Subject: [BEEPwg] [ANN] Vortex Library 0.8.8 is ready!

From: Francis Brosnan Blazquez <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 17:26:11 +0100

##########################################
       ## Vortex Library 0.8.8 Stable Release  ##
       ##########################################

Release note
~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Advanced Software Production Line is proud to announce the Vortex
  Library 0.8.8 availability: an open source "BEEP Core" protocol
  implementation written in C, mapped into TCP/IP.

  Vortex Library is a powerful toolkit to write new application
  protocols and application over the well-defined "BEEP Core" protocol
  defined at RFC3080/RFC3081. 

  Vortex Library has been developed inside the Af-Arch project as its
  data transport layer.

  Vortex Library is a stable and robust application protocol
  development toolkit. Currently it is running under Microsoft Windows
  and GNU/Linux platforms.

  Check out the following links to get ready with Vortex Library:

    - http://vortex.aspl.es 
      [Vortex Library homepage]

    - http://fact.aspl.es
      [Af-Arch homepage where Vortex Library is being developed]
   
    - http://www.beepcore.org
      [BEEP Core official web page]
    
The release in short
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  TLS and SASL profiles (ANONYMOUS, PLAIN, EXTERNAL, CRAM-MD5 and
  PLAIN) have been implemented.

  And many more minor features, keep on reading..

Changes since 0.8.7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* [new] added support to allow Vortex programmers to define the
  handlers to be used while sending and receiving data. This will
  allow to implement any required features which needs to modify how
  data is send and received inside the Vortex including those profiles
  which use other function than send and recv. API added was:

   - vortex_connection_set_send_handler.
   - vortex_connection_set_receive_handler.
   - Handler: VortexSendHandler.
   - Handler: VortexReceiveHandler.
   - vortex_connection_default_send (private function)
   - vortex_connection_default_receive (private function)
   - vortex_connection_invoke_send (private function)
   - vortex_connection_invoke_send (private function)

* [improve] making vortex library to allow programers to configure if
  it is going to be built with TLS support or not. API exported in
  both cases will be the same, allowing the undefined error due to not
  found API. API exported for TLS will report to app level if the
  library being used have enabled TLS support.  Modified autotools
  files and source code to support this issue.

* [fix] adding a memset to 0 at vortex_frame_readline function.

* [new] adding support to vortex client tool to be able to support
  enabling TLS profile support.

* [new] adding support to notify when a connection have being closed
  through a VortexConnectionOnClose handler. This allows to perform
  some especific operations over connection closed. Connection Close
  is executed just before its resouces are deallocated. Added API to
  allow setting the on close handler:

  - vortex_connection_set_on_close [public]

* [fix] making vortex_connection_close_all_channels to be public so
  profile implementators could use it.

* [new] adding support for implicit piggyback support. Now, piggyback
  message sent at the start message or on its reply, is notified to
  the user space as a received frame. This allows to support with the
  same source code replies with piggyback or withtout it. Added API:

  - vortex_channel_have_piggyback [public]
  - vortex_channel_get_piggyback  [public]
  - vortex_channel_set_piggyback  [private]

* [new] added a new top level mechanism to receive frames in a
  synchroumos manner without using wait reply which is more especific
  and expensive. This method is based on two functions:

  - vortex_channel_queue_reply [public]: which just queue any frame
    received into a user space queue.

  - vortex_channel_get_reply [public]: which fetch the next frame
    recevied on the selected queue, including support to fetch the
    optional piggyback received.

* [new] added new function to create VortexFrame instances from user
  space data:

  - vortex_frame_create [public]

* [fix] add to vortex connection creation a socket sanity check to
  avoid creation socket connections using OS reserved file descriptors
  which could only cause problems.  However, a function is provided to
  avoid executing the sanity check:

   - vortex_connection_sanity_socket_check

* [new] added new vortex-tls-listener.c example TLS profile server.

* [fix] updating extended start handler definition to allow app level
  to define a piggyback at the start reply
  (profile_content_reply). Updating source code which where invoking
  start extended definition.

