--- AnyEvent-MP/MP.pm	2009/09/09 01:47:01	1.86
+++ AnyEvent-MP/MP.pm	2009/09/11 02:32:23	1.87
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
 our @EXPORT = qw(
    NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
    configure
-   snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
+   snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn cal
    port
 );
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@
 
 =back
 
-Example: become a distributed node using the locla node name as profile.
+Example: become a distributed node using the local node name as profile.
 This should be the most common form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
 
    configure
@@ -717,6 +717,58 @@
    };
 }
 
+=item cal $port, @msg, $callback[, $timeout]
+
+A simple form of RPC - sends a message to the given C<$port> with the
+given contents (C<@msg>), but adds a reply port to the message.
+
+The reply port is created temporarily just for the purpose of receiving
+the reply, and will be C<kil>ed when no longer needed.
+
+A reply message sent to the port is passed to the C<$callback> as-is.
+
+If an optional time-out (in seconds) is given and it is not C<undef>,
+then the callback will be called without any arguments after the time-out
+elapsed and the port is C<kil>ed.
+
+If no time-out is given, then the local port will monitor the remote port
+instead, so it eventually gets cleaned-up.
+
+Currently this function returns the temporary port, but this "feature"
+might go in future versions unless you can make a convincing case that
+this is indeed useful for something.
+
+=cut
+
+sub cal(@) {
+   my $timeout = ref $_[-1] ? undef : pop;
+   my $cb = pop;
+
+   my $port = port {
+      undef $timeout;
+      kil $SELF;
+      &$cb;
+   };
+
+   if (defined $timeout) {
+      $timeout = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
+         undef $timeout;
+         kil $port;
+         $cb->();
+      };
+   } else {
+      mon $_[0], sub {
+         kil $port;
+         $cb->();
+      };
+   }
+
+   push @_, $port;
+   &snd;
+
+   $port
+}
+
 =back
 
 =head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang