running multi-platform from an external java application - agents-jade

Question

I am posting this after visiting all possibly related posts to my issue and could not find an exact solution.
I employing Jade in my master degree research project. That is, I would like to create several platforms from an external java application. by revising all documents in the website especially "administration" one, this would be similar to the scenario of launching several platforms using Command-line in Windows environment as the following using windows :
First platform
open a CMD
type : java jade.Boot -gui -platform-id Platform1
this will initiate a platform named Platform1, in which, its AMS would be reached in this address AMS#Platform1
Second platform
open a "new" another CMD
type : java jade.Boot -gui -platform-id Platform2 -local-port 1111
this will initiate a platform named Platform2, in which , its AMS would be reached in this address AMS#Platform2
and so on.
now this would work perfectly using the command line, as we can see different platforms with different IDs and ports can be launched such that Agents that live in them can communicate with other agents in the same platform or in remote platform.
however, I tried doing the same launching using external java application and could not succeed in doing so.
it only succeed in initiating the first platform, but it would not in the rest platforms.
this is my code
###############################################################
Profile p1 = new ProfileImpl(true);
p1.setParameter(ProfileImpl.PLATFORM_ID, "platform"+ID); // ID range from 1 to 10
p1.setParameter(Profile.LOCAL_PORT, Integer.toString(port)); // available port
Runtime.instance().setCloseVM(true)
ContainerController mc = Runtime.instance().createMainContainer(p1); // I need to have a main container for each platform
###############################################################
then I get this error
##############################################################
Aug 03, 2014 9:42:26 PM jade.imtp.leap.LEAPIMTPManager initialize
INFO: Listening for intra-platform commands on address:
- jicp://10.1.1.5:1024
- jicp://10.1.1.5:1025
Aug 03, 2014 9:42:26 PM jade.core.AgentContainerImpl joinPlatform
SEVERE: Some problem occurred while joining agent platform.
jade.core.ProfileException: Can't get a proxy to the Platform Manager - Caused by: Wrong platform name platform1. It should be platform2
at jade.core.ProfileImpl.createPlatformManager(ProfileImpl.java:529)
at jade.core.ProfileImpl.getPlatformManager(ProfileImpl.java:442)
at jade.core.ProfileImpl.getServiceManager(ProfileImpl.java:456)
at jade.core.AgentContainerImpl.init(AgentContainerImpl.java:346)
at jade.core.AgentContainerImpl.joinPlatform(AgentContainerImpl.java:492)
at jade.core.Runtime.createMainContainer(Runtime.java:166)
at intiator.intiatePlatform(intiator.java:49)
at MainLauncher.main(MainLauncher.java:69)
Nested Exception:
jade.core.IMTPException: Wrong platform name platform1. It should be platform2
at jade.imtp.leap.CommandDispatcher.setPlatformManager(CommandDispatcher.java:231)
at jade.imtp.leap.CommandDispatcher.registerSkeleton(CommandDispatcher.java:736)
at jade.imtp.leap.LEAPIMTPManager.exportPlatformManager(LEAPIMTPManager.java:198)
at jade.core.ProfileImpl.createPlatformManager(ProfileImpl.java:518)
at jade.core.ProfileImpl.getPlatformManager(ProfileImpl.java:442)
at jade.core.ProfileImpl.getServiceManager(ProfileImpl.java:456)
at jade.core.AgentContainerImpl.init(AgentContainerImpl.java:346)
at jade.core.AgentContainerImpl.joinPlatform(AgentContainerImpl.java:492)
at jade.core.Runtime.createMainContainer(Runtime.java:166)
at intiator.intiatePlatform(intiator.java:49)
at MainLauncher.main(MainLauncher.java:69)
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
at intiator.intiatePlatform(intiator.java:58)
at MainLauncher.main(MainLauncher.java:69)
###############################################################
So I would like to make it successfully using code as it would be using Command-line

Answer 1

What you are suggesting is to create and launch two or more jade platforms in the same java program at once. This can not be possible unless you write a program that starts a single platform and increments the port and run it several time (as much as you need platforms). Otherwise I do not see any other option.
You can use this method to test if a port is available or not:
private boolean isAvailablePort(int port) {
ServerSocket ss = null;
DatagramSocket ds = null;
try {
ss = new ServerSocket(port);
ss.setReuseAddress(true);
ds = new DatagramSocket(port);
ds.setReuseAddress(true);
return true;
} catch (IOException e) {
} finally {
if (ds != null) {
ds.close();
}
if (ss != null) {
try {
ss.close();
} catch (IOException e) {
}
}
}
return false;
}
Then you can use this for example:
while(!isAvailablePort(port)){
port++;
}
to automate port incrementation.