version: 1
-Date: 15 March 2016
-Author: José Bollo
-This document describes what we intend to do. It may happen that our -current implementation and the content of this document differ.
- -In case of differences, it is assumed that this document is right -and the implementation is wrong.
- - -The daemon afm-user-daemon is in charge of handling -applications for one user. Its main tasks are:
- +This document describes application framework user daemon fundamentals. FCF (Fully Conform to Specification) implementation is still under development. It may happen that current implementation somehow diverges with specifications.
+The daemon afm-user-daemon is in charge of handling applications on behalf of a user. Its main tasks are:
+enumerate applications that end user can run and keep this list available on demand
start applications on behalf of end user, set user running environment, set user security context
list current runnable or running applications
stop (aka pause), continue (aka resume), terminate a running instance of a given application
transfer requests for installation/uninstallation of applications to the corresponding system daemon afm-system-daemon
The afm-user-daemon takes its orders from the session instance of D-Bus.
+The figure below summarizes the situation of afm-user-daemon in the system.
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| User |
| +---------------------+ |
@@ -73,79 +85,28 @@ instance of D-Bus.
| +--------------------+ +-----------------------+ |
| |
| System |
-+------------------------------------------------------------+
-At start afm-user-daemon scans the directories containing -the applications and load in memory the list applications -availables to the current user.
- -When afm-system-daemon installs or removes an application, -it sends the signal org.AGL.afm.system.changed on success. -If it receives that signal, afm-user-daemon rebuild its -list of applications.
- -afm-user-daemon provides the data that it collected about -application to its clients that either want to get that list -or to get information about one application.
- - -afm-user-daemon launchs the applications. This means -that its builds a secure environment for the application -and then start it inside that secured environment.
- -Applications of different kind can be launched.
- -This is set using a configuration file that describes -how to launch an application of a given kind for a given -mode.
- ++------------------------------------------------------------+ +At start afm-user-daemon scans the directories containing applications and load in memory a list of avaliable applications accessible by current user.
+When afm-system-daemon installs or removes an application. On success it sends the signal org.AGL.afm.system.changed. When receiving such a signal, afm-user-daemon rebuilds its applications list.
+afm-user-daemon provides the data it collects about applications to its clients. Clients may either request the full list of avaliable applications or a more specific information about a given application.
+afm-user-daemon launches application. Its builds a secure environment for the application before starting it within a secured environment.
+Different kind of applications can be launched.
+This is set using a configuration file that describes how to launch an application of a given kind within a given mode.
There is two launching modes: local or remote.
- -Launching an application locally means that -the application and its binder are launcher together.
- -Launching application remotely means that only the -binder is launched for the application.
- -Once launched, running instances of application receive -a runid that identify them.
- - -afm-user-daemon manages the list of applications -that it launched.
- -With the good permissions, a client can get the list -of the running instances and details about a specific -running instance. It can also terminate, stop or -continue a given application.
- - -If the client has the good permission, -afm-user-daemon delegates that task -to afm-system-daemon.
- - -afm-user-daemon is launched as a systemd service -attached to user sessions. Normally, the service file is -located at /usr/lib/systemd/user/afm-user-daemon.service.
- +Launching an application locally means that the application and its binder are launched together.
+Launching application remotely translates in only launching the application binder. The UI by itself has to be activated remotely by the requested (ie: HTML5 homescreen in a browser)
+Once launched, running instances of application receive a runid that identify them.
+afm-user-daemon manages the list of applications that it launched.
+When owning the right permissions, a client can get the list of running instances and details about a specific running instance. It can also terminates, stops or continues a given application.
+If the client own the right permissions, afm-user-daemon delegates that task to afm-system-daemon.
+afm-user-daemon is launched as a systemd service attached to user sessions. Normally, the service file is located at /usr/lib/systemd/user/afm-user-daemon.service.
The options for launching afm-user-daemon are:
--a
--application directory
@@ -155,22 +116,21 @@ located at /usr/lib/systemd/user/afm-user-daemon.service.
Can be repeated.
-r
---root directory
-
- Includes the root application directory to
- the database base of applications.
-
- Note that the default root directory for
- applications is always added. It is defined
- to be /usr/share/afm/applications (may change).
+--root directory
- Can be repeated.
+ Includes root application directory or directories when
+ passing multiple rootdir to
+ applications database.
