ViewVC Help
View File | Revision Log | Show Annotations | Download File
/cvs/AnyEvent-MP/MP.pm
(Generate patch)

Comparing AnyEvent-MP/MP.pm (file contents):
Revision 1.31 by root, Wed Aug 5 19:55:58 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.71 by root, Sun Aug 30 19:52:56 2009 UTC

8 8
9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef 9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef
10 NODE # returns this node's noderef 10 NODE # returns this node's noderef
11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port 11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port
12 12
13 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks
14
15 # initialise the node so it can send/receive messages
16 initialise_node;
17
18 # ports are message endpoints
19
20 # sending messages
13 snd $port, type => data...; 21 snd $port, type => data...;
22 snd $port, @msg;
23 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
14 24
15 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks 25 # creating/using ports, the simple way
26 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_; 0 };
16 27
17 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 28 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
18 29 my $port = port;
19 # examples:
20 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 30 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 31 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n"; 0 };
22 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
23 32
24 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 33 # create a port on another node
25 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 34 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
26 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 35
36 # monitoring
37 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
38 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
39 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
40
41=head1 CURRENT STATUS
42
43 bin/aemp - stable.
44 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work.
45 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - uptodate, but incomplete.
46 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - mostly stable.
47 AnyEvent::MP::Global - stable API, protocol not yet final.
48
49 stay tuned.
27 50
28=head1 DESCRIPTION 51=head1 DESCRIPTION
29 52
30This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 53This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
31 54
32Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 55Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
33on the same or other hosts. 56on the same or other hosts, and you can supervise entities remotely.
34 57
35For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> 58For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
36manual page. 59manual page and the examples under F<eg/>.
37 60
38At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented, 61At the moment, this module family is a bit underdocumented.
39so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
40stay tuned! The basic API should be finished, however.
41 62
42=head1 CONCEPTS 63=head1 CONCEPTS
43 64
44=over 4 65=over 4
45 66
46=item port 67=item port
47 68
48A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function). 69A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
49 70
50Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific 71Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
51messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages 72some messages. Messages send to ports will not be queued, regardless of
52will not be queued. 73anything was listening for them or not.
53 74
54=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 75=item port ID - C<nodeid#portname>
55 76
56A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as 77A 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 78separator, 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 79
61=item node 80=item node
62 81
63A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 82A 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 83which enables nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
65create new ports, among other things. 84ports.
66 85
67Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a 86Nodes are either public (have one or more listening ports) or private
68master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes). 87(no listening ports). Private nodes cannot talk to other private nodes
88currently.
69 89
70=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 90=item node ID - C<[a-za-Z0-9_\-.:]+>
71 91
72A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for 92A 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 93network. Depending on the configuration used, node IDs can look like a
74node (for public nodes). 94hostname, a hostname and a port, or a random string. AnyEvent::MP itself
95doesn't interpret node IDs in any way.
75 96
76This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for 97=item binds - C<ip:port>
77TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
78 98
79Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical 99Nodes can only talk to each other by creating some kind of connection to
80addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses). 100each other. To do this, nodes should listen on one or more local transport
101endpoints - binds. Currently, only standard C<ip:port> specifications can
102be used, which specify TCP ports to listen on.
81 103
82Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to 104=item seeds - C<host:port>
83resolve it. 105
106When a node starts, it knows nothing about the network. To teach the node
107about the network it first has to contact some other node within the
108network. This node is called a seed.
109
110Seeds are transport endpoint(s) of as many nodes as one wants. Those nodes
111are expected to be long-running, and at least one of those should always
112be available. When nodes run out of connections (e.g. due to a network
113error), they try to re-establish connections to some seednodes again to
114join the network.
115
116Apart from being sued for seeding, seednodes are not special in any way -
117every public node can be a seednode.
