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4 4
5=head1 SYNOPSIS 5=head1 SYNOPSIS
6 6
7 use AnyEvent::MP; 7 use AnyEvent::MP;
8 8
9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef 9 $NODE # contains this node's node ID
10 NODE # returns this node's noderef 10 NODE # returns this node's node ID
11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port
12 11
12 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks
13
14 # initialise the node so it can send/receive messages
15 configure;
16
17 # ports are message destinations
18
19 # sending messages
13 snd $port, type => data...; 20 snd $port, type => data...;
21 snd $port, @msg;
22 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
14 23
15 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks 24 # creating/using ports, the simple way
25 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_ };
16 26
17 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 27 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
18 28 my $port = port;
19 # examples:
20 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 29 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong" };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 30 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" };
22 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
23 31
24 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 32 # create a port on another node
25 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 33 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
26 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 34
35 # monitoring
36 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
37 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
38 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
39
40=head1 CURRENT STATUS
41
42 bin/aemp - stable.
43 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work.
44 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - uptodate, but incomplete.
45 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - mostly stable.
46 AnyEvent::MP::Global - stable API, protocol not yet final.
47
48 stay tuned.
27 49
28=head1 DESCRIPTION 50=head1 DESCRIPTION
29 51
30This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 52This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
31 53
32Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 54Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
33on the same or other hosts. 55on the same or other hosts, and you can supervise entities remotely.
34 56
35For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> 57For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
36manual page. 58manual page and the examples under F<eg/>.
37 59
38At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented, 60At 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 61
42=head1 CONCEPTS 62=head1 CONCEPTS
43 63
44=over 4 64=over 4
45 65
46=item port 66=item port
47 67
48A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function). 68A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
49 69
50Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific 70Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
51messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages 71some messages. Messages send to ports will not be queued, regardless of
52will not be queued. 72anything was listening for them or not.
53 73
54=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 74=item port ID - C<nodeid#portname>
55 75
56A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as 76A 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 77separator, 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 78
61=item node 79=item node
62 80
63A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 81A 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 82which enables nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
65create new ports, among other things. 83ports.
66 84
67Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a 85Nodes are either public (have one or more listening ports) or private
68master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes). 86(no listening ports). Private nodes cannot talk to other private nodes
87currently.
69 88
70=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 89=item node ID - C<[a-za-Z0-9_\-.:]+>
71 90
72A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for 91A 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 92network. Depending on the configuration used, node IDs can look like a
74node (for public nodes). 93hostname, a hostname and a port, or a random string. AnyEvent::MP itself
94doesn't interpret node IDs in any way.
75 95
76This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for 96=item binds - C<ip:port>
77TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
78 97
79Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical 98Nodes can only talk to each other by creating some kind of connection to
80addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses). 99each other. To do this, nodes should listen on one or more local transport
100endpoints - binds. Currently, only standard C<ip:port> specifications can
101be used, which specify TCP ports to listen on.
81 102
82Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to 103=item seeds - C<host:port>
83resolve it. 104
105When a node starts, it knows nothing about the network. To teach the node
106about the network it first has to contact some other node within the
107network. This node is called a seed.
108
109Seeds are transport endpoint(s) of as many nodes as one wants. Those nodes
110are expected to be long-running, and at least one of those should always
111be available. When nodes run out of connections (e.g. due to a network
112error), they try to re-establish connections to some seednodes again to
113join the network.
114
115Apart from being sued for seeding, seednodes are not special in any way -
116every public node can be a seednode.
84 117
85=back 118=back
86 119
87=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 120=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
88 121
90 123
91=cut 124=cut
92 125
93package AnyEvent::MP; 126package AnyEvent::MP;
94 127
95use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 128use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
96 129
97use common::sense; 130use common::sense;
98 131
99use Carp (); 132use Carp ();
100 133
101use AE (); 134use AE ();
102 135
103use base "Exporter"; 136use base "Exporter";
104 137
105our $VERSION = '0.1'; 138our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
139
106our @EXPORT = qw( 140our @EXPORT = qw(
107 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 141 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
108 resolve_node initialise_node 142 configure
109 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 143 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
110 port 144 port
111); 145);
112 146
113our $SELF; 147our $SELF;
114 148
118 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 152 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
119} 153}
120 154
121=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 155=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
122 156
123The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 157The 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 158ID 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 159a call to C<configure>.
126identifiers become invalid.
127 160
128=item $noderef = node_of $portid 161=item $nodeid = node_of $port
129 162
130Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 163Extracts and returns the node ID from a port ID or a node ID.
131 164
132=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef 165=item configure key => value...