+ Note that default root directory for
+ applications is always added. In current version
+ /usr/share/afm/applications is used as default.
+
-m
--mode (local|remote)
Set the default launch mode.
- The default value is 'local'
+ The default value is 'local'
-d
--daemon
@@ -190,47 +150,24 @@ located at /usr/lib/systemd/user/afm-user-daemon.service.
-h
--help
- Prints a short help.
-It contains rules for launching applications. -When afm-user-daemon need to launch an application, -it looks to the mode of launch, local or remote, and the -type of the application as given by the file config.xml -of the widget.
- -This couple mode and type allows to select the rule.
- -The configuration file is /etc/afm/afm-launch.conf.
- -It contains sections and rules. It can also contain comments -and empty lines to improve the readability.
- -The separators are space and tabulation, any other character -is meaning something.
- -The format is line oriented. -The new line character separate the lines.
- -Lines having only separators are blank lines and are skipped. -Line having the character # (sharp) as first not separator character -are comment lines and are ignored.
- -Lines starting with a not separator character are differents -of lines starting with a separator character.
- + Prints a short help. +It contains rules for launching applications. When afm-user-daemon has to launch an application, it looks for launch mode (local or remote), as well as for the type of application describe in config.xml widget configuration file.
+This tuple mode+type allows to select the adequate rule.
+Configuration file is /etc/afm/afm-launch.conf.
+It contains sections and rules. It can also contain comments and empty lines to improve readability.
+The separators are space and tabulation, any other character should have a meaning.
+The format is line oriented. The new line character separate the lines.
+Lines having only separators are blank lines and ignored. Line having character #(sharp) at first position are comment lines and ignored.
+Lines not starting with a separator are different from lines starting with a separator character.
The grammar of the configuration file is defined below:
-CONF: *COMMENT *SECTION
SECTION: MODE *RULE
RULE: +TYPE VECTOR ?VECTOR
-MODE: 'mode' +SEP ('local' | 'remote') *SEP EOL
+MODE: 'mode' +SEP ('local' | 'remote') *SEP EOL
TYPE: DATA *SEP EOL
@@ -242,17 +179,12 @@ NDATA: +NCHAR
EOL: NL *COMMENT
COMMENT: *SEP CMT *(SEP | NCHAR) NL
-NL: '\x0a'
-SEP: '\x20' | '\x09'
-CMT: '#'
-CHAR: '\x00'..'\x08' | '\x0b'..'\x1f' | '\x21' | '\x22' | '\x24'..'\xff'
-NCHAR: CMT | CHAR
-Here is a sample of configuration file for defining how -to launch an application declared of types application/x-executable, -text/x-shellscript and text/html in mode local:
- +NL: '\x0a' +SEP: '\x20' | '\x09' +CMT: '#' +CHAR: '\x00'..'\x08' | '\x0b'..'\x1f' | '\x21' | '\x22' | '\x24'..'\xff' +NCHAR: CMT | CHAR +Here is a sample of configuration file for defining how to launch an application of types application/x-executable, text/x-shellscript and text/html in local mode:
mode local
application/x-executable
@@ -261,11 +193,8 @@ text/x-shellscript
text/html
/usr/bin/afb-daemon --mode=local --readyfd=%R --alias=/icons:%I --port=%P --rootdir=%r --token=%S --sessiondir=%D/.afb-daemon
- /usr/bin/web-runtime http://localhost:%P/%c?token=%S
-This shows that:
-Within this mode, the launchers have either one or two vectors -describing them. All of these vectors are treated as programs -and are executed with the system call ‘execve’.
- -The first vector is the leader vector and it defines the process -group. The second vector (if any) is attached to the group -defined by this first vector.
- - -Within this mode, the launchers have either one or two vectors -describing them.
- -The first vector is treated as a program and is executed with -the system call ‘execve’.
- -The second vector (if any) defines a text that is returned -to the caller. This mechanism can be used to return the uri -to connect to for executing the application remotely.
- -The daemon afm-user-daemon allocates a port for the -running the application remotely. -The current implmentation of the port allocation is just -incremental. -A more reliable (cacheable and same-originable) allocation -is to be defined.
- - -Vectors can include sequences of 2 characters that have a special -meaning. These sequences are named %substitution because their -first character is the percent sign (%) and because each occurrence -of the sequence is replaced, at launch time, by the value associated -to sequences.
