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Revision 1.34 by root, Wed Aug 5 23:50:46 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.69 by root, Sun Aug 30 18:51:49 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;
17
18 # ports are message endpoints
19
20 # sending messages
13 snd $port, type => data...; 21 snd $port, type => data...;
22 snd $port, @msg;
23 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
14 24
15 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks 25 # creating/using ports, the simple way
26 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_; 0 };
16 27
17 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 28 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
18 29 my $port = port;
19 # examples:
20 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 30 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 31 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n"; 0 };
22 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
23 32
24 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 33 # create a port on another node
25 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 34 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
26 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 35
36 # monitoring
37 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
38 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
39 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
40
41=head1 CURRENT STATUS
42
43 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work
44 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - outdated
45 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - mostly stable
46 AnyEvent::MP::Global - mostly stable
47 AnyEvent::MP::Node - mostly stable, but internal anyways
48 AnyEvent::MP::Transport - mostly stable, but internal anyways
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, and you can supervise entities remotely.
34 58
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 and the examples under F<eg/>.
37 61
38At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented, 62At the moment, this module family is a bit underdocumented.
39so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
40stay tuned! The basic API should be finished, however.
41 63
42=head1 CONCEPTS 64=head1 CONCEPTS
43 65
44=over 4 66=over 4
45 67
46=item port 68=item port
47 69
48A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function). 70A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
49 71
50Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific 72Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
51messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages 73some messages. Messages send to ports will not be queued, regardless of
52will not be queued. 74anything was listening for them or not.
53 75
54=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 76=item port ID - C<nodeid#portname>
55 77
56A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as 78A port ID is the concatenation of a node ID, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
57separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An 79separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format).
58exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
59reference.
60 80
61=item node 81=item node
62 82
63A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 83A 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 84which enables nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
65create new ports, among other things. 85ports.
66 86
67Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a 87Nodes are either public (have one or more listening ports) or private
68master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes). 88(no listening ports). Private nodes cannot talk to other private nodes
89currently.
69 90
70=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 91=item node ID - C<[a-za-Z0-9_\-.:]+>
71 92
72A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for 93A node ID is a string that uniquely identifies the node within a
73private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 94network. Depending on the configuration used, node IDs can look like a
74node (for public nodes). 95hostname, a hostname and a port, or a random string. AnyEvent::MP itself
96doesn't interpret node IDs in any way.
75 97
76This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for 98=item binds - C<ip:port>
77TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
78 99
79Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical 100Nodes can only talk to each other by creating some kind of connection to
80addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses). 101each other. To do this, nodes should listen on one or more local transport
102endpoints - binds. Currently, only standard C<ip:port> specifications can
103be used, which specify TCP ports to listen on.
81 104
82Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to 105=item seeds - C<host:port>
83resolve it. 106
107When a node starts, it knows nothing about the network. To teach the node
108about the network it first has to contact some other node within the
109network. This node is called a seed.
110
111Seeds are transport endpoint(s) of as many nodes as one wants. Those nodes
112are expected to be long-running, and at least one of those should always
113be available. When nodes run out of connections (e.g. due to a network
114error), they try to re-establish connections to some seednodes again to
115join the network.
116
117Apart from being sued for seeding, seednodes are not special in any way -
118every public node can be a seednode.
84 119
85=back 120=back
86 121
87=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 122=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
88 123
90 125
91=cut 126=cut
92 127
93package AnyEvent::MP; 128package AnyEvent::MP;
94 129
95use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 130use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
96 131
97use common::sense; 132use common::sense;
98 133
99use Carp (); 134use Carp ();
100 135
101use AE (); 136use AE ();
102 137
103use base "Exporter"; 138use base "Exporter";
104 139
105our $VERSION = '0.1'; 140our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
141
106our @EXPORT = qw( 142our @EXPORT = qw(
107 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 143 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
108 resolve_node initialise_node 144 initialise_node
109 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 145 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
110 port 146 port
111); 147);
112 148
113our $SELF; 149our $SELF;
114 150
118 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 154 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
119} 155}
120 156
121=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 157=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
122 158
123The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 159The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains, the node
124the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call 160ID of the node running in the current process. This value is initialised by
125to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port 161a call to C<initialise_node>.