133 166
134Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and 167Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network (i.e. enter
135abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node 168"distributed mode") it has to configure itself - the minimum a node needs
136reference. 169to know is its own name, and optionally it should know the addresses of
170some other nodes in the network to discover other nodes.
137 171
138In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the 172This function configures a node - it must be called exactly once (or
139following forms are supported: 173never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
140 174
141=over 4 175=over 4
142 176
143=item the empty string 177=item step 1, gathering configuration from profiles
144 178
145An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was 179The function first looks up a profile in the aemp configuration (see the
146specified. 180L<aemp> commandline utility). The profile name can be specified via the
181named C<profile> parameter. If it is missing, then the nodename (F<uname
182-n>) will be used as profile name.
147 183
148=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>) 184The profile data is then gathered as follows:
149 185
150These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be 186First, all remaining key => value pairs (all of which are conviniently
151further resolved. 187undocumented at the moment) will be interpreted as configuration
188data. Then they will be overwritten by any values specified in the global
189default configuration (see the F<aemp> utility), then the chain of
190profiles chosen by the profile name (and any C<parent> attributes).
152 191
153=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>) 192That means that the values specified in the profile have highest priority
193and the values specified directly via C<configure> have lowest priority,
194and can only be used to specify defaults.
154 195
155These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally 196If the profile specifies a node ID, then this will become the node ID of
156looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was 197this process. If not, then the profile name will be used as node ID. The
157specified. 198special node ID of C<anon/> will be replaced by a random node ID.
199
200=item step 2, bind listener sockets
201
202The next step is to look up the binds in the profile, followed by binding
203aemp protocol listeners on all binds specified (it is possible and valid
204to have no binds, meaning that the node cannot be contacted form the
205outside. This means the node cannot talk to other nodes that also have no
206binds, but it can still talk to all "normal" nodes).
207
208If the profile does not specify a binds list, then a default of C<*> is
209used, meaning the node will bind on a dynamically-assigned port on every
210local IP address it finds.
211
212=item step 3, connect to seed nodes
213
214As the last step, the seeds list from the profile is passed to the
215L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> module, which will then use it to keep
216connectivity with at least one node at any point in time.
158 217
159=back 218=back
219
220Example: become a distributed node using the locla node name as profile.
221This should be the most common form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
222
223 configure
224
225Example: become an anonymous node. This form is often used for commandline
226clients.
227
228 configure nodeid => "anon/";
229
230Example: configure a node using a profile called seed, which si suitable
231for a seed node as it binds on all local addresses on a fixed port (4040,
232customary for aemp).
233
234 # use the aemp commandline utility
235 # aemp profile seed nodeid anon/ binds '*:4040'
236
237 # then use it
238 configure profile => "seed";
239
240 # or simply use aemp from the shell again:
241 # aemp run profile seed
242
243 # or provide a nicer-to-remember nodeid
244 # aemp run profile seed nodeid "$(hostname)"
160 245
161=item $SELF 246=item $SELF
162 247
163Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub> 248Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
164blocks. 249blocks.
165 250
166=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF... 251=item *SELF, SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
167 252
168Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 253Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
169just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 254just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols named C<SELF> are exported by this
170module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 255module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
171 256
172=item snd $portid, type => @data 257=item snd $port, type => @data
173 258
174=item snd $portid, @msg 259=item snd $port, @msg
175 260
176Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 261Send the given message to the given port, which can identify either a
177a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 262local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
178stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
179 263
180While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 264While the message can be almost anything, it is highly recommended to
181string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 265use a string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a
182type etc.). 266request type etc.) and to consist if only simple perl values (scalars,
267arrays, hashes) - if you think you need to pass an object, think again.
183 268
184The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 269The message data logically becomes read-only after a call to this
185function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 270function: modifying any argument (or values referenced by them) is
186problems. 271forbidden, as there can be considerable time between the call to C<snd>
272and the time the message is actually being serialised - in fact, it might
273never be copied as within the same process it is simply handed to the
274receiving port.
187 275
188The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when 276The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when
189JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 277JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
190of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 278of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
191that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 279that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
192node, anything can be passed. 280node, anything can be passed. Best rely only on the common denominator of
281these.
193 282
194=item kil $portid[, @reason] 283=item $local_port = port
195 284
196Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 285Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
286no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
197 287
198If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 288=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
199ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
200 289
201Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 290Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
202C<mon>, see below). 291creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
203 292
204Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 293The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
205will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 294global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
295port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
296(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
206 297
207Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 298If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
208$message >>.
209 299
210=item $guard = mon $portid, $cb->(@reason) 300 my $port = port {
301 my @msg = @_;
302 ...
