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Revision 1.73 by root, Mon Aug 31 11:08:25 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 configure;
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 = @_ };
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" };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 31 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" };
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 it's 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 143 configure
109 become_slave become_public
110 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 144 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
111 port 145 port
112); 146);
113 147
114our $SELF; 148our $SELF;
115 149
119 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 153 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
120} 154}
121 155
122=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 156=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
123 157
124The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 158The 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 159ID 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 160a call to C<configure>.
127identifiers become invalid.
128 161
129=item $noderef = node_of $portid 162=item $nodeid = node_of $port
130 163
131Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 164Extracts and returns the node ID from a port ID or a node ID.
132 165
133=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef 166=item configure key => value...
134 167
135Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and 168Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network (i.e. enter
136abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node 169"distributed mode") it has to configure itself - the minimum a node needs
137reference. 170to know is its own name, and optionally it should know the addresses of
171some other nodes in the network to discover other nodes.
138 172
139In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the 173This function configures a node - it must be called exactly once (or
140following forms are supported: 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. If it is missing, then the nodename (F<uname
183-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 conviniently
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 setnodeid anon/ setbinds '*: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 $port = shift;
377 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
378
379 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
380 or Carp::croak "$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 $port dies
475
217Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 476Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
477messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
478to stop monitoring again.
218 479
480C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
481after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port will
482arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible message
483loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between" (after
484the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
485port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
486delivered again.
487
488Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once messages are lost (and a
489monitoring alert was raised), they are removed and will not trigger again.
490
219In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 491In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
220of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 492number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
221"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 493"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
222C<eval> if unsure. 494C<eval> if unsure.
223 495
224In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 496In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
225a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 497will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
226under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason. 498"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
499port is killed with the same reason.
227 500
501The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
502C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
503
228In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 504In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
505C<snd>.
506
507As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
508a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
509lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
510even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
511to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
512these problems do not exist.
229 513
230Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 514Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
231 515
232 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 516 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
233 517
234Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 518Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
235 519
236 mon $port, $self; 520 mon $port;
237 521
238Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 522Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
239 523
240 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 524 mon $port, $self => "restart";
241 525
242=cut 526=cut
243 527
244sub mon { 528sub mon {
245 my ($noderef, $port, $cb) = ((split /#/, shift, 2), shift); 529 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
246 530
247 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 531 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
248 532
249 #TODO: ports must not be references 533 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
250 if (!ref $cb or "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $cb) { 534
535 unless (ref $cb) {
251 if (@_) { 536 if (@_) {
252 # send a kill info message 537 # send a kill info message
253 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 538 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
254 $cb = sub { snd @msg, @_ }; 539 $cb = sub { snd @msg, @_ };
255 } else { 540 } else {
271is killed, the references will be freed. 556is killed, the references will be freed.
272 557
273Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring. 558Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
274 559
275This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and 560This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
276want to free them when the port gets killed: 561want to free them when the port gets killed (note the use of C<psub>):
277 562
278 $port->rcv (start => sub { 563 $port->rcv (start => sub {
279 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub { 564 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, psub {
280 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand; 565 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
281 }); 566 });
282 }); 567 });
283 568
284=cut 569=cut
285 570
286sub mon_guard { 571sub mon_guard {
287 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 572 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
288 573
574 #TODO: mon-less form?
575
289 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 576 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
290} 577}
291 578
292=item lnk $port1, $port2 579=item kil $port[, @reason]
293 580
294Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for: 581Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
295 582
296 mon $port1, $port2; 583If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (ports
297 mon $port2, $port1; 584monitoring other ports will not necessarily die because a port dies
585"normally").
298 586
299It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets 587Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
300killed as well. 588C<mon>, see above).
301 589
302=item $local_port = port 590Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
591will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
303 592
304Create a new local port object that supports message matching. 593Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
594$message >>.
305 595
306=item $portid = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
307
308Creates a "mini port", that is, a very lightweight port without any
309pattern matching behind it, and returns its ID.
310
311The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
312callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
313will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
314
315The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
316be passed to the callback.
317
318If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
319
320 my $port; $port = miniport {
321 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
322 };
323
324=cut 596=cut
325 597
326sub port(;&) { 598=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
327 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
328 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
329 599
330 if (@_) { 600Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
331 my $cb = shift; 601case it's the node where that port resides).