126identifiers become invalid.
127 162
128=item $noderef = node_of $port 163=item $nodeid = node_of $port
129 164
130Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 165Extracts and returns the node ID from a port ID or a node ID.
131 166
132=item initialise_node $noderef, $seednode, $seednode... 167=item initialise_node $profile_name, key => value...
133 168
134=item initialise_node "slave/", $master, $master...
135
136Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network it has to initialise 169Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network (i.e. enter
137itself - the minimum a node needs to know is it's own name, and optionally 170"distributed mode") it has to initialise itself - the minimum a node needs
138it should know the noderefs of some other nodes in the network. 171to know is its own name, and optionally it should know the addresses of
172some other nodes in the network to discover other nodes.
139 173
140This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or 174This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
141never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions. 175never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
142 176
143All arguments are noderefs, which can be either resolved or unresolved. 177The first argument is a profile name. If it is C<undef> or missing, then
178the current nodename will be used instead (i.e. F<uname -n>).
144 179
145There are two types of networked nodes, public nodes and slave nodes: 180The function first looks up the profile in the aemp configuration (see the
181L<aemp> commandline utility). the profile is calculated as follows:
146 182
147=over 4 183First, all remaining key => value pairs will be used. Then they will be
184overwritten by any values specified in the global default configuration
185(see the F<aemp> utility), then the chain of profiles selected, if
186any. That means that the values specified in the profile have highest
187priority and the values specified via C<initialise_node> have lowest
188priority.
148 189
149=item public nodes 190If the profile specifies a node ID, then this will become the node ID of
191this process. If not, then the profile name will be used as node ID. The
192special node ID of C<anon/> will be replaced by a random node ID.
150 193
151For public nodes, C<$noderef> must either be a (possibly unresolved) 194The next step is to look up the binds in the profile, followed by binding
152noderef, in which case it will be resolved, or C<undef> (or missing), in 195aemp protocol listeners on all binds specified (it is possible and valid
153which case the noderef will be guessed. 196to have no binds, meaning that the node cannot be contacted form the
197outside. This means the node cannot talk to other nodes that also have no
198binds, but it can still talk to all "normal" nodes).
154 199
155Afterwards, the node will bind itself on all endpoints and try to connect 200If the profile does not specify a binds list, then the node ID will be
156to all additional C<$seednodes> that are specified. Seednodes are optional 201treated as if it were of the form C<host:port>, which will be resolved and
157and can be used to quickly bootstrap the node into an existing network. 202used as binds list.
158 203
159=item slave nodes 204Lastly, the seeds list from the profile is passed to the
205L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> module, which will then use it to keep
206connectivity with at least on of those seed nodes at any point in time.
160 207
161When the C<$noderef> is the special string C<slave/>, then the node will 208Example: become a distributed node listening on the guessed noderef, or
162become a slave node. Slave nodes cannot be contacted from outside and will 209the one specified via C<aemp> for the current node. This should be the
163route most of their traffic to the master node that they attach to. 210most common form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
164
165At least one additional noderef is required: The node will try to connect
166to all of them and will become a slave attached to the first node it can
167successfully connect to.
168
169=back
170
171This function will block until all nodes have been resolved and, for slave
172nodes, until it has successfully established a connection to a master
173server.
174
175Example: become a public node listening on the default node.
176 211
177 initialise_node; 212 initialise_node;
178 213
179Example: become a public node, and try to contact some well-known master 214Example: become an anonymous node. This form is often used for commandline
180servers to become part of the network. 215clients.
181 216
182 initialise_node undef, "master1", "master2";
183
184Example: become a public node listening on port C<4041>.
