client/server mode

[Daniel Heiserer]

Hi,
I want to use octave as a server using tcp/ip sockets.
One way should be to invoke an octave server  similarily
like with the m-file option ala:

> octave myhost.muc:4711

if the argument is an m-file (':' cannot be part of an m-file)
the m-file is exectued and octave exits.
Here this is a host:port number.
Once octave is invoked like this octave should switch
to what I would call the server-mode and connect
to the the port 4711 at host myhost.muc.

all commands have to be read from this port.
Also binary data exchange via the port works.
e.g. A=fread(stdin,.....);
it is up to the client feeding the socket to take 
care of correct exchange of data using fread/fwrite.

(I have a prototype running using a multilayer where perl
is the glue)

Also octave could start other small octaves 
for simple parallelization tasks (like independed
for-loops, optimization with genetic-algorithms etc.)

An other option would be to make data exchange between
different programs (especially gnuplot) work on such
an approach (gnuplot server then). So octave would
act as a client. this would have to major benefits
compared to the current gnuplot implementation:

a) a bidirectional data exchange is easier to realize.
==> octave is able to read gnuplots settings
b) Once someone works on a remote machine (big server). Gnuplot
could run on the desktop machine using the sockets.
==> plotting is faster

Other combinations of software (e.g. gui) etc.
might be easier too.


A) Are there any other ideas, what has to be considered and how
in order to make this a general option

B) Does anyone have suggestions or other help

thanks, daniel

-- 
Mit freundlichen Gruessen
                                 Daniel Heiserer
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dipl.-Phys. Daniel Heiserer, BMW AG, Knorrstrasse 147, 80788 Muenchen
Abteilung EK-212
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