Building Custom Tools with Lotus Sametime Software Developer Kit
The Lotus Sametime Software Developer Kit (SDK) allows organizations to extend real-time collaboration capabilities beyond standard chat clients. By leveraging this SDK, developers can embed presence awareness, instant messaging, and web conferencing directly into enterprise applications, portals, and business workflows. Building custom tools with the Sametime SDK enhances productivity by bringing communication tools directly to the data and environments where users already spend their time. Understanding the Architecture and Toolkits
The Lotus Sametime SDK is not a single tool, but rather a collection of specialized toolkits tailored to different programming environments and business needs. Selecting the right toolkit is the first step in building a custom solution.
The Java Toolkit: This is the most comprehensive and powerful toolkit available in the SDK. It allows developers to create standalone Java applications, background daemons, or server-side integrations. It provides low-level control over session management, connection handling, and direct interaction with the Sametime server.
The C++ Toolkit: Ideal for high-performance integrations or when building native desktop applications. It offers deep access to the core Sametime communication protocols.
The Web and JavaScript Toolkits: Designed for modern web applications and portals. These toolkits allow developers to add “click-to-chat” buttons or live presence icons next to user names inside a web browser or corporate intranet page, requiring zero desktop installation. Key Capabilities for Custom Tools
When planning a custom Sametime tool, developers typically focus on implementing three core communication pillars:
Presence Management: Custom tools can monitor the online status of users (Available, Away, Do Not Disturb) and display this information dynamically inside other business systems, such as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform or an HR portal. Apps can also programmatically alter a user’s status based on external triggers, like changing a status to “In a Meeting” when a user checks into a physical conference room.
Automated Messaging and Bots: Developers can build automated chat agents (bots) that interact with users. These bots can listen for specific commands in a chat window, query backend databases, and return real-time information such as inventory levels, system statuses, or IT support ticket updates.
Real-Time Alerts and Notifications: Instead of relying on easily ignored emails, critical enterprise alerts can be routed through a custom Sametime tool. For instance, a network monitoring system can instantly send a high-priority Sametime message to the on-call engineer the moment a server goes offline. Step-by-Step Development Process
Building a tool with the Sametime SDK generally follows a structured lifecycle:
Environment Setup: Start by installing the Sametime SDK and configuring your Integrated Development Environment (IDE), such as Eclipse for Java development. Ensure you have access to a Sametime test server and the necessary JAR files or libraries.
Establishing a Session: Every custom tool must authenticate with the Sametime server. The application initializes a STSession object, logs in using either explicit user credentials or a trusted server token, and opens a communication channel.
Registering Services: Once logged in, the application registers for specific Sametime services, such as the LookupService (to search for users), the PresenceService (to track status), or the InstantMessagingService (to send and receive chat data).
Implementing Listeners: The Sametime SDK relies heavily on an asynchronous, event-driven model. Developers must implement specific listener interfaces (e.g., ImServiceListener or StatusListener) to handle incoming events, such as a new text message arriving or a contact changing their status.
Error Handling and Reconnection: Real-world networks fluctuate. Robust custom tools must include logic to detect connection drops, queue pending messages, and automatically re-establish the server session without manual user intervention. Deployment and Security Considerations
Custom tools must adhere to corporate security policies. The Sametime SDK supports Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption to safeguard data in transit. Additionally, administrators must manage access rights, ensuring that custom API connections or automated bots have restricted permissions, allowing them to interact only with the specific users and data fields necessary for their function.
By integrating real-time communication directly into specialized business applications, custom Sametime tools eliminate the friction of switching between apps, reduce response times, and streamline enterprise collaboration.
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