Index: /etc/pingpong/settings_initiator.cnf
===================================================================
--- /etc/pingpong/settings_initiator.cnf	(revision 2482)
+++ /etc/pingpong/settings_initiator.cnf	(revision 2483)
@@ -4,3 +4,3 @@
 ariba.tcp.port = 5002
 #ariba.udp.port =
-ariba.bootstrap.hints=pingpong{ip{127.0.0.1},tcp(ip,{5002})}
+#ariba.bootstrap.hints=pingpong{ip{127.0.0.1},tcp(ip,{5002})}
Index: /etc/pingpong/settings_node2.cnf
===================================================================
--- /etc/pingpong/settings_node2.cnf	(revision 2482)
+++ /etc/pingpong/settings_node2.cnf	(revision 2483)
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 node.initiator = false
 #ariba.ip.addr =
-ariba.tcp.port = 5010
+ariba.tcp.port = 5004
 #ariba.udp.port =
 ariba.bootstrap.hints=pingpong{ip{127.0.0.1},tcp(ip,{5002})}
Index: /sample/pingpong/PingPong.cpp
===================================================================
--- /sample/pingpong/PingPong.cpp	(revision 2482)
+++ /sample/pingpong/PingPong.cpp	(revision 2483)
@@ -17,4 +17,5 @@
 // construction
 PingPong::PingPong() : pingId( 0 ) {
+	Timer::setInterval( 5000 );
 }
 
@@ -70,7 +71,11 @@
 
 	// bind communication and node listener
-	node->bind(this);
-	node->bind(this, PingPong::PINGPONG_ID);
+	node->bind( this );
+	node->bind( this, PingPong::PINGPONG_ID);
 	
+	// start the ping timer. if we are not
+	// the initiator this will happen in onJoinCompleted
+	if( isInitiator ) Timer::start();
+
 	// ping pong started up...
 	logging_info( "pingpong started up ");
@@ -85,5 +90,5 @@
 	Timer::stop();
 
-	// unbind listeners
+	// unbind communication and node listener
 	node->unbind( this );
 	node->unbind( this, PingPong::PINGPONG_ID );
@@ -108,5 +113,4 @@
 
 	// start the timer to ping every second
-	Timer::setInterval( 1000 );
 	Timer::start();
 }
@@ -117,16 +121,15 @@
 
 // communication listener
-bool PingPong::onLinkRequest(const NodeID& remote, Message* msg) {
+bool PingPong::onLinkRequest(const NodeID& remote, const DataMessage& msg) {
 	return false;
 }
 
-void PingPong::onMessage(Message* msg, const NodeID& remote, 
-		const LinkID& lnk = LinkID::UNSPECIFIED) {
+void PingPong::onMessage(const DataMessage& msg, const NodeID& remote, const LinkID& lnk) {
 
-	PingPongMessage* pingmsg = msg->decapsulate<PingPongMessage> ();
+	PingPongMessage* pingmsg = msg.getMessage()->decapsulate<PingPongMessage> ();
 
 	logging_info( "received ping message on link " << lnk.toString()
 			<< " from node " << remote.toString()
-			<< ": " << pingmsg->toString() );
+			<< ": " << pingmsg->info() );
 }
 
@@ -142,5 +145,4 @@
 	PingPongMessage pingmsg( pingId );
 	node->sendBroadcastMessage( pingmsg, PingPong::PINGPONG_ID );
-
 }
 
Index: /sample/pingpong/PingPong.h
===================================================================
--- /sample/pingpong/PingPong.h	(revision 2482)
+++ /sample/pingpong/PingPong.h	(revision 2483)
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@
 protected:
 	// communication listener interface
-	virtual bool onLinkRequest(const NodeID& remote, Message* msg);
-	virtual void onMessage(Message* msg, const NodeID& remote, const LinkID& lnk);
+	virtual bool onLinkRequest(const NodeID& remote, const DataMessage& msg);
+	virtual void onMessage(const DataMessage& msg, const NodeID& remote, const LinkID& lnk= LinkID::UNSPECIFIED);
 
 	// node listener interface
@@ -62,4 +62,5 @@
  	// the current ping id
  	unsigned long pingId;
+
 };
 
Index: /source/ariba/communication/BaseCommunication.cpp
===================================================================
--- /source/ariba/communication/BaseCommunication.cpp	(revision 2482)
+++ /source/ariba/communication/BaseCommunication.cpp	(revision 2483)
@@ -85,5 +85,5 @@
 
 	for( ; i != iend; i++){
-		logging_debug( "local locator found " + (*i)->toString() );
+		logging_debug( "local locator found " << (*i)->toString() );
 		IPv4Locator* ipv4locator = dynamic_cast<IPv4Locator*>(*i);
 
