Protocols/OSCAR/Terms

OSCAR Protocol

Introduction • Terms • Clients

Basic

Datatypes • FLAP • SNAC • TLV

UUIDs • Errors • Tool IDs

Host Interaction

Rate Limits • Migration • Messages

Other Services

ADMIN • ADVERT • ALERT

BART • BOS • BUCP • CHAT

CHAT_NAV

Tutorials

Sign On • BART • Rendezvous

ICBM • Locate • Buddies

Foodgroups

OSERVICE (0x0001)

LOCATE (0x0002)

BUDDY (0x0003)

ICBM (0x0004)

ADVERT (0x0005)

INVITE (0x0006)

ADMIN (0x0007)

POPUP (0x0008)

PD (0x0009)

USER_LOOKUP (0x000A)

STATS (0x000B)

TRANSLATE (0x000C)

CHAT_NAV (0x000D)

CHAT (0x000E)

ODIR (0x000F)

BART (0x0010)

FEEDBAG (0x0013)

ICQ (0x0015)

BUCP (0x0017)

ALERT (0x0018)

PLUGIN (0x0022)

UNNAMED_FG_24 (0x0024)

MDIR (0x0025)

ARS (0x044A)

The follow is a list of terms you may see through out these pages, or in the debugging output from the clients.

BOS

BOS - Basic OSCAR Service. This term refers to the services that form the core of the Instant Messenger service. These services include Login/Logoff, Locate, Instant Message, and Buddy List.

Buddy List

The buddy list tool allows a user to see in near realtime when his friends (buddies) are using the Instant Messenger service. A user may set a preference to block others from seeing him when he is on. He may also set a permit or deny list to selectively show his presence. See:Symmetric Blocking

FLAP

FLAP is a low-level communications protocol that facilitates the development of higher-level, record-oriented, communications layers. It is used on the TCP connection between all clients and servers.

ICBM

ICBM - Inter Client Basic Message. ICBM is a channelized client-to-client mechanism. Currently the most user visible channel is used for Instant Messages.

Instant Message

The instant message tool allows a user to send a short message to another Instant Messenger nickname that is delivered directly to the users screen in near realtime. This is unlike Email which may contain larger amounts of data and may be delivered at a later time. The receiver may easily respond with an instant message back to the sender creating a semi-realtime conversation.

Locate

The locate tool allows a user to determine some information about another Instant Messenger nickname. The information revealed depends on the privacy settings of the remote user. It may be as complete or as sparse as they desire. If the remote user is not logged into Instant Messenger , no information will be provided. Instant Messenger will NOT display AOL profiles and currently there are no plans to add this ability.

Login/Logoff or Sign On/Sign Off

The Login/Logoff tool is an internal service of the Instant Messenger client. The tool is responsible for keeping the client connected to the Instant Messenger servers. This includes the initial login, any migrations that occur during a users session, and the final logoff.

Migration

The process of moving a user automatically from one server to another. A migration may happen at anytime during a users session, and is completely transparent. Although the client may appear sluggish, no data will be lost during the migration.

Module

The basic building block of the Instant Messenger software, they provide the services of Instant Messenger. New modules are added just by downloading a new JAR file and placing it in your modules directory. You can change the look and feel of a module (but not the functionality) by creating a new UIPack for the Module.

OSCAR

Open System for Communication in Realtime - the internal project name (as opposed to the external marketing name) used to identify Instant Messenger.

SNAC

A SNAC is the basic communication unit that is exchanged between clients and servers. The SNAC communication layers sits on top of the FLAP layer.

Symmetric Blocking

Blocking members is symmetric. When you block a member, that member can not see you online nor communicate with you. Likewise, you will not be able to see the blocked member online nor communicate with the member you have blocked.

Tool

Tools supply the underlying support for talking between Modules and the core software. There will be one tool for each of the services that the Instant Messenger offers. Each tool can support many modules.

Examples: Admin, Buddy List, IM, Info, Login, File Transfer, and Chat.

TLV

TLV - Type Length Value. A tuple allowing typed opaque information to be passed through the protocol. Typically TLV's are intended for interpretation at the core layer. Being typed, new elements can be added w/o modifying the lower layers.

Warnings

A warning is a form of electronic vilification. It allows a user who has been affected by the online behavior of another user to express an opinion about that behavior. For more information see the Warnings FAQ.

From Aleksandr Shutko: Protocol specification terminology

TERMINOLOGY

The follow is a list of terms you may see through out these pages. Most of them a taken from AOL AIM documents  BOS      Basic OSCAR Service. This term refers to the services that form the core of the Instant Messenger service. These services include Login/Logoff, Locate, Instant Message, Roster management, Info management and Buddy List    Buddy List      The buddy list tool allows a user to see in near realtime when his friends (buddies) are using the Instant Messenger service. A user may set a preference to block others from seeing him when he is on. He may also set a permit or deny list to selectively show his presence.    DC      DC is an abbreviation for direct connection. It is too expensive to send all client data thru server. This problem was solved by client-to-client direct connections when one client connects to port opened by another client to send messages, files and other information.    FLAP      FLAP is a low-level communications protocol that facilitates the development of higher-level, record-oriented, communications layers. It is used on the TCP connection between all clients and servers.    ICBM      ICBM - Inter Client Basic Message. ICBM is a channelized client-to-client mechanism. Currently the most user visible channel is used for Instant Messages.    Instant Message (IM)      The instant message tool allows a user to send a short message to another Instant Messenger nickname that is delivered directly to the users screen in near realtime. This is unlike Email which may contain larger amounts of data and may be delivered at a later time. The receiver may easily respond with an instant message back to the sender creating a semi-realtime conversation.    Login/Logoff      The Login/Logoff tool is an internal service of the Instant Messenger client. The tool is responsible for keeping the client connected to the Instant Messenger servers. This includes the initial login, any migrations that occur during a users session, and the final logoff.    Migration      The process of moving a user automatically from one server to another. A migration may happen at anytime during a users session, and is completely transparent. Although the client may appear sluggish, no data will be lost during the migration.    OSCAR      Open System for Communication in Realtime - the internal project name (as opposed to the external marketing name) used to identify Instant Messenger.    SSI      A SSI (server-stored information) is a service that allow client to store its contact list data (buddies, groups, comments, visibility, invisibility, ignore, perms mask) on the server. This increases client mobility and drastically reduces network traffic and server load. Oscar use family 0x13 for this service.    SNAC      A SNAC is the basic communication unit that is exchanged between clients and servers. The SNAC communication layers sits on top of the FLAP layer.    Tool      Tools supply the underlying support for talking between Modules and the core software. There will be one tool for each of the services that the Instant Messenger offers. Each tool can support many modules.    TLV      TLV - Type Length Value. A tuple allowing typed opaque information to be passed through the protocol. Typically TLV's are intended for interpretation at the core layer. Being typed, new elements can be added w/o modifying the lower layers.