C H A P T E R 1
Overview
Communications Services
1-13
transport interface
communication tool interface
The first two, routing and endpoint interfaces, are available for NewtonScript
applications to use directly.
applications to use directly.
The transport interface is a NewtonScript interface, but it isn't used directly by appli-
cations. A transport consists of a special kind of application of its own that is installed
on a Newton device and that provides new communication services to the system.
cations. A transport consists of a special kind of application of its own that is installed
on a Newton device and that provides new communication services to the system.
The communication tool interface is a low-level C++ interface.
These interfaces are described in more detail in the following sections.
NewtonScript Application Communications
1
There are two basic types of NewtonScript communications an application can do.
The most common type of communication that most applications do is routing
through the In/Out Box. As an alternative, applications can use the endpoint interface
to control endpoint objects.
The most common type of communication that most applications do is routing
through the In/Out Box. As an alternative, applications can use the endpoint interface
to control endpoint objects.
Typically, an application uses only one of these types of communication, but
sometimes both are needed. These two types of communication are described in
the following sections.
sometimes both are needed. These two types of communication are described in
the following sections.
Routing Through the In/Out Box
1
The routing interface is the highest-level NewtonScript communication interface.
The routing interface allows an application to communicate with the In/Out Box
and lets users send data and receive data from outside the system. In applications,
users access routing services through a standard user interface element called the
Action button, which looks like a small envelope. Users access the In/Out Box
application through icons in the Newton Extras Drawer. The In/Out Box provides a
common user interface for all incoming and outgoing data in the system.
The routing interface allows an application to communicate with the In/Out Box
and lets users send data and receive data from outside the system. In applications,
users access routing services through a standard user interface element called the
Action button, which looks like a small envelope. Users access the In/Out Box
application through icons in the Newton Extras Drawer. The In/Out Box provides a
common user interface for all incoming and outgoing data in the system.
The routing interface is best suited for user-controlled messaging and transaction-
based communications. For example, the Newton built-in applications use this
interface for e-mail, beaming, printing, and faxing. Outgoing items can be stored in
the Out Box until a physical connection is available, when the user can choose to
transmit the items, or they can be sent immediately. Incoming items are received in
the In Box, where the user can get new mail and beamed items, for example.
based communications. For example, the Newton built-in applications use this
interface for e-mail, beaming, printing, and faxing. Outgoing items can be stored in
the Out Box until a physical connection is available, when the user can choose to
transmit the items, or they can be sent immediately. Incoming items are received in
the In Box, where the user can get new mail and beamed items, for example.
For information on the routing interface, refer to Chapter 21, "Routing Interface."
The In/Out Box makes use of the transport and endpoint interfaces internally to
perform its operations.
perform its operations.
If you are writing an application that takes advantage of only the transports
currently installed in the Newton system, you need to use only the routing
currently installed in the Newton system, you need to use only the routing