README

RPC (Remote Procedure Call) Library
-----------------------------------

   This library implements a simple RPC mechanism.  One can conveniently
   define a server that allows a client to call a set of procedures
   defined on the server via TCP sockets.  A custom binary protocol based
   on generic serialization is used for communication.


Info
----

   License:         MLton license (a BSD-style license)
   Portability:     portable
   Ported to:       MLton
   Stability:       experimental
   Maintainer:      Vesa Karvonen <vesa.a.j.k@gmail.com>


About Library Organization
--------------------------

   example/

      This directory contains examples of using the RPC library.

   public/{client/,server/,}

      These directories contain the documented signature definitions
      (*.sig) and listings of all top-level bindings exported by this
      library (export.sml).  There are actually two libraries: one for
      clients and another for servers.  The contents of these directories
      should ideally provide sufficient documentation to use the library.

   lib-{client,server}.mlb

      Build files for the client and server sides of the RPC library.

   detail/

      Implementation details of the library.


Motivation
----------

   The motivation for an easy-to-use RPC mechanism should be fairly clear.
   However, one of the motivations for building this library was actually
   the idea that one could use an RPC like mechanism to implement
   separately compiled libraries in SML.  Using this library one can
   fairly easily define a separately compiled server program that can be
   used about as conveniently as a separately compiled library.  Such a
   library program could also be compiled with a particular SML
   implementation and used from a program running on a different SML
   implementation.


Contributions
-------------

   The signatures and structures defined by this library are not meant to
   be cast in stone!  We welcome contributions including new functionality,
   bug fixes, and ports to new compilers.  The recommended submit method
   for small contributions to this library is to send a message with a
   brief description of the proposed contribution as well as a patch
   containing full code and documentation (signature comments) to either
   the MLton-user list

      mlton-user@mlton.org

   or the MLton list

      mlton@mlton.org .

   For larger extensions or changes we recommend that you first contact
   the active maintainer(s) of this library.  The preferred contact method
   is through the above mailing lists.