Version: 1.0
Status: ⚫⚫⚪
DIALServer plugin for Thunder framework.
This document describes purpose and functionality of the DIALServer plugin. It includes detailed specification of its configuration and notifications sent.
All identifiers on the interface described in this document are case-sensitive. Thus, unless stated otherwise, all keywords, entities, properties, relations and actions should be treated as such.
The table below provides and overview of acronyms used in this document and their definitions.
Acronym | Description |
---|---|
API | Application Programming Interface |
DIAL | Discovery and Launch |
HTTP | Hypertext Transfer Protocol |
JSON | JavaScript Object Notation; a data interchange format |
JSON-RPC | A remote procedure call protocol encoded in JSON |
REST | Representational State Transfer |
SSDP | Simple Service Discovery Protocol |
The table below provides and overview of terms and abbreviations used in this document and their definitions.
Term | Description |
---|---|
Controller | An internal plugin that allows activating and deactivating of services/plugins configured for use in the framework. |
callsign | The name given to an instance of a plugin. One plugin can be instantiated multiple times, but each instance the instance name, callsign, must be unique. |
Ref ID | Description |
---|---|
DIAL | DIAL protocol specification |
HTTP | HTTP specification |
JSON-RPC | JSON-RPC 2.0 specification |
JSON | JSON specification |
Thunder | Thunder API Reference |
The DIAL Server plugin implements the server side of the DIAL protocol, allowing second-screen devices discovering and launching applications on a first-screen device, utilizing SSDP protocol and RESTful API. For more invormation about the DIAL protocol please refer to [DIAL].
The plugin is designed to be loaded and executed within the Thunder framework. For more information about the framework refer to [Thunder].
The table below lists configuration options of the plugin.
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
callsign | string | Plugin instance name (default: DIALServer) |
classname | string | Class name: DIALServer |
locator | string | Library name: libWPEFrameworkDIALServer.so |
autostart | boolean | Determines if the plugin is to be started automatically along with the framework |
configuration | object | Server configuration |
configuration.name | string | User-friendly name of the device |
configuration.model | string | Name of the device model |
configuration.description | string | Short description of the device |
configuration?.modelnumber | string | (optional) Device model number |
configuration?.modelurl | string | (optional) URL to device model website |
configuration.manufacturer | string | Name of the device manufacturer |
configuration?.manufacturerurl | string | (optional) URL to manufacturer website |
configuration?.serialnumber | string | (optional) Device serial number |
configuration?.upc | string | (optional) Device UPC barcode number (Universal Product Code) |
configuration?.interface | string | (optional) Server interface IP and port (default: SSDP multicast address and port) |
configuration?.webserver | string | (optional) Callsign of a service implementing the web server functionality (default: WebServer) |
configuration?.switchboard | string | (optional) Callsign of a service implementing the switchboard functionality (default: SwitchBoard). If defined and the service is available then start/stop requests will be relayed to the SwitchBoard rather than handled by the Controller directly. This is used only in non-passive mode |
configuration.apps | array | List of supported applications |
configuration.apps[#] | object | (an application definition) |
configuration.apps[#].name | string | Name of the application |
configuration.apps[#]?.handler | string | (optional) Name of the application handler. If not defined then name will be used instead |
configuration.apps[#]?.callsign | string | (optional) Callsign of the service implementing the application. If defined and the service is available then the Controller will be used to unconditionally start/stop the application by activating/deactivating its service directly (active mode), or by the SwitchBoard if selected and available (switchboard mode). If not defined then these operations will be handed over to JavaScript, by sending a notification and using handler (or name) property to identify the application (passive mode) |
configuration.apps[#]?.url | string | (optional) A URL related to the application |
configuration.apps[#]?.allowstop | boolean | (optional) Denotes if the application can be stopped (true) or not (false, default) |
Notifications are autonomous events, triggered by the internals of the plugin, and broadcasted via JSON-RPC to all registered observers. Refer to [Thunder] for information on how to register for a notification.
The following events are provided by the DIALServer plugin:
DIALServer interface events:
Event | Description |
---|---|
start | Signals that application start was requested over DIAL (passive mode only) |
stop | Signals that application stop was requested over DIAL (passive mode only) |
Signals that application start was requested over DIAL (passive mode only).
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
params | object | |
params.application | string | Application name |
params?.parameters | string | (optional) Additional application-specific parameters |
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "client.events.1.start",
"params": {
"application": "YouTube",
"parameters": "watch?v=zpp045FBbQY"
}
}
Signals that application stop was requested over DIAL (passive mode only).
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
params | object | |
params.application | string | Application name |
params?.parameters | string | (optional) Additional application-specific parameters |
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "client.events.1.stop",
"params": {
"application": "YouTube",
"parameters": ""
}
}