Memo API

The API (Application Program Interface) to the MEMO-system is intended to provide to a batch program a similar set of functions that a MEMO user has.

The following functions are provided today:

  • signon and signoff to MEMO
  • list the contents of the mailbox
  • create and send a memo
  • create and save a memo
  • delete a memo/reference to a memo
  • retrieve a memo.
  • notification when a memo arrives to the mailbox

Examples of situations where the API could be used:

  • a batch program that has a need to create and send an e-mail
  • a batch program that has a need to distribute small amounts of information

Memo API has three different protocol layers.

  • a macro type level for use by assembler programs
  • a call type level for use by higher level languages
  • an external type level for other users.

Macro level (L1 interface)
The macro type level has a set of macros that are directly related to the basic requests that can be issued to the internal MEMO request handler within the MEMO-system. This level gives the highest degree of control of the available functions that MEMO/API provides.

Call level (L2 interface)
The call type level is intended for use by batch programs that basically have a need to send/save/retrieve/delete a memo but do not want to get involved in the maillog processing. This level gives functions on a higher functional level like ’delete all references of memos being older than date so and so …’. Such high level requests are broken down into a set of requests operating on the maillog automatically by the call type interface program. However, to provide a higher degree of control, this level also gives a possibility to operate on single entries in the maillog.

External level (L3 interface)
The external level specifies the syntax of a control file that can be read as a SYSIN file to an API program that issues the appropriate request through the API L2 interface program to accomplish a send/save/retrieve/delete of memos. This can be used by batch programs to create a control file according to these specifications and then in a later jobstep execute the API program to get the memo functions done.