lopis/sajas

SAJaS, the Simple API for JADE-based Simulations

SAJaS

SAJaS, the Simple API for JADE-based Simulations, implements a simplified version of many JADE features in a manner that makes it possible to create faster JADE-like simulations, which don't need or make use of JADE's distributed infractured.

In this first Alpha, we have sully implemented the Contract Net and AchieveRE protocols, as well as other services needed to make them work.

sajas's Issues

Implement ontologies

Add conv-id to protocols

Some behaviors (services) must register in the DF

The behaviors that implement protocols must register themselves in the DF, so the search feature (which returns the group of agents that provide a service) can work.

When the MessageQueue has some left over message, it will be picked up by the next behaviour that runs, even if it initiates after the message arrived.

Protocol P1 terminates.
ACLMessage M that matches template T arrives late.
Protocol P2, that uses template T initiates, initiates
P2 processes M which was intended for a previous protocol.

Is this the intended behaviour?
Maybe the template should filter by date too?

Protocol Initiators should send the initial ACL Message only in action(...)

Protocol behaviours have methods like prepareCfp(ACLMessage) that must be called before the ACL Message is sent.

Implement Iterative Contract net

Add support for template memory in MailBox

The Mailbox performs a plain search in the mail array, which means that each access is always O(N). When a new message arrives, it would be useful to save this e-mail in a container identified by the Message Template that matches that message.

However, multiple templates can match the same message. An HashMap works in a 1:N way. A possible way to deal with it is to save the Message in multiple containers in the hash map, since Maps and Lists use references to the objects. So, something like

HashMap<MessageTemplate, ArrayList<ACLMessage> > mail

and every time new mail arrives

for each template in mail.keySet
    if newMessage.match(template)
    then mail.get(template).add(mail)

Issues with this approach:

• If a new template is added, the whole mail box must be search again to add the current mail
• When a message is removed from the mail box, it must be removed from every single template where it appears. One possible way to deal with this is to have reference redundancy between the ACLMessage and the MailBox (the message contains a list of its templates) which is less than ideal.

Latest version is slow

Don't know why

The Contract Net Initiator accepts many proposals from each agent

When a PROPOSE arrives, the initiator removes the responder for the waiting list. If he is not in the list, nothing is done. Is this intended? An agent can send multiple proposals? Is there a handle to accept/reject/update propose? There is the "acceptances" list and the "responses" list. They probably hold a different set of values in this case.

    // Since we know the message matches the template,
    // we can assume it's a valid propose or refuse.
    cNetInit.responses.add(m);

    // Remove the sender from the list  
    cNetInit.responders.remove(m.getSender());  

use proto + onto as key in mail box

Templates are hardcoded in the protocols

How's the message template creation done in JADE?

Behaviors must verify if replies are not out-of-sequence

I.e., some response types may be expected but may arrive in unexpected sequence. For instance, in the AchieveRE protocol, an "inform" may arrive before or after an "accept" but an "accept" can never arrive after an "inform" (assuming they all come from the same agent).

Implement missing methods in Behaviour class.

Missing:

onEnd
onStart
reset
block
restart

Implement State machine in AchieveRE

In AchieveREInitiator, the protocol shouldn't be hardcoded

protocol = FIPANames.InteractionProtocol.FIPA_REQUEST; //FIXME this shouldn't be fixed

This behaviour cover multiple protocols, like the REQUEST, REQUEST-WHEN, QUERY, etc. Investigate how this is done in JADE.

In AchieveREInitiator, implement isAllResponded() and waiting list

There should be a list with the AGREE/REFUSE responses of the agents. The "isAllResponded()" method is just a dummy method at the moment.

Implement timeout for result in all protocols

AchieveREResponder doesn't have a state machine

Implement Contract Net protocol

Message Template doesn't behave quite like in JADE

JADE has 3 types of operations with templates: AND, OR and NOT.

Implement Propose protocol