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Revision 1.10 by root, Sun Aug 2 18:05:43 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.63 by root, Thu Aug 27 21:29:37 2009 UTC

4 4
5=head1 SYNOPSIS 5=head1 SYNOPSIS
6 6
7 use AnyEvent::MP; 7 use AnyEvent::MP;
8 8
9 NODE # returns this node identifier
10 $NODE # contains this node identifier 9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef
10 NODE # returns this node's noderef
11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port
11 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
12 snd $port, type => data...; 21 snd $port, type => data...;
22 snd $port, @msg;
23 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
13 24
14 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 25 # creating/using ports, the simple way
26 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_; 0 };
15 27
16 # examples: 28 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
29 my $port = port;
17 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 30 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 };
18 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 31 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n"; 0 };
19 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
20 32
21 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 33 # create a port on another node
22 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 34 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
23 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 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work
44 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - outdated
45 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - WIP
46 AnyEvent::MP::Transport - mostly stable
47
48 stay tuned.
24 49
25=head1 DESCRIPTION 50=head1 DESCRIPTION
26 51
27This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 52This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
28 53
29Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 54Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
30on the same or other hosts. 55on the same or other hosts.
31 56
57For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
58manual page.
59
32At the moment, this module family is severly brokena nd underdocumented, 60At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented,
33so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to resreve the CPAN namespace - 61so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
34stay tuned! 62stay tuned!
35 63
36=head1 CONCEPTS 64=head1 CONCEPTS
37 65
38=over 4 66=over 4
39 67
40=item port 68=item port
41 69
42A port is something you can send messages to with the C<snd> function, and 70A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
43you can register C<rcv> handlers with. All C<rcv> handlers will receive 71
72Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
44messages they match, messages will not be queued. 73some messages. Messages will not be queued.
45 74
46=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 75=item port ID - C<noderef#portname>
47 76
48A port id is always the noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as separator, followed 77A port ID is the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
49by a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). 78separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An
79exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
80reference.
50 81
51=item node 82=item node
52 83
53A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 84A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node port,
54port. You can send messages to node ports to let them create new ports, 85which provides nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
55among other things. 86ports.
56 87
57Initially, nodes are either private (single-process only) or hidden 88Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (can only talk to
58(connected to a master node only). Only when they epxlicitly "become 89public nodes, but do not need an open port) or public nodes (connectable
59public" can you send them messages from unrelated other nodes. 90from any other node).
60 91
61=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 92=item node ID - C<[a-za-Z0-9_\-.:]+>
62 93
63A noderef is a string that either uniquely identifies a given node (for 94A node ID is a string that either simply identifies the node (for
64private and hidden nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 95private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given
65node (for public nodes). 96node (for public nodes).
66 97
98This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for
99TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
100
101Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical
102addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses).
103
104Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to
105resolve it.
106
67=back 107=back
68 108
69=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 109=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
70 110
71=over 4 111=over 4
72 112
73=cut 113=cut
74 114
75package AnyEvent::MP; 115package AnyEvent::MP;
76 116
77use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 117use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
78 118
79use common::sense; 119use common::sense;
80 120
81use Carp (); 121use Carp ();
82 122
83use AE (); 123use AE ();
84 124
85use base "Exporter"; 125use base "Exporter";
86 126
87our $VERSION = '0.02'; 127our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
128
88our @EXPORT = qw( 129our @EXPORT = qw(
89 NODE $NODE $PORT snd rcv _any_ 130 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
90 create_port create_port_on 131 resolve_node initialise_node
91 become_slave become_public 132 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
133 port
92); 134);
93 135
136our $SELF;
137
138sub _self_die() {
139 my $msg = $@;
140 $msg =~ s/\n+$// unless ref $msg;
141 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
142}
143
94=item NODE / $NODE 144=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
95 145
96The C<NODE ()> function and the C<$NODE> variable contain the noderef of 146The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains the
97the local node. The value is initialised by a call to C<become_public> or 147node id of the local node. The value is initialised by a call to
98C<become_slave>, after which all local port identifiers become invalid. 148C<initialise_node>.
