Imlight

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Message Service ​

The MessageService class is a subsidary of a session actor and is responsible for handling the messages a game client (or Imlight) might send.

INFO

Read more about how a SessionActor supervises a MessageService here.

Creating a New Service ​

A new service must derive from the MessageService class. There are no abstract properties from the base class, but two constructors must be present: one for the class itself, another for Akka.NET.

For example, the CharacterService for Imlight:

csharp
internal class CharacterService : MessageService {
    // Normal constructor. This *must* be public.
    public CharacterService(SessionActor parentActor) : base(parentActor) { }

    // Actor constructor
    protected static Props Props(SessionActor parentActor) {
        return Akka.Actor.Props.Create(() => new CharacterService(parentActor));
    }
}
internal class CharacterService : MessageService {
    // Normal constructor. This *must* be public.
    public CharacterService(SessionActor parentActor) : base(parentActor) { }

    // Actor constructor
    protected static Props Props(SessionActor parentActor) {
        return Akka.Actor.Props.Create(() => new CharacterService(parentActor));
    }
}

Figure A.I -- Both the normal and actor constructor for CharacterService.

WARNING

Note for developers: These two constructors could possibly be removed. Come back to this later.

Once a class exists, it must be added to the set of services defined in the service factory of the respective server.

Message Handlers ​

MessageService derives from the receive protocol dispatcher meaning that each message handler is denoted with an attribute. See the example on the aforementioned page on how to handle a specific message.

A message handler may be for both an IMessage (a message received from the game client) or an IServerMessage.

Methods ​

The MessageService has a few methods for retreiving relevant information.

SendToSocket ​

csharp
protected void SendToSocket(IMessage message)
protected void SendToSocket(IMessage message)

Sends an IMessage directly to the game client.

TellOtherServices ​

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protected void TellOtherServices(IServerMessage message)
protected void TellOtherServices(IServerMessage message)

Sends an IServerMessage to any other MessageService that has a receiver for it.

AskOtherService ​

csharp
protected T AskOtherService<T>(IServerMessage message)
protected T AskOtherService<T>(IServerMessage message)

Like TellOtherService(), but awaits a reply T. Timeout of 20 seconds.

AskServer ​

csharp
protected T AskServer<T>(IServerMessage message)
protected T AskServer<T>(IServerMessage message)

Sends the server a message and awaits reply T. Does not have a timeout.

ZoneBroadcast ​

csharp
protected void ZoneBroadcast(IMessage originalMessage, bool isSelfless = true)
protected void ZoneBroadcast(IMessage originalMessage, bool isSelfless = true)

Broadcasts an IMessage to the zone the SessionActor is in. isSelfless marks that the message will not be sent to the player that broadcasted it.

CloseSession ​

csharp
protected void CloseSession()
protected void CloseSession()

Closes the socket connection and deallocates the SessionActor from the server it is connected to.

GetSocketAccount ​

csharp
protected Account GetSocketAccount()
protected Account GetSocketAccount()

Gets the Account object associated with the active session. Will return null if one has not been authorized.

GetActiveCoreObject ​

csharp
protected TypeCache.CoreObject GetActiveCoreObject()
protected TypeCache.CoreObject GetActiveCoreObject()

Gets the active core object (that is, the actual game object) associated with the current session.

GetActiveCharacter ​

csharp
protected Character GetActiveCharacter()
protected Character GetActiveCharacter()

Gets the active Character object associated with the active session. Will return null if one has not been authorized.

OnPreDispose ​

csharp
protected virtual void OnPreDispose()
protected virtual void OnPreDispose()

Called just before Dispose(). Useful for calling upon resources from other MessageServices just before disposing as it is guaranteed that all other services will be active for the request.

OnDispose ​

csharp
protected virtual void OnDispose()
protected virtual void OnDispose()

Called as the SessionActor is disposing.