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Revision 1.79 by root, Fri Sep 4 21:52:09 2009 UTC

4 4
5=head1 SYNOPSIS 5=head1 SYNOPSIS
6 6
7 use AnyEvent::MP; 7 use AnyEvent::MP;
8 8
9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef 9 $NODE # contains this node's node ID
10 NODE # returns this node's noderef 10 NODE # returns this node's node ID
11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port
12 11
12 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks
13
14 # initialise the node so it can send/receive messages
15 configure;
16
17 # ports are message destinations
18
19 # sending messages
13 snd $port, type => data...; 20 snd $port, type => data...;
21 snd $port, @msg;
22 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
14 23
15 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks 24 # creating/using ports, the simple way
25 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_ };
16 26
17 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 27 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
18 28 my $port = port;
19 # examples:
20 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 29 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong" };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 30 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" };
22 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
23 31
24 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 32 # create a port on another node
25 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 33 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
26 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 34
35 # monitoring
36 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
37 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
38 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
39
40=head1 CURRENT STATUS
41
42 bin/aemp - stable.
43 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work.
44 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - explains most concepts.
45 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - mostly stable.
46 AnyEvent::MP::Global - stable but incomplete, protocol not yet final.
47
48stay tuned.
27 49
28=head1 DESCRIPTION 50=head1 DESCRIPTION
29 51
30This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 52This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
31 53
32Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 54Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
33on the same or other hosts. 55on the same or other hosts, and you can supervise entities remotely.
34 56
35For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> 57For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
36manual page. 58manual page and the examples under F<eg/>.
37
38At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented,
39so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
40stay tuned! The basic API should be finished, however.
41 59
42=head1 CONCEPTS 60=head1 CONCEPTS
43 61
44=over 4 62=over 4
45 63
46=item port 64=item port
47 65
48A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function). 66Not to be confused with a TCP port, a "port" is something you can send
67messages to (with the C<snd> function).
49 68
50Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific 69Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
51messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages 70some messages. Messages send to ports will not be queued, regardless of
52will not be queued. 71anything was listening for them or not.
53 72
54=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 73=item port ID - C<nodeid#portname>
55 74
56A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as 75A port ID is the concatenation of a node ID, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
57separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An 76separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format).
58exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
59reference.
60 77
61=item node 78=item node
62 79
63A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 80A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node port,
64port. You can send messages to node ports to find existing ports or to 81which enables nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
65create new ports, among other things. 82ports.
66 83
67Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a 84Nodes are either public (have one or more listening ports) or private
68master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes). 85(no listening ports). Private nodes cannot talk to other private nodes
86currently.
69 87
70=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 88=item node ID - C<[a-za-Z0-9_\-.:]+>
71 89
72A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for 90A node ID is a string that uniquely identifies the node within a
73private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 91network. Depending on the configuration used, node IDs can look like a
74node (for public nodes). 92hostname, a hostname and a port, or a random string. AnyEvent::MP itself
93doesn't interpret node IDs in any way.
75 94
76This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for 95=item binds - C<ip:port>
77TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
78 96
79Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical 97Nodes can only talk to each other by creating some kind of connection to
80addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses). 98each other. To do this, nodes should listen on one or more local transport
99endpoints - binds. Currently, only standard C<ip:port> specifications can
100be used, which specify TCP ports to listen on.
81 101
82Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to 102=item seeds - C<host:port>
83resolve it. 103
104When a node starts, it knows nothing about the network. To teach the node
105about the network it first has to contact some other node within the
106network. This node is called a seed.
107
108Seeds are transport endpoint(s) of as many nodes as one wants. Those nodes
109are expected to be long-running, and at least one of those should always
110be available. When nodes run out of connections (e.g. due to a network
111error), they try to re-establish connections to some seednodes again to
112join the network.
113
114Apart from being sued for seeding, seednodes are not special in any way -
115every public node can be a seednode.