185
186 initialise_node 4041; 217 initialise_node "anon/";
187 218
188Example: become a public node, only visible on localhost port 4044. 219Example: become a distributed node. If there is no profile of the given
220name, or no binds list was specified, resolve C<localhost:4044> and bind
221on the resulting addresses.
189 222
190 initialise_node "locahost:4044"; 223 initialise_node "localhost:4044";
191
192Example: become a slave node to any of the specified master servers.
193
194 initialise_node "slave/", "master1", "192.168.13.17", "mp.example.net";
195
196=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef
197
198Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and
199abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node
200reference.
201
202In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the
203following forms are supported:
204
205=over 4
206
207=item the empty string
208
209An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was
210specified.
211
212=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>)
213
214These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be
215further resolved.
216
217=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>)
218
219These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally
220looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was
221specified.
222
223=back
224 224
225=item $SELF 225=item $SELF
226 226
227Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub> 227Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
228blocks. 228blocks.
229 229
230=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF... 230=item *SELF, SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
231 231
232Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 232Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
233just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 233just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols named C<SELF> are exported by this
234module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 234module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
235 235
236=item snd $port, type => @data 236=item snd $port, type => @data
237 237
238=item snd $port, @msg 238=item snd $port, @msg
239 239
240Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 240Send the given message to the given port, which can identify either a
241a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 241local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
242stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
243 242
244While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 243While the message can be almost anything, it is highly recommended to
245string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 244use a string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a
246type etc.). 245request type etc.) and to consist if only simple perl values (scalars,
246arrays, hashes) - if you think you need to pass an object, think again.
247 247
248The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 248The message data logically becomes read-only after a call to this
249function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 249function: modifying any argument (or values referenced by them) is
250problems. 250forbidden, as there can be considerable time between the call to C<snd>
251and the time the message is actually being serialised - in fact, it might
252never be copied as within the same process it is simply handed to the
253receiving port.
251 254
252The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when 255The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when
253JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 256JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
254of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 257of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
255that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 258that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
256node, anything can be passed. 259node, anything can be passed. Best rely only on the common denominator of
260these.
257 261
258=item $local_port = port 262=item $local_port = port
259 263
260Create a new local port object that can be used either as a pattern 264Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
261matching port ("full port") or a single-callback port ("miniport"), 265no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
262depending on how C<rcv> callbacks are bound to the object.
263 266
264=item $port = port { my @msg = @_; $finished } 267=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
265 268
266Creates a "miniport", that is, a very lightweight port without any pattern 269Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
267matching behind it, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as creating
268a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it. 270creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
269 271
270The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the 272The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
271callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port 273global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
272will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive. 274port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
275(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
273 276
274The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will 277If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
275be passed to the callback.
276 278
277If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely: 279 my $port = port {
278 280 my @msg = @_;
279 my $port; $port = port { 281 ...
280 snd $otherport, reply => $port; 282 kil $SELF;
281 }; 283 };
282 284
283=cut 285=cut
284 286
285sub rcv($@); 287sub rcv($@);
288
289sub _kilme {
290 die "received message on port without callback";
291}
286 292
287sub port(;&) { 293sub port(;&) {
288 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++; 294 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
289 my $port = "$NODE#$id"; 295 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
290 296
291 if (@_) { 297 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
292 rcv $port, shift;
293 } else {
294 $PORT{$id} = sub { }; # nop
295 }
296 298
297 $port 299 $port
298} 300}
299 301
300=item reg $port, $name
301
302Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
303exists it is replaced.
304
305A port can only be registered under one well known name.
306
307A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
308
309=cut
310
311sub reg(@) {
312 my ($port, $name) = @_;
313
314 $REG{$name} = $port;
315}
316
317=item rcv $port, $callback->(@msg) 302=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
318 303
319Replaces the callback on the specified miniport (after converting it to 304Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
320one if required). 305remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
321 306C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
322=item rcv $port, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
323
324=item rcv $port, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
325
326=item rcv $port, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
327
328Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given full
329port (after converting it to one if required).
