OpenSideChannel / CloseSideChannel - Managing multiple channels

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Reference (Scripting) > Side Channels - Using Multiple Data Connections >

OpenSideChannel / CloseSideChannel - Managing multiple channels

The OpenSideChannel / CloseSideChannel methods allow using multiple additional data connections in one Docklight Scripting instance. Incoming data from side channels can be distinguished / labeled using the rxChannelTag argument Transmitting data on side channels is possible via the DirectSend method.

 

DL Methods for side channel / multichannel management:

 

Method

Description

result = DL.OpenSideChannel( newSettings [, channelNo] [, rxChannelTag])

Open a side communication channel using the communication channel settings from newSettings.

 

channelNo = 3 (default) or 4-10

 

rxChannelTag = "Channel3" (default):
RX data from this channel will be tagged like this:

<Channel3>... data received on this side channel... </Channel3>

rxChannelTag = "norx":
The received communication data is not displayed at all.

rxChannelTag = "" (empty string):
No channel tags are used and you cannot distinguish the incoming data from "regular" Docklight RX data.

 

result = True: Successfully opened the channel.

result = False: Channel could not be opened, e.g. settings invalid or COM port not available.

DL.CloseSideChannel [channelNo]

Closes the side channel.

 

Remarks

 

The side channels depend on the main connection status and vice versa:

•OpenSideChannel will automatically execute a StartCommunication, if required.

•CloseSideChannel only closes the specified side channel. Other communication channels continue data transfer.

•StopCommunication closes the main communication channels and any open side channels.

See also StartCommunication / StopCommunication.

 

Example

 

DL.SetChannelSettings "LOCALHOST:10001"

DL.StartCommunication

DL.OpenSideChannel "SERVER:10001"

DL.ResetReceiveCounter

DL.SendSequence "", "Test", "A"

DL.Pause 1000

DL.AddComment "Stop the Channel3. This should cause a TCP client connection error..."

DL.CloseSideChannel

DL.Pause 4000

' close all channels

DL.StopCommunication

 

The communication window output could look like this:

 

02.10.2019 12:44:23.622 [TX] - Test

02.10.2019 12:44:23.634 [RX] - <Channel3>Test</Channel3> [Channel3]

 

Stop the Channel3. This should cause a TCP client connection error...

 

 

02.10.2019 12:44:24.179  DOCKLIGHT reports: Error on channel LOCALHOST:10001:

TCP/IP connection closed by the remote computer