initialise()

This method is where the netlet begins execution--the node calls this method first.

There are three parameters. The first is the interface to the node; this lets us talk to it, and we will use it. The node is our runtime environment, so everything goes via that. We will use it to bind the hello world service.

The second parameter is an arbitrary parameter object (in our case, the warrant for the hello world service), and the third is rarely used and can be ignored for now.

We don't need to return anything particularly, so null will suffice.

If you're happy with that explanation you can skip to the next part, otherwise read on...

The second parameter is indeed some arbitrary object, in our case the warrant, and so it can be anything. But usually this object is a bean--i.e. just a holder of many useful objects we can pull out with ``get'' methods. This bean is also referred to as the ``signed parameter bean'' because it will have been carried inside the netlet descriptor, and the netlet descriptor can be digitally signed. There is no need for Jtrix to impose any other restrictions on this object; the developer is free here.

The third parameter is actually another arbitrary parameter--this is the unsigned data as discussed in Section . Because it is sent alongside the descriptor, being a data stream in its own right, it really is best described as a byte array.

Nik Silver 2002-03-09