* [fix] while closing the channel 0, as a last step for closing a
  connection, on some system there were producting a race condition
  between the code flagging the channel as being closed and the code
  that use that flag on the channel close reply to know that the
  connection has been closed properly. Reordered vortex_channel_close
  flagging code to execute in the proper position.

* [fix] fixing vortex_channel_get_reply, it was calling to
  vortex_channel_get_reply instead for vortex_channel_get_piggyback
  inside it.

* [new] starting to add support for TLS server side
  configuration. Currently this is done by using
  vortex_tls_accept_negociation which signal vortex library that TLS
  negociation is supported. This function also install all default
  handlers to be called to enable, negociate and notify for the user
  app all incoming TLS requests.

* [fix] fixing vortex_profile_invoke_start to use the new API, which
  provides access to the profile_content_reply to be used as a
  piggyback.

* [fix] adding a getpid portable definition vortex_getpid which maps
  correctly to the right function on gnu/linux and windows platforms.

* [new] adding a new definition VORTEX_SOCKET which maps to the right
  value on windows plantform and gnu/linux ones. Modifying
  VortexConnection definition to use this value.

* [fix] making vortex library to be Visual Studio 2005 compatible.
  Modified source code so it could be compiled on both platforms:
  windows and gnu/linux.

* [fix] fixing a wrong new line implementation. Portable way to write
  new lines to detect \r\n is to use \x0D\x0A.

* [fix] fixing an API bug at vortex_init function. It wasn't returning
  any initialization error code so, if something gos wrong application
  level couldn't check that status.

* [fix] updating vortex-client to use the vortex_init return value to
  check library initialization status.

* [new] adding support to vortex connection module to configure if the
  underlaying connection should be closed or not when a vortex
  connection instance is closed (actually when the channel 0 is
  closed). Added new API to allow configure this:

   - vortex_connection_set_close_socket

* [fix] fixing vortex channel implicit piggyback process and
  notification.

* [fix] moved all BEEP channel definition messages (start, ok, error,
  ..) to be generated only from vortex frame factory
  module. Implemented new functions to produce this messages:

   - vortex_frame_get_ok_message
   - vortex_frame_get_error_message
   - vortex_frame_get_start_message
   - vortex_frame_get_close_message
   - vortex_frame_get_start_rpy_message

* [fix] updating Vortex Library source due to previous change. Now,
  every channel management message used is build and created by the
  vortex frame module.

* [fix] adding client side TLS profile prototype mostly completed. It
  starts TLS channel negociation, process reply (either implicit or
  explicit) closes channels opened and call to TLS-ficate.

* [fix] adding some memory cleanups before using xmlValidCtx stack
  activated values.

* [new] updating vortex_connection_new_empty function to be public and
  able to create a new connection starting from an already connected
  socket and a role. Updating listener internal implementation to
  conform the change introduced.

* [fix] updating vortex_connection_ref/unref documentation.

* [new] adding support to VortexConnection instance to store user
  space data especifying a key/value destroy data functions per item
  stored. API added:

  - vortex_connection_data_set_full

* [new] adding new public function to support greetings reply
  processing and connection activation. This will be useful to
  implement profiles that require tunning reset. API added:

  - vortex_connection_parse_greetings_and_enable

* [new] adding 3 new handlers to support TLS profile at listener peer
  side.

  - VortexTlsAcceptQuery: allows applications level to allow or deny
    incoming TLS negocation request.

  - VortexTlsCertificateFileLocator: allows application level to
    especify the certificate file to be used.

  - VortexTlsPrivateKeyFileLocator: allows application level to
    especify the private key to be used.

* [new] moved common location files function from vortex dtd module to
  vortex support so it could be also used by other modules, and at
  this moment, by the vortex tls module. API added:

  - vortex_support_find_data_file.

* [new] vortex library client side implementation for the TLS profile
  is now complete.

* [fix] fixing extended channel start definition: user space parameter
  was missing in the definition.

* [fix] updating vortex_connection_reconnect documentation. Added an
  code example.