84 116
85=back 117=back
86 118
87=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 119=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
88 120
90 122
91=cut 123=cut
92 124
93package AnyEvent::MP; 125package AnyEvent::MP;
94 126
95use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 127use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
96 128
97use common::sense; 129use common::sense;
98 130
99use Carp (); 131use Carp ();
100 132
101use AE (); 133use AE ();
102 134
103use base "Exporter"; 135use base "Exporter";
104 136
105our $VERSION = '0.1'; 137our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
138
106our @EXPORT = qw( 139our @EXPORT = qw(
107 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 140 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
108 resolve_node 141 configure
109 become_slave become_public
110 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 142 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
111 port 143 port
112); 144);
113 145
114our $SELF; 146our $SELF;
115 147
119 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 151 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
120} 152}
121 153
122=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 154=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
123 155
124The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 156The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains, the node
125the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call 157ID of the node running in the current process. This value is initialised by
126to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port 158a call to C<configure>.
127identifiers become invalid.
128 159
129=item $noderef = node_of $portid 160=item $nodeid = node_of $port
130 161
131Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 162Extracts and returns the node ID from a port ID or a node ID.
132 163
133=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef 164=item configure $profile, key => value...
134 165
135Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and 166=item configure key => value...
136abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node
137reference.
138 167
139In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the 168Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network (i.e. enter
140following forms are supported: 169"distributed mode") it has to configure itself - the minimum a node needs
170to know is its own name, and optionally it should know the addresses of
171some other nodes in the network to discover other nodes.
172
173This function configures a node - it must be called exactly once (or
174never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
141 175
142=over 4 176=over 4
143 177
144=item the empty string 178=item step 1, gathering configuration from profiles
145 179
146An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was 180The function first looks up a profile in the aemp configuration (see the
147specified. 181L<aemp> commandline utility). The profile name can be specified via the
182named C<profile> parameter or can simply be the first parameter). If it is
183missing, then the nodename (F<uname -n>) will be used as profile name.
148 184
149=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>) 185The profile data is then gathered as follows:
150 186
151These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be 187First, all remaining key => value pairs (all of which are conveniently
152further resolved. 188undocumented at the moment) will be interpreted as configuration
189data. Then they will be overwritten by any values specified in the global
190default configuration (see the F<aemp> utility), then the chain of
191profiles chosen by the profile name (and any C<parent> attributes).
153 192
154=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>) 193That means that the values specified in the profile have highest priority
194and the values specified directly via C<configure> have lowest priority,
195and can only be used to specify defaults.
155 196
156These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally 197If the profile specifies a node ID, then this will become the node ID of
157looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was 198this process. If not, then the profile name will be used as node ID. The
158specified. 199special node ID of C<anon/> will be replaced by a random node ID.
200
201=item step 2, bind listener sockets
202
203The next step is to look up the binds in the profile, followed by binding
204aemp protocol listeners on all binds specified (it is possible and valid
205to have no binds, meaning that the node cannot be contacted form the
206outside. This means the node cannot talk to other nodes that also have no
207binds, but it can still talk to all "normal" nodes).
208
209If the profile does not specify a binds list, then a default of C<*> is
210used, meaning the node will bind on a dynamically-assigned port on every
211local IP address it finds.
212
213=item step 3, connect to seed nodes
214
215As the last step, the seeds list from the profile is passed to the
216L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> module, which will then use it to keep
217connectivity with at least one node at any point in time.
159 218
160=back 219=back
220
221Example: become a distributed node using the locla node name as profile.
222This should be the most common form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
223
224 configure
225
226Example: become an anonymous node. This form is often used for commandline
227clients.
228
229 configure nodeid => "anon/";
230
231Example: configure a node using a profile called seed, which si suitable
232for a seed node as it binds on all local addresses on a fixed port (4040,
233customary for aemp).
234
235 # use the aemp commandline utility
236 # aemp profile seed nodeid anon/ binds '*:4040'
237
238 # then use it
239 configure profile => "seed";
240
241 # or simply use aemp from the shell again:
242 # aemp run profile seed
243
244 # or provide a nicer-to-remember nodeid
245 # aemp run profile seed nodeid "$(hostname)"
161 246
162=item $SELF 247=item $SELF
163 248
164Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub> 249Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
165blocks. 250blocks.
