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Revision 1.58 by root, Sun Aug 16 02:55:16 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; # -OR-
17 initialise_node "localhost:4040"; # -OR-
18 initialise_node "slave/", "localhost:4040"
19
20 # ports are message endpoints
21
22 # sending messages
13 snd $port, type => data...; 23 snd $port, type => data...;
24 snd $port, @msg;
25 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
14 26
15 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks 27 # creating/using ports, the simple way
28 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_; 0 };
16 29
17 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 30 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
18 31 my $port = port;
19 # examples:
20 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 32 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 33 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n"; 0 };
22 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
23 34
24 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 35 # create a port on another node
25 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 36 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
26 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 37
38 # monitoring
39 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
40 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
41 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
42
43=head1 CURRENT STATUS
44
45 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work
46 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - outdated
47 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - WIP
48 AnyEvent::MP::Transport - mostly stable
49
50 stay tuned.
27 51
28=head1 DESCRIPTION 52=head1 DESCRIPTION
29 53
30This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 54This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
31 55
32Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 56Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
33on the same or other hosts. 57on the same or other hosts.
34 58
59For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
60manual page.
61
35At the moment, this module family is severly brokena nd underdocumented, 62At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented,
36so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace - 63so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
37stay tuned! 64stay tuned!
38 65
39=head1 CONCEPTS 66=head1 CONCEPTS
40 67
41=over 4 68=over 4
42 69
43=item port 70=item port
44 71
45A port is something you can send messages to with the C<snd> function, and 72A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
46you can register C<rcv> handlers with. All C<rcv> handlers will receive 73
74Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
47messages they match, messages will not be queued. 75some messages. Messages will not be queued.
48 76
49=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 77=item port id - C<noderef#portname>
50 78
51A port id is always the noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as separator, followed 79A port ID is the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
52by a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). 80separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An
81exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
82reference.
53 83
54=item node 84=item node
55 85
56A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 86A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node port,
57port. You can send messages to node ports to let them create new ports, 87which provides nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
58among other things. 88ports.
59 89
60Initially, nodes are either private (single-process only) or hidden 90Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a
61(connected to a master node only). Only when they epxlicitly "become 91master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes).
62public" can you send them messages from unrelated other nodes.
63 92
64=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 93=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id>
65 94
66A noderef is a string that either uniquely identifies a given node (for 95A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for
67private and hidden nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 96private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given
68node (for public nodes). 97node (for public nodes).
69 98
99This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for
100TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
101
102Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical
103addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses).
104
105Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to
106resolve it.
107
70=back 108=back
71 109
72=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 110=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
73 111
74=over 4 112=over 4
75 113
76=cut 114=cut
77 115
78package AnyEvent::MP; 116package AnyEvent::MP;
79 117
80use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 118use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
81 119
82use common::sense; 120use common::sense;
83 121
84use Carp (); 122use Carp ();
85 123
86use AE (); 124use AE ();
87 125
88use base "Exporter"; 126use base "Exporter";
89 127
90our $VERSION = '0.02'; 128our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
129
91our @EXPORT = qw( 130our @EXPORT = qw(
92 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 131 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_
93 become_slave become_public 132 resolve_node initialise_node
94 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 133 snd rcv mon kil reg psub spawn
95 port 134 port
96); 135);
97 136
98our $SELF; 137our $SELF;
99 138
103 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 142 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
104} 143}
105 144
106=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 145=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
107 146
108The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 147The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains the
109the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call 148noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call to
110to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port 149C<initialise_node>.
111identifiers become invalid.
112 150
113=item $noderef = node_of $portid 151=item $noderef = node_of $port
114 152
115Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 153Extracts and returns the noderef from a port ID or a noderef.
154
155=item initialise_node $noderef, $seednode, $seednode...
156
157=item initialise_node "slave/", $master, $master...
158
159Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network it has to initialise
160itself - the minimum a node needs to know is it's own name, and optionally
161it should know the noderefs of some other nodes in the network.