84 118
85=back 119=back
86 120
87=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 121=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
88 122
90 124
91=cut 125=cut
92 126
93package AnyEvent::MP; 127package AnyEvent::MP;
94 128
95use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 129use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
96 130
97use common::sense; 131use common::sense;
98 132
99use Carp (); 133use Carp ();
100 134
101use AE (); 135use AE ();
102 136
103use base "Exporter"; 137use base "Exporter";
104 138
105our $VERSION = '0.1'; 139our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
140
106our @EXPORT = qw( 141our @EXPORT = qw(
107 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 142 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
108 resolve_node initialise_node 143 initialise_node
109 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 144 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
110 port 145 port
111); 146);
112 147
113our $SELF; 148our $SELF;
114 149
118 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 153 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
119} 154}
120 155
121=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 156=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
122 157
123The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 158The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains, the node
124the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call 159ID of the node running in the current process. This value is initialised by
125to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port 160a call to C<initialise_node>.
126identifiers become invalid.
127 161
128=item $noderef = node_of $portid 162=item $nodeid = node_of $port
129 163
130Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 164Extracts and returns the node ID from a port ID or a node ID.
131 165
132=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef 166=item initialise_node $profile_name, key => value...
133 167
134Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and 168Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network (i.e. enter
135abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node 169"distributed mode") it has to initialise itself - the minimum a node needs
136reference. 170to know is its own name, and optionally it should know the addresses of
171some other nodes in the network to discover other nodes.
137 172
138In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the 173This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
139following forms are supported: 174never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
140 175
141=over 4 176The first argument is a profile name. If it is C<undef> or missing, then
177the current nodename will be used instead (i.e. F<uname -n>).
142 178
143=item the empty string 179The function first looks up the profile in the aemp configuration (see the
180L<aemp> commandline utility). the profile is calculated as follows:
144 181
145An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was 182First, all remaining key => value pairs (all of which are conviniently
146specified. 183undocumented at the moment) will be used. Then they will be overwritten by
184any values specified in the global default configuration (see the F<aemp>
185utility), then the chain of profiles selected, if any. That means that
186the values specified in the profile have highest priority and the values
187specified via C<initialise_node> have lowest priority.
147 188
148=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>) 189If the profile specifies a node ID, then this will become the node ID of
190this process. If not, then the profile name will be used as node ID. The
191special node ID of C<anon/> will be replaced by a random node ID.
149 192
150These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be 193The next step is to look up the binds in the profile, followed by binding
151further resolved. 194aemp protocol listeners on all binds specified (it is possible and valid
195to have no binds, meaning that the node cannot be contacted form the
196outside. This means the node cannot talk to other nodes that also have no
197binds, but it can still talk to all "normal" nodes).
152 198
153=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>) 199If the profile does not specify a binds list, then a default of C<*> is
200used.
154 201
155These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally 202Lastly, the seeds list from the profile is passed to the
156looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was 203L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> module, which will then use it to keep
157specified. 204connectivity with at least on of those seed nodes at any point in time.
158 205
159=back 206Example: become a distributed node listening on the guessed noderef, or
207the one specified via C<aemp> for the current node. This should be the
208most common form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
209
210 initialise_node;
211
212Example: become an anonymous node. This form is often used for commandline
213clients.
214
215 initialise_node "anon/";
216
217Example: become a distributed node. If there is no profile of the given
218name, or no binds list was specified, resolve C<localhost:4044> and bind
219on the resulting addresses.
220
221 initialise_node "localhost:4044";
160 222
161=item $SELF 223=item $SELF
162 224
163Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub> 225Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
164blocks. 226blocks.
165 227
166=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF... 228=item *SELF, SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
167 229
168Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 230Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
169just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 231just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols named C<SELF> are exported by this
170module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 232module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
171 233
172=item snd $portid, type => @data 234=item snd $port, type => @data
173 235
174=item snd $portid, @msg 236=item snd $port, @msg
175 237
176Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 238Send the given message to the given port, which can identify either a
177a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 239local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
178stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
179 240
180While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 241While the message can be almost anything, it is highly recommended to
181string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 242use a string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a
182type etc.). 243request type etc.) and to consist if only simple perl values (scalars,
244arrays, hashes) - if you think you need to pass an object, think again.