332 $PORT{$id} = sub { 602
333 local $SELF = $port; 603The port ID of the newly created port is returned immediately, and it is
334 eval { 604possible to immediately start sending messages or to monitor the port.
335 &$cb 605
336 and kil $id; 606After the port has been created, the init function is called on the remote
607node, in the same context as a C<rcv> callback. This function must be a
608fully-qualified function name (e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To
609specify a function in the main program, use C<::name>.
610
611If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
612the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
613C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
614exists or it runs out of package names.
615
616The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
617object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
618
619A common idiom is to pass a local port, immediately monitor the spawned
620port, and in the remote init function, immediately monitor the passed
621local port. This two-way monitoring ensures that both ports get cleaned up
622when there is a problem.
623
624Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
625
626 # this node, executed from within a port context:
627 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
628 mon $server;
629
630 # init function on C<$othernode>
631 sub connect {
632 my ($srcport) = @_;
633
634 mon $srcport;
635
636 rcv $SELF, sub {
337 }; 637 ...
338 _self_die if $@;
339 };
340 } else {
341 my $self = bless {
342 id => "$NODE#$id",
343 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
344
345 $PORT_DATA{$id} = $self;
346 $PORT{$id} = sub {
347 local $SELF = $port;
348
349 eval {
350 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
351 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
352 && undef $_;
353 }
354
355 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
356 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
357 && &{$_->[0]}
358 && undef $_;
359 }
360
361 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
362 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
363 && &{$_->[0]}
364 && undef $_;
365 }
366 };
367 _self_die if $@;
368 }; 638 };
369 } 639 }
370 640
371 $port
372}
373
374=item reg $portid, $name
375
376Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
377exists it is replaced.
378
379A port can only be registered under one well known name.
380
381A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
382
383=cut 641=cut
384 642
385sub reg(@) { 643sub _spawn {
386 my ($portid, $name) = @_; 644 my $port = shift;
645 my $init = shift;
387 646
388 $REG{$name} = $portid; 647 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
389} 648 eval {
390 649 &{ load_func $init }
391=item rcv $portid, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
392
393=item rcv $portid, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
394
395=item rcv $portid, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
396
397Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given port.
398
399The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
400which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
401registered.
402
403The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$portid> while
404executing the callback.
405
406Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being
407C<kil>ed.
408
409If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
410first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
411matched.
412
413Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
414exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
415
416While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
417element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
418also the most efficient match (by far).
419
420=cut
421
422sub rcv($@) {
423 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
424
425 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""}
426 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
427
428 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$port}
429 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
430
431 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
432 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
433
434 while (@_) {
435 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
436
437 if (!ref $match) {
438 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb];
439 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
440 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
441 @match
442 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
443 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
444 } else {
445 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
446 }
447 }
448}
449
450=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
451
452Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
453closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
454callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
455
456This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
457
458 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
459 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
460 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
461 snd @reply, $SELF;
462 };
463 }; 650 };
464
465=cut
466
467sub psub(&) {
468 my $cb = shift;
469
470 my $port = $SELF
471 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
472
473 sub {
474 local $SELF = $port;
475
476 if (wantarray) {
477 my @res = eval { &$cb };
478 _self_die if $@; 651 _self_die if $@;
479 @res 652}
480 } else { 653
481 my $res = eval { &$cb }; 654sub spawn(@) {
482 _self_die if $@; 655 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
483 $res 656
484 } 657 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
658
659 $_[0] =~ /::/
660 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
661
662 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
663
664 "$noderef#$id"
665}
666
667=item after $timeout, @msg
668
669=item after $timeout, $callback
670
671Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
672specified number of seconds.
673
674This is simply a utility function that comes in handy at times - the
675AnyEvent::MP author is not convinced of the wisdom of having it, though,
676so it may go away in the future.
677
678=cut
679
680sub after($@) {
681 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
682
683 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
684 undef $t;
685 ref $action[0]
686 ? $action[0]()
687 : snd @action;
485 } 688 };
486} 689}
487 690
488=back 691=back
489 692
490=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 693=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
694
695AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
696== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
697programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
698sample:
699
700 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
701 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
702 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
703 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
704
705Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
491 706
492=over 4 707=over 4
493 708
494=item become_public $noderef 709=item * Node IDs are arbitrary strings in AEMP.