162
163This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
164never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
165
166All arguments (optionally except for the first) are noderefs, which can be
167either resolved or unresolved.
168
169The first argument will be looked up in the configuration database first
170(if it is C<undef> then the current nodename will be used instead) to find
171the relevant configuration profile (see L<aemp>). If none is found then
172the default configuration is used. The configuration supplies additional
173seed/master nodes and can override the actual noderef.
174
175There are two types of networked nodes, public nodes and slave nodes:
176
177=over 4
178
179=item public nodes
180
181For public nodes, C<$noderef> (supplied either directly to
182C<initialise_node> or indirectly via a profile or the nodename) must be a
183noderef (possibly unresolved, in which case it will be resolved).
184
185After resolving, the node will bind itself on all endpoints and try to
186connect to all additional C<$seednodes> that are specified. Seednodes are
187optional and can be used to quickly bootstrap the node into an existing
188network.
189
190=item slave nodes
191
192When the C<$noderef> (either as given or overriden by the config file)
193is the special string C<slave/>, then the node will become a slave
194node. Slave nodes cannot be contacted from outside and will route most of
195their traffic to the master node that they attach to.
196
197At least one additional noderef is required (either by specifying it
198directly or because it is part of the configuration profile): The node
199will try to connect to all of them and will become a slave attached to the
200first node it can successfully connect to.
201
202Note that slave nodes cannot change their name, and consequently, their
203master, so if the master goes down, the slave node will not function well
204anymore until it can re-establish conenciton to its master. This makes
205slave nodes unsuitable for long-term nodes or fault-tolerant networks.
206
207=back
208
209This function will block until all nodes have been resolved and, for slave
210nodes, until it has successfully established a connection to a master
211server.
212
213All the seednodes will also be specially marked to automatically retry
214connecting to them infinitely.
215
216Example: become a public node listening on the guessed noderef, or the one
217specified via C<aemp> for the current node. This should be the most common
218form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
219
220 initialise_node;
221
222Example: become a slave node to any of the the seednodes specified via
223C<aemp>. This form is often used for commandline clients.
224
225 initialise_node "slave/";
226
227Example: become a slave node to any of the specified master servers. This
228form is also often used for commandline clients.
229
230 initialise_node "slave/", "master1", "192.168.13.17", "mp.example.net";
231
232Example: become a public node, and try to contact some well-known master
233servers to become part of the network.
234
235 initialise_node undef, "master1", "master2";
236
237Example: become a public node listening on port C<4041>.
238
239 initialise_node 4041;
240
241Example: become a public node, only visible on localhost port 4044.
242
243 initialise_node "localhost:4044";
244
245=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef
246
247Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and
248abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node
249reference.
250
251In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the
252following forms are supported:
253
254=over 4
255
256=item the empty string
257
258An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was
259specified.
260
261=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>)
262
263These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be
264further resolved.
265
266=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>)
267
268These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally
269looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was
270specified.
271
272=back
116 273
117=item $SELF 274=item $SELF
118 275
119Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub> 276Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
120blocks. 277blocks.
123 280
124Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 281Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
125just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 282just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this
126module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 283module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
127 284
128=item snd $portid, type => @data 285=item snd $port, type => @data
129 286
130=item snd $portid, @msg 287=item snd $port, @msg
131 288
132Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 289Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either
133a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 290a local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
134stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
135 291
136While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 292While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a
137string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 293string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a request
138type etc.). 294type etc.).
139 295
140The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 296The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this
141function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 297function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many
142problems. 298problems.
145JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 301JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
146of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 302of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
147that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 303that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
148node, anything can be passed. 304node, anything can be passed.
149 305
150=item kil $portid[, @reason] 306=item $local_port = port
151 307
152Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 308Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
309no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
153 310
154If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 311=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
155ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
156 312
157Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 313Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
158C<mon>, see below). 314creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
159 315
160Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 316The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
161will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 317global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
318port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
319(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
162 320
163Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 321If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
164$message >>.
