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

Comparing AnyEvent-MP/MP.pm (file contents):
Revision 1.30 by root, Tue Aug 4 23:35:51 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.62 by root, Thu Aug 27 07:12:48 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46 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - outdated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
35For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> 59For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
36manual page. 60manual page.
37 61
38At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented, 62At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented,
39so 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 -
40stay tuned! The basic API should be finished, however. 64stay tuned!
41 65
42=head1 CONCEPTS 66=head1 CONCEPTS
43 67
44=over 4 68=over 4
45 69
46=item port 70=item port
47 71
48A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function). 72A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
49 73
50Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific 74Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
51messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages 75some messages. Messages will not be queued.
52will not be queued.
53 76
54=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 77=item port id - C<noderef#portname>
55 78
56A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as 79A port ID is the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
57separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An 80separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An
58exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node 81exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
59reference. 82reference.
60 83
61=item node 84=item node
62 85
63A 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,
64port. You can send messages to node ports to find existing ports or to 87which provides nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
65create new ports, among other things. 88ports.
66 89
67Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a 90Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (can only talk to
68master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes). 91public nodes, but do not need an open port) or public nodes (connectable
92from any other node).
69 93
70=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 94=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id>
71 95
72A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for 96A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for
73private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 97private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given
90 114
91=cut 115=cut
92 116
93package AnyEvent::MP; 117package AnyEvent::MP;
94 118
95use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 119use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
96 120
97use common::sense; 121use common::sense;
98 122
99use Carp (); 123use Carp ();
100 124
101use AE (); 125use AE ();
102 126
103use base "Exporter"; 127use base "Exporter";
104 128
105our $VERSION = '0.1'; 129our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
130
106our @EXPORT = qw( 131our @EXPORT = qw(
107 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 132 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
108 resolve_node 133 resolve_node initialise_node
109 become_slave become_public
110 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 134 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
111 port 135 port
112); 136);
113 137
114our $SELF; 138our $SELF;
115 139
119 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 143 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
120} 144}
121 145
122=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 146=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
123 147
124The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 148The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains the
125the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call 149noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call to
126to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port 150C<initialise_node>.
127identifiers become invalid.
128 151
129=item $noderef = node_of $portid 152=item $noderef = node_of $port
130 153
131Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 154Extracts and returns the noderef from a port ID or a noderef.
155
156=item initialise_node $noderef, $seednode, $seednode...
157
158=item initialise_node "slave/", $master, $master...
159
160Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network it has to initialise
161itself - the minimum a node needs to know is it's own name, and optionally
162it should know the noderefs of some other nodes in the network.
163
164This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
165never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
166
167All arguments (optionally except for the first) are noderefs, which can be
168either resolved or unresolved.
169
170The first argument will be looked up in the configuration database first
171(if it is C<undef> then the current nodename will be used instead) to find
172the relevant configuration profile (see L<aemp>). If none is found then
173the default configuration is used. The configuration supplies additional
174seed/master nodes and can override the actual noderef.
175
176There are two types of networked nodes, public nodes and slave nodes:
177
178=over 4
179
180=item public nodes
181
182For public nodes, C<$noderef> (supplied either directly to
183C<initialise_node> or indirectly via a profile or the nodename) must be a
184noderef (possibly unresolved, in which case it will be resolved).
185
186After resolving, the node will bind itself on all endpoints.
187
188=item slave nodes
189
190When the C<$noderef> (either as given or overriden by the config file)
191is the special string C<slave/>, then the node will become a slave
192node. Slave nodes cannot be contacted from outside, and cannot talk to
193each other (at least in this version of AnyEvent::MP).
194
195Slave nodes work by creating connections to all public nodes, using the
196L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> service.
197
198=back
199
200After initialising itself, the node will connect to all additional
201C<$seednodes> that are specified diretcly or via a profile. Seednodes are
202optional and can be used to quickly bootstrap the node into an existing
203network.
204
205All the seednodes will also be specially marked to automatically retry
206connecting to them indefinitely, so make sure that seednodes are really
207reliable and up (this might also change in the future).
208
209Example: become a public node listening on the guessed noderef, or the one
210specified via C<aemp> for the current node. This should be the most common
211form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
212
213 initialise_node;
214
215Example: become a slave node to any of the the seednodes specified via
216C<aemp>. This form is often used for commandline clients.
217
218 initialise_node "slave/";
219
220Example: become a public node, and try to contact some well-known master
221servers to become part of the network.
222
223 initialise_node undef, "master1", "master2";
224
225Example: become a public node listening on port C<4041>.
