-<!-- $Id: book.xml,v 1.4 2006-03-27 14:34:45 adam Exp $ -->
+<?xml version="1.0" standalone="no"?>
+<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.1//EN"
+ "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.1/docbookx.dtd"
+[
+ <!ENTITY % local SYSTEM "local.ent">
+ %local;
+ <!ENTITY manref SYSTEM "manref.xml">
+ <!ENTITY progref SYSTEM "progref.xml">
+ <!ENTITY % idcommon SYSTEM "common/common.ent">
+ %idcommon;
+ <!-- Next line allows imagedata/@format="PDF" and is taken from
+ http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/docbook/200303/msg00163.html
+ -->
+ <!ENTITY % local.notation.class "| PDF">
+ <!-- Next line is necessary for some XML parsers, for reasons I
+ don't understand. I got this from
+ http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/docbook/200303/msg00180.html
+ -->
+ <!NOTATION PDF SYSTEM "PDF">
+]>
+<book id="metaproxy">
<bookinfo>
<title>Metaproxy - User's Guide and Reference</title>
- <author>
- <firstname>Mike</firstname><surname>Taylor</surname>
- </author>
- <author>
- <firstname>Adam</firstname><surname>Dickmeiss</surname>
- </author>
- <copyright>
- <year>2006</year>
- <holder>Index Data</holder>
- </copyright>
+ <authorgroup>
+ <author>
+ <firstname>Adam</firstname><surname>Dickmeiss</surname>
+ </author>
+ <author>
+ <firstname>Marc</firstname><surname>Cromme</surname>
+ </author>
+ <author>
+ <firstname>Mike</firstname><surname>Taylor</surname>
+ </author>
+ </authorgroup>
+ <releaseinfo>&version;</releaseinfo>
+ <copyright>
+ <year>2005-2007</year>
+ <holder>Index Data ApS</holder>
+ </copyright>
<abstract>
<simpara>
- Metaproxy - Generic Z39.50/SRU router/proxy.
+ This manual is part of Metaproxy version &version;.
+ </simpara>
+ <simpara>
+ Metaproxy is a universal router, proxy and encapsulated
+ metasearcher for information retrieval protocols. It accepts,
+ processes, interprets and redirects requests from IR clients using
+ standard protocols such as the binary
+ <ulink url="&url.z39.50;">ANSI/NISO Z39.50</ulink>
+ and the information search and retrieval
+ web service <ulink url="&url.sru;">SRU</ulink>
+ as well as functioning as a limited
+ <ulink url="&url.http;">HTTP</ulink> server.
+ </simpara>
+ <simpara>
+ Metaproxy is configured by an XML file which
+ specifies how the software should function in terms of routes that
+ the request packets can take through the proxy, each step on a
+ route being an instantiation of a filter. Filters come in many
+ types, one for each operation: accepting Z39.50 packets, logging,
+ query transformation, multiplexing, etc. Further filter-types can
+ be added as loadable modules to extend Metaproxy functionality,
+ using the filter API.
+ </simpara>
+ <simpara>
+ Metaproxy is covered by the GNU General Public License version 2.
+ </simpara>
+ <simpara>
+ <inlinemediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata fileref="common/id.png" format="PNG"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata fileref="common/id.eps" format="EPS"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ </inlinemediaobject>
</simpara>
</abstract>
</bookinfo>
-
+
<chapter id="introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>
-
- <section>
- <title>Overview</title>
+ <para>
+ <ulink url="&url.metaproxy;">Metaproxy</ulink>
+ is a stand alone program that acts as a universal router, proxy and
+ encapsulated metasearcher for information retrieval protocols such
+ as <ulink url="&url.z39.50;">Z39.50</ulink> and
+ <ulink url="&url.sru;">SRU</ulink>.
+ To clients, it acts as a server of these protocols: it can be searched,
+ records can be retrieved from it, etc.
+ To servers, it acts as a client: it searches in them,
+ retrieves records from them, etc. it satisfies its clients'
+ requests by transforming them, multiplexing them, forwarding them
+ on to zero or more servers, merging the results, transforming
+ them, and delivering them back to the client. In addition, it
+ acts as a simple <ulink url="&url.http;">HTTP</ulink> server; support
+ for further protocols can be added in a modular fashion, through the
+ creation of new filters.
+ </para>
+ <screen>
+ Anything goes in!
+ Anything goes out!
+ Fish, bananas, cold pyjamas,
+ Mutton, beef and trout!
+ - attributed to Cole Porter.
+ </screen>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy is a more capable alternative to
+ <ulink url="&url.yazproxy;">YAZ Proxy</ulink>,
+ being more powerful, flexible, configurable and extensible. Among
+ its many advantages over the older, more pedestrian work are
+ support for multiplexing (encapsulated metasearching), routing by
+ database name, authentication and authorization and serving local
+ files via HTTP. Equally significant, its modular architecture
+ facilitites the creation of pluggable modules implementing further
+ functionality.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ This manual will describe how to install Metaproxy
+ before giving an overview of its architecture, then discussing the
+ key concept of a filter in some depth and giving an overview of
+ the various filter types, then discussing the configuration file
+ format. After this come several optional chapters which may be
+ freely skipped: a detailed discussion of virtual databases and
+ multi-database searching, some notes on writing extensions
+ (additional filter types) and a high-level description of the
+ source code. Finally comes the reference guide, which contains
+ instructions for invoking the <command>metaproxy</command>
+ program, and detailed information on each type of filter,
+ including examples.
+ </para>
+ </chapter>
+
+ <chapter id="installation">
+ <title>Installation</title>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy depends on the following tools/libraries:
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry><term><ulink url="&url.yazplusplus;">YAZ++</ulink></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ This is a C++ library based on <ulink url="&url.yaz;">YAZ</ulink>.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ <varlistentry><term><ulink url="&url.libxslt;">Libxslt</ulink></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>This is an XSLT processor - based on
+ <ulink url="&url.libxml2;">Libxml2</ulink>. Both Libxml2 and
+ Libxslt must be installed with the development components
+ (header files, etc.) as well as the run-time libraries.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ <varlistentry><term><ulink url="&url.boost;">Boost</ulink></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ The popular C++ library. Initial versions of Metaproxy
+ was built with 1.32 but this is no longer supported.
+ Metaproxy is known to work with Boost version 1.33 / 1.34 / 1.35.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ In order to compile Metaproxy a modern C++ compiler is
+ required. Boost, in particular, requires the C++ compiler
+ to facilitate the newest features. Refer to Boost
+ <ulink url="&url.boost.compilers.status;">Compiler Status</ulink>
+ for more information.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ We have successfully built Metaproxy using the compilers
+ <ulink url="&url.gcc;">GCC</ulink> version 4.0 and
+ <ulink url="&url.vstudio;">Microsoft Visual Studio</ulink> 2003/2005.
+ </para>
+
+ <section id="installation.unix">
+ <title>Installation on Unix (from Source)</title>
+ <para>
+ Here is a quick step-by-step guide on how to compile all the
+ tools that Metaproxy uses. Only few systems have none of the required
+ tools binary packages. If, for example, Libxml2/libxslt are already
+ installed as development packages use those (and omit compilation).
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Libxml2/libxslt:
+ </para>
+ <screen>
+ gunzip -c libxml2-version.tar.gz|tar xf -
+ cd libxml2-version
+ ./configure
+ make
+ su
+ make install
+ </screen>
+ <screen>
+ gunzip -c libxslt-version.tar.gz|tar xf -
+ cd libxslt-version
+ ./configure
+ make
+ su
+ make install
+ </screen>
<para>
- <ulink url="http://indexdata.dk/metaproxy/">Metaproxy</ulink>
- is ..
+ YAZ/YAZ++:
</para>
+ <screen>
+ gunzip -c yaz-version.tar.gz|tar xf -
+ cd yaz-version
+ ./configure
+ make
+ su
+ make install
+ </screen>
+ <screen>
+ gunzip -c yazpp-version.tar.gz|tar xf -
+ cd yazpp-version
+ ./configure
+ make
+ su
+ make install
+ </screen>
+ <para>
+ Boost:
+ </para>
+ <screen>
+ gunzip -c boost-version.tar.gz|tar xf -
+ cd boost-version
+ ./configure
+ make
+ su
+ make install
+ </screen>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy:
+ </para>
+ <screen>
+ gunzip -c metaproxy-version.tar.gz|tar xf -
+ cd metaproxy-version
+ ./configure
+ make
+ su
+ make install
+ </screen>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.debian">
+ <title>Installation on Debian GNU/Linux</title>
+ <para>
+ All dependencies for Metaproxy are available as
+ <ulink url="&url.debian;">Debian</ulink>
+ packages for the sarge (stable in 2005) and etch (testing in 2005)
+ distributions.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The procedures for Debian based systems, such as
+ <ulink url="&url.ubuntu;">Ubuntu</ulink> is probably similar
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ There is currently no official Debian package for YAZ++.
+ And the official Debian package for YAZ is probably too old.
+ But Index Data bulds "new" versions of those for Debian (i386 only).
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Update the <filename>/etc/apt/sources.list</filename>
+ to include the Index Data repository.