165 322
166=item $guard = mon $portid, $cb->(@reason) 323 my $port = port {
167 324 my @msg = @_;
168=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport 325 ...
169 326 kil $SELF;
170=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport, @msg 327 };
171
172Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed.
173
174In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number
175of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
176"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
177C<eval> if unsure.
178
179In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff
180a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while
181under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason.
182
183In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>.
184
185Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
186
187 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
188
189Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
190
191 mon $port, $self;
192
193Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed.
194
195 mon $port, $self => "restart";
196 328
197=cut 329=cut
198 330
199sub mon { 331sub rcv($@);
200 my ($noderef, $port, $cb) = ((split /#/, shift, 2), shift);
201 332
202 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 333sub _kilme {
203 334 die "received message on port without callback";
204 #TODO: ports must not be references
205 if (!ref $cb or "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $cb) {
206 if (@_) {
207 # send a kill info message
208 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
209 $cb = sub { snd @msg, @_ };
210 } else {
211 # simply kill other port
212 my $port = $cb;
213 $cb = sub { kil $port, @_ if @_ };
214 }
215 }
216
217 $node->monitor ($port, $cb);
218
219 defined wantarray
220 and AnyEvent::Util::guard { $node->unmonitor ($port, $cb) }
221} 335}
222
223=item $guard = mon_guard $port, $ref, $ref...
224
225Monitors the given C<$port> and keeps the passed references. When the port
226is killed, the references will be freed.
227
228Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
229
230This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
231want to free them when the port gets killed:
232
233 $port->rcv (start => sub {
234 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub {
235 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
236 });
237 });
238
239=cut
240
241sub mon_guard {
242 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
243
244 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
245}
246
247=item $local_port = port
248
249Create a new local port object that supports message matching.
250
251=item $portid = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
252
253Creates a "mini port", that is, a very lightweight port without any
254pattern matching behind it, and returns its ID.
255
256The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
257callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
258will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
259
260The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
261be passed to the callback.
262
263If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
264
265 my $port; $port = miniport {
266 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
267 };
268
269=cut
270 336
271sub port(;&) { 337sub port(;&) {
272 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++; 338 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
273 my $port = "$NODE#$id"; 339 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
274 340
275 if (@_) { 341 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
276 my $cb = shift;
277 $PORT{$id} = sub {
278 local $SELF = $port;
279 eval {
280 &$cb
281 and kil $id;
282 };
283 _self_die if $@;
284 };
285 } else {
286 my $self = bless {
287 id => "$NODE#$id",
288 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
289
290 $PORT_DATA{$id} = $self;
291 $PORT{$id} = sub {
292 local $SELF = $port;
293
294 eval {
295 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
296 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
297 && undef $_;
298 }
299
300 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
301 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
302 && &{$_->[0]}
303 && undef $_;
304 }
305
306 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
307 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
308 && &{$_->[0]}
309 && undef $_;
310 }
311 };
312 _self_die if $@;
313 };
314 }
315 342
316 $port 343 $port
317} 344}
318 345
319=item reg $portid, $name 346=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
320 347
321Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already 348Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
322exists it is replaced. 349remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
350C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
323 351
324A port can only be registered under one well known name. 352The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
353executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
354result in the port being C<kil>ed.
325 355
326A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed. 356The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
357C<tag> match.
358
359=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
360
361Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
362given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
363C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
364registered for each tag.
365
366The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
367element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
368environment as the default callback (see above).
369
370Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
371
372 my $port = rcv port,
373 msg1 => sub { ... },
374 msg2 => sub { ... },
375 ;
376
377Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
378in one go:
379
380 snd $otherport, reply =>
381 rcv port,
382 msg1 => sub { ... },
383 ...
384 ;
385
386Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
387(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
388
389 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
390 my @reply = @_;
391
392 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
393 };
327 394
328=cut 395=cut
329 396
330sub reg(@) {
331 my ($portid, $name) = @_;
332
333 $REG{$name} = $portid;
334}
335
336=item rcv $portid, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
337
338=item rcv $portid, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
339
340=item rcv $portid, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
341
342Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given port.