@@ -101,5 +101,5 @@
 			localDescriptor.locator = ipv4locator;
 			localDescriptor.isUnspec = false;
-			logging_info( "binding to addr = " + ipv4locator->toString() );
+			logging_info( "binding to addr = " << ipv4locator->toString() );
 			foundLocator = true;
 			break;
@@ -180,6 +180,6 @@
 	LinkID linkid = LinkID::create();
 
-	logging_debug( "creating new local descriptor entry with local link id " + linkid.toString() );
-	LinkDescriptor linkDescriptor( linkid, local, LinkID::UNSPECIFIED, remote, descriptor );
+	logging_debug( "creating new local descriptor entry with local link id " << linkid.toString() );
+	LinkDescriptor linkDescriptor( linkid, local, LinkID::UNSPECIFIED, remote, descriptor, false );
 	addLink( linkDescriptor );
 
@@ -189,5 +189,5 @@
 	//
 
-	logging_debug( "sending out base messages with request to open link to " + remote->toString() );
+	logging_debug( "sending out base messages with request to open link to " << remote->toString() );
 	AribaBaseMsg baseMsg( remote, AribaBaseMsg::LINK_STATE_OPEN_REQUEST, linkid,
 								LinkID::UNSPECIFIED );
@@ -206,4 +206,10 @@
 		logging_error( "don't know the link you want to drop" );
 		return;
+	}
+
+	// warn if this link has some queued messages attached
+	if( descriptor.waitingmsg.size() > 0 ){
+		logging_warn( "dropping link " << link.toString() << 
+			" that has " << descriptor.waitingmsg.size() << " waiting messages" );
 	}
 
@@ -231,11 +237,11 @@
 seqnum_t BaseCommunication::sendMessage( const LinkID lid, const Message* message) {
 
-	logging_debug( "sending out message to link " + lid.toString() );
+	logging_debug( "sending out message to link " << lid.toString() );
 
 	// query local link info
 	LinkDescriptor& linkDesc = queryLocalLink(lid);
 	if( linkDesc.isUnspecified() ){
-		logging_error( "don't know the link with id " + lid.toString() );
-		return 0;
+		logging_error( "don't know the link with id " << lid.toString() );
+		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -251,8 +257,19 @@
 	msg.encapsulate( const_cast<Message*>(message) );
 
-	// send message
-	transport->sendMessage( &msg );
-
-	return ++currentSeqnum;
+	if( linkDesc.linkup ){
+
+		// send message
+		transport->sendMessage( &msg );
+		return ++currentSeqnum;
+
+	} else {
+
+		// queue message
+		logging_info( "link " << lid.toString() << " is not up yet, queueing message" );
+		linkDesc.waitingmsg.push_back( new Message(msg) ); // TODO ooooo
+
+		return 0;
+
+	} // if( linkDesc.linkup )
 }
 
@@ -300,5 +317,5 @@
 
 	AribaBaseMsg* spovmsg = ((Message*)message)->decapsulate<AribaBaseMsg>();
-	logging_debug( "receiving base comm message of type " + spovmsg->getTypeString() );
+	logging_debug( "receiving base comm message of type " << spovmsg->getTypeString() );
 
 	//
@@ -351,5 +368,6 @@
 		const NetworkLocator* remoteLocator = dynamic_cast<const NetworkLocator*>(message->getSourceAddress());
 
-		logging_debug( "localLocator=" + localLocator->toString() + " remoteLocator="+remoteLocator->toString());
+		logging_debug( "localLocator=" << localLocator->toString() 
+				<< " remoteLocator=" << remoteLocator->toString());
 