+ See YAZ' <ulink url="&url.yaz.download.debian;">Download Debian</ulink>
+ for more information.
+ </para>
+ <screen>
+ apt-get install libxslt1-dev
+ apt-get install libyazpp2-dev
+ apt-get install libboost-dev
+ apt-get install libboost-thread-dev
+ apt-get install libboost-test-dev
+ </screen>
+ <para>
+ With these packages installed, the usual configure + make
+ procedure can be used for Metaproxy as outlined in
+ <xref linkend="installation.unix"/>.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.rpm">
+ <title>Installation on RPM based Linux Systems</title>
<para>
- ### We should probably consider saying a little more by way of
- introduction.
+ All external dependencies for Metaproxy are available as
+ RPM packages, either from your distribution site, or from the
+ <ulink url="http://fr.rpmfind.net/">RPMfind</ulink> site.
</para>
+ <para>
+ For example, an installation of the requires Boost C++ development
+ libraries on RedHat Fedora C4 and C5 can be done like this:
+ <screen>
+ wget ftp://fr.rpmfind.net/wlinux/fedora/core/updates/testing/4/SRPMS/boost-1.33.0-3.fc4.src.rpm
+ sudo rpmbuild --buildroot src/ --rebuild -p fc4/boost-1.33.0-3.fc4.src.rpm
+ sudo rpm -U /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i386/boost-*rpm
+ </screen>
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The <ulink url="&url.yaz;">YAZ</ulink> library is needed to
+ compile &metaproxy;, see there
+ for more information on available RPM packages.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ There is currently no official RPM package for YAZ++.
+ See the <ulink url="&url.yazplusplus;">YAZ++</ulink> pages
+ for more information on a Unix tarball install.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ With these packages installed, the usual configure + make
+ procedure can be used for Metaproxy as outlined in
+ <xref linkend="installation.unix"/>.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.windows">
+ <title>Installation on Windows</title>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy can be compiled with Microsoft
+ <ulink url="&url.vstudio;">Visual Studio</ulink>.
+ Versions 2003 (C 7.1), 2005 (C 8.0) and 2008 (C 9.0) is known to work.
+ </para>
+ <section id="installation.windows.boost">
+ <title>Boost</title>
+ <para>
+ For Windows, it's easiest to get the precompiled Boost
+ package from <ulink url="&url.boost.windows.download;">here</ulink>.
+ Several versions of the Boost libraries may be selected when
+ installing Boost for windows. Please choose at least the
+ <emphasis>multithreaded</emphasis> (non-DLL) version because
+ the Metaproxy makefile uses that.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ For more information about installing Boost refer to the
+ <ulink url="&url.boost.getting.started;">getting started</ulink>
+ pages.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.windows.libxslt">
+ <title>Libxslt</title>
+ <para>
+ <ulink url="&url.libxslt;">Libxslt</ulink> can be downloaded
+ for Windows from
+ <ulink url="&url.libxml2.download.win32;">here</ulink>.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Libxslt has other dependencies, but these can all be downloaded
+ from the same site. Get the following package:
+ iconv, zlib, libxml2, libxslt.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.windows.yaz">
+ <title>YAZ</title>
+ <para>
+ <ulink url="&url.yaz;">YAZ</ulink> can be downloaded
+ for Windows from
+ <ulink url="&url.yaz.download.win32;">here</ulink>.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.windows.yazplusplus">
+ <title>YAZ++</title>
+ <para>
+ Get <ulink url="&url.yazplusplus;">YAZ++</ulink> as well.
+ Version 1.1.0 or later is required.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ YAZ++ includes NMAKE makefiles, similar to those found in the
+ YAZ package.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="installation.windows.metaproxy">
+ <title>Metaproxy</title>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy is shipped with NMAKE makefiles as well - similar
+ to those found in the YAZ++/YAZ packages. Adjust this Makefile
+ to point to the proper locations of Boost, Libxslt, Libxml2,
+ zlib, iconv, yaz and yazpp.
+ </para>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry><term><literal>DEBUG</literal></term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ If set to 1, the software is
+ compiled with debugging libraries (code generation is
+ multi-threaded debug DLL).
+ If set to 0, the software is compiled with release libraries
+ (code generation is multi-threaded DLL).
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><literal>BOOST</literal></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Boost install location
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><literal>BOOST_VERSION</literal></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Boost version (replace . with _).
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><literal>BOOST_TOOLSET</literal></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Boost toolset.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><literal>LIBXSLT_DIR</literal>,
+ <literal>LIBXML2_DIR</literal> ..</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Specify the locations of Libxslt, libiconv, libxml2 and
+ libxslt.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ </variablelist>
+
+ <para>
+ After successful compilation you'll find
+ <literal>metaproxy.exe</literal> in the
+ <literal>bin</literal> directory.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+
</section>
</chapter>
+<chapter id="yazproxy-comparison">
+ <title>YAZ Proxy Comparison</title>
+ <para>
+ The table below lists facilities either supported by either
+ <ulink url="&url.yazproxy;">YAZ Proxy</ulink> or Metaproxy.
+ </para>
+<table id="yazproxy-comparison-table">
+ <title>Metaproxy / YAZ Proxy comparison</title>
+ <tgroup cols="3">
+ <thead>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Facility</entry>
+ <entry>Metaproxy</entry>
+ <entry>YAZ Proxy</entry>
+ </row>
+ </thead>
+ <tbody>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Z39.50 server</entry>
+ <entry>Using filter <literal>frontend_net</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>SRU server</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>sru_z3950</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Z39.50 client</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>z3950_client</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>SRU client</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Connection reuse</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>session_shared</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Connection share</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>session_shared</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Result set reuse</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>session_shared</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Within one Z39.50 session / HTTP keep-alive</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Record cache</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Supported for last result set within one Z39.50/HTTP-keep alive session</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Z39.50 Virtual database, i.e. select any Z39.50 target for database</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>virt_db</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>SRU Virtual database, i.e. select any Z39.50 target for path</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>virt_db</literal>,
+ <literal>sru_z3950</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Multi target search</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with filter <literal>multi</literal> (round-robin)</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Retrieval and search limits</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Bandwidth limits</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Connect limits</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Retrieval sanity check and conversions</entry>
+ <entry>Supported using filter <literal>record_transform</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Query check</entry>
+ <entry>
+ Supported in a limited way using <literal>query_rewrite</literal>
+ </entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Query rewrite</entry>
+ <entry>Supported with <literal>query_rewrite</literal></entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Session invalidate for -1 hits</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Architecture</entry>
+ <entry>Multi-threaded + select for networked modules such as
+ <literal>frontend_net</literal>)</entry>
+ <entry>Single-threaded using select</entry>
+ </row>
+
+ <row>
+ <entry>Extensability</entry>
+ <entry>Most functionality implemented as loadable modules</entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported and experimental</entry>
+ </row>
+
+ <row>
+ <entry><ulink url="&url.usemarcon;">USEMARCON</ulink></entry>
+ <entry>Unsupported</entry>
+ <entry>Supported</entry>
+ </row>
+
+ <row>
+ <entry>Portability</entry>
+ <entry>
+ Requires YAZ, YAZ++ and modern C++ compiler supporting
+ <ulink url="&url.boost;">Boost</ulink>.
+ </entry>
+ <entry>
+ Requires YAZ and YAZ++.
+ STL is not required so pretty much any C++ compiler out there should work.
+ </entry>
+ </row>
+
+ </tbody>
+ </tgroup>
+</table>
+</chapter>
+
+ <chapter id="architecture">
+ <title>The Metaproxy Architecture</title>
+ <para>
+ The Metaproxy architecture is based on three concepts:
+ the <emphasis>package</emphasis>,
+ the <emphasis>route</emphasis>
+ and the <emphasis>filter</emphasis>.
+ </para>
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>Packages</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ A package is request or response, encoded in some protocol,
+ issued by a client, making its way through Metaproxy, send to or
+ received from a server, or sent back to the client.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The core of a package is the protocol unit - for example, a
+ Z39.50 Init Request or Search Response, or an SRU searchRetrieve
+ URL or Explain Response. In addition to this core, a package
+ also carries some extra information added and used by Metaproxy
+ itself.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ In general, packages are doctored as they pass through
+ Metaproxy. For example, when the proxy performs authentication
+ and authorization on a Z39.50 Init request, it removes the
+ authentication credentials from the package so that they are not
+ passed onto the back-end server; and when search-response
+ packages are obtained from multiple servers, they are merged
+ into a single unified package that makes its way back to the
+ client.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>Routes</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Packages make their way through routes, which can be thought of
+ as programs that operate on the package data-type. Each
+ incoming package initially makes its way through a default
+ route, but may be switched to a different route based on various
+ considerations. Routes are made up of sequences of filters (see
+ below).
