HTTP Client User
This chapter explains how to install and configure an
HTTP Client user for SMS messaging using the graphical user interface of
the Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway software.
Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway allows, among others
(see the Users
and Applications page), the installation and configuration of an HTTP
Client user.
The HTTP Client takes incoming messages and passes them
in an HTTP GET or an HTTP POST request to an external web server.
The HTML page returned by the web server can contain SMS messages
that will be sent by the server (Figure 1).
Figure 1 - Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway as an HTTP SMS Gateway
The HTTP client is a very convenient feature
of Ozeki NG Gateway, as it can translate mobile
communication into HTTP-based communication. The
Ozeki NG Gateway works as both a gateway and a translator
between mobile communication and the Internet. It enables
you to create HTTP client connections that can forward
messages to a web address (URL).
You can use the graphical user interface of
Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway to install and configure any user.
To start installing and configuring an HTTP Client user,
click the Add button in the top right-hand corner of the Users
and Applications panel on the right of
the Management Console.
You can also add a user by clicking the Add user item in the Users
and applications menu (Figure 2).
Figure 2 - Adding a user
This will bring up an interface consisting of two panels.
- The panel on the left contains a list of users that have been installed.
In the bar at the bottom of the page you can read how many users have been
installed.
- The panel on the right contains a list of users that can be installed.
- Each user in the left-hand panel is listed with a unique name
(and the user type stated in brackets).
- Each user in the right-hand panel is listed with the name of
its type and a brief description of what it can be used for.
To add an HTTP user, click the Install link
in the respective entry in the list (Figure 3).
Figure 3 - Installing an HTTP Client user
When installing a user (type), you need to
give it a unique username. Clicking the Install link will
bring up the HTTP Client user installation panel.
Here, you need to enter a unique username in the Username field.
Once you have installed an HTTP Client user,
you can start to configure it. After you have provided a unique name for the
HTTP Client user and clicked OK, the Configuration panel will
open.
The first tab that will show up is the Incoming tab.
In this panel you need to specify HTTP Client settings. This information
is provided by the SMS service provider when you subscribe to the service
(Figure 4).
Figure 4 - The Incoming tab
In the Target URL template you can specify
the URL of the HTTP server. This URL can contain certain keywords that
will be replaced before the URL is called. The following keywords
can be used:
| Keyword | Description
|
| $originator | This denotes the sender telephone number. |
| $recipient | This denotes the recipient telephone number. |
| $messagetype | This the text containing the
SMS message format. |
| $messagedata | This contains the message text. |
| $receivedtime | This is the timestamp, denoting when the message
was received. |
| $receivedtime12 | The time when the message
was received in 12 hour format. |
| $senttime | This is the timestamp, denoting when the message was
sent. |
| $senttime12 | The time when the message
was sent in 12 hour format. |
| $messageid | This is the unique identifier string of the message.
This identifier is generated by Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway. |
| $dcs | The SMS data coding scheme. |
| $pid | The protocol identifier. |
| $operator | The instance name of the service provider connection
that received the message. |
Below this template, you can specify the HTTP request method by
selecting the GET or the POST radio button.
The HTTP transaction is initiated by the SMS Gateway and is
served by a web based application. ASP, PHP, JSP are good options to create
a web based application that can process the incoming messages. These applications
can optionally return one or more response SMS messages in the HTTP response.
The format for the HTTP response is discussed on the
SMS Message format
page. An example of the response your application can return is:
| {SMS:TEXT}{Vodafone}{+447778888888}{+447779999999}{Hello world} |
In Outgoing tab you can specify the URL from which
outgoing messages can be downloaded. A webpage can be checked periodically for
messages to be sent. In Polling period you can set this period in
seconds (Figure 5).
Figure 5 - Outgoing tab
In Delivered to network section of Delivery
reports tab you can specify the HTTP URL to be called when a message
is successfully delivered to the network. In Delivered to handset section
the HTTP URL to be called when a message is successfully delivered to
the handset can be defined. In Delivery error section you
can set the HTTP URL to be called on message delivery errors (Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Delivery reports tab
To configure logging related to the HTTP user, click the
Logging tab in the Configuration panel.
The tab has a Logging and a Log file settings section.
Here, you can choose whether to make the program write log entries about sent
and received messages in human readable format and/or log low level
communication. Choosing the latter option will make the program produce
logfiles containing binary codes representing the communication data.
You should check at least the Log sent and received messages in human
readable format checkbox, as logfiles can be useful in debugging
communication problems (Figure 5).
Figure 5 - Logging options
In the Log file settings section of the tab, you can
make specifications for the size and the number of available logfiles.
Log rotation saves disk space, as it ensures that older (and probably
no longer needed) logfiles will be automatically deleted from the log
directory, which is specified in the
Log directory text box. By default, the access path to the logfiles is:
C:\Program Files\Ozeki\OzekiNG - SMS Gateway\Logs
In the Maximum log file size text box in the Logfile
settings section, you can specify the maximum size of a logfile.
Once this size is reached, a new logfile will be created. Specify the number
of kilobytes for the size of a logfile by entering a positive whole number.
By default, the maximum logfile size is 8000 kB.
In the Number of rotated files text box, specify
the maximum number of rotated logfiles that are saved. Specify this number
by entering a positive whole number. By default, the number of logfiles
that are saved is 4 (see Figure 5 above).
If you are content with the default specifications, leave
the text boxes unchanged.
To modify the configuration or to view server events related to
an HTTP Client user, open the panel of the user's account. To do this, click
the name of the user in the Users and Applications panel of the
Management Console. In the panel of the user's account, click the link of
the task you wish to perform (Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Clicking a user-related task link
More information
Next page:
SMS via colour protocol
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