--- loncom/LondConnection.pm	2003/10/28 10:47:44	1.14
+++ loncom/LondConnection.pm	2003/11/04 11:22:48	1.17
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #   This module defines and implements a class that represents
 #   a connection to a lond daemon.
 #
-# $Id: LondConnection.pm,v 1.14 2003/10/28 10:47:44 foxr Exp $
+# $Id: LondConnection.pm,v 1.17 2003/11/04 11:22:48 foxr Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -46,6 +46,13 @@ my %hostshash;
 my %perlvar;
 
 #
+#  Set debugging level
+#
+sub SetDebug {
+    $DebugLevel = shift;
+}
+
+#
 #   The config read is done in this way to support the read of
 #   the non-default configuration file in the
 #   event we are being used outside of loncapa.
@@ -63,11 +70,42 @@ sub ReadConfig {
 				"$perlvar{'lonTabDir'}/hosts.tab") || 
 				die "Can't read host table!!";
     %hostshash  = %{$hoststab};
+    $ConfigRead = 1;
     
-    close(CONFIG);
 }
 
+#
+#  Read a foreign configuration.
+#  This sub is intended for the cases where the package
+#  will be read from outside the LonCAPA environment, in that case
+#  the client will need to explicitly provide:
+#   - A file in hosts.tab format.
+#   - Some idea of the 'lonCAPA' name of the local host (for building
+#     the encryption key).
+#
+#  Parameters:
+#      MyHost   - Name of this host as far as LonCAPA is concerned.
+#      Filename - Name of a hosts.tab formatted file that will be used
+#                 to build up the hosts table.
+#
+sub ReadForeignConfig {
+    my $MyHost   = shift;
+    my $Filename = shift;
+
+    &Debug(4, "ReadForeignConfig $MyHost $Filename\n");
+
+    $perlvar{lonHostID} = $MyHost; # Rmember my host.
+    my $hosttab = read_hosts($Filename) ||
+	die "Can't read hosts table!!";
+    %hostshash = %{$hosttab};
+    if($DebugLevel > 3) {
+	foreach my $host (keys %hostshash) {
+	    print "host $host => $hostshash{$host}\n";
+	}
+    }
+    $ConfigRead = 1;
 
+}
 
 sub Debug {
     my $level   = shift;
@@ -153,6 +191,7 @@ sub new {
     #  LoncapaHim fields of the object respectively.
     #
     if (!exists $hostshash{$Hostname}) {
+	&Debug(8, "No Such host $Hostname");
 	return undef;		# No such host!!!
     }
     my @ConfigLine = @{$hostshash{$Hostname}};
@@ -774,7 +813,7 @@ sub read_hosts {
     my $Filename = shift;
     my %HostsTab;
     
-    open(CONFIG,'<'.$Filename) or die("Can't read $Filename");
+   open(CONFIG,'<'.$Filename) or die("Can't read $Filename");
     while (my $line = <CONFIG>) {
 	if (!($line =~ /^\s*\#/)) {
 	    my @items = split(/:/, $line);