166 251
167=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF... 252=item *SELF, SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
168 253
169Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 254Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
170just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 255just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols named C<SELF> are exported by this
171module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 256module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
172 257
173=item snd $portid, type => @data 258=item snd $port, type => @data
174 259
175=item snd $portid, @msg 260=item snd $port, @msg
176 261
177Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 262Send the given message to the given port, which can identify either a
178a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 263local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
179stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
180 264
181While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 265While the message can be almost anything, it is highly recommended to
182string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 266use a string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a
183type etc.). 267request type etc.) and to consist if only simple perl values (scalars,
268arrays, hashes) - if you think you need to pass an object, think again.
184 269
185The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 270The message data logically becomes read-only after a call to this
186function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 271function: modifying any argument (or values referenced by them) is
187problems. 272forbidden, as there can be considerable time between the call to C<snd>
273and the time the message is actually being serialised - in fact, it might
274never be copied as within the same process it is simply handed to the
275receiving port.
188 276
189The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when 277The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when
190JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 278JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
191of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 279of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
192that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 280that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
193node, anything can be passed. 281node, anything can be passed. Best rely only on the common denominator of
282these.
194 283
195=item kil $portid[, @reason] 284=item $local_port = port
196 285
197Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 286Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
287no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
198 288
199If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 289=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
200ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
201 290
202Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 291Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
203C<mon>, see below). 292creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
204 293
205Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 294The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
206will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 295global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
296port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
297(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
207 298
208Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 299If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
209$message >>.
210 300
211=item $guard = mon $portid, $cb->(@reason) 301 my $port = port {
302 my @msg = @_;
303 ...
304 kil $SELF;
305 };
212 306
213=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport 307=cut
214 308
215=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport, @msg 309sub rcv($@);
216 310
311sub _kilme {
312 die "received message on port without callback";
313}
314
315sub port(;&) {
316 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
317 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
318
319 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
320
321 $port
322}
323
324=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
325
326Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
327remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
328C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
329
330The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
331executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
332result in the port being C<kil>ed.
333
334The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
335C<tag> match.
336
337=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
338
339Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
340given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
341C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
342registered for each tag.
343
344The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
345element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
346environment as the default callback (see above).
347
348Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
349
350 my $port = rcv port,
351 msg1 => sub { ... },
352 msg2 => sub { ... },
353 ;
354
355Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
356in one go:
357
358 snd $otherport, reply =>
359 rcv port,
360 msg1 => sub { ... },
361 ...
362 ;
363
364Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
365(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
366
367 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
368 my @reply = @_;
369
370 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
371 };
372
373=cut
374
375sub rcv($@) {
376 my $port = shift;
377 my ($nodeid, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
378
379 $NODE{$nodeid} == $NODE{""}
380 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
381
382 while (@_) {
383 if (ref $_[0]) {
384 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
385 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
386 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
387
388 $self->[2] = shift;
389 } else {
390 my $cb = shift;
391 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
392 local $SELF = $port;
393 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
394 };
395 }
396 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
397 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
398 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
399
400 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
401 local $SELF = $port;
402
403 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
404 shift;
405 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
406 } else {
407 &{ $self->[0] };
408 }
409 };
410
411 $self
412 };
413
414 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
415 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
416
417 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
418
419 if (defined $cb) {
420 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
421 } else {
422 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
423 }
424 }
425 }
426
427 $port
428}
429
430=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
431
432Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
433closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
434callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
435
436This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
437
438 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
439 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
440 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
441 snd @reply, $SELF;
442 };
443 };
444
445=cut
446
447sub psub(&) {
448 my $cb = shift;
449
450 my $port = $SELF
451 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
452
453 sub {
454 local $SELF = $port;
455
456 if (wantarray) {
457 my @res = eval { &$cb };
458 _self_die if $@;
459 @res
460 } else {
461 my $res = eval { &$cb };
462 _self_die if $@;
463 $res
464 }
465 }
466}
467
468=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) # call $cb when $port dies
469
470=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport # kill $rcvport when $port dies
471
472=item $guard = mon $port # kill $SELF when $port dies
473
474=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg # send a message when $port dies
475
217Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 476Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
477messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
478to stop monitoring again.