99 149
150=item $nodeid = node_of $port
151
152Extracts and returns the noderef from a port ID or a node ID.
153
154=item initialise_node $profile_name
155
156Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network it has to initialise
157itself - the minimum a node needs to know is it's own name, and optionally
158it should know the noderefs of some other nodes in the network.
159
160This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
161never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
162
163All arguments (optionally except for the first) are noderefs, which can be
164either resolved or unresolved.
165
166The first argument will be looked up in the configuration database first
167(if it is C<undef> then the current nodename will be used instead) to find
168the relevant configuration profile (see L<aemp>). If none is found then
169the default configuration is used. The configuration supplies additional
170seed/master nodes and can override the actual noderef.
171
172There are two types of networked nodes, public nodes and slave nodes:
173
174=over 4
175
176=item public nodes
177
178For public nodes, C<$noderef> (supplied either directly to
179C<initialise_node> or indirectly via a profile or the nodename) must be a
180noderef (possibly unresolved, in which case it will be resolved).
181
182After resolving, the node will bind itself on all endpoints.
183
184=item slave nodes
185
186When the C<$noderef> (either as given or overriden by the config file)
187is the special string C<slave/>, then the node will become a slave
188node. Slave nodes cannot be contacted from outside, and cannot talk to
189each other (at least in this version of AnyEvent::MP).
190
191Slave nodes work by creating connections to all public nodes, using the
192L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> service.
193
194=back
195
196After initialising itself, the node will connect to all additional
197C<$seednodes> that are specified diretcly or via a profile. Seednodes are
198optional and can be used to quickly bootstrap the node into an existing
199network.
200
201All the seednodes will also be specially marked to automatically retry
202connecting to them indefinitely, so make sure that seednodes are really
203reliable and up (this might also change in the future).
204
205Example: become a public node listening on the guessed noderef, or the one
206specified via C<aemp> for the current node. This should be the most common
207form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
208
209 initialise_node;
210
211Example: become a slave node to any of the the seednodes specified via
212C<aemp>. This form is often used for commandline clients.
213
214 initialise_node "slave/";
215
216Example: become a public node, and try to contact some well-known master
217servers to become part of the network.
218
219 initialise_node undef, "master1", "master2";
220
221Example: become a public node listening on port C<4041>.
222
223 initialise_node 4041;
224
225Example: become a public node, only visible on localhost port 4044.
226
227 initialise_node "localhost:4044";
228
229=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef
230
231Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and
232abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node
233reference.
234
235In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the
236following forms are supported:
237
238=over 4
239
240=item the empty string
241
242An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was
243specified.
244
245=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>)
246
247These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be
248further resolved.
249
250=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>)
251
252These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally
253looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was
254specified.
255
256=back
257
258=item $SELF
259
260Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
261blocks.
262
263=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
264
265Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
266just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this
267module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
268
100=item snd $portid, type => @data 269=item snd $port, type => @data
101 270
102=item snd $portid, @msg 271=item snd $port, @msg
103 272
104Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 273Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either
105a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 274a local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
106stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
107 275
108While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 276While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a
109string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 277string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a request
110type etc.). 278type etc.).
111 279
112The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 280The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this
113function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 281function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many
114problems. 282problems.
117JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 285JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
118of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 286of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
119that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 287that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
120node, anything can be passed. 288node, anything can be passed.
121 289
122=item $local_port = create_port 290=item $local_port = port
123 291
124Create a new local port object. See the next section for allowed methods. 292Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
293no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
125 294
126=cut 295=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
127 296
128sub create_port { 297Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
129 my $id = "$AnyEvent::MP::Base::UNIQ." . ++$AnyEvent::MP::Base::ID; 298creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
130 299
131 my $self = bless { 300The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
132 id => "$NODE#$id", 301global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
133 names => [$id], 302port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
134 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port"; 303(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
135 304
136 $AnyEvent::MP::Base::PORT{$id} = sub { 305If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
137 unshift @_, $self;
138 306
139 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[1]} }) { 307 my $port = port {
140 $_ && &{$_->[0]} 308 my @msg = @_;
141 && undef $_; 309 ...
