TRANSFER Programming Manual

TRANSFER Objects
An Overview of the TRANSFER Delivery System
40970 Tandem Computers Incorporated 1–7
There are two types of user processes: clients and agents. Each type is defined by the
task it performs:
Clients provide the interface between the TRANSFER delivery system and the
person, device, or process that makes requests to the TRANSFER delivery system.
Clients allow the user to build, alter, and send packages for delivery and allow the
user to examine and respond to incoming messages.
Agents provide services associated with the delivery of a package. When the
TRANSFER delivery system delivers a package to the appropriate location for the
recipient, the TRANSFER delivery system can invoke an agent process associated
with the recipient. The agent process usually performs a task such as filing the
package, initiating a transaction in response to the package, or sending an
automatic reply to the sender of the package.
Clients and agents are discussed in greater detail in Section 2, “TRANSFER
Application Components.”
TRANSFER Objects A TRANSFER application can involve the following objects:
Correspondent—A sender or receiver of information within the TRANSFER
system. A correspondent can be a person, an interest group, a process, or a device.
Package—A collection of items that one correspondent sends to another
correspondent. The TRANSFER delivery system delivers each package as a unit.
Depot—An area of storage associated with a particular correspondent. A depot
includes the profiles, folders, and distribution lists that belong to the
correspondent. The TRANSFER delivery system delivers packages to a
correspondent’s depot.
Distribution list—A predefined list of recipient names that provides a simple
method for a correspondent to send a package to multiple destinations. A
distribution list member can be a correspondent, an interest group, or another
distribution list.
Profile—A collection of attributes that describes an individual depot, a group
depot, or the TRANSFER system.
Folder—An area in which items and packages can be stored. A folder belongs to
the depot owner. Only the depot owner can inspect the contents of the folder.
External object—A GUARDIAN 90 file, external to the TRANSFER database, that
is attached to a TRANSFER item.
TRANSFER objects are discussed in greater detail in Section 3, “TRANSFER Objects.”