- +Within this mode, the launchers have either one or two description vectors. All of those vectors are treated as programs and are executed with 'execve' system call.
+The first vector is the leader vector and it defines the process group. The second vector (if any) is attached to the group defined by this first vector.
+Within this mode, the launchers have either one or two vectors describing them.
+The first vector is process as a program and is executed with system call 'execve'.
+The second vector (if any) defines a text that is returned to the caller. This mechanism can be used to return a uri for remote UI to connect on the newly launched application.
+The daemon afm-user-daemon allocates a port for each new remote application. The current implementation port allocation is incremental. A smarter (cacheable and discoverable) allocation should be defined.
+Vectors can include sequences of 2 characters that have a special meaning. These sequences are named %substitution because their first character is the percent sign (%) and because each occurrence of the sequence is replaced, at launch time, by the value associated to sequences.
Here is the list of %substitutions:
-%%: %.
- -This simply emits the percent sign %
%a: appid
- -This is the application Id of the launched application.
- -Defined by the attribute id of the element
%c: content
- +This simply emits the percent sign %
+Holds application Id of launched application.
+Defined by the attribute id of the element
In the future should represent the list of bindings and bindings directory separated by ','. Warning: not supported in current version.
+The file within the widget directory that is the entry point.
- -For a HTML application, it is the relative path to the main -page (aka index.html).
- -Defined by the attribute src of the element
%D: datadir
- -Path of the directory where the application runs (cwd) -and stores its data.
- -It is equal to %h/%a.
%H: height
- +For HTML applications, it represents the relative path to main page (aka index.html).
+Defined by attribute src of the element
Path of the directory where the application runs (cwd) and stores its data.
+It is equal to %h/%a.
+Requested height for the widget.
- -Defined by the attribute height of the element
%h: homedir
- +Defined by the attribute height of the element
Path of the home directory for all applications.
- -It is generally equal to $HOME/app-data
%I: icondir
- -Path of the directory were the icons of the applications can be found.
%m: mime-type
- +It is generally equal to $HOME/app-data
+Path of the directory were the icons of the applications can be found.
+Mime type of the launched application.
- -Defined by the attribute type of the element
%n: name
- -Name of the application as defined by the content of the
-element
%p: plugins
- -Unhandled until now.
- -Will be the colon separated list of plugins and plugins directory.
%P: port
- -A port to use. It is currently a kind of random port. The precise -model is to be defined later.
%R: readyfd
- -Number of the file descriptor to use for signalling -readyness of the launched process.
%r: rootdir
- -Path of the directory containing the widget and its data.
%S: secret
- -An hexadecimal number that can be used to pair the client -with its server binder.
%W: width
- -Requested width for the widget.
- -Defined by the attribute width of the element
Defined by the attribute type of the element
afm-user-daemon takes its orders from the session instance -of D-Bus. The use of D-Bus is great because it allows to implement -discovery and signaling.
- -The dbus of the session is by default adressed by the environment -variable DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS. Using systemd -the variable DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is automatically set for -user sessions.
- -The afm-user-daemon is listening with the destination name -org.AGL.afm.user at the object of path /org/AGL/afm/user -on the interface org.AGL.afm.user for the below detailed -members runnables, detail, start, terminate, -stop, continue, runners, state, -install and uninstall.
- -D-Bus is mainly used for signaling and discovery. Its optimized -typed protocol is not used except for transmitting only one string -in both directions.
- -The client and the service are using JSON serialisation to -exchange data.
- +Name of the application as defined by the content of the element
A port to use. It is currently a kind of random port. The precise model is to be defined later.
+Number of file descriptor to use for signaling readiness of launched process.
+Path of directory containing the widget and its data.
+An hexadecimal number that can be used to initialize pairing of client and application binder.
+Requested width for the widget.
+Defined by the attribute width of the element
afm-user-daemon takes its orders from the session instance of D-Bus. D-Bus is nice to use in this context because it allows discovery and signaling.
+The dbus session is by default addressed by environment variable DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS. Using systemd variable DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is automatically set for user sessions.
+The afm-user-daemon is listening on destination name org.AGL.afm.user at object path /org/AGL/afm/user on interface org.AGL.afm.user for following members: runnables, detail, start, terminate, stop, continue, runners, state, install and uninstall.