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>Filters</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Filters provide the individual instructions within a route, and
+ effect the necessary transformations on packages. A particular
+ configuration of Metaproxy is essentially a set of filters,
+ described by configuration details and arranged in order in one
+ or more routes. There are many kinds of filter - about a dozen
+ at the time of writing with more appearing all the time - each
+ performing a specific function and configured by different
+ information.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The word ``filter'' is sometimes used rather loosely, in two
+ different ways: it may be used to mean a particular
+ <emphasis>type</emphasis> of filter, as when we speak of ``the
+ auth_simple filter'' or ``the multi filter''; or it may be used
+ to be a specific <emphasis>instance</emphasis> of a filter
+ within a Metaproxy configuration. For example, a single
+ configuration will often contain multiple instances of the
+ <literal>z3950_client</literal> filter. In
+ operational terms, of these is a separate filter. In practice,
+ context always make it clear which sense of the word ``filter''
+ is being used.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Extensibility of Metaproxy is primarily through the creation of
+ plugins that provide new filters. The filter API is small and
+ conceptually simple, but there are many details to master. See
+ the section below on
+ <link linkend="filters">Filters</link>.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ <para>
+ Since packages are created and handled by the system itself, and
+ routes are conceptually simple, most of the remainder of this
+ document concentrates on filters. After a brief overview of the
+ filter types follows, along with some thoughts on possible future
+ directions.
+ </para>
+ </chapter>
+
<chapter id="filters">
<title>Filters</title>
- <section>
+ <section id="filters-introductory-notes">
<title>Introductory notes</title>
<para>
It's useful to think of Metaproxy as an interpreter providing a small
complex data type, namely the ``package''.
</para>
<para>
- A package represents a Z39.50 or SRW/U request (whether for Init,
+ A package represents a Z39.50 or SRU/W request (whether for Init,
Search, Scan, etc.) together with information about where it came
from. Packages are created by front-end filters such as
<literal>frontend_net</literal> (see below), which reads them from
</para>
<para>
There are many kinds of filter: some that are defined statically
- as part of Metaproxy, and other that may be provided by third parties
+ as part of Metaproxy, and others may be provided by third parties
and dynamically loaded. They all conform to the same simple API
of essentially two methods: <function>configure()</function> is
- called at startup time, and is passed a DOM tree representing that
+ called at startup time, and is passed an XML DOM tree representing that
part of the configuration file that pertains to this filter
instance: it is expected to walk that tree extracting relevant
information; and <function>process()</function> is called every
packages
(<literal>frontend_net</literal>);
others are sinks: they consume packages and return a result
- (<literal>z3950_client</literal>,
- <literal>backend_test</literal>,
- <literal>http_file</literal>);
+ (<literal>backend_test</literal>,
+ <literal>bounce</literal>,
+ <literal>http_file</literal>,
+ <literal>z3950_client</literal>);
the others are true filters, that read, process and pass on the
packages they are fed
(<literal>auth_simple</literal>,
<literal>log</literal>,
<literal>multi</literal>,
+ <literal>query_rewrite</literal>,
+ <literal>record_transform</literal>,
<literal>session_shared</literal>,
+ <literal>sru_z3950</literal>,
<literal>template</literal>,
<literal>virt_db</literal>).
</para>
</section>
- <section>
- <title>Individual filters</title>
+ <section id="overview.filter.types">
+ <title>Overview of filter types</title>
+ <para>
+ We now briefly consider each of the types of filter supported by
+ the core Metaproxy binary. This overview is intended to give a
+ flavor of the available functionality; more detailed information
+ about each type of filter is included below in
+ <xref linkend="reference"/>.
+ </para>
<para>
The filters are here named by the string that is used as the
<literal>type</literal> attribute of a
<literal><filter></literal> element in the configuration
file to request them, with the name of the class that implements
- them in parentheses.
+ them in parentheses. (The classname is not needed for normal
+ configuration and use of Metaproxy; it is useful only to
+ developers.)
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The filters are here listed in alphabetical order:
</para>
- <section>
+<!--
+
+### New filters:
+
+New virt_db-alike that does inteligent peer choice, explain merging,
+adds FD&N to explain. Keeps init responses (like "virt_db Classic"),
+makes routing choices based on local explain knowledge. Ref IDDI
+paper.
+
+Filter to convert Explain Classic to ZeeRex.
+
+CQL2PQF (which needs augmented ZeeRex) - MARC for Talis.
+
+SRU2Z39.50 (ditto).
+
+Figure out what additional information we need in:
+ ZeeRex (check against D3.1)
+ Init request (e.g. loop detection)
+ Query package (e.g. number of hops)
+ Query response (e.g. record source)
+
+-->
+
+ <section id="auth_simple">
<title><literal>auth_simple</literal>
(mp::filter::AuthSimple)</title>
<para>
- Simple authentication and authorisation. The configuration
+ Simple authentication and authorization. The configuration
specifies the name of a file that is the user register, which
lists <varname>username</varname>:<varname>password</varname>
pairs, one per line, colon separated. When a session begins, it
is rejected unless username and passsword are supplied, and match
- a pair in the register.
- </para>
- <para>
- ### discuss authorisation phase
+ a pair in the register. The configuration file may also specific
+ the name of another file that is the target register: this lists
+ lists <varname>username</varname>:<varname>dbname</varname>,<varname>dbname</varname>...
+ sets, one per line, with multiple database names separated by
+ commas. When a search is processed, it is rejected unless the
+ database to be searched is one of those listed as available to
+ the user.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="backend_test">
<title><literal>backend_test</literal>
(mp::filter::Backend_test)</title>
<para>
- A sink that provides dummy responses in the manner of the
+ A partial sink that provides dummy responses in the manner of the
<literal>yaz-ztest</literal> Z39.50 server. This is useful only
- for testing.
+ for testing. Seriously, you don't need this. Pretend you didn't
+ even read this section.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="bounce">
+ <title><literal>bounce</literal>
+ (mp::filter::Bounce)</title>
+ <para>
+ A sink that swallows <emphasis>all packages</emphasis>,
+ and returns them almost unprocessed.
+ It never sends any package of any type further down the row, but
+ sets Z39.50 packages to Z_Close, and HTTP_Request packages to
+ HTTP_Response err code 400 packages, and adds a suitable bounce
+ message.
+ The bounce filter is usually added at end of each filter chain route
+ to prevent infinite hanging of for example HTTP
+ requests packages when only the Z39.50 client partial sink
+ filter is found in the
+ route.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="cql_rpn">
+ <title><literal>cql_rpn</literal>
+ (mp::filter::CQLtoRPN)</title>
+ <para>
+ A query language transforming filter which catches Z39.50
+ <literal>searchRequest</literal>
+ packages containing <literal>CQL</literal> queries, transforms
+ those to <literal>RPN</literal> queries,
+ and sends the <literal>searchRequests</literal> on to the next
+ filters. It is among other things useful in a SRU context.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="frontend_net">
<title><literal>frontend_net</literal>
(mp::filter::FrontendNet)</title>
<para>
- A source that accepts Z39.50 and SRW connections from a port
+ A source that accepts Z39.50 connections from a port
specified in the configuration, reads protocol units, and
- feeds them into the next filter, eventually returning the
- result to the origin.
+ feeds them into the next filter in the route. When the result is
+ received, it is returned to the original origin.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="http_file">
<title><literal>http_file</literal>
(mp::filter::HttpFile)</title>
<para>
- A sink that returns the contents of files from the local
- filesystem in response to HTTP requests. (Yes, Virginia, this
+ A partial sink which swallows only
+ <literal>HTTP_Request</literal> packages, and
+ returns the contents of files from the local
+ filesystem in response to HTTP requests.
+ It lets Z39.50 packages and all other forthcoming package types
+ pass untouched.
+ (Yes, Virginia, this
does mean that Metaproxy is also a Web-server in its spare time. So
far it does not contain either an email-reader or a Lisp
interpreter, but that day is surely coming.)
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="load_balance">
+ <title><literal>load_balance</literal>
+ (mp::filter::LoadBalance)</title>
+ <para>
+ Performs load balancing for incoming Z39.50 init requests.
+ It is used together with the <literal>virt_db</literal> filter,
+ but unlike the <literal>multi</literal> filter it does send an
+ entire session to only one of the virtual backends. The
+ <literal>load_balance</literal> filter is assuming that
+ all backend targets have equal content, and chooses the backend
+ with least load cost for a new session.
+ <warning>
+ <para>
+ This filter is experimental and yet not mature for heavy load
+ production sites.
+ </para>
+ </warning>
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="log">
<title><literal>log</literal>
(mp::filter::Log)</title>
<para>
Writes logging information to standard output, and passes on
- the package unchanged.
+ the package unchanged. A log file name can be specified, as well
+ as multiple different logging formats.
</para>
</section>
-
- <section>
+
+ <section id="multi">
<title><literal>multi</literal>
(mp::filter::Multi)</title>
<para>
- Performs multicast searching. See the extended discussion of
- multi-database searching below.
+ Performs multi-database searching.