310 kil $SELF;
311 };
312
313=cut
314
315sub rcv($@);
316
317sub _kilme {
318 die "received message on port without callback";
319}
320
321sub port(;&) {
322 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
323 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
324
325 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
326
327 $port
328}
329
330=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
331
332Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
333remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
334C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
335
336The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
337executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
338result in the port being C<kil>ed.
339
340The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
341C<tag> match.
342
343=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
344
345Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
346given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
347C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
348registered for each tag.
349
350The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
351element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
352environment as the default callback (see above).
353
354Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
355
356 my $port = rcv port,
357 msg1 => sub { ... },
358 msg2 => sub { ... },
359 ;
360
361Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
362in one go:
363
364 snd $otherport, reply =>
365 rcv port,
366 msg1 => sub { ... },
367 ...
368 ;
369
370Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
371(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
372
373 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
374 my @reply = @_;
375
376 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
377 };
378
379=cut
380
381sub rcv($@) {
382 my $port = shift;
383 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
384
385 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
386 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
387
388 while (@_) {
389 if (ref $_[0]) {
390 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
391 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
392 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
393
394 $self->[2] = shift;
395 } else {
396 my $cb = shift;
397 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
398 local $SELF = $port;
399 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
400 };
401 }
402 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
403 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
404 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
405
406 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
407 local $SELF = $port;
408
409 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
410 shift;
411 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
412 } else {
413 &{ $self->[0] };
414 }
415 };
416
417 $self
418 };
419
420 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
421 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
422
423 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
424
425 if (defined $cb) {
426 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
427 } else {
428 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
429 }
142 } 430 }
431 }
143 432
144 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[1]} }) { 433 $port
145 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1] 434}
146 && &{$_->[0]} 435
147 && undef $_; 436=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
437
438Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
439closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
440callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
441
442This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
443
444 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
445 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
446 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
447 snd @reply, $SELF;
448 };
449 };
450
451=cut
452
453sub psub(&) {
454 my $cb = shift;
455
456 my $port = $SELF
457 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
458
459 sub {
460 local $SELF = $port;
461
462 if (wantarray) {
463 my @res = eval { &$cb };
464 _self_die if $@;
465 @res
466 } else {
467 my $res = eval { &$cb };
468 _self_die if $@;
469 $res
148 } 470 }
471 }
472}
149 473
150 for (@{ $self->{any} }) { 474=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason)
151 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1] 475
152 && &{$_->[0]} 476=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport
153 && undef $_; 477
478=item $guard = mon $port
479
480=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg
481
482Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
483messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
484to stop monitoring again.
485
486C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
487that after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port
488will arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible
489message loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between"
490(after the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
491port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
492delivered again.
493
494Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once released, they are removed
495and will not trigger again.
496
497In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
498number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
499"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
500C<eval> if unsure.
501
502In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
503will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
504"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
505port is killed with the same reason.
506
507The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
508C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
509
510In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
511C<snd>.
512
513As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
514a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
515lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
516even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
517to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
518these problems do not exist.
519
520Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
521
522 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
523
524Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
525
526 mon $port;
527
528Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
529
530 mon $port, $self => "restart";
531
532=cut
533
534sub mon {
535 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
536
537 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
538
539 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
540
541 unless (ref $cb) {
542 if (@_) {
543 # send a kill info message
544 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
545 $cb = sub { snd @msg, @_ };
546 } else {
547 # simply kill other port
548 my $port = $cb;
549 $cb = sub { kil $port, @_ if @_ };
154 } 550 }
551 }
552
553 $node->monitor ($port, $cb);
554
555 defined wantarray
556 and AnyEvent::Util::guard { $node->unmonitor ($port, $cb) }
557}
558
559=item $guard = mon_guard $port, $ref, $ref...