 		// ask the registered listeners if this link
@@ -372,5 +390,5 @@
 
 		LinkDescriptor linkDescriptor(localLink, localLocator, remoteLink,
-					remoteLocator, EndpointDescriptor(remoteLocator));
+					remoteLocator, EndpointDescriptor(remoteLocator), true);
 
 		logging_debug( "saving new link descriptor with " <<
@@ -378,5 +396,6 @@
 				"[local locator " << localLocator->toString() << "] " <<
 				"[remote link " << remoteLink.toString() << "] " <<
-				"[remote locator " << remoteLocator->toString() << "]" );
+				"[remote locator " << remoteLocator->toString() << "]" <<
+				"[link up true]" );
 
 		addLink( linkDescriptor );
@@ -400,5 +419,5 @@
 		// the link is now open
 		//
-
+		
 		BOOST_FOREACH( CommunicationEvents* i, eventListener ){
 			i->onLinkUp( localLink, localLocator, remoteLocator );
@@ -420,10 +439,12 @@
 
 		if (linkDesc.isUnspecified()) {
-			logging_warn("Failed to find local link "+spovmsg->getRemoteLink().toString());
+			logging_warn("Failed to find local link " << spovmsg->getRemoteLink().toString());
 			return false;
 		}
 
 		linkDesc.remoteLink = spovmsg->getLocalLink();
-		logging_debug( "the link is now up with local link id " + spovmsg->getRemoteLink().toString() );
+		linkDesc.linkup = true;	
+	
+		logging_debug( "the link is now up with local link id " << spovmsg->getRemoteLink().toString() );
 
 		BOOST_FOREACH( CommunicationEvents* i, eventListener ){
@@ -431,4 +452,15 @@
 		}
 
+		if( linkDesc.waitingmsg.size() > 0 ){ 
+			logging_info( "sending out queued messages on link " << linkDesc.localLink.toString() );
+
+			BOOST_FOREACH( Message* msg, linkDesc.waitingmsg ){
+				sendMessage( linkDesc.localLink, msg );
+				delete msg;
+			}
+
+			linkDesc.waitingmsg.clear();
+		}
+
 	} // LINK_STATE_OPEN_REPLY
 
@@ -440,5 +472,5 @@
 
 		const LinkID& localLink = spovmsg->getRemoteLink();
-		logging_debug( "received link close request for link " + localLink.toString() );
+		logging_debug( "received link close request for link " << localLink.toString() );
 
 		//
@@ -450,5 +482,5 @@
 		LinkDescriptor& linkDesc = queryLocalLink( localLink );
 		if (linkDesc.isUnspecified()) {
-			logging_warn("Failed to find local link "+localLink.toString());
+			logging_warn("Failed to find local link " << localLink.toString());
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -469,5 +501,5 @@
 
 		const LinkID& localLink = spovmsg->getRemoteLink();
-		logging_debug( "received link update for link " + localLink.toString() );
+		logging_debug( "received link update for link " << localLink.toString() );
 
 		//
@@ -477,5 +509,5 @@
 		LinkDescriptor& linkDesc = queryLocalLink( localLink );
 		if (linkDesc.isUnspecified()) {
-			logging_warn("Failed to update local link "+localLink.toString());
+			logging_warn("Failed to update local link " << localLink.toString());
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -517,8 +549,14 @@
 
 	for( ; i != iend; i++){
-		if( (*i).localLink == localLink){
-			linkSet.erase( i );
-			break;
-		}
+		if( (*i).localLink != localLink) continue;
+		
+		BOOST_FOREACH( Message* msg, i->waitingmsg ){
+			delete msg;
+		}
+
+		i->waitingmsg.clear();
+		linkSet.erase( i );
+
+		break;
 	}
 }
@@ -568,5 +606,5 @@
 		info.type != NetworkChangeInterface::EventTypeAddressDelete ) return;
 
-	logging_info("base communication is handling network address changes");
+	logging_info( "base communication is handling network address changes" );
 
 	//
@@ -610,5 +648,5 @@
 
 	for( ; i != iend; i++){
-		logging_debug( "local locator found " + (*i)->toString() );
+		logging_debug( "local locator found " << (*i)->toString() );
 		IPv4Locator* ipv4locator = dynamic_cast<IPv4Locator*>(*i);
 
Index: /source/ariba/communication/BaseCommunication.h
===================================================================
--- /source/ariba/communication/BaseCommunication.h	(revision 2482)
+++ /source/ariba/communication/BaseCommunication.h	(revision 2483)
@@ -46,4 +46,5 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <deque>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <boost/foreach.hpp>
@@ -77,4 +78,5 @@
 using std::map;
 using std::vector;
+using std::deque;
 using std::pair;
 using std::make_pair;
@@ -222,15 +224,17 @@
 			remoteLink(),
 			remoteLocator(NULL),
-			remoteEndpoint(EndpointDescriptor::UNSPECIFIED){
+			remoteEndpoint(EndpointDescriptor::UNSPECIFIED),
+			linkup(false) {
 		}
 