+ See
+ <link linkend="multidb">the extended discussion</link>
+ of virtual databases and multi-database searching below.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="query_rewrite">
+ <title><literal>query_rewrite</literal>
+ (mp::filter::QueryRewrite)</title>
+ <para>
+ Rewrites Z39.50 <literal>Type-1</literal>
+ and <literal>Type-101</literal> (``<literal>RPN</literal>'')
+ queries by a
+ three-step process: the query is transliterated from Z39.50
+ packet structures into an XML representation; that XML
+ representation is transformed by an XSLT stylesheet; and the
+ resulting XML is transliterated back into the Z39.50 packet
+ structure.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+
+ <section id="record_transform">
+ <title><literal>record_transform</literal>
+ (mp::filter::RecordTransform)</title>
+ <para>
+ This filter acts only on Z3950 present requests, and let all
+ other types of packages and requests pass untouched. It's use is
+ twofold: blocking Z3950 present requests, which the backend
+ server does not understand and can not honor, and transforming
+ the present syntax and elementset name according to the rules
+ specified, to fetch only existing record formats, and transform
+ them on the fly to requested record syntaxes.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="session_shared">
<title><literal>session_shared</literal>
(mp::filter::SessionShared)</title>
<para>
- When this is finished, it will implement global sharing of
+ This filter implements global sharing of
result sets (i.e. between threads and therefore between
- clients), but it's not yet done.
+ clients), yielding performance improvements by clever resource
+ pooling.
+ </para>
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="sru_z3950">
+ <title><literal>sru_z3950</literal>
+ (mp::filter::SRUtoZ3950)</title>
+ <para>
+ This filter transforms valid
+ SRU GET/POST/SOAP searchRetrieve requests to Z3950 init, search,
+ and present requests, and wraps the
+ received hit counts and XML records into suitable SRU response
+ messages.
+ The <literal>sru_z3950</literal> filter processes also SRU
+ GET/POST/SOAP explain requests, returning
+ either the absolute minimum required by the standard, or a full
+ pre-defined ZeeReX explain record.
+ See the
+ <ulink url="&url.zeerex.explain;">ZeeReX Explain</ulink>
+ standard pages and the
+ <ulink url="&url.sru.explain;">SRU Explain</ulink> pages
+ for more information on the correct explain syntax.
+ SRU scan requests are not supported yet.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="template">
<title><literal>template</literal>
(mp::filter::Template)</title>
<para>
should be called <literal>nop</literal> or
<literal>passthrough</literal>?) This exists not to be used, but
to be copied - to become the skeleton of new filters as they are
- written.
+ written. As with <literal>backend_test</literal>, this is not
+ intended for civilians.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="virt_db">
<title><literal>virt_db</literal>
- (mp::filter::Virt_db)</title>
+ (mp::filter::VirtualDB)</title>
<para>
- Performs virtual database selection. See the extended discussion
- of virtual databases below.
+ Performs virtual database selection: based on the name of the
+ database in the search request, a server is selected, and its
+ address added to the request in a <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal>
+ otherInfo packet. It will subsequently be used by a
+ <literal>z3950_client</literal> filter.
+ See
+ <link linkend="multidb">the extended discussion</link>
+ of virtual databases and multi-database searching below.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="z3950_client">
<title><literal>z3950_client</literal>
(mp::filter::Z3950Client)</title>
<para>
- Performs Z39.50 searching and retrieval by proxying the
+ A partial sink which swallows only Z39.50 packages.
+ It performs Z39.50 searching and retrieval by proxying the
packages that are passed to it. Init requests are sent to the
address specified in the <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> otherInfo
attached to the request: this may have been specified by client,
or generated by a <literal>virt_db</literal> filter earlier in
the route. Subsequent requests are sent to the same address,
which is remembered at Init time in a Session object.
+ HTTP_Request packages and all other forthcoming package types
+ are passed untouched.
</para>
</section>
+
+
+ <section id="zeerex_explain">
+ <title><literal>zeerex_explain</literal>
+ (mp::filter::ZeerexExplain)</title>
+ <para>
+ This filter acts as a sink for
+ Z39.50 explain requests, returning a static ZeeReX
+ Explain XML record from the config section. All other packages
+ are passed through.
+ See the
+ <ulink url="&url.zeerex.explain;">ZeeReX Explain</ulink>
+ standard pages
+ for more information on the correct explain syntax.
+ </para>
+ <warning>
+ <para>
+ This filter is not yet completed.
+ </para>
+ </warning>
+ </section>
+
+
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="future.directions">
<title>Future directions</title>
<para>
Some other filters that do not yet exist, but which would be
useful, are briefly described. These may be added in future
- releases.
+ releases (or may be created by third parties, as loadable
+ modules).
</para>
<variablelist>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
- <term><literal>srw2z3950</literal> (filter)</term>
- <listitem>
- <para>
- Translate SRW requests into Z39.50 requests.
- </para>
- </listitem>
- </varlistentry>
- <varlistentry>
- <term><literal>srw_client</literal> (sink)</term>
- <listitem>
- <para>
- SRW searching and retrieval.
- </para>
- </listitem>
- </varlistentry>
- <varlistentry>
<term><literal>sru_client</literal> (sink)</term>
<listitem>
<para>
- SRU searching and retrieval.
+ SRU/GET and SRU/SOAP searching and retrieval.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<title>Configuration: the Metaproxy configuration file format</title>
- <section>
+ <section id="configuration-introductory-notes">
<title>Introductory notes</title>
<para>
If Metaproxy is an interpreter providing operations on packages, then
its configuration file can be thought of as a program for that
- interpreter. Configuration is by means of a single file, the name
+ interpreter. Configuration is by means of a single XML file, the name
of which is supplied as the sole command-line argument to the
- <command>yp2</command> program.
- </para>
- <para>
- The configuration files are written in XML. (But that's just an
- implementation detail - they could just as well have been written
- in YAML or Lisp-like S-expressions, or in a custom syntax.)
- </para>
- <para>
- Since XML has been chosen, an XML schema,
- <filename>config.xsd</filename>, is provided for validating
- configuration files. This file is supplied in the
- <filename>etc</filename> directory of the Metaproxy distribution. It
- can be used by (among other tools) the <command>xmllint</command>
- program supplied as part of the <literal>libxml2</literal>
- distribution:
- </para>
- <screen>
- xmllint --noout --schema etc/config.xsd my-config-file.xml
- </screen>
- <para>
- (A recent version of <literal>libxml2</literal> is required, as
- support for XML Schemas is a relatively recent addition.)
+ <command>metaproxy</command> program. (See
+ <xref linkend="reference"/> below for more information on invoking
+ Metaproxy.)
</para>
</section>
- <section>
- <title>Overview of XML structure</title>
+ <section id="overview.xml.structure">
+ <title>Overview of the config file XML structure</title>
<para>
All elements and attributes are in the namespace
- <ulink url="http://indexdata.dk/yp2/config/1"/>.
+ <ulink url="http://indexdata.com/metaproxy"/>.
This is most easily achieved by setting the default namespace on
the top-level element, as here:
</para>
<screen>
- <yp2 xmlns="http://indexdata.dk/yp2/config/1">
+ <metaproxy xmlns="http://indexdata.com/metaproxy" version="1.0">
</screen>
<para>
- The top-level element is <yp2>. This contains a
+ The top-level element is <metaproxy>. This contains a
<start> element, a <filters> element and a
<routes> element, in that order. <filters> is
optional; the other two are mandatory. All three are
<para>
The <start> element is empty, but carries a
<literal>route</literal> attribute, whose value is the name of
- route at which to start running - analogouse to the name of the
+ route at which to start running - analogous to the name of the
start production in a formal grammar.
</para>
<para>
If present, <filters> contains zero or more <filter>
- elements; filters carry a <literal>type</literal> attribute and
- contain various elements that provide suitable configuration for
- filters of that type. The filter-specific elements are described
- below. Filters defined in this part of the file must carry an
+ elements. Each filter carries a <literal>type</literal> attribute
+ which specifies what kind of filter is being defined
+ (<literal>frontend_net</literal>, <literal>log</literal>, etc.)
+ and contain various elements that provide suitable configuration
+ for a filter of its type. The filter-specific elements are
+ described in
+ <xref linkend="reference"/>.
+ Filters defined in this part of the file must carry an
<literal>id</literal> attribute so that they can be referenced
from elsewhere.
</para>
<filters> section. Alternatively, a route within a filter
may omit the <literal>refid</literal> attribute, but contain
configuration elements similar to those used for filters defined
- in the <filters> section.
+ in the <filters> section. (In other words, each filter in a
+ route may be included either by reference or by physical
+ inclusion.)
</para>
</section>
- <section>
- <title>Filter configuration</title>
+ <section id="example.configuration">
+ <title>An example configuration</title>
<para>
- All <filter> elements have in common that they must carry a
- <literal>type</literal> attribute whose value is one of the
- supported ones, listed in the schema file and discussed below. In
- additional, <filters>s occurring the <filters> section
- must have an <literal>id</literal> attribute, and those occurring
- within a route must have either a <literal>refid</literal>
- attribute referencing a previously defined filter or contain its
- own configuration information.
+ The following is a small, but complete, Metaproxy configuration
+ file (included in the distribution as
+ <literal>metaproxy/etc/config1.xml</literal>).
+ This file defines a very simple configuration that simply proxies
+ to whatever back-end server the client requests, but logs each
+ request and response. This can be useful for debugging complex
+ client-server dialogues.