560
561Monitors the given C<$port> and keeps the passed references. When the port
562is killed, the references will be freed.
563
564Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
565
566This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
567want to free them when the port gets killed:
568
569 $port->rcv (start => sub {
570 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub {
571 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
572 });
573 });
574
575=cut
576
577sub mon_guard {
578 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
579
580 #TODO: mon-less form?
581
582 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
583}
584
585=item kil $port[, @reason]
586
587Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
588
589If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked
590ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
591
592Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
593C<mon>, see below).
594
595Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
596will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
597
598Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
599$message >>.
600
601=cut
602
603=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
604
605Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
606case it's the node where that port resides).
607
608The port ID of the newly created port is return immediately, and it is
609permissible to immediately start sending messages or monitor the port.
610
611After the port has been created, the init function is
612called. This function must be a fully-qualified function name
613(e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To specify a function in the main
614program, use C<::name>.
615
616If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
617the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
618C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
619exists or it runs out of package names.
620
621The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
622object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
623
624A common idiom is to pass your own port, monitor the spawned port, and
625in the init function, monitor the original port. This two-way monitoring
626ensures that both ports get cleaned up when there is a problem.
627
628Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
629
630 # this node, executed from within a port context:
631 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
632 mon $server;
633
634 # init function on C<$othernode>
635 sub connect {
636 my ($srcport) = @_;
637
638 mon $srcport;
639
640 rcv $SELF, sub {
641 ...
642 };
643 }
644
645=cut
646
647sub _spawn {
648 my $port = shift;
649 my $init = shift;
650
651 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
652 eval {
653 &{ load_func $init }
155 }; 654 };
156 655 _self_die if $@;
157 $self
158} 656}
159 657
160=item $portid = create_miniport { } 658sub spawn(@) {
659 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
161 660
162Creates a "mini port", that is, a port without much #TODO 661 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
163 662
164=cut 663 $_[0] =~ /::/
664 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
165 665
166sub create_miniport(&) { 666 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
167 my $cb = shift;
168 my $id = "$AnyEvent::MP::Base::UNIQ." . ++$AnyEvent::MP::Base::ID;
169 667
170 $AnyEvent::MP::Base::PORT{$id} = sub { 668 "$noderef#$id"
171 &$cb 669}
172 and delete $AnyEvent::MP::Base::PORT{$id}; 670
671=item after $timeout, @msg
672
673=item after $timeout, $callback
674
675Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
676specified number of seconds.
677
678This is simply a utility function that come sin handy at times.
679
680=cut
681
682sub after($@) {
683 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
684
685 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
686 undef $t;
687 ref $action[0]
688 ? $action[0]()
689 : snd @action;
173 }; 690 };
174
175 "$NODE#$id"
176} 691}
177
178package AnyEvent::MP::Port;
179 692
180=back 693=back
181 694
182=head1 METHODS FOR PORT OBJECTS 695=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
696
697AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
698== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
699programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
700sample:
701
702 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
703 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
704 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
705 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
706
707Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
183 708
184=over 4 709=over 4
185 710
186=item "$port" 711=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
187 712
188A port object stringifies to its port ID, so can be used directly for 713Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the
189C<snd> operations. 714same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with
715convenience functionality.
190 716
191=cut 717This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the
718cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead.
192 719
193use overload 720=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
194 '""' => sub { $_[0]{id} }, 721uses "local ports are like remote ports".
195 fallback => 1;
196 722
197=item $port->rcv (type => $callback->($port, @msg)) 723The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
724only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
725when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
726port.
198 727
199=item $port->rcv ($smartmatch => $callback->($port, @msg)) 728Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
729they are not.
200 730
201=item $port->rcv ([$smartmatch...] => $callback->($port, @msg)) 731AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
732ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
733occur.
202 734
203Register a callback on the given port. 735=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
204 736
205The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after 737Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
206which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay 738needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
207registered. 739useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
740AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
741filter messages without dequeing them.
