Automating messages with Jabber?

[IanE]

I'm looking for a way to automate Jabber.

My company builds/installs/supports automated ink dispensers.

Inside the machines is a PC, PLC (programmable logic controller), motors, sensors, lights, etc.

The program on the PLC is designed to take input form the PC and then control the machine as directed by the user interface on the PC.

When something is not working correctly it will fault the PLC and the PLC will inform the PC there is a problem.

I want to be able to automate Jabber so that when the machine stops working, and the error is sent to the PC, the computer will automatically create a message to be sent via Jabber to our technical support staff. Warning our techs of a problem before the customer even has time to pick up the phone. This way our techs can have possible answers already for the customer when they do call in. We will also implement the use of IMing between the customer and the technicians to allow customers to stand at the machine while troubleshooting it. Not all locations have a phone at or by the machines.

any assistance with this is greatly appreciated

Ian

[zeller]

What OS is your PC running? What programming/scripting languages does it support? There are many jabber libraries in many languages available which could be used to send messages.

[IanE]

Our server is running Windows 2008 Server
Client PC's are currently running Windows XP, but will be forced to start supplying PC's with Vista on them.

The company is willing to invest money to make this work, so any language can be supported, do you recommend a specific language? We are looking for something that will be easy to use, and make adjustments to.

[Jehan]

Your issue is pretty simple. And though you may invest a lot of money on it, you probably won't have to. As suggested above, for such a simple use case of a Jabber client sending a simple message, you can simply use any XMPP library probably.

Of course, the best is to use a widely used one to prevent from basic bugs, especially in a professional context (yet any library used at least in a single project of Jabber client should have a good enough support of messaging though!).
Here is a non-exhaustive list with some of the existing libraries: http://www.jabber.org/libraries

So the scheme is simple:

1/ the client's PC receives an error message from the PLC, as far as I understand. (this is already done, isn't it?)

2/ I guess this message contains some information allowing identification of the faulting material. So receiving this message should "trigger" (maybe the client's PC already has a trigger system based on incoming messages, or else, you can just create some daemon/service for this) the generation of a textual message containing this identification...
Something like: "machine <identification> is not responding!" -> with <identification> automatically replaced by the right text.

3/ and send it using the chosen XMPP library to the admin's jabber address.