</para>
+ <screen><![CDATA[<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<metaproxy xmlns="http://indexdata.com/metaproxy" version="1.0">
+ <start route="start"/>
+ <filters>
+ <filter id="frontend" type="frontend_net">
+ <port>@:9000</port>
+ </filter>
+ <filter id="backend" type="z3950_client">
+ </filter>
+ </filters>
+ <routes>
+ <route id="start">
+ <filter refid="frontend"/>
+ <filter type="log"/>
+ <filter refid="backend"/>
+ <filter type="bounce"/>
+ </route>
+ </routes>
+</metaproxy>
+]]></screen>
<para>
- In general, each filter recognises different configuration
- elements within its element, as each filter has different
- functionality. These are as follows:
+ It works by defining a single route, called
+ <literal>start</literal>, which consists of a sequence of four
+ filters. The first and last of these are included by reference:
+ their <literal><filter></literal> elements have
+ <literal>refid</literal> attributes that refer to filters defined
+ within the prior <literal><filters></literal> section. The
+ middle filter is included inline in the route.
</para>
+ <para>
+ The four filters in the route are as follows: first, a
+ <literal>frontend_net</literal> filter accepts Z39.50 requests
+ from any host on port 9000; then these requests are passed through
+ a <literal>log</literal> filter that emits a message for each
+ request; they are then fed into a <literal>z3950_client</literal>
+ filter, which forwards all Z39.50 requests to the client-specified
+ back-end Z39.509 server. Those Z39.50 packages are returned by the
+ <literal>z3950_client</literal> filter, with the response data
+ filled by the external Z39.50 server targeted.
+ All non-Z39.50 packages are passed through to the
+ <literal>bounce</literal> filter, which definitely bounces
+ everything, including fish, bananas, cold pyjamas,
+ mutton, beef and trout packages.
+ When the response arrives, it is handed
+ back to the <literal>log</literal> filter, which emits another
+ message; and then to the <literal>frontend_net</literal> filter,
+ which returns the response to the client.
+ </para>
+ </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>auth_simple</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="auth_simple">
- <userRegister>../etc/example.simple-auth</userRegister>
- </filter>
- </screen>
- </section>
-
- <section>
- <title><literal>backend_test</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="backend_test"/>
- </screen>
- </section>
+ <section id="config-file-modularity">
+ <title>Config file modularity</title>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy XML configuration snippets can be reused by other
+ filters using the <literal>XInclude</literal> standard, as seen in
+ the <literal>/etc/config-sru-to-z3950.xml</literal> example SRU
+ configuration.
+ <screen><![CDATA[
+ <filter id="sru" type="sru_z3950">
+ <database name="Default">
+ <xi:include xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+ href="explain.xml"/>
+ </database>
+ </filter>
+]]></screen>
+ </para>
+ </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>frontend_net</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="frontend_net">
- <threads>10</threads>
- <port>@:9000</port>
- </filter>
- </screen>
+ <section id="config-file-syntax-check">
+ <title>Config file syntax checking</title>
+ <para>
+ The distribution contains RelaxNG Compact and XML syntax checking
+ files, as well as XML Schema files. These are found in the
+ distribution paths
+ <screen>
+ xml/schema/metaproxy.rnc
+ xml/schema/metaproxy.rng
+ xml/schema/metaproxy.xsd
+ </screen>
+ and can be used to verify or debug the XML structure of
+ configuration files. For example, using the utility
+ <filename>xmllint</filename>, syntax checking is done like this:
+ <screen>
+ xmllint --noout --schema xml/schema/metaproxy.xsd etc/config-local.xml
+ xmllint --noout --relaxng xml/schema/metaproxy.rng etc/config-local.xml
+ </screen>
+ (A recent version of <literal>libxml2</literal> is required, as
+ support for XML Schemas is a relatively recent addition.)
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ You can of course use any other RelaxNG or XML Schema compliant tool
+ you wish.
+ </para>
</section>
+ </chapter>
- <section>
- <title><literal>http_file</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="http_file">
- <mimetypes>/etc/mime.types</mimetypes>
- <area>
- <documentroot>.</documentroot>
- <prefix>/etc</prefix>
- </area>
- </filter>
- </screen>
- </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>log</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="log">
- <message>B</message>
- </filter>
- </screen>
- </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>multi</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="multi"/>
- </screen>
- </section>
+ <chapter id="multidb">
+ <title>Virtual databases and multi-database searching</title>
- <section>
- <title><literal>session_shared</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="session_shared">
- ### Not yet defined
- </filter>
- </screen>
- </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>template</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="template"/>
- </screen>
- </section>
+ <section id="multidb-introductory-notes">
+ <title>Introductory notes</title>
+ <para>
+ Two of Metaproxy's filters are concerned with multiple-database
+ operations. Of these, <literal>virt_db</literal> can work alone
+ to control the routing of searches to one of a number of servers,
+ while <literal>multi</literal> can work together with
+ <literal>virt_db</literal> to perform multi-database searching, merging
+ the results into a unified result-set - ``metasearch in a box''.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The interaction between
+ these two filters is necessarily complex: it reflects the real,
+ irreducible complexity of multi-database searching in a protocol such
+ as Z39.50 that separates initialization from searching, and in
+ which the database to be searched is not known at initialization
+ time.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ It's possible to use these filters without understanding the
+ details of their functioning and the interaction between them; the
+ next two sections of this chapter are ``HOW-TO'' guides for doing
+ just that. However, debugging complex configurations will require
+ a deeper understanding, which the last two sections of this
+ chapters attempt to provide.
+ </para>
+ </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>virt_db</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="virt_db">
- <virtual>
- <database>loc</database>
- <target>z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager</target>
- </virtual>
- <virtual>
- <database>idgils</database>
- <target>indexdata.dk/gils</target>
- </virtual>
- </filter>
- </screen>
- </section>
- <section>
- <title><literal>z3950_client</literal></title>
- <screen>
- <filter type="z3950_client">
- <timeout>30</timeout>
- </filter>
- </screen>
- </section>
+ <section id="multidb.virt_db">
+ <title>Virtual databases with the <literal>virt_db</literal> filter</title>
+ <para>
+ Working alone, the purpose of the
+ <literal>virt_db</literal>
+ filter is to route search requests to one of a selection of
+ back-end databases. In this way, a single Z39.50 endpoint
+ (running Metaproxy) can provide access to several different
+ underlying services, including those that would otherwise be
+ inaccessible due to firewalls. In many useful configurations, the
+ back-end databases are local to the Metaproxy installation, but
+ the software does not enforce this, and any valid Z39.50 servers
+ may be used as back-ends.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ For example, a <literal>virt_db</literal>
+ filter could be set up so that searches in the virtual database
+ ``lc'' are forwarded to the Library of Congress bibliographic
+ catalogue server, and searches in the virtual database ``marc''
+ are forwarded to the toy database of MARC records that Index Data
+ hosts for testing purposes. A <literal>virt_db</literal>
+ configuration to make this switch would look like this:
+ </para>
+ <screen><![CDATA[<filter type="virt_db">
+ <virtual>
+ <database>lc</database>
+ <target>z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager</target>
+ </virtual>
+ <virtual>
+ <database>marc</database>
+ <target>indexdata.com/marc</target>
+ </virtual>
+</filter>]]></screen>
+ <para>
+ As well as being useful in it own right, this filter also provides
+ the foundation for multi-database searching.
+ </para>
</section>
- </chapter>
-
- <chapter id="multidb">
- <title>Virtual database as multi-database searching</title>
+ <section id="multidb.multi">
+ <title>Multi-database search with the <literal>multi</literal> filter</title>
+ <para>
+ To arrange for Metaproxy to broadcast searches to multiple back-end
+ servers, the configuration needs to include two components: a
+ <literal>virt_db</literal>
+ filter that specifies multiple
+ <literal><target></literal>
+ elements, and a subsequent
+ <literal>multi</literal>
+ filter. Here, for example, is a complete configuration that
+ broadcasts searches to both the Library of Congress catalogue and
+ Index Data's tiny testing database of MARC records:
+ </para>
+ <screen><![CDATA[<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<metaproxy xmlns="http://indexdata.com/metaproxy" version="1.0">
+ <start route="start"/>
+ <routes>
+ <route id="start">
+ <filter type="frontend_net">
+ <threads>10</threads>
+ <port>@:9000</port>
+ </filter>
+ <filter type="virt_db">
+ <virtual>
+ <database>lc</database>
+ <target>z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager</target>
+ </virtual>
+ <virtual>
+ <database>marc</database>
+ <target>indexdata.com/marc</target>
+ </virtual>
+ <virtual>
+ <database>all</database>
+ <target>z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager</target>
+ <target>indexdata.com/marc</target>
+ </virtual>
+ </filter>
+ <filter type="multi"/>
+ <filter type="z3950_client">
+ <timeout>30</timeout>
+ </filter>
+ <filter type="bounce"/>
+ </route>
+ </routes>
+</metaproxy>]]></screen>
+ <para>
+ (Using a
+ <literal>virt_db</literal>
+ filter that specifies multiple
+ <literal><target></literal>
+ elements but without a subsequent
+ <literal>multi</literal>
+ filter yields surprising and undesirable results, as will be
+ described below. Don't do that.)
