may encompass local addressbooks, LDAP, and lists |
---|
| 133 | stored in other media. |
---|
| 134 | The purpose of the contacts service is not to duplicate or attempt to replace |
---|
| 135 | these. |
---|
| 136 | In some respects, it might do just that. |
---|
| 137 | But its goal is more so to provide a common and shareable way for the other |
---|
| 138 | core services to create, edit, and read a common user and address list. |
---|
| 139 | All of the other services may use the contact service to obtain record |
---|
| 140 | owner information to be used in access control. |
---|
| 141 | They would also use them when it is required to share this data, as with |
---|
| 142 | a meeting where other local and non-local users will be invited to attend. |
---|
| 143 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 144 | |
---|
| 145 | Contacts may include the local installed user base, users on other cooperative |
---|
| 146 | servers, or email addresses used for limited cooperation with other groupware |
---|
| 147 | services that are not compliant with this service scheme or implementations |
---|
| 148 | thereof. |
---|
| 149 | It could also include individuals using web-based or local ISP email services. |
---|
| 150 | The scope of this document, however, is to define the service with regard |
---|
| 151 | to the common methods to be used for server-server and client-server communicat |
---|
| 152 | ions: |
---|
| 153 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 154 | |
---|
| 155 | read_list |
---|
| 156 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 157 | |
---|
| 158 | This method is used to list contacts, with or without limits, filters, or |
---|
| 159 | search criteria. |
---|
| 160 | In this way it can be used for simple lists or to search for contact records |
---|
| 161 | and their identifiers. |
---|
| 162 | The optional search criteria includes: |
---|
| 163 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 164 | |
---|
| 165 | start - Start at this identifier (integer: default 0) |
---|
| 166 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 167 | |
---|
| 168 | limit - Limit to this number of records returned(integer: unlimited by default) |
---|
| 169 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 170 | |
---|
| 171 | fieldlist - limit to showing only these fields (array: default to identifier, |
---|
| 172 | owner identifier, possibly firstname and lastname) |
---|
| 173 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 174 | |
---|
| 175 | filter - Show records that are public or private only, or other system-specific |
---|
| 176 | filters, e.g group or company(string: default '') |
---|
| 177 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 178 | |
---|
| 179 | query - Search internal fieldlist for a value (string: default '') |
---|
| 180 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 181 | |
---|
| 182 | The return for this method includes: |
---|
| 183 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 184 | |
---|
| 185 | count of number of records returned(integer) |
---|
| 186 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 187 | |
---|
| 188 | array consisting of: array: identifier => (array: fieldlist key => value |
---|
| 189 | pairs) |
---|
| 190 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 191 | |
---|
| 192 | read |
---|
| 193 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 194 | |
---|
| 195 | Once the identifier for a single contact record is known, the contact may |
---|
| 196 | be read for more detail using this method. |
---|
| 197 | This takes two parameters: |
---|
| 198 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 199 | |
---|
| 200 | identifier - (integer: no default) |
---|
| 201 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 202 | |
---|
| 203 | fieldlist - limit to showing only these fields (array: default to identifier, |
---|
| 204 | owner identifier, possibly firstname and lastname) |
---|
| 205 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 206 | |
---|
| 207 | And returns: |
---|
| 208 | \layout Enumerate |
---|
| 209 | |
---|
| 210 | array consisting of: array: identifier => (array: fieldlist key => value |
---|
| 211 | pairs) |
---|
| 212 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 213 | |
---|
| 214 | save |
---|
| 215 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 216 | |
---|
| 217 | This is a method used to save an existing record or create a new one. |
---|
| 218 | If the identifier for an existing record is not passed, a new entry will |
---|
| 219 | be created. |
---|
| 220 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 221 | |
---|
| 222 | delete |
---|
| 223 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 224 | |
---|
| 225 | This will allow deletion of a record by passing its identifier. |
---|
| 226 | \layout Subsubsection |
---|
| 227 | |
---|
| 228 | Schedule |
---|
| 229 | \layout Subsubsection |
---|
| 230 | |
---|
| 231 | Notes |
---|
| 232 | \layout Subsubsection |
---|
| 233 | |
---|
| 234 | Todo |
---|
| 235 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 236 | |
---|
| 237 | Examples in XML-RPC |
---|
| 238 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 239 | |
---|