208 742
209If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the 743(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
210first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
211matched.
212 744
213Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function 745=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
214exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
215 746
216While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching 747Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
217element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is 748so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
218also the most efficient match (by far). 749connection establishment is handled in the background.
219 750
220=cut 751=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
221 752
222sub rcv($@) { 753Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
223 my ($self, $match, $cb) = @_; 754without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
755and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
224 756
225 if (!ref $match) { 757AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no
226 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb]; 758holes in the message sequence.
227 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
228 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
229 @match
230 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
231 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
232 } else {
233 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
234 }
235}
236 759
237=item $port->register ($name) 760=item * In Erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be
761alive.
238 762
239Registers the given port under the well known name C<$name>. If the name 763In Erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
240already exists it is replaced. 764linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
765still alive - and can receive messages.
241 766
242A port can only be registered under one well known name. 767In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
768eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
769and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
243 770
244=cut 771=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
245 772
246sub register { 773In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
247 my ($self, $name) = @_; 774known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
775destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
248 776
249 $self->{wkname} = $name; 777AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
250 $AnyEvent::MP::Base::WKP{$name} = "$self"; 778around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
251}
252 779
253=item $port->destroy 780=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
781authentication and can use TLS.
254 782
255Explicitly destroy/remove/nuke/vaporise the port. 783AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and
784securely authenticate nodes.
256 785
257Ports are normally kept alive by there mere existance alone, and need to 786=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
258be destroyed explicitly. 787communications.
259 788
260=cut 789The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both
790language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
791language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable).
261 792
262sub destroy { 793It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
263 my ($self) = @_; 794with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the
795protocol simple.
264 796
265 delete $AnyEvent::MP::Base::WKP{ $self->{wkname} }; 797=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
266 798
267 delete $AnyEvent::MP::Base::PORT{$_} 799In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
268 for @{ $self->{names} }; 800or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
269} 801difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
802Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
803on a per-process basis.
804
805=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
806
807Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes,
808as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
809
810In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
811that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
812on the remote node. The init function monitors the you, and you monitor
813the remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much
814more reliable.
815
816This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
817(hard to do in Erlang).
270 818
271=back 819=back
272 820
273=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 821=head1 RATIONALE
274 822
275=over 4 823=over 4
276 824
277=item mon $noderef, $callback->($noderef, $status, $) 825=item Why strings for ports and noderefs, why not objects?
278 826
279Monitors the given noderef. 827We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
828thatc an be called are very low. Since port IDs and noderefs travel over
829the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
830overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object.
280 831
281=item become_public endpoint... 832Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
833procedures to be "valid".
282 834
283Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes. 835And a a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a global hash - it
836can't become much cheaper.
284 837
285If no arguments are given, or the first argument is C<undef>, then 838=item Why favour JSON, why not real serialising format such as Storable?
286AnyEvent::MP tries to bind on port C<4040> on all IP addresses that the
287local nodename resolves to.
288 839
289Otherwise the first argument must be an array-reference with transport 840In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
290endpoints ("ip:port", "hostname:port") or port numbers (in which case the 841format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
291local nodename is used as hostname). The endpoints are all resolved and 842default.
292will become the node reference.
293 843
294=cut 844The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
845faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
846experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
847than it gains: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
848easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
849always have to re-think your design.
295 850
296=back 851Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
297 852objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
298=head1 NODE MESSAGES
299
300Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
301arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
302message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
303the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
304
305=over 4
306
307=cut
308
309=item wkp => $name, @reply
310
311Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
312
313=item devnull => ...
314
315Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
316
317=item relay => $port, @msg
318
319Simply forwards the message to the given port.
320
321=item eval => $string[ @reply]
322
323Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
324form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
325
326Example: crash another node.
327
328 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
329
330=item time => @reply
331
332Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
333
334Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
335C<timereply> message.
336
337 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
338 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
339 853
340=back 854=back
341 855
342=head1 SEE ALSO 856=head1 SEE ALSO
343 857

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