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy can be invoked with this configuration as follows:
+ </para>
+ <screen>../src/metaproxy --config config-simple-multi.xml</screen>
+ <para>
+ And thereafter, Z39.50 clients can connect to the running server
+ (on port 9000, as specified in the configuration) and search in
+ any of the databases
+ <literal>lc</literal> (the Library of Congress catalogue),
+ <literal>marc</literal> (Index Data's test database of MARC records)
+ or
+ <literal>all</literal> (both of these). As an example, a session
+ using the YAZ command-line client <literal>yaz-client</literal> is
+ here included (edited for brevity and clarity):
+ </para>
+ <screen><![CDATA[$ yaz-client @:9000
+Connecting...OK.
+Z> base lc
+Z> find computer
+Search was a success.
+Number of hits: 10000, setno 1
+Elapsed: 5.521070
+Z> base marc
+Z> find computer
+Search was a success.
+Number of hits: 10, setno 3
+Elapsed: 0.060187
+Z> base all
+Z> find computer
+Search was a success.
+Number of hits: 10010, setno 4
+Elapsed: 2.237648
+Z> show 1
+[marc]Record type: USmarc
+001 11224466
+003 DLC
+005 00000000000000.0
+008 910710c19910701nju 00010 eng
+010 $a 11224466
+040 $a DLC $c DLC
+050 00 $a 123-xyz
+100 10 $a Jack Collins
+245 10 $a How to program a computer
+260 1 $a Penguin
+263 $a 8710
+300 $a p. cm.
+Elapsed: 0.119612
+Z> show 2
+[VOYAGER]Record type: USmarc
+001 13339105
+005 20041229102447.0
+008 030910s2004 caua 000 0 eng
+035 $a (DLC) 2003112666
+906 $a 7 $b cbc $c orignew $d 4 $e epcn $f 20 $g y-gencatlg
+925 0 $a acquire $b 1 shelf copy $x policy default
+955 $a pc10 2003-09-10 $a pv12 2004-06-23 to SSCD; $h sj05 2004-11-30 $e sj05 2004-11-30 to Shelf.
+010 $a 2003112666
+020 $a 0761542892
+040 $a DLC $c DLC $d DLC
+050 00 $a MLCM 2004/03312 (G)
+245 10 $a 007, everything or nothing : $b Prima's official strategy guide / $c created by Kaizen Media Group.
+246 3 $a Double-O-seven, everything or nothing
+246 30 $a Prima's official strategy guide
+260 $a Roseville, CA : $b Prima Games, $c c2004.
+300 $a 161 p. : $b col. ill. ; $c 28 cm.
+500 $a "Platforms: Nintendo GameCube, Macintosh, PC, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Xbox"--P. [4] of cover.
+650 0 $a Video games.
+710 2 $a Kaizen Media Group.
+856 42 $3 Publisher description $u http://www.loc.gov/catdir/description/random052/2003112666.html
+Elapsed: 0.150623
+Z>
+]]></screen>
+ <para>
+ As can be seen, the first record in the result set is from the
+ Index Data test database, and the second from the Library of
+ Congress database. The result-set continues alternating records
+ round-robin style until the point where one of the databases'
+ records are exhausted.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ This example uses only two back-end databases; more may be used.
+ There is no limitation imposed on the number of databases that may
+ be metasearched in this way: issues of resource usage and
+ administrative complexity dictate the practical limits.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ What happens when one of the databases doesn't respond? By default,
+ the entire multi-database search fails, and the appropriate
+ diagnostic is returned to the client. This is usually appropriate
+ during development, when technicians need maximum information, but
+ can be inconvenient in deployment, when users typically don't want
+ to be bothered with problems of this kind and prefer just to get
+ the records from the databases that are available. To obtain this
+ latter behavior add an empty
+ <literal><hideunavailable></literal>
+ element inside the
+ <literal>multi</literal> filter:
+ </para>
+ <screen><![CDATA[ <filter type="multi">
+ <hideunavailable/>
+ </filter>]]></screen>
+ <para>
+ Under this regime, an error is reported to the client only if
+ <emphasis>all</emphasis> the databases in a multi-database search
+ are unavailable.
+ </para>
+ </section>
- <section>
- <title>Introductory notes</title>
+ <section id="multidb.what">
+ <title>What's going on?</title>
+ <warning>
+ <title>Lark's vomit</title>
+ <para>
+ This section goes into a level of technical detail that is
+ probably not necessary in order to configure and use Metaproxy.
+ It is provided only for those who like to know how things work.
+ You should feel free to skip on to the next section if this one
+ doesn't seem like fun.
+ </para>
+ </warning>
<para>
- Two of Metaproxy's filters are concerned with multiple-database
- operations. Of these, <literal>virt_db</literal> can work alone
- to control the routing of searches to one of a number of servers,
- while <literal>multi</literal> can work with the output of
- <literal>virt_db</literal> to perform multicast searching, merging
- the results into a unified result-set. The interaction between
- these two filters is necessarily complex, reflecting the real
- complexity of multicast searching in a protocol such as Z39.50
- that separates initialisation from searching, with the database to
- search known only during the latter operation.
+ Hold on tight - this may get a little hairy.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ In the general course of things, a Z39.50 Init request may carry
+ with it an otherInfo packet of type <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal>,
+ whose value indicates the address of a Z39.50 server to which the
+ ultimate connection is to be made. (This otherInfo packet is
+ supported by YAZ-based Z39.50 clients and servers, but has not yet
+ been ratified by the Maintenance Agency and so is not widely used
+ in non-Index Data software. We're working on it.)
+ The <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> packet functions
+ analogously to the absoluteURI-style Request-URI used with the GET
+ method when a web browser asks a proxy to forward its request: see
+ the
+ <ulink url="http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec5.html#sec5.1.2"
+ >Request-URI</ulink>
+ section of
+ <ulink url="http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616.html"
+ >the HTTP 1.1 specification</ulink>.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Within Metaproxy, Search requests that are part of the same
+ session as an Init request that carries a
+ <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> otherInfo are also annotated with the
+ same information. The role of the <literal>virt_db</literal>
+ filter is to rewrite this otherInfo packet dependent on the
+ virtual database that the client wants to search.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ When Metaproxy receives a Z39.50 Init request from a client, it
+ doesn't immediately forward that request to the back-end server.
+ Why not? Because it doesn't know <emphasis>which</emphasis>
+ back-end server to forward it to until the client sends a Search
+ request that specifies the database that it wants to search in.
+ Instead, it just treasures the Init request up in its heart; and,
+ later, the first time the client does a search on one of the
+ specified virtual databases, a connection is forged to the
+ appropriate server and the Init request is forwarded to it. If,
+ later in the session, the same client searches in a different
+ virtual database, then a connection is forged to the server that
+ hosts it, and the same cached Init request is forwarded there,
+ too.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ All of this clever Init-delaying is done by the
+ <literal>frontend_net</literal> filter. The
+ <literal>virt_db</literal> filter knows nothing about it; in
+ fact, because the Init request that is received from the client
+ doesn't get forwarded until a Search request is received, the
+ <literal>virt_db</literal> filter (and the
+ <literal>z3950_client</literal> filter behind it) doesn't even get
+ invoked at Init time. The <emphasis>only</emphasis> thing that a
+ <literal>virt_db</literal> filter ever does is rewrite the
+ <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> otherInfo in the requests that pass
+ through it.
</para>
<para>
- ### Much, much more to say!
+ It is possible for a <literal>virt_db</literal> filter to contain
+ multiple
+ <literal><target></literal>
+ elements. What does this mean? Only that the filter will add
+ multiple <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> otherInfo packets to the
+ Search requests that pass through it. That's because the virtual
+ DB filter is dumb, and does exactly what it's told - no more, no
+ less.
+ If a Search request with multiple <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal>
+ otherInfo packets reaches a <literal>z3950_client</literal>
+ filter, this is an error. That filter doesn't know how to deal
+ with multiple targets, so it will either just pick one and search
+ in it, or (better) fail with an error message.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ The <literal>multi</literal> filter comes to the rescue! This is
+ the only filter that knows how to deal with multiple
+ <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> otherInfo packets, and it does so by
+ making multiple copies of the entire Search request: one for each
+ <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal>. Each of these new copies is then
+ passed down through the remaining filters in the route. (The
+ copies are handled in parallel though the
+ spawning of new threads.) Since the copies each have only one
+ <literal>VAL_PROXY</literal> otherInfo, they can be handled by the
+ <literal>z3950_client</literal> filter, which happily deals with
+ each one individually. When the results of the individual
+ searches come back up to the <literal>multi</literal> filter, it
+ merges them into a single Search response, which is what
+ eventually makes it back to the client.