| 240 | Query the contacts service for read_list, using only start and limit to |
---|
| 241 | grab the first 5 records, starting with identifier 1. |
---|
| 242 | Additionally, return only the firstname and lastname fields n_given and |
---|
| 243 | n_family (firstname and lastname in pseudo vcard format): |
---|
| 244 | \layout Code |
---|
| 245 | |
---|
| 246 | <methodCall> |
---|
| 247 | \layout Code |
---|
| 248 | |
---|
| 249 | <methodName>service.contacts.read_list</methodName> |
---|
| 250 | \layout Code |
---|
| 251 | |
---|
| 252 | <params> |
---|
| 253 | \layout Code |
---|
| 254 | |
---|
| 255 | <param> |
---|
| 256 | \layout Code |
---|
| 257 | |
---|
| 258 | <value><struct> |
---|
| 259 | \layout Code |
---|
| 260 | |
---|
| 261 | <member><name>start</name> |
---|
| 262 | \layout Code |
---|
| 263 | |
---|
| 264 | <value><string>1</string></value> |
---|
| 265 | \layout Code |
---|
| 266 | |
---|
| 267 | </member> |
---|
| 268 | \layout Code |
---|
| 269 | |
---|
| 270 | <member><name>limit</name> |
---|
| 271 | \layout Code |
---|
| 272 | |
---|
| 273 | <value><string>5</string></value> |
---|
| 274 | \layout Code |
---|
| 275 | |
---|
| 276 | </member> |
---|
| 277 | \layout Code |
---|
| 278 | |
---|
| 279 | <member><name>fields</name> |
---|
| 280 | \layout Code |
---|
| 281 | |
---|
| 282 | <value><struct> |
---|
| 283 | \layout Code |
---|
| 284 | |
---|
| 285 | <member><name>n_given</name> |
---|
| 286 | \layout Code |
---|
| 287 | |
---|
| 288 | <value><string>n_given</string></value> |
---|
| 289 | \layout Code |
---|
| 290 | |
---|
| 291 | </member> |
---|
| 292 | \layout Code |
---|
| 293 | |
---|
| 294 | <member><name>n_family</name> |
---|
| 295 | \layout Code |
---|
| 296 | |
---|
| 297 | <value><string>n_family</string></value> |
---|
| 298 | \layout Code |
---|
| 299 | |
---|
| 300 | </member> |
---|
| 301 | \layout Code |
---|
| 302 | |
---|
| 303 | </struct></value> |
---|
| 304 | \layout Code |
---|
| 305 | |
---|
| 306 | </member> |
---|
| 307 | \layout Code |
---|
| 308 | |
---|
| 309 | <member><name>query</name> |
---|
| 310 | \layout Code |
---|
| 311 | |
---|
| 312 | <value><string></string></value> |
---|
| 313 | \layout Code |
---|
| 314 | |
---|
| 315 | </member> |
---|
| 316 | \layout Code |
---|
| 317 | |
---|
| 318 | <member><name>filter</name> |
---|
| 319 | \layout Code |
---|
| 320 | |
---|
| 321 | <value><string></string></value> |
---|
| 322 | \layout Code |
---|
| 323 | |
---|
| 324 | </member> |
---|
| 325 | \layout Code |
---|
| 326 | |
---|
| 327 | </struct></value> |
---|
| 328 | \layout Code |
---|
| 329 | |
---|
| 330 | </param> |
---|
| 331 | \layout Code |
---|
| 332 | |
---|
| 333 | </params> |
---|
| 334 | \layout Code |
---|
| 335 | |
---|
| 336 | </methodCall> |
---|
| 337 | \layout Section |
---|
| 338 | |
---|
| 339 | Conclusion |
---|
| 340 | \layout Standard |
---|
| 341 | |
---|
| 342 | This document outlined the following services and methods: |
---|
| 343 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 344 | |
---|
| 345 | Contacts: |
---|
| 346 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 347 | |
---|
| 348 | service.contacts.read_list([search criteria]) |
---|
| 349 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 350 | |
---|
| 351 | service.contacts.read(identifier,[fieldlist]) |
---|
| 352 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 353 | |
---|
| 354 | service.contacts.save(fields) |
---|
| 355 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 356 | |
---|
| 357 | service.contacts.delete(identifier) |
---|
| 358 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 359 | |
---|
| 360 | Schedule: |
---|
| 361 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 362 | |
---|
| 363 | service.schedule.read_list([search criteria]) |
---|
| 364 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 365 | |
---|
| 366 | service.schedule.read(identifier,[fieldlist]) |
---|
| 367 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 368 | |
---|
| 369 | service.schedule.save(fields) |
---|
| 370 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 371 | |
---|
| 372 | service.schedule.delete(identifier) |
---|
| 373 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 374 | |
---|
| 375 | Notes: |
---|
| 376 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 377 | |
---|
| 378 | service.notes.read_list([search criteria]) |
---|
| 379 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 380 | |
---|
| 381 | service.notes.read(identifier,[fieldlist]) |
---|
| 382 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 383 | |
---|
| 384 | service.notes.save(fields) |
---|
| 385 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 386 | |
---|
| 387 | service.notes.delete(identifier) |
---|
| 388 | \layout Subsection |
---|
| 389 | |
---|
| 390 | Todo: |
---|
| 391 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 392 | |
---|
| 393 | service.todo.read_list(search criteria) |
---|
| 394 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 395 | |
---|
| 396 | service.todo.read(identifer,[fieldlist]) |
---|
| 397 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 398 | |
---|
| 399 | service.todo.save(fields) |
---|
| 400 | \layout Itemize |
---|
| 401 | |
---|
| 402 | service.todo.delete(identifier) |
---|
| 403 | \the_end |
---|