RestConsole

About
The REST console makes remote administration of the various OpenSimulator services possible.

The interface allows sending commands to the server and retrieving command output. Sending and receiving data is done through RESTful HTTP calls.

While sending is very straightforward, receiving is not. Receiving uses reverse HTTP, performing a long poll to a CAPS URI.

In order to make the protocol more efficient, the help functionality has been pushed to the client side. Rather than sending each keystroke to the server, only validated command lines are sent. To make this possible, the server sends a burst-on-connect of data, which is the tree of allowed commands and their help information. This can be used by the client to create the "help" command output locally as well as provide command line help interactively.

The sample console client, OpenSim.ConsoleClient.exe, shows how this is done.

Usage
In order to use the remote console, start up OpenSimulator services with parameter -console rest.

Example for Robust server in grid mode: mono Robust.exe -console rest

Example for simulators (both in grid and standalone mode): mono OpenSim.exe -console rest

Syntax
We take the OpenSimulator services address http://foo.bar:8002 as example here.

First start a new session by sending a HTTP POST request. User name and password should match the settings for ConsoleUser and ConsolePass in section [Network] of OpenSim.ini.

Parameters: USER, PASS http://foo.bar:8002/StartSession/ Return: (XML) 

Now we got the SessionID, which can be used to send a command and to receive output. First, retrieve the console scrollback buffer.

Parameters: none http://foo.bar:8002/ReadResponses// Return: (XML) <Line Number=x Level=l Prompt=p Command=c Input=i></Line></ConsoleSession>

The reply contains all lines currently in the buffer. Subsequent fetches will only retrieve new lines. The fetch will hold for up to 30 seconds if there is no data, then return an error. The client is expected to try again (polling). The attributes are as follows: Number = The line number (1 based) Level = The level this is to be logged as Prompt = bool, true if the output on this line is a prompt Command = bool, true if the prompt is for a command Input = bool, true if the output is eachoed input

Use the SessionID as ID parameter, and send a POST request again.

Parameters: ID, COMMAND http://foo.bar:8002/SessionCommand/ Return: (XML) <Result></Result></ConsoleSession>

If everything went well, the command should have been executed. Try another command.

When you want to close down the connection, send a POST request again.

Parameters: ID http://foo.bar:8002/CloseSession/ Return: (XML) <Result></Result></ConsoleSession>

The session is closed, and you have to log in again, when you want to send a command again.

= Clients =

C#
A C# client is included with the Opensimulator distribution. It is rudimentary and not updated to the latest protocol versions.

Qt
The Qt 5 based client is at https://github.com/MelanieT/OpenSimConsoleClient

= Binaries = Windows: http://opensimulator.org/downloads/ConsoleClient.zip Mac: http://opensimulator.org/downloads/ConsoleClient.dmg Linux: TBD

= Examples =

NOTE
Some of the examples below are for an older version of the interface. They may work to a degree but need to be revised.

JavaScript/HTML
<script type="text/javascript">

var sessionId; var hostUrl;

function StartSession(url, user, password) { hostUrl = url; var response = SendRequest("/StartSession/", "USER=" + user + "&PASS=" + password); sessionId = response.getElementsByTagName("SessionID")[0].firstChild.nodeValue; };

function ReadResponses { var response = this.SendRequest("/ReadResponses/" + sessionId + "/", ''); var lines = response.getElementsByTagName("Line"); for (var i = 0; i < lines.length; ++i) { var element = document.createElement("div"); element.appendChild(document.createTextNode(lines[i].firstChild.nodeValue)); document.getElementById("output").appendChild(element); };       document.getElementById("output").scrollTop = document.getElementById("output").scrollHeight; };

function Command(cmd) { void SendRequest("/SessionCommand/", "ID=" + sessionId + "&COMMAND=" + cmd); };

function CloseSession { void SendRequest("/CloseSession/", "ID=" + sessionId); };

function SendRequest(path, data) { var request = new XMLHttpRequest; request.open("POST", hostUrl + path, false); request.send(data); return request.responseXML; };

window.onunload = CloseSession;

<form action="#" onsubmit="       StartSession(this.address.value, this.user.value, this.password.value);        ReadResponses;        return false"> <input name="address" type="text" value="http://localhost:9000" /> <input name="user" type="text" value="ConsoleUser" /> <input name="password" type="text" value="ConsolePass" /> <input type="submit" value="Login" />

<form action="#" onsubmit="       Command(this.command.value);        ReadResponses;        return false"> <input type="text" name="command" value="Enter command here" size="40"/> <input type="submit" value="Send Command" />