 		LinkDescriptor(const LinkID& _localLink, const NetworkLocator*& _localLocator,
 				const LinkID& _remoteLink, const NetworkLocator*& _remoteLocator,
-				const EndpointDescriptor& _remoteEndpoint ) :
+				const EndpointDescriptor& _remoteEndpoint, bool _linkup ) :
 			localLink(_localLink),
 			localLocator(_localLocator),
 			remoteLink(_remoteLink),
 			remoteLocator(_remoteLocator),
-			remoteEndpoint(_remoteEndpoint){
+			remoteEndpoint(_remoteEndpoint),
+			linkup(_linkup) {
 		}
 
@@ -240,5 +244,10 @@
 			remoteLink(desc.remoteLink),
 			remoteLocator(desc.remoteLocator),
-			remoteEndpoint(desc.remoteEndpoint){
+			remoteEndpoint(desc.remoteEndpoint),
+			linkup(desc.linkup) {
+
+			BOOST_FOREACH( Message* msg, desc.waitingmsg ){
+				waitingmsg.push_back( msg );
+			}
 		}
 
@@ -252,4 +261,7 @@
 		const NetworkLocator* 	remoteLocator;
 		EndpointDescriptor 	remoteEndpoint;
+
+		bool 			linkup;
+		deque<Message*>		waitingmsg;
 	};
 
Index: /source/ariba/overlay/BaseOverlay.cpp
===================================================================
--- /source/ariba/overlay/BaseOverlay.cpp	(revision 2482)
+++ /source/ariba/overlay/BaseOverlay.cpp	(revision 2483)
@@ -69,4 +69,8 @@
 // 		ovl.visChangeNodeIcon(ovlId, nodeId, OvlVis::ICON_ID_CHARACTER_W);
 // 	}
+
+	// timer for auto link management
+	Timer::setInterval( 5000 );
+	Timer::start();
 }
 
@@ -75,4 +79,5 @@
 	logging_info("deleting base overlay");
 
+	Timer::stop();
 	bc.unregisterMessageReceiver( this );
 	bc.unregisterEventListener( this );
@@ -147,17 +152,22 @@
 	//
 	// create the overlay
-	// and bootstrap against ourselfs
 	//
 
 	overlayInterface->createOverlay();
+	BOOST_FOREACH( ServiceInterface* i, listenerMux.getOneList() ){
+		i->onOverlayCreate( spovnetId );
+	}
+
+	//
+	// bootstrap against ourselfs
+	//
+
 	overlayInterface->joinOverlay();
+	BOOST_FOREACH( ServiceInterface* i, listenerMux.getOneList() ){
+		i->onJoinSuccess( spovnetId );
+	}
 
 	ovl.visChangeNodeIcon ( ovlId, nodeId, OvlVis::ICON_ID_CAMERA );
 	ovl.visChangeNodeColor( ovlId, nodeId, OvlVis::NODE_COLORS_GREEN);
-
-	// inform all registered services of the event
-	BOOST_FOREACH( ServiceInterface* i, listenerMux.getOneList() ){
-		i->onOverlayCreate( spovnetId );
-	}
 }
 
@@ -245,4 +255,5 @@
 	overmsg.encapsulate( const_cast<Message*>(message) );
 
+	i->second.markused();
 	return bc.sendMessage( link, &overmsg );
 }
@@ -263,9 +274,23 @@
 
 	if( link == LinkID::UNSPECIFIED ){
-		logging_error( "no link could be found to send message to node " <<
-				node.toString() << " for service " << service.toString() );
-		return -1;
-	}
-
+
+		logging_info( "no link could be found to send message to node " <<
+				node.toString() << " for service " << service.toString() <<
+				". creating auto link ...");
+		
+		const LinkID link = establishLink( node, service );
+		LinkMapping::iterator i = linkMapping.find( link );
+
+		if( i == linkMapping.end() ){
+			logging_error( "failed to establish auto link to node " << node.toString() <<
+					" for service " << service.toString() );
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		i->second.autolink = true;
+
+	} // if( link != LinkID::UNSPECIFIED )
+
+	i->second.markused();
 	return sendMessage( message, link );
 }
@@ -352,6 +377,12 @@
 				" on link " << id.toString() );
 
-		OverlayMsg overMsg( OverlayMsg::OverlayMessageTypeUpdate, i->second.service, nodeId );
+		OverlayMsg overMsg( 
+			OverlayMsg::OverlayMessageTypeUpdate, 
+			i->second.service, 
+			nodeId 
+			);
+
 		bc.sendMessage( id, &overMsg );
+		i->second.markused();
 
