Make Agents Yourself

h1. SpeADL Minus Tutorial

This is a tutorial for [[SpeADL Minus Reference|SpeADL⁻]]: creating a project, defining simple and composite components, implementing components.

h2. Objectives

The objective of this tutorial is to understand the basic workflow to follow when developing component-oriented applications with SpeADL in Eclipse/MAY.

We will create a simple composition of two components connected together following a typical client-server configuration.

The server will provide a service that will be used by the client.

They will be composed together in a big component.

A Java *main()* will be created to show how to execute the composition once.

A very simple GUI will be used to illustrate a self-contained component acting as an application.

h2. Installing Eclipse and MAY

This procedure is described on [[SpeADL MAY Project SetUp|this page]].

h2. Creating a New Project

First, we must create a project to work.

In Eclipse, go to the menus : *File / New / Java Project*.

Enter _Tutorial 1_ as the project name, verify that the *execution environment JRE* is 1.5 or above.

As a start, create a package in the *src* folder called _tutorial1_.

h2. The Server Component

h3. Organisation

Create the following hierarchy of packages (See [[SpeADL Best Practices#Project Organisation|this best practice]] for details on the matter):

* _tutorial1.server_

** _impl_

** _interfaces_

** _datatypes_

h3. Defining the Component

Create a SpeADL file:

* Right-click on tutorial1.server and select *New / File*.

* Enter _server.speadl_ as the file name.

Define the namespace we are going to work in as well as the _Server_ component:

<pre>

namespace tutorial1.server {

	component ServerComponentType {

	}

}

</pre>

Save and confirm that the *speadl-gen* folder was automatically added to the project source folders and that it contains a Java class generated in the package _tutorial1.server_ named _ServerComponentType_.

h3. Defining a Port and its Interface

The _Server_ component will provide a port whose interface contains one method to give the contrary of a boolean.

Add it to the component declaration:

<pre>

namespace tutorial1.server {

	component ServerComponentType {

		provides service: NotSoNiceServiceType

	}

}

</pre>

Because the _NotSoNiceServiceType_ interface does not yet exist, there is an error in the SpeADL editor.

We will store the interface in the _tutorial1.server.interfaces_ package.

Either create it by hand or use the Quick Fix proposed by SpeADL editor by hovering on the error.

<pre>

package tutorial1.server.interfaces;

public interface NotSoNiceServiceType {

	public boolean contrary(boolean b);

}

</pre>

Save, and go back to the SpeADL editor for _server.speadl_.

Call the automatic import organiser with *Ctrl+Shift+O*.

Confirm that an import was added on top of the SpeADL file and save.

h3. Implementing the Component

Create a new Java class in _tutorial1.server.impl_ named ServerImpl, and edit it so that it extends ServerComponentType:

<pre>

package tutorial1.server.interfaces;

public interface NotSoNiceServiceType {

	public boolean contrary(boolean b);

}

</pre>

Notice that completion can be exploited as _ServerComponentType_ is an actual Java type, but that calling *F3* on it redirects directly to the SpeADL file.

Because there is abstract method to implement in _ServerComponentType_, there is errors in the Java editor.

Use the Quick Fix *Add unimplemented methods* by hovering on the error on the class name _ServerImpl_:

<pre>

public class ServerImpl extends ServerComponentType {

	@Override

	protected NotSoNiceServiceType make_service() {

		// TODO Auto-generated method stub

		return null;

	}

}

</pre>

Remove the *TODO* line and replace _null_ with _new NotSoNiceServiceType_, call completion (*Ctrl+Space*) and choose *NotSoNiceServiceType() Anonymous Inner Type*:

<pre>

public class ServerImpl extends ServerComponentType {

	@Override

	protected NotSoNiceServiceType make_service() {

		return new NotSoNiceServiceType() {

			@Override

			public boolean contrary(boolean b) {

				// TODO Auto-generated method stub

				return false;

			}

		};

	}

}

</pre>