xref: /reactos/modules/rosapps/applications/net/tsclient/rdesktop/doc/seamlessrdp-channel.txt (revision c2c66aff)

TODO
----

* Command for executing new programs.

* Commands for changing z order and focus.

* Command for transferring icon.

* Think about protocol version management

* Try to assure that messages aren't repeated or are sent for hidden windows.

Overview
========

The protocol is a line based protocol following this simple syntax:

	OPERATION,SERIAL[,ARG1[,ARG2,[...]]]

Each operation will have an increasing serial number. The initial value is
implementation defined.

The goal is to have a generic protocol that can be used for other display
systems (e.g. VNC) as well.

One line may not exceed 1024 bytes, including newline.

The protocol has no concept of hidden or unmapped windows. A window does not
exist unless it is visible. Note that a minimized window is an exception to
this rule.

The protocol has no way of indicating failure, meaning that all commands are
expected to succeed. If a command fails, the receiving end must send a
corresponding command back, indicating the actual state.

Data types
==========
Window ID are written in hex, like 0x4321.

Window positions can be negative. This happens when a window is moved
outside the desktop.

All integers fit inside 32 bits.

Strings are sent in UTF-8 and do not contain any characters less than 0x20 or
the character , (comma).

Server to Client Operations
===========================

CREATE
------

Allocate structures for a new window.

Syntax:
	CREATE,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<GRPID>,<PARENT>,<FLAGS>

Indicates that a window has appeared on the server. If PARENT is non-zero then
the new window is a child of that window (it's transient for it). The special
value 0xFFFFFFFF for PARENT means that the window is a popup window without a
parent. It's commonly used for splash screens, tool tips and context menus.

The group id identifies a set of windows that belong together. It is currently
only used for modal windows and DESTROYGRP.

Flags:
	0x0001 : Create a window that's modal with regard to the other windows
	         in the same group.

Note that very little information is included in this message. Things like
title and state will come in subsequent messages. This message should only
be used to allocate data structures for the new window.

DESTROY
-------

Remove a window.

Syntax:
	DESTROY,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<FLAGS>

Remove the window and deallocate all associated structures.

DESTROYGRP
----------

Destroy an entire group of windows.

Syntax:
	DESTROYGRP,<SERIAL>,<GRPID>,<FLAGS>

Every window that belongs to the group GRPID should be destroyed as if they
each got a DESTROY message.

POSITION
--------

Move and/or resize a window.

Syntax:
	POSITION,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<X>,<Y>,<WIDTH>,<HEIGHT>,<FLAGS>

If the window isn't visible yet (because a
STATE hasn't been set or because it's minimized), you must store the position
and size. A new POSITION is not guaranteed to be sent when the window changes
state.

TITLE
-----

Sets a window title.

Syntax:
	TITLE,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<TITLE>,<FLAGS>

The text is guaranteed to be stripped of control characters (< 0x20).

Note that this has the same requirement as POSITION, that the title needs to
be stored for newly created windows until a STATE is sent. It is however not
guaranteed that a TITLE will be sent before the first STATE.


ZCHANGE
-------

The window moved in z order.

Syntax:
	ZCHANGE,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<BEHIND>,<FLAGS>

The window with the id ID is behind the window with the id BEHIND. If
BEHIND is 0, then this window should be brought to the front.

STATE
-----

Changes the window's state and/or title.

Syntax:
	STATE,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<STATE>,<FLAGS>

State can have one of three values:
 0 : "Normal" window.
 1 : Minimized.
 2 : Maximized.

The initial STATE for a window will always be preceeded by one CREATE and one
POSITION. Optionally, a TITLE may also be sent before the first STATE.

DEBUG
-----

Debug output from the server component.

Syntax:
	DEBUG,<SERIAL>,<STRING>

Used for debugging.

SYNCBEGIN
---------

Indicates that a synchronisation has begun.

Syntax:
	SYNCBEGIN,<SERIAL>,<FLAGS>

Sent when the server starts a synchronisation. The client should flush all
information at this point.

SYNCEND
-------

Indicates that a synchronisation is complete.

Syntac:
	SYNCEND,<SERIAL>,<FLAGS>

Sent when the last message that is part of the synchronisation has been sent.
This may be followed by duplicate messages and/or messages referring invalid
windows that were queued up during the synchronisation.

HELLO
-----

Initial message sent by server.

Syntax:
	HELLO,<SERIAL>,<FLAGS>

The server starts each connection by sending this message. Normally the client
will react by sending a SYNC back to the server.

Flags:
  0x0001 : This is a reconnect to an existing session.
  0x0002 : The desktop is currently hidden (see HIDE).

ACK
---

Acknowledgement of a request to manipulate a window.

Syntax:
	ACK,<SERIAL>,<ACKSERIAL>

Whenever one of the commands POSITION, ZCHANGE, STATE or FOCUS is executed on
the server, the server will send an ACK back to the client. The purpose of this
is to inform the client of when the operation was actually performed, allowing
high latencies in the channel.

HIDE
----

The desktop has become hidden on the server.

Syntax:
	HIDE,<SERIAL>,<FLAGS>

This message is sent when the desktop on the server is obscured by something
that cannot be tracked. The client should remove all windows and display the
entire desktop, allowing the user to handle whatever is blocking the view.

Note that updates to windows will still be sent as the windows still exist on
the server, they are merely not visible.

UNHIDE
------

The desktop has been restored on the server.

Syntax:
	UNHIDE,<SERIAL>,<FLAGS>

This message is sent some time after a HIDE, indicating that the windowed view
has been restored. If the client has dropped all information about windows then
it can send a SYNC to re-enumerate them.

Client to Server Operations
===========================

SYNC
----

Request a synchronisation of window information.

Syntax:
	SYNC,<SERIAL>,<FLAGS>

For each window, the server will send CREATE, POSITION and STATE, in that
order, just as if the window was created. Note that a TITLE may also,
optionally, be sent before the STATE.

POSITION
--------

Identical to the command sent from server to client.

TITLE
-----

Identical to the command sent from server to client.

ZCHANGE
-------

Identical to the command sent from server to client.

STATE
-----

Identical to the command sent from server to client.

FOCUS
-----

Sets which window has input focus.

Syntax:
	FOCUS,<SERIAL>,<ID>,<FLAGS>

Changes which window that will receive the keyboard events. Note that this
might cause the window to change z order.