226
227 initialise_node 4041;
228
229Example: become a public node, only visible on localhost port 4044.
230
231 initialise_node "localhost:4044";
132 232
133=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef 233=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef
134 234
135Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and 235Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and
136abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node 236abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node
168 268
169Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 269Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
170just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 270just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this
171module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 271module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
172 272
173=item snd $portid, type => @data 273=item snd $port, type => @data
174 274
175=item snd $portid, @msg 275=item snd $port, @msg
176 276
177Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 277Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either
178a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 278a local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
179stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
180 279
181While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 280While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a
182string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 281string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a request
183type etc.). 282type etc.).
184 283
185The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 284The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this
186function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 285function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many
187problems. 286problems.
190JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 289JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
191of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 290of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
192that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 291that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
193node, anything can be passed. 292node, anything can be passed.
194 293
195=item kil $portid[, @reason] 294=item $local_port = port
196 295
197Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 296Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
297no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
198 298
199If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 299=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
200ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
201 300
202Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 301Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
203C<mon>, see below). 302creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
204 303
205Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 304The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
206will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 305global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
306port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
307(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
207 308
208Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 309If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
209$message >>.
210 310
311 my $port = port {
312 my @msg = @_;
313 ...
314 kil $SELF;
315 };
316
317=cut
318
319sub rcv($@);
320
321sub _kilme {
322 die "received message on port without callback";
323}
324
325sub port(;&) {
326 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
327 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
328
329 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
330
331 $port
332}
333
334=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
335
336Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
337remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
338C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
339
340The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
341executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
342result in the port being C<kil>ed.
343
344The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
345C<tag> match.
346
347=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
348
349Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
350given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
351C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
352registered for each tag.
353
354The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
355element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
356environment as the default callback (see above).
357
358Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
359
360 my $port = rcv port,
361 msg1 => sub { ... },
362 msg2 => sub { ... },
363 ;
364
365Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
366in one go:
367
368 snd $otherport, reply =>
369 rcv port,
370 msg1 => sub { ... },
371 ...
372 ;
373
374Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
375(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
376
377 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
378 my @reply = @_;
379
380 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
381 };
382
383=cut
384
385sub rcv($@) {
386 my $port = shift;
387 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
388
389 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
390 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
391
392 while (@_) {
393 if (ref $_[0]) {
394 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
395 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
396 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
397
398 $self->[2] = shift;
399 } else {
400 my $cb = shift;
401 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
402 local $SELF = $port;
403 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
404 };
405 }
406 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
407 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
408 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
409
410 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
411 local $SELF = $port;
412
413 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
414 shift;
415 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
416 } else {
417 &{ $self->[0] };
418 }
419 };
420
421 $self
422 };
423
424 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
425 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
426
427 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
428
429 if (defined $cb) {
430 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
431 } else {
432 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
433 }
434 }
435 }
436
437 $port
438}
439
440=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
441
442Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
443closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
444callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
445
446This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
447
448 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
449 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
450 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
451 snd @reply, $SELF;
452 };
453 };
454
455=cut
456
457sub psub(&) {
458 my $cb = shift;
459
460 my $port = $SELF
461 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
462
463 sub {
464 local $SELF = $port;
465
466 if (wantarray) {
467 my @res = eval { &$cb };
468 _self_die if $@;
469 @res
470 } else {
471 my $res = eval { &$cb };
472 _self_die if $@;
473 $res
474 }
475 }
476}
477
211=item $guard = mon $portid, $cb->(@reason) 478=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason)
212 479
213=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport 480=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport
214 481
482=item $guard = mon $port
483
215=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport, @msg 484=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg
216 485
217Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 486Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
487messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
488to stop monitoring again.
218 489
490C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
491that after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port
492will arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible
493message loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between"
494(after the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
495port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
496delivered again.
497
498Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once released, they are removed
499and will not trigger again.
500
219In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 501In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
220of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 502number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
221"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 503"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
222C<eval> if unsure. 504C<eval> if unsure.
223 505
224In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 506In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
225a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 507will 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. 508"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
509port is killed with the same reason.
227 510
511The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
512C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
513
228In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 514In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
515C<snd>.
516
517As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
518a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
519lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
520even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
521to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
522these problems do not exist.