330
331The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
332which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
333registered.
334 307
335The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while 308The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
336executing the callback. 309executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
310result in the port being C<kil>ed.
337 311
338Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being 312The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
339C<kil>ed. 313C<tag> match.
340 314
341If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the 315=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
342first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
343matched.
344 316
345Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function 317Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
346exported by this module) matches any single element of the message. 318given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
319C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
320registered for each tag.
347 321
348While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching 322The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
349element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is 323element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
350also the most efficient match (by far). 324environment as the default callback (see above).
325
326Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
327
328 my $port = rcv port,
329 msg1 => sub { ... },
330 msg2 => sub { ... },
331 ;
332
333Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
334in one go:
335
336 snd $otherport, reply =>
337 rcv port,
338 msg1 => sub { ... },
339 ...
340 ;
341
342Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
343(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
344
345 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
346 my @reply = @_;
347
348 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
349 };
351 350
352=cut 351=cut
353 352
354sub rcv($@) { 353sub rcv($@) {
355 my $port = shift; 354 my $port = shift;
356 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2; 355 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
357 356
358 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""} 357 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
359 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught"; 358 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
360 359
361 if (@_ == 1) { 360 while (@_) {
361 if (ref $_[0]) {
362 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
363 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
364 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
365
366 $self->[2] = shift;
367 } else {
362 my $cb = shift; 368 my $cb = shift;
363 delete $PORT_DATA{$portid};
364 $PORT{$portid} = sub { 369 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
365 local $SELF = $port; 370 local $SELF = $port;
366 eval { 371 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
367 &$cb 372 };
368 and kil $port;
369 }; 373 }
370 _self_die if $@; 374 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
371 };
372 } else {
373 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do { 375 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
374 my $self = bless { 376 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
375 id => $port,
376 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
377 377
378 $PORT{$portid} = sub { 378 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
379 local $SELF = $port; 379 local $SELF = $port;
380 380
381 eval {
382 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) { 381 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
383 $_ && &{$_->[0]} 382 shift;
384 && undef $_; 383 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
385 } 384 } else {
386
387 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
388 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
389 && &{$_->[0]} 385 &{ $self->[0] };
390 && undef $_;
391 }
392
393 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
394 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
395 && &{$_->[0]}
396 && undef $_;
397 } 386 }
398 }; 387 };
399 _self_die if $@; 388
389 $self
400 }; 390 };
401 391
402 $self
403 };
404
405 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self 392 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
406 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught"; 393 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
407 394
408 while (@_) {
409 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2; 395 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
410 396
411 if (!ref $match) { 397 if (defined $cb) {
412 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb]; 398 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
413 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
414 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
415 @match
416 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
417 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
418 } else { 399 } else {
419 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match]; 400 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
420 } 401 }
421 } 402 }
422 } 403 }
423 404
424 $port 405 $port
460 $res 441 $res
461 } 442 }
462 } 443 }
463} 444}
464 445
465=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) 446=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) # call $cb when $port dies
466 447
467=item $guard = mon $port, $otherport 448=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport # kill $rcvport when $port dies
468 449
469=item $guard = mon $port, $otherport, @msg 450=item $guard = mon $port # kill $SELF when $port dies
470 451
452=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg # send a message when $port dies
453
471Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 454Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
455messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
456to stop monitoring again.
472 457
458C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
459after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port will
460arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible message
461loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between" (after
462the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
463port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
464delivered again.
465
466Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once messages are lost (and a
467monitoring alert was raised), they are removed and will not trigger again.
468
473In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 469In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
474of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 470number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
475"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 471"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
476C<eval> if unsure. 472C<eval> if unsure.
477 473
478In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 474In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
479a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 475will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
480under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason. 476"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
477port is killed with the same reason.
481 478
479The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
480C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
481
482In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 482In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
483C<snd>.