 	} // if( i == linkMapping.end() )
@@ -397,4 +428,6 @@
 	if( i->second.interface != NULL )
 		i->second.interface->onLinkChanged( id, nodeId, i->second.node );
+
+	i->second.markused();
 }
 
@@ -412,4 +445,6 @@
 	if( i->second.interface != NULL )
 		i->second.interface->onLinkFail( id, nodeId, i->second.node );
+
+	i->second.markused();
 }
 
@@ -427,4 +462,6 @@
 	if( i->second.interface != NULL )
 		i->second.interface->onLinkQoSChanged( id, nodeId, i->second.node, qos );
+
+	i->second.markused();
 }
 
@@ -434,4 +471,8 @@
 	OverlayMsg* overlayMsg = ((Message*)message)->decapsulate<OverlayMsg>();
 	if( overlayMsg == NULL ) return false;
+
+	// mark the link as in action
+	LinkMapping::iterator item = linkMapping.find( link );
+	if( item != linkMapping.end() ) item->second.markused();
 
 	//
@@ -683,4 +724,5 @@
 		i->second.interface = iface;
 		iface->onLinkUp( link, nodeId, sourcenode );
+		i->second.markused();
 
 		return true ;
@@ -828,3 +870,27 @@
 }
 
+void BaseOverlay::eventFunction(){
+
+	list<LinkID> oldlinks;
+	time_t now = time(NULL);
+
+	// first gather all the links from linkMapping that need droppin
+	// don't directly drop, as the dropLink function affects the
+	// linkMapping structure that we are traversing here.
+	// drop links after a timeout of 30s
+
+	// the macro gets confused if type is passed directly
+	// because of the comma in the pair definition
+	typedef pair<LinkID,LinkItem> pairitem; 
+
+	BOOST_FOREACH( pairitem item, linkMapping ){
+		if( item.second.autolink && difftime(now, item.second.lastuse) > 30)
+			oldlinks.push_back( item.first );
+	}
+
+	BOOST_FOREACH( const LinkID lnk, oldlinks ){
+		dropLink( lnk );
+	}
+}
+
 }} // namespace ariba, overlay
Index: /source/ariba/overlay/BaseOverlay.h
===================================================================
--- /source/ariba/overlay/BaseOverlay.h	(revision 2482)
+++ /source/ariba/overlay/BaseOverlay.h	(revision 2483)
@@ -43,4 +43,5 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <ctime>
 #include <boost/foreach.hpp>
 
@@ -50,4 +51,5 @@
 #include "ariba/utility/misc/Demultiplexer.hpp"
 #include "ariba/utility/logging/Logging.h"
+#include "ariba/utility/system/Timer.h"
 
 #include "ariba/communication/EndpointDescriptor.h"
@@ -67,4 +69,5 @@
 using std::map;
 using std::make_pair;
+using std::pair;
 
 using ariba::communication::EndpointDescriptor;
@@ -92,4 +95,5 @@
 using ariba::utility::MessageSender;
 using ariba::utility::seqnum_t;
+using ariba::utility::Timer;
 
 #define ovl OvlVis::instance()
@@ -109,5 +113,6 @@
 	public MessageReceiver,
 	public CommunicationEvents,
-	public OverlayStructureEvents {
+	public OverlayStructureEvents,
+	protected Timer {
 
 	use_logging_h( BaseOverlay );
@@ -248,4 +253,7 @@
 	virtual void onNodeJoin( const NodeID& node );
 
+	// for timer events
+	virtual void eventFunction();
+
 private:
 
@@ -316,8 +324,11 @@
 		static const LinkItem UNSPECIFIED;
 
-		LinkItem( const LinkID& _link, const NodeID& _node,
+		LinkItem( const LinkID& _link, const NodeID& _node, 
 				const ServiceID& _service, ServiceInterface* _interface )
-			: link( _link ), node( _node ), service( _service ), interface( _interface ){
+			: link( _link ), node( _node ), service( _service ), interface( _interface ), 
+				autolink( false ), lastuse( time(NULL) ) {
 		}
+
+		// general information about the link
 
 		const LinkID link;
@@ -325,4 +336,13 @@
 		ServiceID service;
 		ServiceInterface* interface;
+
+		// information needed for auto links
+
+		void markused(){
+			lastuse = time(NULL);
+		}
+
+		bool autolink;
+		time_t lastuse;
 	};