229 523
230Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 524Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
231 525
232 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 526 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
233 527
234Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 528Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
235 529
236 mon $port, $self; 530 mon $port;
237 531
238Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 532Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
239 533
240 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 534 mon $port, $self => "restart";
241 535
242=cut 536=cut
243 537
244sub mon { 538sub mon {
245 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 539 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
246 540
247 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 541 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
248 542
249 my $cb = shift; 543 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
250 544
251 unless (ref $cb) { 545 unless (ref $cb) {
252 if (@_) { 546 if (@_) {
253 # send a kill info message 547 # send a kill info message
254 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 548 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
285=cut 579=cut
286 580
287sub mon_guard { 581sub mon_guard {
288 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 582 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
289 583
584 #TODO: mon-less form?
585
290 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 586 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
291} 587}
292 588
293=item lnk $port1, $port2 589=item kil $port[, @reason]
294 590
295Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for: 591Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
296 592
297 mon $port1, $port2; 593If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked
298 mon $port2, $port1; 594ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
299 595
300It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets 596Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
301killed as well. 597C<mon>, see below).
302 598
303=item $local_port = port 599Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
600will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
304 601
305Create a new local port object that supports message matching. 602Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
603$message >>.
306 604
307=item $portid = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
308
309Creates a "mini port", that is, a very lightweight port without any
310pattern matching behind it, and returns its ID.
311
312The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
313callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
314will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
315
316The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
317be passed to the callback.
318
319If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
320
321 my $port; $port = miniport {
322 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
323 };
324
325=cut 605=cut
326 606
327sub port(;&) { 607=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
328 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
329 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
330 608
331 if (@_) { 609Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
332 my $cb = shift; 610case it's the node where that port resides).
333 $PORT{$id} = sub { 611
334 local $SELF = $port; 612The port ID of the newly created port is return immediately, and it is
335 eval { 613permissible to immediately start sending messages or monitor the port.
336 &$cb 614
337 and kil $id; 615After the port has been created, the init function is
616called. This function must be a fully-qualified function name
617(e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To specify a function in the main
618program, use C<::name>.
619
620If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
621the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
622C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
623exists or it runs out of package names.
624
625The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
626object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
627
628A common idiom is to pass your own port, monitor the spawned port, and
629in the init function, monitor the original port. This two-way monitoring
630ensures that both ports get cleaned up when there is a problem.
631
632Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
633
634 # this node, executed from within a port context:
635 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
636 mon $server;
637
638 # init function on C<$othernode>
639 sub connect {
640 my ($srcport) = @_;
641
642 mon $srcport;
643
644 rcv $SELF, sub {
338 }; 645 ...
339 _self_die if $@;
340 };
341 } else {
342 my $self = bless {
343 id => "$NODE#$id",
344 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
345
346 $PORT_DATA{$id} = $self;
347 $PORT{$id} = sub {
348 local $SELF = $port;
349
350 eval {
351 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
352 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
353 && undef $_;
354 }
355
356 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
357 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
358 && &{$_->[0]}
359 && undef $_;
360 }
361
362 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
363 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
364 && &{$_->[0]}
365 && undef $_;
366 }
367 };
368 _self_die if $@;
369 }; 646 };
370 } 647 }
371 648
372 $port
373}
374
375=item reg $portid, $name
376
377Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
378exists it is replaced.
379
380A port can only be registered under one well known name.
381
382A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
383
384=cut 649=cut
385 650
386sub reg(@) { 651sub _spawn {
387 my ($portid, $name) = @_; 652 my $port = shift;
653 my $init = shift;
388 654
389 $REG{$name} = $portid; 655 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
390} 656 eval {
391 657 &{ load_func $init }
392=item rcv $portid, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
393
394=item rcv $portid, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
395
396=item rcv $portid, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
397
398Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given port.
399
400The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
401which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
402registered.
403
404The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$portid> while
405executing the callback.
406
407Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being
408C<kil>ed.
409
410If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
411first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
412matched.
413
414Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
415exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
416
417While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
418element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
419also the most efficient match (by far).
420
421=cut
422
423sub rcv($@) {
424 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
425
426 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""}
427 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
428
429 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$port}
430 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
431
432 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
433 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
434
435 while (@_) {
436 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
437
438 if (!ref $match) {
439 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb];
440 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
441 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
442 @match
443 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
444 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
445 } else {
446 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
447 }
448 }
449}
450
451=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
452
453Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
454closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
455callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
456
457This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
458
459 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
460 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
461 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
462 snd @reply, $SELF;
463 };
464 }; 658 };
465
466=cut
467
468sub psub(&) {
469 my $cb = shift;
470
471 my $port = $SELF
472 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
473
474 sub {
475 local $SELF = $port;
476
477 if (wantarray) {
478 my @res = eval { &$cb };
479 _self_die if $@; 659 _self_die if $@;
480 @res 660}
481 } else { 661
482 my $res = eval { &$cb }; 662sub spawn(@) {
483 _self_die if $@; 663 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
484 $res 664
485 } 665 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
666
667 $_[0] =~ /::/
668 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
669
670 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
671
672 "$noderef#$id"
673}
674
675=item after $timeout, @msg
676
677=item after $timeout, $callback
678
679Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
680specified number of seconds.