183 245
184The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 246The message data logically becomes read-only after a call to this
185function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 247function: modifying any argument (or values referenced by them) is
186problems. 248forbidden, as there can be considerable time between the call to C<snd>
249and the time the message is actually being serialised - in fact, it might
250never be copied as within the same process it is simply handed to the
251receiving port.
187 252
188The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when 253The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when
189JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 254JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
190of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 255of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
191that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 256that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
192node, anything can be passed. 257node, anything can be passed. Best rely only on the common denominator of
258these.
193 259
194=item kil $portid[, @reason] 260=item $local_port = port
195 261
196Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 262Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
263no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
197 264
198If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 265=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
199ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
200 266
201Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 267Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
202C<mon>, see below). 268creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
203 269
204Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 270The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
205will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 271global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
272port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
273(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
206 274
207Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 275If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
208$message >>.
209 276
210=item $guard = mon $portid, $cb->(@reason) 277 my $port = port {
278 my @msg = @_;
279 ...
280 kil $SELF;
281 };
211 282
212=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport 283=cut
213 284
214=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport, @msg 285sub rcv($@);
215 286
287sub _kilme {
288 die "received message on port without callback";
289}
290
291sub port(;&) {
292 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
293 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
294
295 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
296
297 $port
298}
299
300=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
301
302Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
303remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
304C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
305
306The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
307executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
308result in the port being C<kil>ed.
309
310The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
311C<tag> match.
312
313=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
314
315Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
316given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
317C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
318registered for each tag.
319
320The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
321element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
322environment as the default callback (see above).
323
324Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
325
326 my $port = rcv port,
327 msg1 => sub { ... },
328 msg2 => sub { ... },
329 ;
330
331Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
332in one go:
333
334 snd $otherport, reply =>
335 rcv port,
336 msg1 => sub { ... },
337 ...
338 ;
339
340Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
341(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
342
343 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
344 my @reply = @_;
345
346 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
347 };
348
349=cut
350
351sub rcv($@) {
352 my $port = shift;
353 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
354
355 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
356 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
357
358 while (@_) {
359 if (ref $_[0]) {
360 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
361 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
362 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
363
364 $self->[2] = shift;
365 } else {
366 my $cb = shift;
367 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
368 local $SELF = $port;
369 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
370 };
371 }
372 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
373 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
374 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
375
376 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
377 local $SELF = $port;
378
379 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
380 shift;
381 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
382 } else {
383 &{ $self->[0] };
384 }
385 };
386
387 $self
388 };
389
390 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
391 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
392
393 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
394
395 if (defined $cb) {
396 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
397 } else {
398 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
399 }
400 }
401 }
402
403 $port
404}
405
406=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
407
408Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
409closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
410callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
411
412This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
413
414 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
415 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
416 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
417 snd @reply, $SELF;
418 };
419 };
420
421=cut
422
423sub psub(&) {
424 my $cb = shift;
425
426 my $port = $SELF
427 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
428
429 sub {
430 local $SELF = $port;
431
432 if (wantarray) {
433 my @res = eval { &$cb };
434 _self_die if $@;
435 @res
436 } else {
437 my $res = eval { &$cb };
438 _self_die if $@;
439 $res
440 }
441 }
442}
443
444=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) # call $cb when $port dies
445
446=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport # kill $rcvport when $port dies
447
448=item $guard = mon $port # kill $SELF when $port dies
449
450=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg # send a message when $port dies
451
216Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 452Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
453messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
454to stop monitoring again.
217 455
456C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
457after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port will
458arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible message
459loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between" (after
460the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
461port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
462delivered again.