+D-Bus is mainly used for signaling and discovery. Its optimized typed protocol is not used except for transmission of standalone strings.
+Clients and Services are using JSON serialisation to exchange data.
The D-Bus interface is defined by:
-DESTINATION: org.AGL.afm.user
PATH: /org/AGL/afm/user
INTERFACE: org.AGL.afm.user
The signature of any member of the interface is string -> string -for JSON -> JSON.
- -This is the normal case. In case of error, the current implmentation -returns a dbus error that is a string.
- -Here is an example that use dbus-send to query data on -installed applications.
- +The signature of any member of the interface is string -> string for JSON -> JSON.
+This is the normal case. In case of error, the current implementation returns a dbus error as a string.
+Here an example using dbus-send to query data on installed applications.
dbus-send --session --print-reply \
--dest=org.AGL.afm.user \
/org/AGL/afm/user \
- org.AGL.afm.user.runnables string:true
-The command line tool afm-util uses dbus-send to send -orders to afm-user-daemon. This small scripts allows to -send command to afm-user-daemon either interactively -at shell prompt or scriptically.
- -The syntax is simple: it accept a command and if the command -requires it, the argument to the command.
- + org.AGL.afm.user.runnables string:true +The command line tool afm-util uses dbus-send to send orders to afm-user-daemon. This small scripts allows to send command to afm-user-daemon either interactively at shell prompt or scriptically.
+The syntax is simple: it accept a command and when requires attached arguments.
Here is the summary of afm-util:
-afm-util runnables :
- -list the runnable widgets installed
afm-util install wgt :
- -install the wgt file
afm-util uninstall id :
- -remove the installed widget of id
afm-util detail id :
- -print detail about the installed widget of id
afm-util runners :
- -list the running instance
afm-util start id :
- -start an instance of the widget of id
afm-util terminate rid :
- -terminate the running instance rid
afm-util stop rid :
- -stop the running instance rid
afm-util continue rid :
- -continue the previously rid
afm-util state rid :
- -get status of the running instance rid
list the runnable widgets installed
+install the wgt file
+remove the installed widget of id
+print detail about the installed widget of id
+list the running instance
+start an instance of the widget of id
+terminate the running instance rid
+stop the running instance rid
+continue the previously rid
+get status of the running instance rid
Here is how to list applications using afm-util:
- -afm-util runnables
-afm-util runnablesRecall:
-DESTINATION: org.AGL.afm.user
PATH: /org/AGL/afm/user
INTERFACE: org.AGL.afm.user
Description: Get details about an application from its id.
-Input: the id of the application as below.
-Either just a string:
- -"appli@x.y"
-Or an object having the field “id” of type string:
- -{"id":"appli@x.y"}
-Output: A JSON object describing the application containing -the fields described below.
- +"appli@x.y"Or an object having the field "id" of type string:
+{"id":"appli@x.y"}Output: A JSON object describing the application containing the fields described below.
{
- "id": string, the application id (id@version)
- "version": string, the version of the application
- "width": integer, requested width of the application
- "height": integer, resqueted height of the application
- "name": string, the name of the application
- "description": string, the description of the application
- "shortname": string, the short name of the application
- "author": string, the author of the application
-}
-Description: Get the list of applications that can be run.
-Input: any valid json entry, can be anything except null.
- -output: An array of description of the runnable applications. -Each item of the array contains an object containing the detail of -an application as described above for the method -org.AGL.afm.user.detail.
- +output: An array of description of the runnable applications. Each item of the array contains an object containing the detail of an application as described above for the method org.AGL.afm.user.detail.
Description: Install an application from its widget file.
- -If an application of the same id and version exists, it is not -reinstalled except if force=true.
- -Applications are installed in the subdirectories of the common directory -of applications. -If root is specified, the application is installed under the -sub-directories of the root defined.
- -Note that this methods is a simple accessor to the method -org.AGL.afm.system.install of afm-system-daemon.
- -After the installation and before returning to the sender, -afm-user-daemon sends the signal org.AGL.afm.user.changed.
- -Input: The path of the widget file to install and, optionaly, -a flag to force reinstallation, and, optionaly, a root directory.
