Communication channels are digital contracts that enable and govern message-based data exchange between instances of Linxter enabled programs.
Communication channels are created only after a communication channel request is made and accepted/approved. There are three ways channel requests can be created, and three ways in which received communication channel requests can be approved.
When registering a program to the Linxter ISB, you specify how you want received communication channel requests handled by instances of your program.
Allowing Channels
By default, instances of your program will be allowed to create or receive communication channel requests to/from any other Linxter enabled program.
Restricting Channels
Optionally, you can restrict instances of your program, allowing them to only create or receive communication channel requests to/from instances of specific programs. Also, restricted instances cannot be found by unauthorized program instances when searching for instances to send requests to. To enable this, you will need to enter their Program IDs.
Receiving Channel Requests
When registering a program, you also specify how you want received communication channel requests handled by instances of that program. You can have channel requests accepted automatically or require approval. No matter which option is used, once a channel request is accepted, the manager of each instance can administer the channel through their Linxter Web Manager Account. Deciding how you want to handle channel requests depends greatly on how your program will be used and by whom.
- Automatically Accept — when a channel request is received by an instance of your program, it is automatically accepted and created by the Linxter ISB.
- Require Approval by Web Manager Account — when a channel request is received by an instance of your program, the manager of that instance must accept the request through their Linxter Web Manager Account before the channel can be established.
- Require Approval by Program Instance — when a channel request is received by an instance of your program, that instance must accept the request before the channel can be established. The acceptance can be determined programmatically or by an end-user through an interface.
The program instance's Linxter API maintains an internal, encrypted list of its existing channels. A program instance can access that list using the OpenCommunicationChannels property.
Linxter Web Manager Accounts always have the ability to:
- Make communication channel requests on behalf of the instances they manage
- Remove communication channels that their program instances have
Program Instances can be designed to:
- Make communication channel requests for themselves
- Remove communication channels they have
Creating Channel Requests On Activation
Additionally, you can have instances of your program automatically create communication channel requests (when they are activated) to other program instances by entering their Program Instance IDs.