* [fix] updating vortex library documentation, fixing broken
  references.

* [new] added new function to support in an abstract manner how files
  are found inside the Vortex library:

     - vortex_support_add_search_path
     - vortex_support_add_search_path_ref

  Updated vortex_support_find_data_file to use file paths installed by
  previous functions.

* [new] added cleanup function to vortex support module:

     - vortex_support_cleanup 

  This function is automatically called by the vortex_exit function.

* [fix] udpating vortex_init function to install default path to
  lookup for data files.

* [fix] added some additional checks while client TLS request is
  enabled to avoid suposing a transport session is already
  tls-ficated.

* [fix] fixing vortex_init call to add path to search data file
  definitions.

* [fix] fixing bug on vortex_connection_set_data_full, it was swapping
  key and value.
  
* [fix] fixing wrong error checking inside the vortex-client tool for
  open/connect command.

* [fix] fixing wrong socket declarations not using VORTEX_SOCKET.

* [fix] making vortex_support_find_data_file to just return the file
  name found if search path used is "."

* [new] adding initial full working Vortex Library with TLS
  support. Current test have been done to vortex-client tool which now
  support "enable tls" command. API added:

   - vortex_tls_start_negociation [public]
   - vortex_tls_accept_negociation [public]
   - vortex_connection_set_tlsfication_status [private]
   - vortex_connection_is_tlsficated [public]

* [fix] making vortex greetings module to now show TLS profile, even
  if it is registered for those connections already TLS-ficated.

* [fix] on close connection event now works even if several threads
  calls to close the same connection. This event have been used to
  implement the piece of the TLS profile which starts the TLS
  handshake.

* [new] added support to perform pre-read operations inside the vortex
  reader process. This allows to establish user space handlers which
  could perform previous operations to read frames. API added:

   - vortex_connection_set_preread_handler [public]
   - vortex_connection_is_defined_preread_handler [public]
   - vortex_connection_invoke_preread_handler [private]
   - VortexConnectionOnPreRead [public]

* [fix] removing profile content prefix and suffix code actually done
  by vortex_frame_get_start_message.

* [fix] added profile content preffix and suffix to
  vortex_frame_get_start_rpy_message.

* [new] updating user documentation about activating TLS profile. 

* [new] updated main documentation to include references to the new
  profile implemented.

* [new] updated vortex status document to reflect the TLS profile
  implementation.

* [new] added support to implement auto TLS negociation for each
  connection created. This allows to reuse source code already
  implemented that needs to also negociate TLS profile. Conections
  created with vortex_connection_new are returned with TLS profile
  already negociated if auto TLS is activated. API added:

      - vortex_connection_set_auto_tls

* [new] implemented initial timeout support for synchronous operations
  based on:

      - vortex_connection_timeout
      - vortex_connection_get_timeout

  Timeout support is now used to limit synchronous waiting while
  activated TLS support at vortex_connection_new due to auto TLS
  activation.

* [fix] updated function documentation for vortex_connection_new and
  vortex_conection_set_data to explain how to use new mechanisms added
  and how to use a connection to store user space data.

* [new] added support to implement synchronous TLS profile negociation
  through:

      - vortex_tls_start_negociation_sync

  The function does the same as vortex_tls_start_negociation but doing
  it in a synchronous way (blocking the caller).

* [fix] fixing wrong #ifdef-#endif align inside vortex tls module.

* [new] adding support to vortex-client tool to initialize SASL auth
  negociations against BEEP peers.

* [new] added new handler to enable application level to get notified
  about SASL process status. API added:

  -  VortexSaslAuthNotify

* [new] adding new channel start function: vortex_channel_new_fullv,
  which allows to create new channels setting the profile content to
  be piggybacked using a printf-like format. API added:
  
  - vortex_channel_new_fullv

* [fix] fixing a bug on vortex_channel_get_reply which was returning a
  frame that the second level handler invocator unref just few steps
  after. Now the function makes a copy from the frame
  returned. Updated user documentation to advise that the frame
  returned should be unrefered. Implemented new frame copy function to
  perform the fix. API added:

  - vortex_frame_copy

* [fix] reorganizied source code at vortex dtd module to load more
  than the channel management DTD file. Now it is include the SASL DTD
  file. Adding TLS and SASL DTD files.