218 479
219In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 480In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
220of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 481number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
221"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 482"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
222C<eval> if unsure. 483C<eval> if unsure.
223 484
224In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 485In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
225a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 486will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, if a @reason was specified, i.e. on
226under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason. 487"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
488port is killed with the same reason.
227 489
490The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
491C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
492
228In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 493In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
494C<snd>.
495
496Monitoring-actions are one-shot: once messages are lost (and a monitoring
497alert was raised), they are removed and will not trigger again.
498
499As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
500a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
501lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
502even monitoring requests can get lost (for example, when the connection
503to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
504these problems do not exist.
505
506C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
507after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port will
508arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible message
509loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between" (after
510the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
511port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
512delivered again.
513
514Inter-host-connection timeouts and monitoring depend on the transport
515used. The only transport currently implemented is TCP, and AnyEvent::MP
516relies on TCP to detect node-downs (this can take 10-15 minutes on a
517non-idle connection, and usually around two hours for idle conenctions).
518
519This means that monitoring is good for program errors and cleaning up
520stuff eventually, but they are no replacement for a timeout when you need
521to ensure some maximum latency.
229 522
230Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 523Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
231 524
232 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 525 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
233 526
234Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 527Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
235 528
236 mon $port, $self; 529 mon $port;
237 530
238Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 531Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
239 532
240 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 533 mon $port, $self => "restart";
241 534
242=cut 535=cut
243 536
244sub mon { 537sub mon {
245 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 538 my ($nodeid, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
246 539
247 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 540 my $node = $NODE{$nodeid} || add_node $nodeid;
248 541
249 my $cb = shift; 542 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
250 543
251 unless (ref $cb) { 544 unless (ref $cb) {
252 if (@_) { 545 if (@_) {
253 # send a kill info message 546 # send a kill info message
254 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 547 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
272is killed, the references will be freed. 565is killed, the references will be freed.
273 566
274Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring. 567Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
275 568
276This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and 569This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
277want to free them when the port gets killed: 570want to free them when the port gets killed (note the use of C<psub>):
278 571
279 $port->rcv (start => sub { 572 $port->rcv (start => sub {
280 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub { 573 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, psub {
281 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand; 574 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
282 }); 575 });
283 }); 576 });
284 577
285=cut 578=cut
286 579
287sub mon_guard { 580sub mon_guard {
288 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 581 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
289 582
583 #TODO: mon-less form?
584
290 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 585 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
291} 586}
292 587
293=item lnk $port1, $port2 588=item kil $port[, @reason]
294 589
295Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for: 590Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
296 591
297 mon $port1, $port2; 592If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (ports
298 mon $port2, $port1; 593monitoring other ports will not necessarily die because a port dies
594"normally").
299 595
300It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets 596Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
301killed as well. 597C<mon>, see above).
302 598
303=item $local_port = port 599Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
600will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
304 601
305Create a new local port object that supports message matching. 602Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
603$message >>.
306 604
307=item $portid = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
308
309Creates a "mini port", that is, a very lightweight port without any
310pattern matching behind it, and returns its ID.
311
312The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
313callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
314will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
315
316The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
317be passed to the callback.
318
319If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
320
321 my $port; $port = miniport {
322 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
323 };
324
325=cut 605=cut
326 606
327sub port(;&) { 607=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
328 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
329 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
330 608
331 if (@_) { 609Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
332 my $cb = shift; 610case it's the node where that port resides).
333 $PORT{$id} = sub { 611
334 local $SELF = $port; 612The port ID of the newly created port is returned immediately, and it is
335 eval { 613possible to immediately start sending messages or to monitor the port.
336 &$cb 614
337 and kil $id; 615After the port has been created, the init function is called on the remote
616node, in the same context as a C<rcv> callback. This function must be a
617fully-qualified function name (e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To
618specify a function in the main program, use C<::name>.
