Example 3: Hello World with Callback Object

Client programs often react to changes or updates that occur in a server. For example, a client graph or spreadsheet program might need to be updated with each stock price update on a stock market server. The client has two options in this scenario: (1) periodically ask for the stock price via a method request on the stock server or (2) ask to be notified by the server whenever a price change occurs. The second option is referred to as a "callback".

Example 3 illustrates how a client program can pass a callback object to a server. The server then issues a method request on the callback object and thereby notifies the client.

Example 3 is identical to Example 1 except for the callback enhancements. This page only discusses the code necessary to these enhancements.

This page contains:

The IDL for a "Hello world" program with a callback.
A server implementation that callsback to a client.
A client that sends a callback object reference to a server.

Instructions for compiling and running the example are provided.

Interface Definition (`Hello.idl`)

module HelloApp
{
    interface HelloCallback
    {
        void callback(in string message);
    };


    interface Hello
    {
        string sayHello(in HelloCallback objRef, in string message);
    };
};

A HelloCallback is defined, which the client will implement.

The sayHello method is modified to take an object reference argument and string argument. The object reference argument provides a means for the client to pass a callback object to the server, which the server can invoke. The string argument is the string that the server will send back to the client.

Implementing the Server (`HelloServer.java`)

// Copyright and License 

import HelloApp.*;
import org.omg.CosNaming.*;
import org.omg.CosNaming.NamingContextPackage.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
 
class HelloServant extends _HelloImplBase 
{
    public String sayHello(HelloCallback callobj, String msg)
    {
	callobj.callback(msg);
	return "\nHello world !!\n";
    }
}

 
public class HelloServer {
 
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
	try{
	    // create and initialize the ORB
	    ORB orb = ORB.init(args, null);
 
	    // create servant and register it with the ORB
	    HelloServant helloRef = new HelloServant();
	    orb.connect(helloRef);
 
	    // get the root naming context
	    org.omg.CORBA.Object objRef = 
		orb.resolve_initial_references("NameService");
	    NamingContext ncRef = NamingContextHelper.narrow(objRef);
 
	    // bind the Object Reference in Naming
	    NameComponent nc = new NameComponent("Hello", "");
	    NameComponent path[] = {nc};
	    ncRef.rebind(path, helloRef);
 
	    // wait for invocations from clients
            java.lang.Object sync = new java.lang.Object();
            synchronized (sync) {
                sync.wait();
            }
 
	} catch (Exception e) {
	    System.err.println("ERROR: " + e);
	    e.printStackTrace(System.out);
	}
    }
}

The sayHello method implementation has been modified to invoke the callback object that it receives.

Implementing the Client (`HelloClient.java`)

// Copyright and License 
 
import HelloApp.*;
import org.omg.CosNaming.*;
import org.omg.CORBA.*;
 
class HelloCallbackServant extends _HelloCallbackImplBase
{
    public void callback(String notification)
    {
        System.out.println(notification);
    }
}

public class HelloClient 
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
	try{
	    // create and initialize the ORB
	    ORB orb = ORB.init(args, null);
 
            // get the root naming context
            org.omg.CORBA.Object objRef = orb.resolve_initial_references("NameService");
            NamingContext ncRef = NamingContextHelper.narrow(objRef);

            // resolve the Object Reference in Naming
            NameComponent nc = new NameComponent("Hello", "");
            NameComponent path[] = {nc};
            Hello helloRef = HelloHelper.narrow(ncRef.resolve(path));
 
	
	    HelloCallbackServant helloCallbackRef = new HelloCallbackServant();
            orb.connect(helloCallbackRef);

	    // call the Hello server object and print results
	    String hello = helloRef.sayHello(helloCallbackRef,"\ntest..\n");
	    System.out.println(hello);
 
	} catch (Exception e) {
	    System.out.println("ERROR : " + e) ;
	    e.printStackTrace(System.out);
	}
    }
}

The client implements the HelloCallbackServant object.

The HelloClient.main instantiates the callback object and passes it to the server. The client must also register the callback object with the ORB.

Building and Running Hello World

The following instructions assume you can use port 1050 for the Java IDL name server. Substitute a different port if necessary. Note that for ports below 1024, you need root access on UNIX machines, and administrator privileges on Windows95 and NT. Note also that the instructions use a slash (/) for path names. Windows95 and NT users should subtitute a backslash (\).

Create the source code files as shown above.
Run idltojava on the IDL file to create stubs and skeletons:
```
	idltojava  Hello.idl
```
Compile the .java files, including the stubs and skeletons:
```
	javac *.java HelloApp/*.java
```
Make sure the name server is running:
```
	tnameserv -ORBInitialPort 1050&
```
Start the Hello server:
```
	java HelloServer -ORBInitialPort 1050
```
Run the Hello application client from a different shell than the server:
```
	java HelloClient -ORBInitialPort 1050
```

Home

Example 3: Hello World with Callback Object

Interface Definition (Hello.idl)

Implementing the Server (HelloServer.java)

Implementing the Client (HelloClient.java)

Building and Running Hello World

Interface Definition (`Hello.idl`)

Implementing the Server (`HelloServer.java`)

Implementing the Client (`HelloClient.java`)