343
344The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
345which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
346registered.
347
348The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$portid> while
349executing the callback.
350
351Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being
352C<kil>ed.
353
354If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
355first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
356matched.
357
358Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
359exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
360
361While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
362element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
363also the most efficient match (by far).
364
365=cut
366
367sub rcv($@) { 397sub rcv($@) {
398 my $port = shift;
368 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 399 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
369 400
370 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""} 401 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
371 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught"; 402 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
372
373 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$port}
374 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
375
376 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
377 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
378 403
379 while (@_) { 404 while (@_) {
380 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
381
382 if (!ref $match) { 405 if (ref $_[0]) {
383 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb]; 406 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
384 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) { 407 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
385 my ($type, @match) = @$match; 408 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
386 @match 409
387 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match] 410 $self->[2] = shift;
388 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
389 } else { 411 } else {
390 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match]; 412 my $cb = shift;
413 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
414 local $SELF = $port;
415 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
416 };
417 }
418 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
419 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
420 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
421
422 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
423 local $SELF = $port;
424
425 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
426 shift;
427 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
428 } else {
429 &{ $self->[0] };
430 }
431 };
432
433 $self
434 };
435
436 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
437 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
438
439 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
440
441 if (defined $cb) {
442 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
443 } else {
444 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
445 }
391 } 446 }
392 } 447 }
448
449 $port
393} 450}
394 451
395=item $closure = psub { BLOCK } 452=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
396 453
397Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the 454Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
428 $res 485 $res
429 } 486 }
430 } 487 }
431} 488}
432 489
490=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason)
491
492=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport
493
494=item $guard = mon $port
495
496=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg
497
498Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
499messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
500to stop monitoring again.
501
502C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
503that after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port
504will arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible
505message loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between"
506(after the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
507port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
508delivered again.
509
510Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once released, they are removed
511and will not trigger again.
512
513In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
514number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
515"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
516C<eval> if unsure.
517
518In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
519will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
520"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
521port is killed with the same reason.
522
523The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
524C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
525
526In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
527C<snd>.
528
529As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
530a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
531lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
532even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
533to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
534these problems do not exist.
535
536Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
537
538 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
539
540Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
541
542 mon $port;
543
544Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
545
546 mon $port, $self => "restart";
547
548=cut
549
550sub mon {
551 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
552
553 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
554
555 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
556
557 unless (ref $cb) {
558 if (@_) {
559 # send a kill info message
560 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
561 $cb = sub { snd @msg, @_ };
562 } else {
563 # simply kill other port
564 my $port = $cb;
565 $cb = sub { kil $port, @_ if @_ };
566 }
567 }
568
569 $node->monitor ($port, $cb);
570
571 defined wantarray
572 and AnyEvent::Util::guard { $node->unmonitor ($port, $cb) }
573}
574
575=item $guard = mon_guard $port, $ref, $ref...
576
577Monitors the given C<$port> and keeps the passed references. When the port
578is killed, the references will be freed.
579
580Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
581
582This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
583want to free them when the port gets killed:
584
585 $port->rcv (start => sub {
586 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub {
587 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
588 });
589 });
590
591=cut
592
593sub mon_guard {
594 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
595
596 #TODO: mon-less form?
597
598 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
599}
600
601=item kil $port[, @reason]
602
603Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
604
605If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked
606ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
607
608Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
609C<mon>, see below).
610
611Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
612will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
613
614Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
615$message >>.
616
617=cut
618
619=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
620
621Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
622case it's the node where that port resides).
623
624The port ID of the newly created port is return immediately, and it is
625permissible to immediately start sending messages or monitor the port.
626
627After the port has been created, the init function is
628called. This function must be a fully-qualified function name
629(e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To specify a function in the main
630program, use C<::name>.
631
632If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
633the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
634C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
635exists or it runs out of package names.
