jason.stdlib
Class send

java.lang.Object
  jason.asSemantics.DefaultInternalAction
      jason.stdlib.send

All Implemented Interfaces:

InternalAction, java.io.Serializable

public class send
extends DefaultInternalAction

Internal action: .send.

Description: sends a message to an agent.

Parameters:

• + receiver (atom, string, or list): the receiver of the message. It is the unique name of the agent that will receive the message (or list of names).
  
• + ilf (atom): the illocutionary force of the message (tell, achieve, ...).
  
• + message (literal): the content of the message.
  
• + answer (any term [optional]): the answer of an ask message (for performatives askOne, askAll, and askHow).
  
• + timeout (number [optional]): timeout (in milliseconds) when waiting for an ask answer.
  

Messages with an ask illocutionary force can optionally have arguments 3 and 4. In case they are given, .send suspends the intention until an answer is received and unified with arg[3], or the message request times out as specified by arg[4]. Otherwise, the intention is not suspended and the answer (which is a tell message) produces a belief addition event as usual.

Examples (suppose that agent jomi is sending the messages):

• .send(rafael,tell,value(10)): sends value(10) to the agent named rafael. The literal value(10)[source(jomi)] will be added as a belief in rafael's belief base.
• .send(rafael,achieve,go(10,30): sends go(10,30) to the agent named rafael. When rafael receives this message, an event <+!go(10,30)[source(jomi)],T> will be added in rafael's event queue.
• .send(rafael,askOne,value(beer,X)): sends value(beer,X) to the agent named rafael. This askOne is an asynchronous ask since it does not suspend jomi's intention. If rafael has, for instance, the literal value(beer,2) in its belief base, this belief is automatically sent to jomi. Otherwise an event like +?value(beer,X)[source(self)] is generated in rafael's side and the result of this query is then sent to jomi. In the jomi's side, the rafael's answer is added in the jomi's belief base and an event like +value(beer,10)[source(rafael)] is generated.
• .send(rafael,askOne,value(beer,X),A): sends value(beer,X) to the agent named rafael. This askOne is a synchronous askOne, it suspends jomi's intention until rafael's answer is received. The answer (something like value(beer,10)) unifies with A.
• .send(rafael,askOne,value(beer,X),A,2000): as in the previous example, but agent jomi waits for 2 seconds. If no message is received by then, A unifies with timeout.

See Also:

broadcast, my_name, Serialized Form

Constructor Summary

send()

Method Summary

boolean	canBeUsedInContext() Return true if the internal action can be used in plans' context
protected void	checkArguments(Term[] args)
java.lang.Object	execute(TransitionSystem ts, Unifier un, Term[] args) Executes the internal action.
int	getMaxArgs()
int	getMinArgs()
boolean	suspendIntention() Returns true if the internal action (IA) should suspend the intention where the IA is called

Methods inherited from class jason.asSemantics.DefaultInternalAction

prepareArguments

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

send

public send()

Method Detail

canBeUsedInContext

public boolean canBeUsedInContext()

Description copied from interface: InternalAction

Return true if the internal action can be used in plans' context

Specified by:

canBeUsedInContext in interface InternalAction

Overrides:

canBeUsedInContext in class DefaultInternalAction

getMinArgs

public int getMinArgs()

Overrides:

getMinArgs in class DefaultInternalAction

getMaxArgs

public int getMaxArgs()

Overrides:

getMaxArgs in class DefaultInternalAction

checkArguments

protected void checkArguments(Term[] args)
                       throws JasonException

Overrides:

checkArguments in class DefaultInternalAction

Throws:

JasonException

execute

public java.lang.Object execute(TransitionSystem ts,
                                Unifier un,
                                Term[] args)
                         throws java.lang.Exception

Description copied from interface: InternalAction

Executes the internal action. It should return a Boolean or an Iterator. A true boolean return means that the IA was successfully executed. An Iterator result means that there is more than one answer for this IA (e.g. see member internal action).

Specified by:

execute in interface InternalAction

Overrides:

execute in class DefaultInternalAction

Throws:

java.lang.Exception

suspendIntention

public boolean suspendIntention()

Description copied from interface: InternalAction

Returns true if the internal action (IA) should suspend the intention where the IA is called

Specified by:

suspendIntention in interface InternalAction

Overrides:

suspendIntention in class DefaultInternalAction