495 710
496Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes.
497
498The first argument is the (unresolved) node reference of the local node
499(if missing then the empty string is used).
500
501It is quite common to not specify anything, in which case the local node
502tries to listen on the default port, or to only specify a port number, in
503which case AnyEvent::MP tries to guess the local addresses.
504
505=cut
506
507=back
508
509=head1 NODE MESSAGES
510
511Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
512arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
513message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
514the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
515
516While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
517
518=over 4
519
520=cut
521
522=item lookup => $name, @reply
523
524Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
525
526=item devnull => ...
527
528Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
529
530=item relay => $port, @msg
531
532Simply forwards the message to the given port.
533
534=item eval => $string[ @reply]
535
536Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
537form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
538
539Example: crash another node.
540
541 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
542
543=item time => @reply
544
545Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
546
547Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
548C<timereply> message.
549
550 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
551 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
552
553=back
554
555=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
556
557AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node
558== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
559programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
560sample:
561
562 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
563 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
564 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
565 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
566
567Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
568
569=over 4
570
571=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
572
573Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the 711Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the same
574same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with 712way. AEMP relies on each node somehow knowing its own address(es) (e.g. by
575convenience functionality. 713configuraiton or DNS), but will otherwise discover other odes itself.
576 714
577This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 715=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
578cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 716uses "local ports are like remote ports".
717
718The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
719only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
720when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
721port.
722
723Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
724they are not.
725
726AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
727ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
728occur.
579 729
580=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 730=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
581 731
582Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 732Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
583needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 733needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
584purpose. 734useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
735AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
736filter messages without dequeing them.
585 737
586(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 738(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
587 739
588=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 740=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
589 741
590Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 742Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
591sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 743so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
592background. 744connection establishment is handled in the background.
593 745
594=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 746=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
595 747
596Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 748Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
597without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 749without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
598and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 750and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
599 751
600AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 752AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that after one message
601holes in the message sequence. 753is lost, all following ones sent to the same port are lost as well, until
602 754monitoring raises an error, so there are no silent "holes" in the message
603=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 755sequence.
604alive.
605
606In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
607linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
608still alive - and can receive messages.
609
610In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
611eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
612and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
613 756
614=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 757=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
615 758
616In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 759In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
617ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 760known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
618messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 761destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
619 762
620AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 763AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
621around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 764around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
622 765
623=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 766=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
624authentication and can use TLS. 767authentication and can use TLS.
625 768
626AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and 769AEMP can use a proven protocol - TLS - to protect connections and
627securely authenticate nodes. 770securely authenticate nodes.
628 771
629=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 772=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
630communications. 773communications.
631 774
632The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 775The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both programming
633language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 776language independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
634language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 777language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). By default, unless TLS is
778used, the protocol is actually completely text-based.
635 779
636It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 780It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
637with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 781with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading functionality to make the
638protocol simple. 782protocol simple.
639 783
784=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
785
786In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
787or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
788difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
789Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
790on a per-process basis.
791
792=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
793
794Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes, in the
795same way as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
796
797In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
798that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
799on the remote node. The init function monitors you, and you monitor the
800remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much more
801reliable (no need for C<spawn_link>).
802
803This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
804(hard to do in Erlang).
805
640=back 806=back
641 807
808=head1 RATIONALE
809
810=over 4
811
812=item Why strings for port and node IDs, why not objects?
813
814We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
815that can be called are quite low. Since port and node IDs travel over
816the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
817overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object everywhere.
818
819Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
820procedures to be "valid".
821
822And as a result, a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a
823global hash - it can't become much cheaper.
824
825=item Why favour JSON, why not a real serialising format such as Storable?
826
827In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
828format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
829default (although all nodes will accept it).
830
831The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
832faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
833experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
834than it solves: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
835easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
836always have to re-think your design.
837
838Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
839objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
840
841=back
842
642=head1 SEE ALSO 843=head1 SEE ALSO
844
845L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> - a gentle introduction.
846
847L<AnyEvent::MP::Kernel> - more, lower-level, stuff.
848
849L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> - network maintainance and port groups, to find
850your applications.
643 851
644L<AnyEvent>. 852L<AnyEvent>.
645 853
646=head1 AUTHOR 854=head1 AUTHOR
647 855

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