Agent::TCLI - Transactional Contextual Line Interface
This document describes Agent::TCLI::Base version 0.02
TCLI is currently alpha. While most things work, not everything has been tested. Many revisions to the API have been made already and it is hoped that nothing major needs to be changed to get to a 1.0 release. Additions are anticipated.
The documentation still needs much more improvement.
This is a documentation and version only module. A simple Agent script enabling the Tail command package is installed with this module. See tail_agent or run:
tail_agent man
TCLI is an acronym for Transactional Contextual command Line Interface. Optionally it may stand for Tester's Command Line Interface.
TCLI supports the writing of agents (Agents) that interact with their host operating system or the network with a current focus on supporting functional testing.
TCLI supports the writing of TAP compliant http://testanything.org/ test scripts that control the agents. The tests pass or fail depending on the responses from the agents.
TCLI is designed to be network protocol agnostic. It currently supports a Jabber/XMPP Transport as a module that ships with the core. An HTTP transport is planned. Transports may support both a human interface (the CLI) and an RPC interface. The RPC interface supports the testing capability, but could also be used to interact in a client server like manner with a GUI or other application.
TLCI is designed to allow new commands to be added through additional modules in collections called packages. TCLI attempts to make writing these modules easier by providing Base classes that offer much of the needed functionality to support the standardized, easy to learn human interface. The goal is to allow users to add new functionality without having then spend a lot of time learning the particular syntax of a new tool.
The quickest way to start running an agent is to run the provided Tail Agent:
tail_agent user=<user> password=<example> domain=<example.com>
One must fist have created a Jabber/XMPP account for the agent to log in to. One can then log in with a Jabber client using the same user ID and password and communicate with the Agent. The Agnet will be logged in using the resource 'tcli'. Jabber clients vary in how to start a chat with onself at a different resource, so please see your Jabber client documentation for details.
The following modules make up the core of the TCLI system.
The Agent::TCLI::Control is the key broker between the Transports and the Command Packages. It routes the command to the appropriate package. Control also implements the a few of the required commands such as help. Controls are spawned for each user, although currently Package state is not maintained per user.
Transports provide the human and the automated interfaces to TCLI. Currently there is a Jabber/XMPP Transport and the special case Test transport.
Packages are collections of commands that implement some funtionality. Packages may be entirely Perl, or may interface with a command line application. Packages maintain a parameter session state using defaults.
Agent::TCLI::Command is used by Packages to define the components of a command. It includes the necessary parameters, the manual and help text, as well and the context information for the Control to use.
Agent::TCLI::Parameter is used in Packages and Commands to define the parameters that commands accept. It includes help and manual text, validation constraints and other information to make processing consitent.
Agent::TCLI::Request is used internally in the TCLI system to describe the user's request and route it between components. Transports may serialize requests and send them between agents just use them locally to interact with the Control.
Agent::TCLI::Response is used internally in the TCLI system to describe the response(s) to a user's request. It is a subclass of Request.
Agent::TCLI::User is used to define the users that will be allowed to access an agent. They are defined in the agent script and loaded into the transport.
Eric Hacker <hacker at cpan.org>
Test scripts not thorough enough.
Probably many many others.
Copyright (c) 2007, Alcatel Lucent, All rights resevred.
This package is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
To install Agent::TCLI, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm Agent::TCLI
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install Agent::TCLI
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.