Navigation:  Managing a Site > Data Sync > Messagebox

 

Overview

 

The "Messagebox" module of the "Control Panel" relates to the Messagebox Service, a service provided by MCL-Mobility Platform that allows your mobile applications to exchange messages with a back-end via the topics within your site.

A topic is a specific queue used by the sender (mobile application/back-end) to direct a message to a receiver (mobile application/back-end) that subscribes to that topic. It is similar to a mailbox that accepts messages from a specific entity to be delivered to another specific entity.

There are three possible types(sub-services) of topics, meaning, a topic can have one of three directions:

Mobile to Back-end - the message is sent by the device(s)/application to a specific topic and, then, it is read by the intended back-end.

Back-end to Mobile - the back-end sends a message to a specific topic which is, then, read by the device(s)/application that poll it.

Request - the device(s)/application sends a message to a specific topic, expecting an answer from a specific entity. Once the entity reads the message, the answer will be sent through that same topic.

 

The Messagebox Service is available at account and site level:

•There is a "Messagebox" sub-module in the Admin Dashboard's "Control Panel" (included in the "Data Sync" module) which allows the account administrator to create, edit, delete or replicate a topic onto all the sites in the account.

•There is a "Messagebox" sub-module (included in the site's "Data Sync" module) where the site manager and any site user with the necessary access rights can manage the topics that concern their own site.

 

The "Messagebox" sub-module is used, specifically, to manage the necessary topics for the Messagebox Service, meaning, it allows you to add, edit, delete and copy topics, purge a topic's messages and read or send messages onto a topic.

 

The back-end application can also manage the topics - it can add, edit, delete and copy topics.

 

 

In the Site Dashboard's "Control Panel", click to access the "Messagebox" sub-module.

 

 

Click to open the "Topics" page and view the list of topics available within the site. The list consists of topics created within this site and whatever topics have been replicated from the Admin Dashboard's "Messagebox" module (the list view is the default view):

 

 

Use one of the following to filter the display of topic information:

 

•Use the buttons below to filter the display in terms of topic type (meaning, the direction for the messages included in a topic):

 

Mobile to Back-end (default filter)

 

Back-end to Mobile

 

Request

 

 

Whatever the filter, you can organize the displayed topics and corresponding information into a list or grid view:

 

Use this button to display the available information into a list view - this is the default view.

It provides the following information:

 

 

Use this button to display information into a grid view:

 

 

 

•Use the search box to look for topics:

 

a. Enter the name of the topic you want to search for.

b. Click or press <ENTER> in your PC keyboard to initiate the search.

c. To conclude, click the search box's button OR  empty it and click OR  press <ENTER> in your PC keyboard.

 

 

•Use the buttons, included in this bar, to organize the listed items of the corresponding column:

•by ascending order.

•by descending order.

 

The "Topics" page also provides direct access to specific topic related operations:

 

Use this button to define which columns should be hidden or shown:

a. Click , which is located on the page's upper right corner, to open the list of available columns.

b. Check/uncheck the intended columns.

c. Click again to hide the list and apply.

 

Use this button to export a "*.csv" file with a list of topics. The export only concerns the currently filtered topics and corresponding displayed columns/information.

Ex: If ("Mobile to Back-end") is selected and if all columns are hidden except "Topic Name"; "Available Msg" and "Ack" (column selection performed in the listing), you export a "*.csv" file with a list of the existing "Mobile to Back-end" topics, in the site, with the following fields:

 

 

 

This button is used to refresh the page and define a Page Refresh cycle:

•Click for an automatic Page Refresh.

•Use to define the page's Page Refresh cycle:

a. Click to access the list with the available time periods (ex: "Disabled"; "Auto" (default option); "1 minute"; etc.).

b. Select the preferred Page Refresh cycle.

c. Click the arrow again to hide the list.

If you select "Disabled", the page's content is only refreshed when you click .

A vertical blue gauge, in the middle of the button, displays the refresh cycle's progress.

 

Available Operations

 

To add a topic, use . This option is always available. For more detailed information, see Adding a Topic.

 

To copy a topic, use . This option is only visible if you select one topic from the list.

When you click this button, it opens a "New Topic" page. For more detailed information on how to fill in this page, see To Copy a Topic.

 

To delete a topic, click . This option is only visible if you select one or more topics from the list.

For more detailed information, see To Delete a Topic.

 

To empty the current topic of all its messages, click . This option is only visible if you select one or more topics from the list.

For more detailed information, see To Purge a Topic.

 

 

This chapter describes the operations available regarding topics: