From: Stephen L Johnson <sjohnson@monsters.org>
Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 01:47:10 +0000 (+0000)
Subject: added information about the new predata and postdata spong-server modules
X-Git-Tag: spong-2_7_7~5
X-Git-Url: http://git.etc.gen.nz/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?a=commitdiff_plain;h=aa43456d6d52ab2ebbca1c4d5b1b09c2c949776c;p=spong.git

added information about the new predata and postdata spong-server modules
---

diff --git a/pod/developer-guide.pod b/pod/developer-guide.pod
index 9710276..34453aa 100755
--- a/pod/developer-guide.pod
+++ b/pod/developer-guide.pod
@@ -162,8 +162,30 @@ develops a fatal error, it should terminate using the die() or croak()
 functions depending on ones preference. Modules should just return upon a 
 successful invocation.  
 
+NEW
+
+There are two new types of Spong Server plugin modules: predata and postdata
+modules.  The predata modules are called just after a message is received but
+before the normal Spong processing is done. And a post module is called after
+the Server's normal processing. i
+
+Also in contrast to the old Spong Server data plugin modules all incoming
+messages a sent to the new predata and postdata modules, not just status
+messages.  Predata modules can even flag a message to tell the Spong Server to
+drop the message and ignore it.  This will allow you a great deal more access
+and control of the Server's incoming message processing. 
+
+Modules are called a predictable, controlable order. There are run in the order
+of the sorted registry hash keys. This allows you to create modules that have
+run dependencies. 
+
+And there is a new API to go along with the new modules. Now parameters are
+passed in a Perl hash. This simplifies the module interface to the server. The
+message type is determined by the C<cmd> field. Message hash details are 
+in the L<spong-server-mod-template> document.
+
 See L<spong-server-mod-template> for an example of how to code a
-B<spong-server> Server Data Module.
+B<spong-server> Server Data Modules
 
 =head2 CLIENT MODULES