G.0 Custom Element Handlers for the Subscriber Channel

The driver provides an extension mechanism for sending user notifications using methods other than the Simplified Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP). For example, a customer might have a need to send notifications using the Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) rather than using SMTP.

To use a mechanism other than SMTP for sending notifications, you must write a Java class to handle a custom XML element that is submitted on the driver's Subscriber channel.

The Java custom element handler must implement the com.novell.nds.dirxml.driver.manualtask.CommandHandler Java interface. The name of the custom element class is specified in the Additional Handlers item found in the Subscriber configuration parameters.

When the Subscriber channel encounters a command element, it looks in its table of handlers. When it finds a handler that reports that it handles the command element, the command element is passed to the handler. The handler then performs any processing required.

There are two built-in command element handlers in the driver: a handler for <mail> elements and a handler for <add> elements.

The custom command element definition is up to the author of the custom handler. A reasonable place to start in designing the custom command element is the design of the <mail> element.

The custom elements are created by policies on the Subscriber channel in the same fashion that the <mail> element is created.

The documentation for com.novell.nds.dirxml.driver.manualtask.CommandHandler and the documentation for many utility and support classes are found in the javadocs that ship with the driver. The javadocs are found in the file named manual_task_docs.zip in the distribution image.