- -Either just a string being the absolute path of the widget file:
- -"/a/path/driving/to/the/widget"
-If an application of the same id and version exists, it is not reinstalled except when force=true.
+Applications are installed in the subdirectories of the common directory reserved for applications. If root is specified, the application is installed under sub-directories of defined root.
+Note that this methods is a simple accessor to the method org.AGL.afm.system.install of afm-system-daemon.
+After the installation and before returning to the sender, afm-user-daemon sends the signal org.AGL.afm.user.changed.
+Input: The path of widget file to be installed. Optionally, a flag to force reinstallation and/or a root directory.
+Simple form a simple string containing the absolute widget path:
+"/a/path/driving/to/the/widget"Or an object:
-{
- "wgt": "/a/path/to/the/widget",
- "force": false,
- "root": "/a/path/to/the/root"
-}
-“wgt” and “root” must be absolute paths.
- -output: An object with the field “added” being the string for -the id of the added application.
- -{"added":"appli@x.y"}
-"wgt" and "root" MUST be absolute paths.
+output: An object containing field "added" to use as application ID.
+{"added":"appli@x.y"}Description: Uninstall an application from its id.
- -Note that this methods is a simple accessor to the method -org.AGL.afm.system.uninstall of afm-system-daemon.
- -After the uninstallation and before returning to the sender, -afm-user-daemon sends the signal org.AGL.afm.user.changed.
- -Input: the id of the application and, otpionaly, the path to -root of the application.
- +Note that this methods is a simple accessor to org.AGL.afm.system.uninstall method from afm-system-daemon.
+After the uninstallation and before returning to the sender, afm-user-daemon sends the signal org.AGL.afm.user.changed.
+Input: the id of the application and, optionally, the path to application root.
Either a string:
- -"appli@x.y"
-"appli@x.y"Or an object:
-{
- "id": "appli@x.y",
- "root": "/a/path/to/the/root"
-}
-output: the value ‘true’.
- + "id": "appli@x.y", + "root": "/a/path/to/the/root" +} +output: the value 'true'.
Description:
- -Input: the id of the application and, optionaly, the -start mode as below.
- +Input: the id of the application and, optionally, the start mode as below.
Either just a string:
- -"appli@x.y"
-Or an object having the field “id” of type string and -optionaly a field mode:
- -{"id":"appli@x.y","mode":"local"}
-The field “mode” as a string value being either “local” or “remote”.
- -output: The runid of the application launched. -The runid is an integer.
- +"appli@x.y"Or an object containing field "id" of type string and optionally a field mode:
+{"id":"appli@x.y","mode":"local"}The field "mode" is a string equal to either "local" or "remote".
+output: The runid of the application launched. runid is an integer.
Description: Terminates the application of runid.
- -Input: The runid (an integer) of the running instance to terminate.
- -output: the value ‘true’.
- +Description: Terminates the application attached to runid.
+Input: The runid (an integer) of running instance to terminate.
+output: the value 'true'.
Description: Stops the application of runid until terminate or continue.
- -Input: The runid (an integer) of the running instance to stop.
- -output: the value ‘true’.
- +Description: Stops the application attached to runid until terminate or continue.
+Input: The runid (integer) of the running instance to stop.
+output: the value 'true'.
Description: Continues the application of runid previously stopped.
- -Input: The runid (an integer) of the running instance to continue.
- -output: the value ‘true’.
- +Description: Continues the application attached to runid previously stopped.
+Input: The runid (integer) of the running instance to continue.
+output: the value 'true'.
Description: Get informations about a running instance of runid.
- -Input: The runid (an integer) of the running instance inspected.
- -output: An object describing the state of the instance. It contains: -the runid (an integer), the id of the running application (a string), -the state of the application (a string being either “starting”, “running” -or “stopped”).
- +Input: The runid (integer) of the running instance inspected.
+output: An object describing instance state. It contains: the runid (integer), the id of the running application (string), the state of the application (string either: "starting", "running", "stopped").
Example of returned state:
-{
- "runid": 2,
- "state": "running",
- "id": "appli@x.y"
-}
-Description: Get the list of the currently running instances.
- +Description: Get the list of currently running instances.
Input: anything.
- -output: An array of states, one per running instance, as returned by -the methodd org.AGL.afm.user.state.
+output: An array of states, one per running instance, as returned by the methodd org.AGL.afm.user.state.