484
485As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
486a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
487lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
488even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
489to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
490these problems do not exist.
483 491
484Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 492Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
485 493
486 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 494 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
487 495
488Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 496Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
489 497
490 mon $port, $self; 498 mon $port;
491 499
492Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 500Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
493 501
494 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 502 mon $port, $self => "restart";
495 503
496=cut 504=cut
497 505
498sub mon { 506sub mon {
499 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 507 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
500 508
501 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 509 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
502 510
503 my $cb = shift; 511 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
504 512
505 unless (ref $cb) { 513 unless (ref $cb) {
506 if (@_) { 514 if (@_) {
507 # send a kill info message 515 # send a kill info message
508 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 516 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
526is killed, the references will be freed. 534is killed, the references will be freed.
527 535
528Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring. 536Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
529 537
530This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and 538This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
531want to free them when the port gets killed: 539want to free them when the port gets killed (note the use of C<psub>):
532 540
533 $port->rcv (start => sub { 541 $port->rcv (start => sub {
534 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub { 542 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, psub {
535 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand; 543 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
536 }); 544 });
537 }); 545 });
538 546
539=cut 547=cut
540 548
541sub mon_guard { 549sub mon_guard {
542 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 550 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
543 551
552 #TODO: mon-less form?
553
544 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 554 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
545} 555}
546 556
547=item lnk $port1, $port2
548
549Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for:
550
551 mon $port1, $port2;
552 mon $port2, $port1;
553
554It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets
555killed as well.
556
557=item kil $port[, @reason] 557=item kil $port[, @reason]
558 558
559Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 559Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
560 560
561If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 561If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (ports
562ports will not be kileld, or even notified). 562monitoring other ports will not necessarily die because a port dies
563"normally").
563 564
564Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 565Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
565C<mon>, see below). 566C<mon>, see above).
566 567
567Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 568Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
568will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 569will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
569 570
570Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 571Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
571$message >>. 572$message >>.
572 573
574=cut
575
576=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
577
578Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
579case it's the node where that port resides).
580
581The port ID of the newly created port is returned immediately, and it is
582possible to immediately start sending messages or to monitor the port.
583
584After the port has been created, the init function is called on the remote
585node, in the same context as a C<rcv> callback. This function must be a
586fully-qualified function name (e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To
587specify a function in the main program, use C<::name>.
588
589If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
590the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
591C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
592exists or it runs out of package names.
593
594The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
595object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
596
597A common idiom is to pass a local port, immediately monitor the spawned
598port, and in the remote init function, immediately monitor the passed
599local port. This two-way monitoring ensures that both ports get cleaned up
600when there is a problem.
601
602Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
603
604 # this node, executed from within a port context:
605 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
606 mon $server;
607
608 # init function on C<$othernode>
609 sub connect {
610 my ($srcport) = @_;
611
612 mon $srcport;
613
614 rcv $SELF, sub {
615 ...
616 };
617 }
618
619=cut
620
621sub _spawn {
622 my $port = shift;
623 my $init = shift;
624
625 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
626 eval {
627 &{ load_func $init }
628 };
629 _self_die if $@;
630}
631
632sub spawn(@) {
633 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
634
635 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
636
637 $_[0] =~ /::/
638 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
639
640 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
641
642 "$noderef#$id"
643}
644
645=item after $timeout, @msg
646
647=item after $timeout, $callback
648
649Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
650specified number of seconds.
651
652This is simply a utility function that comes in handy at times - the
653AnyEvent::MP author is not convinced of the wisdom of having it, though,
654so it may go away in the future.
655
656=cut
657
658sub after($@) {
659 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
660
661 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
662 undef $t;
663 ref $action[0]
664 ? $action[0]()
665 : snd @action;
666 };
667}
668
573=back 669=back
574 670
575=head1 NODE MESSAGES 671=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
576 672
577Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take 673AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
578arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply 674== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
579message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and 675programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
580the remaining arguments are simply the message data. 676sample:
581 677
582While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change. 678 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
679 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
680 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
681 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
682
683Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
583 684
584=over 4 685=over 4
585 686
586=cut 687=item * Node IDs are arbitrary strings in AEMP.