463
464Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once messages are lost (and a
465monitoring alert was raised), they are removed and will not trigger again.
466
218In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 467In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
219of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 468number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
220"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 469"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
221C<eval> if unsure. 470C<eval> if unsure.
222 471
223In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 472In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
224a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 473will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
225under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason. 474"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
475port is killed with the same reason.
226 476
477The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
478C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
479
227In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 480In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
481C<snd>.
482
483As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
484a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
485lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
486even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
487to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
488these problems do not exist.
228 489
229Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 490Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
230 491
231 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 492 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
232 493
233Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 494Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
234 495
235 mon $port, $self; 496 mon $port;
236 497
237Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 498Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
238 499
239 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 500 mon $port, $self => "restart";
240 501
241=cut 502=cut
242 503
243sub mon { 504sub mon {
244 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 505 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
245 506
246 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 507 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
247 508
248 my $cb = shift; 509 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
249 510
250 unless (ref $cb) { 511 unless (ref $cb) {
251 if (@_) { 512 if (@_) {
252 # send a kill info message 513 # send a kill info message
253 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 514 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
271is killed, the references will be freed. 532is killed, the references will be freed.
272 533
273Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring. 534Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
274 535
275This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and 536This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
276want to free them when the port gets killed: 537want to free them when the port gets killed (note the use of C<psub>):
277 538
278 $port->rcv (start => sub { 539 $port->rcv (start => sub {
279 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub { 540 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, psub {
280 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand; 541 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
281 }); 542 });
282 }); 543 });
283 544
284=cut 545=cut
285 546
286sub mon_guard { 547sub mon_guard {
287 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 548 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
288 549
550 #TODO: mon-less form?
551
289 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 552 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
290} 553}
291 554
292=item lnk $port1, $port2 555=item kil $port[, @reason]
293 556
294Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for: 557Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
295 558
296 mon $port1, $port2; 559If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (ports
297 mon $port2, $port1; 560monitoring other ports will not necessarily die because a port dies
561"normally").
298 562
299It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets 563Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
300killed as well. 564C<mon>, see above).
301 565
302=item $local_port = port 566Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
567will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
303 568
304Create a new local port object that can be used either as a pattern 569Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
305matching port ("full port") or a single-callback port ("miniport"), 570$message >>.
306depending on how C<rcv> callbacks are bound to the object.
307 571
308=item $portid = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
309
310Creates a "mini port", that is, a very lightweight port without any
311pattern matching behind it, and returns its ID.
312
313The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
314callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
315will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
316
317The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
318be passed to the callback.
319
320If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
321
322 my $port; $port = port {
323 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
324 };
325
326=cut 572=cut
327 573
328sub port(;&) { 574=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
329 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
330 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
331 575
332 if (@_) { 576Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
333 my $cb = shift; 577case it's the node where that port resides).
334 $PORT{$id} = sub { 578
335 local $SELF = $port; 579The port ID of the newly created port is returned immediately, and it is
336 eval { 580possible to immediately start sending messages or to monitor the port.
337 &$cb 581
338 and kil $id; 582After the port has been created, the init function is called on the remote
583node, in the same context as a C<rcv> callback. This function must be a
584fully-qualified function name (e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To
585specify a function in the main program, use C<::name>.
586
587If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
588the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
589C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
590exists or it runs out of package names.
591
592The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
593object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
594
595A common idiom is to pass a local port, immediately monitor the spawned
596port, and in the remote init function, immediately monitor the passed
597local port. This two-way monitoring ensures that both ports get cleaned up
598when there is a problem.
599
600Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
601
602 # this node, executed from within a port context:
603 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
604 mon $server;
605
606 # init function on C<$othernode>
607 sub connect {
608 my ($srcport) = @_;
609
610 mon $srcport;
611
612 rcv $SELF, sub {
339 }; 613 ...
