To use this feature, you connect to www.skytel.com using a specific URL. This URL contains arguments that instruct our server to perform messaging functions on your behalf. Our server then instructs your browser to load a URL on your server to display the results.

The input arguments are described below:

• cmd=[send|status] : (Required) This argument lets our server know if you are sending a message, or checking the delivery status of a previously sent message.
• to=<PIN,TYPE> : (Required) This argument indicates the PIN or MailID of the messaging unit as well as the type of unit. The TYPE should be a "1" for SkyWord pagers, a "2" for SkyTel 2-Way pagers, and a "4" for SkyWord Plus pagers. Up to 20 "to" arguments can be used to send to multiple units.
• msg=<text> : (Required when sending a message.) This argument contains the text of your message. Note that all non-alphanumeric characters should be converted to their ASCII hexadecimal values. For example, spaces should be converted to "%20" before calling the URL.
• reply=<PIN,TYPE> : (Optional) Can be used to direct the reply of Two-Way pagers to other devices. The TYPE tells the server if the device to be replied to is a SkyWord, Two-Way, an Email address or SkyWord Plus pager. The values for TYPE are 1,2,3, and 4, respectively.
• mcr=<mcr_text> : (Optional) Allows you to specify your own multiple choice responses when sending to a Two-Way messaging unit. Note that, like the "msg" argument, you must convert all non-alphanumeric characters to their ASCII hexadecimal values before calling the URL. You can have up to 15 mcrs.
• sender_id=<Sender ID/Name> : (Optional) This argument should be set to the sender's name or signature. If supplied, this value will be appended to the message and will appear as the sender's id when the customer's inbox is downloaded using the SkyTel Access® software packages. As with the mcr and msg arguments, you should convert all non-alphanumeric characters to their ASCII hexadecimal values.
• claim=<claim #> : (Required when checking delivery status.) This is the value of the confirmation number as returned by our server for Two-Way messages.
• success_url=<URL> : If you do not want to create a CGI program to handle the response of our server program, simply use this argument to specify a static HTML file on your server. If the command you issue completes successfully on our end, we will load this URL.
• error_url=<URL> : Like the success_url, you can use this argument to tell us what static HTML page you want us to load if your command does not complete successfully.
• cgi_url=<URL> : If you wish to develop your own CGI program to process the response of our server program, specify the URL for this program in this argument (See below for more information pertaining to the use of "cgi_url").

The output arguments of the server program are described below:

• return_code=<code> : This argument represents the exit status of our server program. If this value is less than zero, an error occurred and your command was not completed successfully. (See "return_text" below to find out what went wrong.) If the value is zero, your SkyWord or SkyWord Plus message was successfully received, or the status check was successful, depending on the command you issued. If "return_code" is greater than 0, then it is the confirmation number for your Two-Way message which was sent successfully.
• return_text=<text> : This is the text response of the command you issued. If an error occurred, it describes the error. If the command was successful, it is either the confirmation number or the status of a Two-Way message.
• All input arguments : All of the arguments passed to the ss_paging.cgi script are also returned to the script listed in the cgi_url argument. Knowing the input arguments will allow you to provide more information to your user. For example, you can display the message that was sent as well as the recipients of the message.

Here is an example showing the proper use of the Socket Server Program:

The following URL will send the message "This is a test message." to Two-Way units 1230023 and 1230024. If any of the recipients respond, the response will be sent to SkyTel 2-Way unit 1230025. The message includes two multiple choice responses created by the sender. The CGI script response.cgi at your_server.domain will handle the result of the command.

   http://www.skytel.com/destineer/ss_paging.cgi?cmd=send&to=1230023,
   2&to=1230024,2&msg=This%20is%20a%20test%20message.&reply=1230025,
   2&mcr=MCR1&mcr=MCR2&cgi_url=http://your_server.domain/response.cgi
   

Below is a sample form that uses our ss_paging.cgi script. If you view the source code, you'll find that you can use it to host your own messaging form with your own address book. Please note the comments in the code, they explain some of the finer details of the feature set.