681
682This is simply a utility function that come sin handy at times.
683
684=cut
685
686sub after($@) {
687 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
688
689 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
690 undef $t;
691 ref $action[0]
692 ? $action[0]()
693 : snd @action;
486 } 694 };
487} 695}
488 696
489=back 697=back
490 698
491=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES
492
493=over 4
494
495=item become_public $noderef
496
497Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes.
498
499The first argument is the (unresolved) node reference of the local node
500(if missing then the empty string is used).
501
502It is quite common to not specify anything, in which case the local node
503tries to listen on the default port, or to only specify a port number, in
504which case AnyEvent::MP tries to guess the local addresses.
505
506=cut
507
508=back
509
510=head1 NODE MESSAGES
511
512Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
513arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
514message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
515the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
516
517While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
518
519=over 4
520
521=cut
522
523=item lookup => $name, @reply
524
525Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
526
527=item devnull => ...
528
529Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
530
531=item relay => $port, @msg
532
533Simply forwards the message to the given port.
534
535=item eval => $string[ @reply]
536
537Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
538form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
539
540Example: crash another node.
541
542 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
543
544=item time => @reply
545
546Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
547
548Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
549C<timereply> message.
550
551 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
552 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
553
554=back
555
556=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang 699=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
557 700
558AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node 701AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
559== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and 702== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
560programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a 703programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
561sample: 704sample:
562 705
563 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml 706 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
564 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4 707 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
565 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6 708 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
566 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5 709 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
567 710
568Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences: 711Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
569 712
570=over 4 713=over 4
571 714
576convenience functionality. 719convenience functionality.
577 720
578This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 721This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the
579cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 722cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead.
580 723
724=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
725uses "local ports are like remote ports".
726
727The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
728only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
729when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
730port.
731
732Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
733they are not.
734
735AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
736ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
737occur.
738
581=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 739=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
582 740
583Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 741Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
584needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 742needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
585purpose. 743useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
744AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
745filter messages without dequeing them.
586 746
587(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 747(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
588 748
589=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 749=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
590 750
591Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 751Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
592sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 752so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
593background. 753connection establishment is handled in the background.
594 754
595=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 755=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
596 756
597Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 757Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
598without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 758without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
599and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 759and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
600 760
601AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 761AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no
602holes in the message sequence. 762holes in the message sequence.
603 763
604=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 764=item * In Erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be
605alive. 765alive.
606 766
607In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and 767In Erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
608linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is 768linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
609still alive - and can receive messages. 769still alive - and can receive messages.
610 770
611In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will 771In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
612eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead 772eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
613and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive. 773and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
614 774
615=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 775=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
616 776
617In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 777In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
618ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 778known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
619messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 779destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
620 780
621AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 781AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
622around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 782around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
623 783
624=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 784=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
628securely authenticate nodes. 788securely authenticate nodes.
629 789
630=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 790=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
631communications. 791communications.
632 792
633The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 793The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both
634language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 794language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
635language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 795language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable).
636 796
637It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 797It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
638with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 798with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the
639protocol simple. 799protocol simple.
640 800
801=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
802
803In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
804or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
805difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
806Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
807on a per-process basis.
808
809=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
810
811Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes,
812as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
813
814In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
815that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
816on the remote node. The init function monitors the you, and you monitor
817the remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much
818more reliable.
819
820This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
821(hard to do in Erlang).
822
823=back
824
825=head1 RATIONALE
826
827=over 4
828
829=item Why strings for ports and noderefs, why not objects?
830
831We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
832thatc an be called are very low. Since port IDs and noderefs travel over
833the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
834overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object.
835
836Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
837procedures to be "valid".
838
839And a a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a global hash - it
840can't become much cheaper.
841
842=item Why favour JSON, why not real serialising format such as Storable?
843
844In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
845format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
846default.
847
848The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
849faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
850experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
851than it gains: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
852easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
853always have to re-think your design.
854
855Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
856objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
857
641=back 858=back
642 859
643=head1 SEE ALSO 860=head1 SEE ALSO
644 861
645L<AnyEvent>. 862L<AnyEvent>.

Diff Legend

Removed lines
+ Added lines
< Changed lines
> Changed lines