340 _self_die if $@;
341 };
342 } else {
343 my $self = bless {
344 id => "$NODE#$id",
345 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
346
347 $PORT_DATA{$id} = $self;
348 $PORT{$id} = sub {
349 local $SELF = $port;
350
351 eval {
352 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
353 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
354 && undef $_;
355 }
356
357 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
358 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
359 && &{$_->[0]}
360 && undef $_;
361 }
362
363 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
364 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
365 && &{$_->[0]}
366 && undef $_;
367 }
368 };
369 _self_die if $@;
370 }; 614 };
371 } 615 }
372 616
373 $port
374}
375
376=item reg $portid, $name
377
378Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
379exists it is replaced.
380
381A port can only be registered under one well known name.
382
383A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
384
385=cut 617=cut
386 618
387sub reg(@) { 619sub _spawn {
388 my ($portid, $name) = @_;
389
390 $REG{$name} = $portid;
391}
392
393=item rcv $portid, $callback->(@msg)
394
395Replaces the callback on the specified miniport (or newly created port
396object, see C<port>). Full ports are configured with the following calls:
397
398=item rcv $portid, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
399
400=item rcv $portid, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
401
402=item rcv $portid, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
403
404Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given port.
405
406The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
407which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
408registered.
409
410The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$portid> while
411executing the callback.
412
413Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being
414C<kil>ed.
415
416If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
417first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
418matched.
419
420Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
421exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
422
423While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
424element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
425also the most efficient match (by far).
426
427=cut
428
429sub rcv($@) {
430 my $portid = shift; 620 my $port = shift;
431 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, $port, 2; 621 my $init = shift;
432 622
433 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""} 623 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
434 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught"; 624 eval {
435 625 &{ load_func $init }
436 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$port}
437 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
438
439 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
440 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
441
442 while (@_) {
443 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
444
445 if (!ref $match) {
446 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb];
447 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
448 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
449 @match
450 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
451 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
452 } else {
453 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
454 }
455 }
456
457 $portid
458}
459
460=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
461
462Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
463closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
464callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
465
466This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
467
468 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
469 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
470 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
471 snd @reply, $SELF;
472 };
473 }; 626 };
474
475=cut
476
477sub psub(&) {
478 my $cb = shift;
479
480 my $port = $SELF
481 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
482
483 sub {
484 local $SELF = $port;
485
486 if (wantarray) {
487 my @res = eval { &$cb };
488 _self_die if $@; 627 _self_die if $@;
489 @res 628}
490 } else { 629
491 my $res = eval { &$cb }; 630sub spawn(@) {
492 _self_die if $@; 631 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
493 $res 632
494 } 633 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
634
635 $_[0] =~ /::/
636 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
637
638 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
639
640 "$noderef#$id"
641}
642
643=item after $timeout, @msg
644
645=item after $timeout, $callback
646
647Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
648specified number of seconds.
649
650This is simply a utility function that comes in handy at times - the
651AnyEvent::MP author is not convinced of the wisdom of having it, though,
652so it may go away in the future.
653
654=cut
655
656sub after($@) {
657 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
658
659 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
660 undef $t;
661 ref $action[0]
662 ? $action[0]()
663 : snd @action;
495 } 664 };
496} 665}
497 666
498=back 667=back
499 668
500=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 669=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
670
671AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
672== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
673programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
674sample:
675
676 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
677 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
678 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
679 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
680
681Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
501 682
502=over 4 683=over 4
503 684
504=item become_public $noderef 685=item * Node IDs are arbitrary strings in AEMP.
505 686
506Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes.
507
508The first argument is the (unresolved) node reference of the local node
509(if missing then the empty string is used).
510
511It is quite common to not specify anything, in which case the local node
512tries to listen on the default port, or to only specify a port number, in
513which case AnyEvent::MP tries to guess the local addresses.
514
515=cut
516
517=back
518
519=head1 NODE MESSAGES
520
521Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
522arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
523message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
524the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
525
526While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
527
528=over 4
529
530=cut
531
532=item lookup => $name, @reply
533
534Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
535
536=item devnull => ...