587 688
588=item lookup => $name, @reply
589
590Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
591
592=item devnull => ...
593
594Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
595
596=item relay => $port, @msg
597
598Simply forwards the message to the given port.
599
600=item eval => $string[ @reply]
601
602Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
603form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
604
605Example: crash another node.
606
607 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
608
609=item time => @reply
610
611Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
612
613Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
614C<timereply> message.
615
616 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
617 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
618
619=back
620
621=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
622
623AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node
624== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
625programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
626sample:
627
628 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
629 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
630 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
631 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
632
633Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
634
635=over 4
636
637=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
638
639Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the 689Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the same
640same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with 690way. AEMP relies on each node somehow knowing its own address(es) (e.g. by
641convenience functionality. 691configuraiton or DNS), but will otherwise discover other odes itself.
642 692
643This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 693=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
644cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 694uses "local ports are like remote ports".
695
696The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
697only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
698when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
699port.
700
701Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
702they are not.
703
704AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
705ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
706occur.
645 707
646=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 708=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
647 709
648Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 710Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
649needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 711needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
650purpose. 712useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
713AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
714filter messages without dequeing them.
651 715
652(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 716(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
653 717
654=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 718=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
655 719
656Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 720Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
657sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 721so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
658background. 722connection establishment is handled in the background.
659 723
660=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 724=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
661 725
662Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 726Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
663without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 727without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
664and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 728and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
665 729
666AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 730AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that after one message
667holes in the message sequence. 731is lost, all following ones sent to the same port are lost as well, until
668 732monitoring raises an error, so there are no silent "holes" in the message
669=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 733sequence.
670alive.
671
672In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
673linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
674still alive - and can receive messages.
675
676In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
677eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
678and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
679 734
680=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 735=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
681 736
682In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 737In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
683ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 738known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
684messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 739destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
685 740
686AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 741AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
687around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 742around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
688 743
689=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 744=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
690authentication and can use TLS. 745authentication and can use TLS.
691 746
692AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and 747AEMP can use a proven protocol - TLS - to protect connections and
693securely authenticate nodes. 748securely authenticate nodes.
694 749
695=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 750=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
696communications. 751communications.
697 752
698The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 753The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both programming
699language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 754language independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
700language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 755language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). By default, unless TLS is
756used, the protocol is actually completely text-based.
701 757
702It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 758It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
703with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 759with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading functionality to make the
704protocol simple. 760protocol simple.
705 761
762=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
763
764In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
765or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
766difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
767Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
768on a per-process basis.
769
770=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
771
772Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes, in the
773same way as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
774
775In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
776that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
777on the remote node. The init function monitors you, and you monitor the
778remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much more
779reliable (no need for C<spawn_link>).
780
781This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
782(hard to do in Erlang).
783
706=back 784=back
707 785
786=head1 RATIONALE
787
788=over 4
789
790=item Why strings for port and node IDs, why not objects?
791
792We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
793that can be called are quite low. Since port and node IDs travel over
794the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
795overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object everywhere.
796
797Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
798procedures to be "valid".
799
800And as a result, a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a
801global hash - it can't become much cheaper.
802
803=item Why favour JSON, why not a real serialising format such as Storable?
804
805In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
806format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
807default (although all nodes will accept it).
808
809The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
810faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
811experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
812than it solves: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
813easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
814always have to re-think your design.
815
816Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
817objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
818
819=back
820
708=head1 SEE ALSO 821=head1 SEE ALSO
822
823L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> - a gentle introduction.
824
825L<AnyEvent::MP::Kernel> - more, lower-level, stuff.
826
827L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> - network maintainance and port groups, to find
828your applications.
709 829
710L<AnyEvent>. 830L<AnyEvent>.
711 831
712=head1 AUTHOR 832=head1 AUTHOR
713 833

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