</para>
</section>
+
+
+ <section id="multidb.picture">
+ <title>A picture is worth a thousand words (but only five hundred on 64-bit architectures)</title>
+ <simpara>
+ <inlinemediaobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata fileref="multi.pdf" format="PDF" scale="50"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <imageobject>
+ <imagedata fileref="multi.png" format="PNG"/>
+ </imageobject>
+ <textobject>
+ <!-- Fall back if none of the images can be used -->
+ <phrase>
+ [Here there should be a diagram showing the progress of
+ packages through the filters during a simple virtual-database
+ search and a multi-database search, but is seems that your
+ tool chain has not been able to include the diagram in this
+ document.]
+ </phrase>
+ </textobject>
+<!-- ### This used to work with an older version of DocBook
+ <caption>
+ <para>Caption: progress of packages through filters.</para>
+ </caption>
+-->
+ </inlinemediaobject>
+ </simpara>
+ </section>
</chapter>
- <chapter id="moduleref">
- <title>Module Reference</title>
+
+ <chapter id="sru-server">
+ <title>Combined SRU webservice and Z39.50 server configuration</title>
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy can act as
+ <ulink url="&url.sru;">SRU</ulink> and
+ web service server, which translates web service requests to
+ <ulink url="&url.z39.50;">ANSI/NISO Z39.50</ulink> packages and
+ sends them off to common available targets.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ A typical setup for this operation needs a filter route including the
+ following modules:
+ </para>
+
+ <table id="sru-server-table-config" frame="top">
+ <title>SRU/Z39.50 Server Filter Route Configuration</title>
+ <tgroup cols="3">
+ <thead>
+ <row>
+ <entry>Filter</entry>
+ <entry>Importance</entry>
+ <entry>Purpose</entry>
+ </row>
+ </thead>
+
+ <tbody>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>frontend_net</literal></entry>
+ <entry>required</entry>
+ <entry>Accepting HTTP connections and passing them to following
+ filters. Since this filter also accepts Z39.50 connections, the
+ server works as SRU and Z39.50 server on the same port.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>sru_z3950</literal></entry>
+ <entry>required</entry>
+ <entry>Accepting SRU GET/POST/SOAP explain and
+ searchRetrieve requests for the the configured databases.
+ Explain requests are directly served from the static XML configuration.
+ SearchRetrieve requests are
+ transformed to Z39.50 search and present packages.
+ All other HTTP and Z39.50 packages are passed unaltered.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>http_file</literal></entry>
+ <entry>optional</entry>
+ <entry>Serving HTTP requests from the filesystem. This is only
+ needed if the server should serve XSLT stylesheets, static HTML
+ files or Java Script for thin browser based clients.
+ Z39.50 packages are passed unaltered.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>cql_rpn</literal></entry>
+ <entry>required</entry>
+ <entry>Usually, Z39.50 servers do not talk CQL, hence the
+ translation of the CQL query language to RPN is mandatory in
+ most cases. Affects only Z39.50 search packages.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>record_transform</literal></entry>
+ <entry>optional</entry>
+ <entry>Some Z39.50 backend targets can not present XML record
+ syntaxes in common wanted element sets. using this filter, one
+ can transform binary MARC records to MARCXML records, and
+ further transform those to any needed XML schema/format by XSLT
+ transformations. Changes only Z39.50 present packages.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>session_shared</literal></entry>
+ <entry>optional</entry>
+ <entry>The stateless nature of web services requires frequent
+ re-searching of the same targets for display of paged result set
+ records. This might be an unacceptable burden for the accessed
+ backend Z39.50 targets, and this mosule can be added for
+ efficient backend target resource pooling.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>z3950_client</literal></entry>
+ <entry>required</entry>
+ <entry>Finally, a Z39.50 package sink is needed in the filter
+ chain to provide the response packages. The Z39.50 client module
+ is used to access external targets over the network, but any
+ coming local Z39.50 package sink could be used instead of.</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry><literal>bounce</literal></entry>
+ <entry>required</entry>
+ <entry>Any Metaproxy package arriving here did not do so by
+ purpose, and is bounced back with connection closure. this
+ prevents inifinite package hanging inside the SRU server.</entry>
+ </row>
+ </tbody>
+ </tgroup>
+ </table>
+ <para>
+ A typical minimal example <ulink url="&url.sru;">SRU</ulink>
+ server configuration file is found in the tarball distribution at
+ <literal>etc/config-sru-to-z3950.xml</literal>.
+ </para>
<para>
- The material in this chapter includes the man pages material
+ Off course, any other metaproxy modules can be integrated into a
+ SRU server solution, including, but not limited to, load balancing,
+ multiple target querying
+ (see <xref linkend="multidb"/>), and complex RPN query rewrites.
</para>
- &manref;
+
+
+ </chapter>
+
+ <!--
+ <chapter id="extensions">
+ <title>Writing extensions for Metaproxy</title>
+ <para>### To be written</para>
</chapter>
+ -->
+
+
<chapter id="classes">
<title>Classes in the Metaproxy source code</title>
- <section>
+ <section id="classes-introductory-notes">
<title>Introductory notes</title>
<para>
<emphasis>Stop! Do not read this!</emphasis>
- You won't enjoy it at all.
+ You won't enjoy it at all. You should just skip ahead to
+ <xref linkend="reference"/>,
+ which tells
+ <!-- The remainder of this paragraph is lifted verbatim from
+ Douglas Adams' _Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy_, chapter 8 -->
+ you things you really need to know, like the fact that the
+ fabulously beautiful planet Bethselamin is now so worried about
+ the cumulative erosion by ten billion visiting tourists a year
+ that any net imbalance between the amount you eat and the amount
+ you excrete whilst on the planet is surgically removed from your
+ bodyweight when you leave: so every time you go to the lavatory it
+ is vitally important to get a receipt.
</para>
<para>
This chapter contains documentation of the Metaproxy source code, and is
of interest only to maintainers and developers. If you need to
- change Metaproxy's behaviour or write a new filter, then you will most
+ change Metaproxy's behavior or write a new filter, then you will most
likely find this chapter helpful. Otherwise it's a waste of your
good time. Seriously: go and watch a film or something.
<citetitle>This is Spinal Tap</citetitle> is particularly good.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="individual.classes">
<title>Individual classes</title>
<para>
The classes making up the Metaproxy application are here listed by
parentheses.
</para>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-FactoryFilter">
<title><literal>mp::FactoryFilter</literal>
(<filename>factory_filter.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-FactoryStatic">
<title><literal>mp::FactoryStatic</literal>
(<filename>factory_static.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
structures, which are listed in its constructor. Merely
instantiating this class registers all the static classes. It is
for the benefit of this class that <literal>struct
- yp2_filter_struct</literal> exists, and that all the filter
+ metaproxy_1_filter_struct</literal> exists, and that all the filter
classes provide a static object of that type.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-filter-Base">
<title><literal>mp::filter::Base</literal>
(<filename>filter.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
The virtual base class of all filters. The filter API is, on the
surface at least, extremely simple: two methods.
- <literal>configure()</literal> is passed a DOM tree representing
+ <literal>configure()</literal> is passed an XML DOM tree representing
that part of the configuration file that pertains to this filter
instance, and is expected to walk that tree extracting relevant
information. And <literal>process()</literal> processes a
- package (see below). That surface simplicitly is a bit
+ package (see below). That surface simplicity is a bit
misleading, as <literal>process()</literal> needs to know a lot
about the <literal>Package</literal> class in order to do
anything useful.
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-AuthSimple">
<title><literal>mp::filter::AuthSimple</literal>,
<literal>Backend_test</literal>, etc.
(<filename>filter_auth_simple.cpp</filename>,
<filename>filter_*.cpp</filename> respectively. All the header
files should be pretty much identical, in that they declare the
class, including a private <literal>Rep</literal> class and a
- member pointer to it, and the two public methods. The only extra
- information in any filter header is additional private types and
- members (which should really all be in the <literal>Rep</literal>
- anyway) and private methods (which should also remain known only
- to the source file, but C++'s brain-damaged design requires this
- dirty laundry to be exhibited in public. Thanks, Bjarne!)
+ member pointer to it, and the two public methods.
</para>
<para>
The source file for each filter needs to supply:
</itemizedlist>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-Package">
<title><literal>mp::Package</literal>
(<filename>package.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-Pipe">
<title><literal>mp::Pipe</literal>
(<filename>pipe.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-RouterChain">
<title><literal>mp::RouterChain</literal>
(<filename>router_chain.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
- ###
+ ### to be written
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-RouterFleXML">
<title><literal>mp::RouterFleXML</literal>
(<filename>router_flexml.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
- ###
+ ### to be written
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-Session">
<title><literal>mp::Session</literal>
(<filename>session.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
- ###
+ ### to be written
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-ThreadPoolSocketObserver">
<title><literal>mp::ThreadPoolSocketObserver</literal>
(<filename>thread_pool_observer.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
- ###
+ ### to be written
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-util">
<title><literal>mp::util</literal>
(<filename>util.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
</para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="class-xml">
<title><literal>mp::xml</literal>
(<filename>xmlutil.cpp</filename>)</title>
<para>
</section>
- <section>
+ <section id="other.source.files">
<title>Other Source Files</title>
<para>
In addition to the Metaproxy source files that define the classes
<term><literal>metaproxy_prog.cpp</literal></term>
<listitem>
<para>
- The main function of the <command>yp2</command> program.
