= HookBox Notes =
Hookbox is a comet server and message queue that tightly integrates with web application frameworks. The goal of Hookbox is to allow your web application (php, django, rails, etc.) to handle all of the logic pertaining to authentication, authorization, logging, message transformation, etc, while still hiding the hard parts of Comet.
== Hookbox HTTP Api ==
=== /publish ===
Request
URL: [HOOKBOX]/publish
Request Form:
channel_name: The destination to publish the message
payload: (default null) The payload for the message
Responses
true: It worked
false: Some error occurred
=== /channel_info ===
Request
URL: [HOOKBOX]/channel_info
Request Form:
channel_name: The destination to publish the message
payload: (default null) The payload for the message
Response:
true: It worked
false: Some error occurred
Response Data
channel_name (string): The name of the channel
subscribers (list): List of channel subscribers
reflective (bool): Does this channel reflect publishes to publisher
history (int): Length of history kept in the channel
=== /set_channel_options ===
Request
URL: [HOOKBOX]/set_channel_options
Request Form:
channel_name: The name of the channel to modify with the given options.
reflective: (bool, default=true)
history_size: (int, default=0) Determines the size of the history kept per channel. This history is sent to users when they subscribe to a channel.
moderated: (bool, default=true) If true, then all events on the channel must be authorized via a callback.
moderated_publish: (bool, default=true) If true, publish events must be authorized via a callback.
moderated_subscribe: (bool, default=true) If true, subscribe events must be authorized via a callback.
moderated_unsubscribe: (bool, default=true) If true, unsubscribe events must be authorized via a callback.
presenceful: (bool, default=false) If true, presence lists will be attached to each publish frame. Also, SUBSCRIBED and UNSUBSCRIBED frames will be sent to all channel subscribers when another user subscribes or unsubscribes.
anonymous: (bool, default=false) If true, usernames will be omitted from publish frames
Response:
true: It worked
false: Some error occurred
Response Data
None
== HookBox Webhooks ==
Each webhook takes arguments in the form of a querystring encoded post body that should just work with existing form processing infrastructure.
Each webhook returns a JSON list, of the form [ boolean, object ]. The first argument signifies the authorization/success of the operation, and the object contains various options that vary by hook type.
All webhooks will have a "Cookie:" header with a value identical to the browser that caused the request to be initiated. The "context" of the webhook call should therefore contain a session for the originating browser.
=== connect ===
Request
URL: [ROOT]/connect
Request Form:
(empty)
Responses:
true: Authorize connection
false: Deny connection
Response Options
name (optional): the Display Name for this connection; it will be used for presence.
auto_subscribe (optional): (list) A list of channels to attempt to auto-subscribe the user. Each will generate a subscribe callback.
auto_unsubscribe (optional): (list) A list of channels to attempt to auto-unsubscribe the user. Each will generate an unsubscribe callback.
=== create channel ===
Request
URL: [ROOT]/create_channel
Request Form:
destination: The channel's URI
Responses:
true: Authorize channel creation
false: Deny channel creation
Response Options
history: (int, default 0) Specifies the amount of history that should be saved on the channel. When a user first subscribes they will be sent this history.
set_history: (list, default []) Pre-populates history for the channel
Note: A create channel is issuing when a user subscribes to a non-existent destination. There will usually be a /subscribe callback immediately following a create_channel callback, unless the channel creation is denied.
=== publish ===
Request
URL: [ROOT]/publish
Request Form:
destination: The channel's URI
payload: The json payload to be published
Responses:
true: Authorize publishing
false: Deny publishing
Response Options
override_payload (optional): If specified, this payload will be delivered instead of the original payload
auto_subscribe (optional): (list) A list of channels to attempt to auto-subscribe the user. Each will generate a subscribe callback.
auto_unsubscribe (optional): (list) A list of channels to attempt to auto-unsubscribe the user. Each will generate an unsubscribe callback.
=== unsubscribe ===
Request
URL: [ROOT]/unsubscribe
Request Form:
destination: The channel's URI
Responses:
true: Authorize unsubscribe
false: Deny unsubscribe
Response Options
auto_subscribe (optional): (list) A list of channels to attempt to auto-subscribe the user. Each will generate a subscribe callback.
auto_unsubscribe (optional): (list) A list of channels to attempt to auto-unsubscribe the user. Each will generate an unsubscribe callback.
=== disconnect ===
Request
URL: [ROOT]/disconnect
Request Form:
channels: (list) The channels the users was in.
Responses:
true: Required (Doesn't really do anything)
false: Meaningless (but does the same as true.)
Response Options
(None)
== Overview ==
A typical session with a Hookbox application might Look like this:
1) User navigates to http://www.example.com/index.html
The user is given a login page, which he fills out.
2) Browser POSTs to http://www.example.com/login
Included in the post body is the username and password
3) Web application returns Cookie: session_id=abc;
4) Web application redirects user to http://www.example.com/home
The user is now logged into the application and sees the gui
5) Browser calls hookbox.connect('http://hookbox.example.com')
6) Browser send a CONNECT frame to hookbox, including { cookie: "session_id=abc"; }
7) Hookbox makes an HTTP POST to http://www.example.com/hookbox/connect
Hookbox includes the header "Cookie: session_id=abc;"
8) The Web Application responds with a json payload: [ true, {}]
This gives authorization for the client to connect
9) Browser calls hookbox.publish('test.location', ["Hello", "World"]
10) Hookbox makes an HTTP POST to http://www.example.com/hookbox/publish
Hookbox includes the header "Cookie: session_id=abc;"
Hookbox includes a query string in the POST body with the data
payload=["Hello", "World"]
channel_name=test.location
11) The Web app returns the json payload: [true, { } ]
This gives authorization for the client to publish the message
12) Hookbox sends a PUBLISH frame to all clients currently subscribed to the
channel 'test.location'