619
620If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
621the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
622C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
623exists or it runs out of package names.
624
625The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
626object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
627
628A common idiom is to pass a local port, immediately monitor the spawned
629port, and in the remote init function, immediately monitor the passed
630local port. This two-way monitoring ensures that both ports get cleaned up
631when there is a problem.
632
633Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
634
635 # this node, executed from within a port context:
636 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
637 mon $server;
638
639 # init function on C<$othernode>
640 sub connect {
641 my ($srcport) = @_;
642
643 mon $srcport;
644
645 rcv $SELF, sub {
338 }; 646 ...
339 _self_die if $@;
340 };
341 } else {
342 my $self = bless {
343 id => "$NODE#$id",
344 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
345
346 $PORT_DATA{$id} = $self;
347 $PORT{$id} = sub {
348 local $SELF = $port;
349
350 eval {
351 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
352 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
353 && undef $_;
354 }
355
356 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
357 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
358 && &{$_->[0]}
359 && undef $_;
360 }
361
362 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
363 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
364 && &{$_->[0]}
365 && undef $_;
366 }
367 };
368 _self_die if $@;
369 }; 647 };
370 } 648 }
371 649
372 $port
373}
374
375=item reg $portid, $name
376
377Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
378exists it is replaced.
379
380A port can only be registered under one well known name.
381
382A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
383
384=cut 650=cut
385 651
386sub reg(@) { 652sub _spawn {
387 my ($portid, $name) = @_; 653 my $port = shift;
654 my $init = shift;
388 655
389 $REG{$name} = $portid; 656 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
390} 657 eval {
391 658 &{ load_func $init }
392=item rcv $portid, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
393
394=item rcv $portid, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
395
396=item rcv $portid, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
397
398Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given port.
399
400The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
401which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
402registered.
403
404The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$portid> while
405executing the callback.
406
407Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being
408C<kil>ed.
409
410If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
411first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
412matched.
413
414Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
415exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
416
417While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
418element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
419also the most efficient match (by far).
420
421=cut
422
423sub rcv($@) {
424 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
425
426 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""}
427 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
428
429 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$port}
430 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
431
432 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
433 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
434
435 while (@_) {
436 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
437
438 if (!ref $match) {
439 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb];
440 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
441 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
442 @match
443 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
444 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
445 } else {
446 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
447 }
448 }
449}
450
451=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
452
453Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
454closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
455callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
456
457This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
458
459 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
460 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
461 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
462 snd @reply, $SELF;
463 };
464 }; 659 };
465
466=cut
467
468sub psub(&) {
469 my $cb = shift;
470
471 my $port = $SELF
472 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
473
474 sub {
475 local $SELF = $port;
476
477 if (wantarray) {
478 my @res = eval { &$cb };
479 _self_die if $@; 660 _self_die if $@;
480 @res 661}
481 } else { 662
482 my $res = eval { &$cb }; 663sub spawn(@) {
483 _self_die if $@; 664 my ($nodeid, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
484 $res 665
485 } 666 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
667
668 $_[0] =~ /::/
669 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
670
671 snd_to_func $nodeid, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
672
673 "$nodeid#$id"
674}
675
676=item after $timeout, @msg
677
678=item after $timeout, $callback
679
680Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
681specified number of seconds.
682
683This is simply a utility function that comes in handy at times - the
684AnyEvent::MP author is not convinced of the wisdom of having it, though,
685so it may go away in the future.
686
687=cut
688
689sub after($@) {
690 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
691
692 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
693 undef $t;
694 ref $action[0]
695 ? $action[0]()
696 : snd @action;
486 } 697 };
487} 698}
488 699
489=back 700=back
490 701
491=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 702=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
703
704AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
705== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
706programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
707sample:
708
709 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
710 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
711 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
712 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
713
714Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
492 715
493=over 4 716=over 4
494 717
495=item become_public $noderef 718=item * Node IDs are arbitrary strings in AEMP.
496 719
497Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes.
498
499The first argument is the (unresolved) node reference of the local node
500(if missing then the empty string is used).
