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The baseline application is designed around three objects:

The client, which allows remote access to the Bingo game.
The answering server, which facilitates communication with groups of clients.
The host server, which runs the Bingo game by drawing each new "ball."

The client communicates with the answering server, the answering server uses call-backs to communicate with each client, so each of those objects has an interface. In this iteration, the host server and the answering server communicate through updates to the database.

Client Interface

Methods (behavior)
onMessage() - receives messages from the Java Message Service (JMS)
Attributes (structure)
None.
(Future versions may have a cache for efficiency purposes.)
Exceptions (error messages)
None thrown.

Answering Server Interface

Methods

Join()

Parameters None

Return Value String
Format: [<key>:<data>;]*

Functionality Create a PlayerID and Card, adding both to the database.
Retrieve the GameID and Draws from the database.
(If necessary, create a new GameID to start a new game.)
Return a String containing all four pieces of data.

GetSnapshot()

Parameters None

Return Value String
Format: [<key>:<data>;]*

Functionality Retrieve the GameID and Draws from the database.
Return a String containing both pieces of data.

GetGameID()

Parameters None

Return Value int

Functionality Retrieve the GameID from the database and return.

DeclareBingo()

Parameters int gameID
String playerID

Return Value int
Encoding:
0 = not bingo
1 = bingo, but not a winner (too late)
2 = bingo and winner!

Functionality Verify that the playerID, gameID combination does have Bingo, given the current draws.
Attempt to store to the database that playerID as the winner.
(Only the first playerID with Bingo is the winner.)
Return an integer encoding the results.

Attributes
None: the AnsweringServer bean is stateless.
(Future versions may have a cache for efficiency purposes.)
Exceptionss
AnsweringServerException - a new exception class for database errors.
EJBException
RemoteException

Host Server Interface

Methods
NOTE: there are no methods visible to other objects.
Attributes
The game ID number, uniquely identifying the game being played.
A record of the game's previous draws.
Exceptions
Database not available
JMS not available
JNDI not available

Issues of timeliness will almost certainly necessitate direct communication between the host server and the client server in later iterations of this application.

Join()
Parameters	None
Return Value	String Format: [<key>:<data>;]*
Functionality	Create a PlayerID and Card, adding both to the database. Retrieve the GameID and Draws from the database. (If necessary, create a new GameID to start a new game.) Return a String containing all four pieces of data.
GetSnapshot()
Parameters	None
Return Value	String Format: [<key>:<data>;]*
Functionality	Retrieve the GameID and Draws from the database. Return a String containing both pieces of data.
GetGameID()
Parameters	None
Return Value	int
Functionality	Retrieve the GameID from the database and return.
DeclareBingo()
Parameters	int gameID String playerID
Return Value	int Encoding: 0 = not bingo 1 = bingo, but not a winner (too late) 2 = bingo and winner!
Functionality	Verify that the playerID, gameID combination does have Bingo, given the current draws. Attempt to store to the database that playerID as the winner. (Only the first playerID with Bingo is the winner.) Return an integer encoding the results.