+ The main function of the <command>metaproxy</command> program.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<literal>plainfile.cpp</literal>,
<literal>tstdl.cpp</literal>.
</para>
-
-
- <!-- Epilogue -->
- <para>
- --
- </para>
- <screen>
- <!-- This is just a lame way to get some vertical whitespace at
- the end of the document -->
-
-
-
-
- </screen>
</section>
</chapter>
+
+
+ <reference id="reference">
+ <title>Reference</title>
+ <partintro id="reference-introduction">
+ <para>
+ The material in this chapter is drawn directly from the individual
+ manual entries. In particular, the Metaproxy invocation section is
+ available using <command>man metaproxy</command>, and the section
+ on each individual filter is available using the name of the filter
+ as the argument to the <command>man</command> command.
+ </para>
+ </partintro>
+ &manref;
+ </reference>
+
+<appendix id="license">
+ <title>License</title>
+
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy, Copyright © 1995-2007 Index Data ApS.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+ the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+ Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later
+ version.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Metaproxy is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ for more details.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ along with Metaproxy; see the file LICENSE. If not, write to the
+ Free Software Foundation,
+ 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+ </para>
+
+ <sect1 id="gpl">
+ <title>GNU General Public License</title>
+ <screen>
+ GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
+ Version 2, June 1991
+
+ Copyright (C) 1989, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+ 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+w Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
+ of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
+
+ Preamble
+
+ The licenses for most software are designed to take away your
+freedom to share and change it. By contrast, the GNU General Public
+License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free
+software--to make sure the software is free for all its users. This
+General Public License applies to most of the Free Software
+Foundation's software and to any other program whose authors commit to
+using it. (Some other Free Software Foundation software is covered by
+the GNU Library General Public License instead.) You can apply it to
+your programs, too.
+
+ When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not
+price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you
+have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for
+this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it
+if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it
+in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things.
+
+ To protect your rights, we need to make restrictions that forbid
+anyone to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender the rights.
+These restrictions translate to certain responsibilities for you if you
+distribute copies of the software, or if you modify it.
+
+ For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether
+gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that
+you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the
+source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their
+rights.
+
+ We protect your rights with two steps: (1) copyright the software, and
+(2) offer you this license which gives you legal permission to copy,
+distribute and/or modify the software.
+
+ Also, for each author's protection and ours, we want to make certain
+that everyone understands that there is no warranty for this free
+software. If the software is modified by someone else and passed on, we
+want its recipients to know that what they have is not the original, so
+that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on the original
+authors' reputations.
+
+ Finally, any free program is threatened constantly by software
+patents. We wish to avoid the danger that redistributors of a free
+program will individually obtain patent licenses, in effect making the
+program proprietary. To prevent this, we have made it clear that any
+patent must be licensed for everyone's free use or not licensed at all.
+
+ The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution and
+modification follow.
+
+ GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
+ TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION
+
+ 0. This License applies to any program or other work which contains
+a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it may be distributed
+under the terms of this General Public License. The "Program", below,
+refers to any such program or work, and a "work based on the Program"
+means either the Program or any derivative work under copyright law:
+that is to say, a work containing the Program or a portion of it,
+either verbatim or with modifications and/or translated into another
+language. (Hereinafter, translation is included without limitation in
+the term "modification".) Each licensee is addressed as "you".
+
+Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
+covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act of
+running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program
+is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the
+Program (independent of having been made by running the Program).
+Whether that is true depends on what the Program does.
+
+ 1. You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program's
+source code as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you
+conspicuously and appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate
+copyright notice and disclaimer of warranty; keep intact all the
+notices that refer to this License and to the absence of any warranty;
+and give any other recipients of the Program a copy of this License
+along with the Program.
+
+You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and
+you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee.
+
+ 2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion
+of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and
+distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1
+above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
+
+ a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices
+ stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.
+
+ b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in
+ whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any
+ part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third
+ parties under the terms of this License.
+
+ c) If the modified program normally reads commands interactively
+ when run, you must cause it, when started running for such
+ interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an
+ announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a
+ notice that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you provide
+ a warranty) and that users may redistribute the program under
+ these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this
+ License. (Exception: if the Program itself is interactive but
+ does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on
+ the Program is not required to print an announcement.)
+
+These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If
+identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program,
+and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in
+themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those
+sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you
+distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based
+on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of
+this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the
+entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it.
+
+Thus, it is not the intent of this section to claim rights or contest
+your rights to work written entirely by you; rather, the intent is to
+exercise the right to control the distribution of derivative or
+collective works based on the Program.
+
+In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program
+with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of
+a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under
+the scope of this License.
+
+ 3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it,
+under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of
+Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:
+
+ a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable
+ source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections
+ 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,
+
+ b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three
+ years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your
+ cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete
+ machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be
+ distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium
+ customarily used for software interchange; or,
+
+ c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer
+ to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is
+ allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you
+ received the program in object code or executable form with such
+ an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)
+
+The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
+making modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source
+code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
+associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to
+control compilation and installation of the executable. However, as a
+special exception, the source code distributed need not include
+anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary
+form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the
+operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component
+itself accompanies the executable.
+
+If distribution of executable or object code is made by offering
+access to copy from a designated place, then offering equivalent
+access to copy the source code from the same place counts as
+distribution of the source code, even though third parties are not
+compelled to copy the source along with the object code.
+
+ 4. You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Program
+except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt
+otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense or distribute the Program is
+void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License.
+However, parties who have received copies, or rights, from you under
+this License will not have their licenses terminated so long as such
+parties remain in full compliance.
+
+ 5. You are not required to accept this License, since you have not
+signed it. However, nothing else grants you permission to modify or
+distribute the Program or its derivative works. These actions are
+prohibited by law if you do not accept this License. Therefore, by
+modifying or distributing the Program (or any work based on the
+Program), you indicate your acceptance of this License to do so, and
+all its terms and conditions for copying, distributing or modifying
+the Program or works based on it.
+
+ 6. Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the
+Program), the recipient automatically receives a license from the
+original licensor to copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to
+these terms and conditions. You may not impose any further
+restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.
+You are not responsible for enforcing compliance by third parties to
+this License.
+
+ 7. If, as a consequence of a court judgment or allegation of patent
+infringement or for any other reason (not limited to patent issues),
+conditions are imposed on you (whether by court order, agreement or
+otherwise) that contradict the conditions of this License, they do not
+excuse you from the conditions of this License. If you cannot
+distribute so as to satisfy simultaneously your obligations under this
+License and any other pertinent obligations, then as a consequence you
+may not distribute the Program at all. For example, if a patent
+license would not permit royalty-free redistribution of the Program by
+all those who receive copies directly or indirectly through you, then
+the only way you could satisfy both it and this License would be to
+refrain entirely from distribution of the Program.
+
+If any portion of this section is held invalid or unenforceable under
+any particular circumstance, the balance of the section is intended to
+apply and the section as a whole is intended to apply in other
+circumstances.
+
+It is not the purpose of this section to induce you to infringe any
+patents or other property right claims or to contest validity of any
+such claims; this section has the sole purpose of protecting the
+integrity of the free software distribution system, which is
+implemented by public license practices. Many people have made
+generous contributions to the wide range of software distributed
+through that system in reliance on consistent application of that
+system; it is up to the author/donor to decide if he or she is willing
+to distribute software through any other system and a licensee cannot
+impose that choice.
+
+This section is intended to make thoroughly clear what is believed to
+be a consequence of the rest of this License.
+
+ 8. If the distribution and/or use of the Program is restricted in
+certain countries either by patents or by copyrighted interfaces, the
+original copyright holder who places the Program under this License
+may add an explicit geographical distribution limitation excluding
+those countries, so that distribution is permitted only in or among
+countries not thus excluded. In such case, this License incorporates
+the limitation as if written in the body of this License.
+
+ 9. The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new versions
+of the General Public License from time to time. Such new versions will
+be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to
+address new problems or concerns.
+
+Each version is given a distinguishing version number. If the Program
+specifies a version number of this License which applies to it and "any
+later version", you have the option of following the terms and conditions
+either of that version or of any later version published by the Free
+Software Foundation. If the Program does not specify a version number of
+this License, you may choose any version ever published by the Free Software
+Foundation.
+
+ 10. If you wish to incorporate parts of the Program into other free
+programs whose distribution conditions are different, write to the author
+to ask for permission. For software which is copyrighted by the Free
+Software Foundation, write to the Free Software Foundation; we sometimes
+make exceptions for this. Our decision will be guided by the two goals
+of preserving the free status of all derivatives of our free software and
+of promoting the sharing and reuse of software generally.
+
+ NO WARRANTY
+
+ 11. BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
+FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN
+OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES
+PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED
+OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS
+TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE
+PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING,
+REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
+
+ 12. IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING
+WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR
+REDISTRIBUTE THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES,
+INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING
+OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
+TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY
+YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER
+PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
+POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
+
+ END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
+
+ </screen>
+ </sect1>
+ </appendix>
+</book>
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