Using FIPA ACL

The communicating skill offers some actions and built-in variables which enable agents to communicate with each other using the FIPA interaction protocol. This document describes the built-in variables and actions of this skill. Examples are found in the models library bundled with GAMA.

##Variables

• accept_proposals (list): A list of ‘accept_proposal’ performative messages of the agent’s mailbox having .
• agrees (list): A list of ‘accept_proposal’ performative messages.
• cancels (list): A list of ‘cancel’ performative messages.
• cfps (list): A list of ‘cfp’ (call for proposal) performative messages.
• conversations (list): A list containing the current conversations of agent. Ended conversations are automatically removed from this list.
• failures (list): A list of ‘failure’ performative messages.
• informs (list): A list of ‘inform’ performative messages.
• messages (list): The mailbox of the agent, a list of messages of all types of performatives.
• proposes (list): A list of ‘propose’ performative messages .
• queries (list): A list of ‘query’ performative messages.
• refuses (list): A list of ‘propose’ performative messages.
• reject_proposals (list): A list of ‘reject_proposals’ performative messages.
• requests (list): A list of ‘request’ performative messages.
• requestWhens (list): A list of ‘request-when’ performative messages.
• subscribes (list): A list of ‘subscribe’ performative messages.

Actions

####accept_proposal Replies a message with an ‘accept_proposal’ performative message

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####agree Replies a message with an ‘agree’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####cancel Replies a message with a ‘cancel’ peformative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####cfp Replies a message with a ‘cfp’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####end_conversation Replies a message with an ‘end_conversation’ peprformative message. This message marks the end of a conversation. In a ‘no-protocol’ conversation, it is the responsible of the modeler to explicitly send this message to mark the end of a conversation/interaction protocol.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####failure Replies a message with a ‘failure’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####inform Replies a message with an ‘inform’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####propose Replies a message with a ‘propose’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####query Replies a message with a ‘query’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####refuse Replies a message with a ‘refuse’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####reject_proposal Replies a message with a ‘reject_proposal’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####reply Replies a message. This action should be only used to reply a message in a ‘no-protocol’ conversation and with a ‘user defined performative’. For performatives supported by GAMA (i.e., standard FIPA performatives), please use the ‘action’ with the same name of ‘performative’. For example, to reply a message with a ‘request’ performative message, the modeller should use the ‘request’ action.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• performative (string): The performative of the replying message
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####request Replies a message with a ‘request’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message

####send Starts a conversation/interaction protocol.

• returns: msi.gaml.extensions.fipa.Message
• receivers (list): A list of receiver agents
• content (list): The content of the message. A list of any GAML type
• performative (string): A string, representing the message performative
• protocol (string): A string representing the name of interaction protocol

####start_conversation Starts a conversation/interaction protocol.

• returns: msi.gaml.extensions.fipa.Message
• receivers (list): A list of receiver agents
• content (list): The content of the message. A list of any GAML type
• performative (string): A string, representing the message performative
• protocol (string): A string representing the name of interaction protocol

####subscribe Replies a message with a ‘subscribe’ performative message.

• returns: unknown
• message (message): The message to be replied
• content (list): The content of the replying message