636
637The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
638object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
639
640A common idiom is to pass your own port, monitor the spawned port, and
641in the init function, monitor the original port. This two-way monitoring
642ensures that both ports get cleaned up when there is a problem.
643
644Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
645
646 # this node, executed from within a port context:
647 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
648 mon $server;
649
650 # init function on C<$othernode>
651 sub connect {
652 my ($srcport) = @_;
653
654 mon $srcport;
655
656 rcv $SELF, sub {
657 ...
658 };
659 }
660
661=cut
662
663sub _spawn {
664 my $port = shift;
665 my $init = shift;
666
667 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
668 eval {
669 &{ load_func $init }
670 };
671 _self_die if $@;
672}
673
674sub spawn(@) {
675 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
676
677 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
678
679 $_[0] =~ /::/
680 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
681
682 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
683
684 "$noderef#$id"
685}
686
433=back 687=back
434 688
435=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 689=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
690
691AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
692== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
693programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
694sample:
695
696 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
697 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
698 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
699 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
700
701Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
436 702
437=over 4 703=over 4
438 704
439=item become_public endpoint... 705=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
440 706
441Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes. 707Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the
708same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with
709convenience functionality.
442 710
443If no arguments are given, or the first argument is C<undef>, then 711This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the
444AnyEvent::MP tries to bind on port C<4040> on all IP addresses that the 712cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead.
445local nodename resolves to.
446 713
447Otherwise the first argument must be an array-reference with transport 714=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
448endpoints ("ip:port", "hostname:port") or port numbers (in which case the 715uses "local ports are like remote ports".
449local nodename is used as hostname). The endpoints are all resolved and
450will become the node reference.
451 716
452=cut 717The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
718only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
719when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
720port.
721
722Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
723they are not.
724
725AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
726ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
727occur.
728
729=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
730
731Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
732needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
733useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
734AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
735filter messages without dequeing them.
736
737(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
738
739=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
740
741Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
742so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
743connection establishment is handled in the background.
744
745=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
746
747Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
748without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
749and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
750
751AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no
752holes in the message sequence.
753
754=item * In Erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be
755alive.
756
757In Erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
758linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
759still alive - and can receive messages.
760
761In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
762eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
763and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
764
765=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
766
767In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
768known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
769destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
770
771AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
772around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
773
774=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
775authentication and can use TLS.
776
777AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and
778securely authenticate nodes.
779
780=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
781communications.
782
783The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both
784language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
785language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable).
786
787It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
788with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the
789protocol simple.
790
791=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
792
793In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
794or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
795difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
796Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
797on a per-process basis.
798
799=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
800
801Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes,
802as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
803
804In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
805that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
806on the remote node. The init function monitors the you, and you monitor
807the remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much
808more reliable.
809
810This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
811(hard to do in Erlang).
453 812
454=back 813=back
455 814
456=head1 NODE MESSAGES 815=head1 RATIONALE
457
458Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
459arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
460message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
461the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
462 816
463=over 4 817=over 4
464 818
465=cut 819=item Why strings for ports and noderefs, why not objects?
466 820
467=item lookup => $name, @reply 821We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
822thatc an be called are very low. Since port IDs and noderefs travel over
823the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
824overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object.
468 825
469Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>. 826Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
827procedures to be "valid".
470 828
471=item devnull => ... 829And a a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a global hash - it
830can't become much cheaper.
472 831
473Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion. 832=item Why favour JSON, why not real serialising format such as Storable?
474 833
475=item relay => $port, @msg 834In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
835format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
836default.
476 837
477Simply forwards the message to the given port. 838The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
839faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
840experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
841than it gains: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
842easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
843always have to re-think your design.
478 844
479=item eval => $string[ @reply] 845Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
480 846objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
481Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
482form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
483
484Example: crash another node.
485
486 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
487
488=item time => @reply
489
490Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
491
492Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
493C<timereply> message.
494
495 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
496 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
497 847
498=back 848=back
499 849
500=head1 SEE ALSO 850=head1 SEE ALSO
501 851

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