501
502It is quite common to not specify anything, in which case the local node
503tries to listen on the default port, or to only specify a port number, in
504which case AnyEvent::MP tries to guess the local addresses.
505
506=cut
507
508=back
509
510=head1 NODE MESSAGES
511
512Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
513arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
514message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
515the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
516
517While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
518
519=over 4
520
521=cut
522
523=item lookup => $name, @reply
524
525Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
526
527=item devnull => ...
528
529Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
530
531=item relay => $port, @msg
532
533Simply forwards the message to the given port.
534
535=item eval => $string[ @reply]
536
537Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
538form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
539
540Example: crash another node.
541
542 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
543
544=item time => @reply
545
546Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
547
548Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
549C<timereply> message.
550
551 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
552 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
553
554=back
555
556=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
557
558AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node
559== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
560programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
561sample:
562
563 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
564 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
565 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
566 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
567
568Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
569
570=over 4
571
572=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
573
574Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the 720Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the same
575same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with 721way. AEMP relies on each node somehow knowing its own address(es) (e.g. by
576convenience functionality. 722configuration or DNS), but will otherwise discover other odes itself.
577 723
578This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 724=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
579cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 725uses "local ports are like remote ports".
726
727The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
728only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
729when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
730port.
731
732Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
733they are not.
734
735AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
736ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
737occur.
580 738
581=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 739=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
582 740
583Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 741Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
584needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 742needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
585purpose. 743useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
744AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
745filter messages without dequeuing them.
586 746
587(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 747(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
588 748
589=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 749=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
590 750
591Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 751Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
592sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 752so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
593background. 753connection establishment is handled in the background.
594 754
595=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 755=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
596 756
597Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 757Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
598without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 758without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
599and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 759and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
600 760
601AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 761AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that after one message
602holes in the message sequence. 762is lost, all following ones sent to the same port are lost as well, until
603 763monitoring raises an error, so there are no silent "holes" in the message
604=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 764sequence.
605alive.
606
607In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
608linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
609still alive - and can receive messages.
610
611In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
612eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
613and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
614 765
615=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 766=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
616 767
617In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 768In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
618ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 769known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
619messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 770destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
620 771
621AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 772AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
622around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 773around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
623 774
624=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 775=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
625authentication and can use TLS. 776authentication and can use TLS.
626 777
627AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and 778AEMP can use a proven protocol - TLS - to protect connections and
628securely authenticate nodes. 779securely authenticate nodes.
629 780
630=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 781=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
631communications. 782communications.
632 783
633The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 784The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both programming
634language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 785language independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
635language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 786language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). By default, unless TLS is
787used, the protocol is actually completely text-based.
636 788
637It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 789It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
638with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 790with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading functionality to make the
639protocol simple. 791protocol simple.
640 792
793=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
794
795In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
796or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
797difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
798Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
799on a per-process basis.
800
801=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
802
803Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes, in the
804same way as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
805
806In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
807that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
808on the remote node. The init function monitors you, and you monitor the
809remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much more
810reliable (no need for C<spawn_link>).
811
812This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
813(hard to do in Erlang).
814
641=back 815=back
642 816
817=head1 RATIONALE
818
819=over 4
820
821=item Why strings for port and node IDs, why not objects?
822
823We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
824that can be called are quite low. Since port and node IDs travel over
825the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
826overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object everywhere.
827
828Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
829procedures to be "valid".
830
831And as a result, a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a
832global hash - it can't become much cheaper.
833
834=item Why favour JSON, why not a real serialising format such as Storable?
835
836In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
837format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
838default (although all nodes will accept it).
839
840The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
841faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
842experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
843than it solves: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
844easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
845always have to re-think your design.
846
847Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
848objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
849
850=back
851
643=head1 SEE ALSO 852=head1 SEE ALSO
853
854L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> - a gentle introduction.
855
856L<AnyEvent::MP::Kernel> - more, lower-level, stuff.
857
858L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> - network maintainance and port groups, to find
859your applications.
644 860
645L<AnyEvent>. 861L<AnyEvent>.
646 862
647=head1 AUTHOR 863=head1 AUTHOR
648 864

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