Synapse ¶

“Synapses are the connections between neurons in the brain through which nervous impulses pass.”

News ¶

07-10-2010: ​http://www.internetpapier.nl online for testing.

22-09-2010: The source code also is avaiable via git on ​http://code.dyne.org/ . Thanks jaromil!

08-03-2012: We're also pushing to github now: ​https://github.com/psy0rz/Synapse

09-10-2012: Code is pushed only to github most of the time, so go there to follow the latest changes.

25-11-2012: It also compiles on the Raspberry, look at the Raspberry compiling howto

Introduction ¶

Synapse is an advanced event framework in C++:

• Modulair plugin system
• Easy to write modules
• Easy to send and receive message, while maintaining code readability
• Session management
• Build in authentication
• Fine grained access control on sending and receiving of events
• Events can be handled by multiple threads if desired (max-threads is adjustable per session and per module)

Architecture diagram ¶

On an abtract level, Synapse tries to split up the Internet application layer into OSI model layers:

• Modules can send and receive arbitrary data via a clean thin C++ API
• A module can have 1 or more sessions.
• The module specifys the event they wish to send and the destination session id.
• The core keeps track of sessions and knows which module(s) to deliver the message to.
• The core knows which users are allowed or receive the specified event.
• Modules don't need to be aware of the node they run on.
• If the session is running somewhere else, one of the connectors transports it to the correct node.
• Nodes even can be multiple hops away. (e.g. simple routing of messages)
• This even allows you to build a high performance, high availability cluster without modifying your application.

• tcp/json connector:
  • A special module to transparently transport messages to other modules.
  • Incoming message src is mapped to local session.
• http/json connector:
  • A special module to allow javascript instances in browsers to connect and communicate with each other.

Connector implementation ¶

Because of the unique way Synapse is build, the actual connectors can be implemented as modules as well:

• Keeps the core code clean.
• Easier to debug and maintain.
• All connectors can only be loaded when needed.
• The TCP/IP connector is both client and server. Once the connection is established this doesn't matter anymore.

Other documentation ¶

Whitepaper/notes (still dutch and messy, but nice drawings ;): http://open.syn3.nl/syn3/trac/default/export/latest/trunk/projects/synapse/docs/synapse.odt

Module documentation: ​https://github.com/psy0rz/Synapse/blob/master/modules/docs/html/index.html

Download ¶

Download:

psy@r3m0t3h0st ~/test $ git clone git://git.dyne.org/synapse.git
Cloning into synapse...
remote: Counting objects: 3179, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (1498/1498), done.
remote: Total 3179 (delta 2272), reused 2281 (delta 1647)
Receiving objects: 100% (3179/3179), 1.70 MiB | 923 KiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (2272/2272), done.

Configure/compile:

psy@r3m0t3h0st ~/test $ cd synapse/
psy@r3m0t3h0st ~/test/synapse $ cmake .
...
psy@r3m0t3h0st ~/test/synapse $ make
...

Run paper module:

psy@r3m0t3h0st ~/test/synapse $ ./synapse paper
psy@psylaptop:~/synapse$ ./synapse paper
0xf78540 INFO: Loading config file etc/synapse/userman.conf
0xf78540 INFO: Loading module core from: modules/core.module/libcore.so
0xf78540 INFO: Module loading of core complete.
0xf78540 INFO: Synapse core v1.0 starting up...
0xf78540 SEND module_Init FROM 1:core@core TO broadcast (1:core@core ) (empty)
...

• Connect to ​http://localhost:10080/paper/index.html to see some stuff.
• Debug page: ​http://localhost:10080/synapse/debug.html.
• Status page: ​http://localhost:10080/synapse/status.html.
• Login from a second browser to the paper and see the magic.
• Use Firebug or Chromium development mode to see the events between the server and browser. (add &synapse_debug in the url)

Internet paper ¶

Look at ​http://internetpapier.nl

Create a new drawing and open it in 2 or more browser windows. Let the magic happen.

Automatic asterisk operator panel ¶

This is the first serious project built on top of the synapse platform.

• Multi server
• Multi tennant
• Minimal configuration
• Auto detection of SIP devices
• Web based
• Login is done by calling a special number, so no additional password and user management is neccesary.
• Tested with configurations generated by:
  • Asterisk_GUI
  • Thirdlane.
  • FreePBX (use AMPEXTENSIONS=deviceanduser in /etc/amportal.conf to be able to set the description)

Used synapse modules:

• asterisk_ami: Asterisk ami connector: tcp connects to asterisk server and sends/receives raw ami events.
• asterisk: asterisk call tracking module. translates raw events from asterisk_ami to usefull data.
• http_json: Build-in webserver for full-duplex events. Serves asterisk.html and sends/receives events to/from browser.
• conn_json: A connector module to connect two synapse instances to each other via tcp/json.
• marquee: Module to control our serial marquee.
• asterisk_marquee: Collects data from asterisk module. Sends marquee texts with call info to marquee modules.

Roadmap ¶

Current version:

• Tracking of all calls, channels and sip devices.
• Html panel that shows all sip devices and channels in realtime.
• Still read-only
• Authentication by calling a special number from your sip-device
• Multi tennant support.
• Better user interface.

Next version:

• Multiple marquee support.

Future versions:

• Transfer calls
• Make calls
• etc.

Media Zapper ¶

A bit like mpd, but allows you to zap through your media directories in realtime. Also support video.

• Mediaplayer that has no 'state', no menus and no playlists.
• Its main-feature is that it can be blindly controlled by a remotecontroller without needing a GUI.
• Uses libvlc to play music, videos and streams. (module is done: ​https://github.com/psy0rz/Synapse/blob/master/modules/play_vlc.module/module.cpp)
• Runs as a deamon
• Realtime web interface. (easy with default synapse http_json module)
• Controllable by LIRC compatible remote controls. (module is done: ​https://github.com/psy0rz/Synapse/blob/master/modules/lirc.module/module.cpp)
• Will probably also run on the Raspberry and be controllable by cheap RF remote control. (see ​https://plus.google.com/108379430172305123363/posts/6U7XyiAVXth)
• Uses directories as 'playlists'. You can for example have a directory for every genre of music you have.
• Simple controls: Next/Prev? song, Up/Down? volume, Forward/Rewind?, Pause. (no useless stop and play buttons)
• Uses directories as "play list": (module is done: ​https://github.com/psy0rz/Synapse/blob/master/modules/pl.module/module.cpp):
  • All the media in the "current" directory will be played recursively, sorted on date, file name, or semi-random.
  • You can switch directorys with a "next dir" and "prev dir" button.
  • You can even enter and exit directories with a "enter dir" and "exit dir" button.
  • Usually you probably will only navigate over your toplevel directorys to select a specific genre of music or navigate to you movie or series dir.
  • There is no need to scan the directorys and build databases in advance.
• Will probably have more interfaces, like an IRC bot. (should be very easy with synapse)
• Idea is based on a mp3box prototype i build years ago. (​http://paus.sourceforge.net/) I used it all the time and now i'm missing it, so now its time for a more serious version. :)

Running media zapper ¶

Make sure you have installed libvlc-dev and boost-dev stuff.

run

cmake . && make

edit ./etc/synapse/pl.conf and change the path to your media directory. (no trailing slash!)

start it with:

./synapse mp 

it should start playing inmediatly

go to ​http://localhost:10080/mp.html to control it.