The History Behind Broadcatch - VOS

VOS Language: Events

(Rev. 1.2, 12/24/96)

Important note: all event calls require a ProfileID, so the concept of designated driver or some such method that allows access to the current profileID is required.

    Event		-- notifiy the server of an event or action
	ProfileID		-- the "designated driver"
	EventVerb		-- BeginPlay or EndPlay or ...
        Context			-- Music or Video or Customers or App or ...
        ContextID		-- SongID or VideoID or CustomerID or AppName...
	Extra1			-- optional
	Extra2			-- optional

Macros

Question: is simple Begin and End information rich enough? What other, deeper, information might an app developer wish to convey? Feedback?
Note1: if Duration is omitted, the current time is used
Note2: " || " is used to delimit fields rather than " &TAB& " for clarity

    BeginContent    || ProfileID || ContentID
    EndContent      || ProfileID || ContentID [ || Duration ]
    BeginSong       || ProfileID || SongID
    EndSong         || ProfileID || SongID    [ || Duration ]
    BeginVideo      || ProfileID || VideoID
    EndVideo        || ProfileID || VideoID   [ || Duration ]
    BeginApp        || ProfileID || AppName
    EndApp          || ProfileID || AppName   [ || Duration ]
    Background      || ProfileID || AppName || BackgroundID
    SelectItem      || ProfileID || AppName || ItemName
    DoubleClickItem || ProfileID || AppName || ItemName
    ClickButton     || ProfileID || AppName || ButtonName

Examples - user interaction notifications

The following is provided purely for additional informational purposes. The macros described above should be used instead.

    -- BeginPlay and EndPlay
    -- ItemType is "Music", "Video", "Content" or "App"
    -- Item is either e.g. a SongID or an AppName
    -- Use this instead of PlayContentStart and PlayContentStop
    Event || ProfileID || "BeginPlay" || || ItemType || Item
    Event || ProfileID || "EndPlay" || ItemType || Duration

    -- upon a background change, this event could be sent
    Event || ProfileID || "Background" || AppName || BackgroundID

    -- on SelectItem
    Event || ProfileID || "SelectItem" || AppName || ItemName

    -- on DoubleClickItem (what about MouseUp and MouseDown?)
    Event || ProfileID || "DoubleClickItem" || AppName || ItemName

    -- on ClickButton
    Event || ProfileID || "ClickButton" || AppName || ButtonName

Automatic Events

    Login || name || passwd	-- sends these events automatically:
    -- Event || ProfileID || "BeginPlay" || "customers" || MachineIPAddr
    -- Event || ProfileID || "BeginPlay" || "profiles" || ProfileID

    -- when a customer creates a new profile (using CreateProfile) the
    -- same events are generated as when changing the DefaultProfileID:
    DefaultProfileID || CustomerID || ProfileID
    -- Event || oldProfileID || "EndPlay" || "profiles"
    -- note that the Duration was omitted so it is calculated
    -- Event || newProfileID || "BeginPlay" || "profiles" || newProfileID

    -- when writing out a new set of e.g., music preferences...
    SetMusicPrefs || ProfileID || PropList
    -- Event || ProfileID || "SetPrefs" || "MusicPrefsID" || PrefsID

    Logout || CustomerID	-- sends these events automatically:
    -- Event || ProfileID || "EndPlay" || "customers"
    -- Event || ProfileID || "EndPlay" || "profiles"