537
538Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
539
540=item relay => $port, @msg
541
542Simply forwards the message to the given port.
543
544=item eval => $string[ @reply]
545
546Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
547form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
548
549Example: crash another node.
550
551 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
552
553=item time => @reply
554
555Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
556
557Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
558C<timereply> message.
559
560 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
561 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
562
563=back
564
565=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
566
567AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node
568== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
569programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
570sample:
571
572 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
573 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
574 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
575 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
576
577Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
578
579=over 4
580
581=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
582
583Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the 687Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the same
584same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with 688way. AEMP relies on each node somehow knowing its own address(es) (e.g. by
585convenience functionality. 689configuraiton or DNS), but will otherwise discover other odes itself.
586 690
587This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 691=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
588cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 692uses "local ports are like remote ports".
693
694The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
695only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
696when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
697port.
698
699Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
700they are not.
701
702AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
703ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
704occur.
589 705
590=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 706=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
591 707
592Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 708Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
593needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 709needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
594purpose. 710useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
711AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
712filter messages without dequeing them.
595 713
596(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 714(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
597 715
598=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 716=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
599 717
600Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 718Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
601sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 719so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
602background. 720connection establishment is handled in the background.
603 721
604=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 722=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
605 723
606Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 724Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
607without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 725without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
608and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 726and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
609 727
610AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 728AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that after one message
611holes in the message sequence. 729is lost, all following ones sent to the same port are lost as well, until
612 730monitoring raises an error, so there are no silent "holes" in the message
613=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 731sequence.
614alive.
615
616In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
617linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
618still alive - and can receive messages.
619
620In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
621eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
622and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
623 732
624=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 733=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
625 734
626In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 735In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
627ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 736known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
628messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 737destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
629 738
630AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 739AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
631around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 740around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
632 741
633=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 742=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
634authentication and can use TLS. 743authentication and can use TLS.
635 744
636AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and 745AEMP can use a proven protocol - TLS - to protect connections and
637securely authenticate nodes. 746securely authenticate nodes.
638 747
639=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 748=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
640communications. 749communications.
641 750
642The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 751The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both programming
643language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 752language independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
644language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 753language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). By default, unless TLS is
754used, the protocol is actually completely text-based.
645 755
646It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 756It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
647with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 757with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading functionality to make the
648protocol simple. 758protocol simple.
649 759
760=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
761
762In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
763or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
764difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
765Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
766on a per-process basis.
767
768=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
769
770Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes, in the
771same way as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
772
773In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
774that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
775on the remote node. The init function monitors you, and you monitor the
776remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much more
777reliable (no need for C<spawn_link>).
778
779This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
780(hard to do in Erlang).
781
650=back 782=back
651 783
784=head1 RATIONALE
785
786=over 4
787
788=item Why strings for port and node IDs, why not objects?
789
790We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
791that can be called are quite low. Since port and node IDs travel over
792the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
793overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object everywhere.
794
795Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
796procedures to be "valid".
797
798And as a result, a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a
799global hash - it can't become much cheaper.
800
801=item Why favour JSON, why not a real serialising format such as Storable?
802
803In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
804format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
805default (although all nodes will accept it).
806
807The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
808faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
809experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
810than it solves: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
811easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
812always have to re-think your design.
813
814Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
815objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
816
817=back
818
652=head1 SEE ALSO 819=head1 SEE ALSO
820
821L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> - a gentle introduction.
822
823L<AnyEvent::MP::Kernel> - more, lower-level, stuff.
824
825L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> - network maintainance and port groups, to find
826your applications.
653 827
654L<AnyEvent>. 828L<AnyEvent>.
655 829
656=head1 AUTHOR 830=head1 AUTHOR
657 831

Diff Legend

Removed lines
+ Added lines
< Changed lines
> Changed lines