* [fix] mostly finished the SASL client implementation for the Vortex
  Library.

* [fix] reimplement SASL client implementation to use GNU SASL library
  instead of Cyrus SASL. Vortex SASL support for client side mostly
  completed.

* [fix] improving error detection for start channel error replies at
  vortex channel module.

* [new] adding new handlers to support anonymous and plain profile
  incoming request notification and validation. API added:

  - VortexSaslAuthAnonymous
  - VortexSaslAuthPlain

  Now Vortex SASL implementation invoke previous handlers to notify
  user space that a SASL auth was received to get confirmation to deny
  or to allow it.

* [new] added new functions to allow setting previous SASL handler
  notification:

  - vortex_sasl_set_anonymous_validation
  - vortex_sasl_set_plain_validation

* [new] commiting first fully working SASL implementation for client
  and server side. Already tested with ANONYMOUS profile.

* [new] adding new sasl function to allow checking if a given
  connection is already authenticated.

  - vortex_sasl_is_authenticated

* [fix] making SASL vortex implementation to remove SASL crendentials
  on SALS negociation failures inside __vortex_sasl_notify. Fix having
  previous credentials values mixed with new ones set from previous
  SASL failed negociations.

* [new] adding support to vortex-client tool to show current SASL auth
  status and current SASL auth id for the "connection status" command.

* [new] comming complete SASL PLAIN profile support for both sides.

* [fix] adding sasl start auth sanity checks to avoid starting SASL
  handshake for a given profile without providing all necesary
  security props.

* [fix] adding support for SASL PLAIN profile validation to
  vortex-sasl-listener example.

* [fix] making vortex-client tool to use synchronous API for TLS and
  SASL activation. Now, vortex-client tool support perform SASL
  operations for PLAIN, ANONYMOUS, EXTERNAL, CRAM-MD5 and DIGEST-MD5
  profiles.

* [fix] making vortex_connection_new to use synchronous version for
  TLS activation when auto tls is enabled rather than using the
  asynchronous one.

* [fix] vortex_connection_free was not deallocating memory for
  features and localiza items.

* [new] uploading fully working Vortex version with SASL support for
  client and server side for the following profiles: PLAIN, ANONYMOUS,
  EXTERNAL, CRAM-MD5, DIGEST-MD5. API Added:

   - VortexSaslAuthExternal
   - VortexSaslAuthCramMd5
   - VortexSaslAuthDigestMd5
   - vortex_sasl_start_auth_sync
   - vortex_sasl_set_cram_md5_validation
   - vortex_sasl_set_digest_md5_validation

* [fix] making VortexStatus definition to bind VortexError to 1 and
  VortexOk to 2 to differenciate this values from NULL (or cero).

* [new] updated Vortex manual to explain in detail how to use SASL
  support and piggybacking.

* [fix] adding timeout support for synchronous TLS and SASL negociation.

* [fix] fixing a bug on vortex listener waiting code which was
  unrefereing a queue that on Vortex Listener start up error is null.

About Us
~~~~~~~~

  Advanced Software Production Line is leading the Af-Arch project: a
  complete framework to develop distribuited application to manage
  enterprise process.

  Af-Arch project relies on Vortex Library to exchange data between
  its distribuited nodes.

  Advanced Software Production Line also provides GNU/Linux support
  and consulting services on how organization can introduce GNU/Linux
  inside its process, making other platforms to interact with
  GNU/Linux.

  You can reach us:

       http://www.aspl.es - [email-masked]

  We hope Vortex Library help you. Enjoy Vortex Library!
         
--
Francis Brosnan Blázquez           - [email-masked]
Advanced Software Production Line  - http://www.aspl.es
20th Dec 2005, Madrid (Spain)

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