303 kil $SELF;
304 };
211 305
212=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport 306=cut
213 307
214=item $guard = mon $portid, $otherport, @msg 308sub rcv($@);
215 309
310sub _kilme {
311 die "received message on port without callback";
312}
313
314sub port(;&) {
315 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
316 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
317
318 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
319
320 $port
321}
322
323=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
324
325Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
326remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
327C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
328
329The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
330executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
331result in the port being C<kil>ed.
332
333The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
334C<tag> match.
335
336=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
337
338Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
339given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
340C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
341registered for each tag.
342
343The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
344element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
345environment as the default callback (see above).
346
347Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
348
349 my $port = rcv port,
350 msg1 => sub { ... },
351 msg2 => sub { ... },
352 ;
353
354Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
355in one go:
356
357 snd $otherport, reply =>
358 rcv port,
359 msg1 => sub { ... },
360 ...
361 ;
362
363Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
364(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
365
366 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
367 my @reply = @_;
368
369 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
370 };
371
372=cut
373
374sub rcv($@) {
375 my $port = shift;
376 my ($nodeid, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
377
378 $NODE{$nodeid} == $NODE{""}
379 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
380
381 while (@_) {
382 if (ref $_[0]) {
383 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
384 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
385 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
386
387 $self->[2] = shift;
388 } else {
389 my $cb = shift;
390 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
391 local $SELF = $port;
392 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
393 };
394 }
395 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
396 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
397 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
398
399 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
400 local $SELF = $port;
401
402 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
403 shift;
404 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
405 } else {
406 &{ $self->[0] };
407 }
408 };
409
410 $self
411 };
412
413 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
414 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
415
416 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
417
418 if (defined $cb) {
419 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
420 } else {
421 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
422 }
423 }
424 }
425
426 $port
427}
428
429=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
430
431Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
432closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
433callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
434
435This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
436
437 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
438 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
439 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
440 snd @reply, $SELF;
441 };
442 };
443
444=cut
445
446sub psub(&) {
447 my $cb = shift;
448
449 my $port = $SELF
450 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
451
452 sub {
453 local $SELF = $port;
454
455 if (wantarray) {
456 my @res = eval { &$cb };
457 _self_die if $@;
458 @res
459 } else {
460 my $res = eval { &$cb };
461 _self_die if $@;
462 $res
463 }
464 }
465}
466
467=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) # call $cb when $port dies
468
469=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport # kill $rcvport when $port dies
470
471=item $guard = mon $port # kill $SELF when $port dies
472
473=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg # send a message when $port dies
474
216Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 475Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
476messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
477to stop monitoring again.
217 478
479C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
480after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port will
481arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible message
482loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between" (after
483the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
484port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
485delivered again.
486
487Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once messages are lost (and a
488monitoring alert was raised), they are removed and will not trigger again.
489
218In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 490In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
219of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 491number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
220"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 492"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
221C<eval> if unsure. 493C<eval> if unsure.
222 494
223In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 495In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
224a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 496will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
225under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason. 497"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
498port is killed with the same reason.
226 499
500The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
501C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
502
227In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 503In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
504C<snd>.
505
506As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
507a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
508lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
509even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
510to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
511these problems do not exist.
228 512
229Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 513Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
230 514
231 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 515 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
232 516
233Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 517Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
234 518
235 mon $port, $self; 519 mon $port;
236 520
237Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 521Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
238 522
239 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 523 mon $port, $self => "restart";
240 524
241=cut 525=cut
242 526
243sub mon { 527sub mon {
244 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 528 my ($nodeid, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
245 529
246 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 530 my $node = $NODE{$nodeid} || add_node $nodeid;
247 531
248 my $cb = shift; 532 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
249 533
250 unless (ref $cb) { 534 unless (ref $cb) {
251 if (@_) { 535 if (@_) {
252 # send a kill info message 536 # send a kill info message
253 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 537 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
271is killed, the references will be freed. 555is killed, the references will be freed.
272 556
273Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring. 557Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
274 558
275This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and 559This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
276want to free them when the port gets killed: 560want to free them when the port gets killed (note the use of C<psub>):
277 561
278 $port->rcv (start => sub { 562 $port->rcv (start => sub {
279 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub { 563 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, psub {
280 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand; 564 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
281 }); 565 });
282 }); 566 });
283 567
284=cut 568=cut
285 569
286sub mon_guard { 570sub mon_guard {
287 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 571 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
288 572
573 #TODO: mon-less form?
574
289 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 575 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
290} 576}
291 577
292=item lnk $port1, $port2 578=item kil $port[, @reason]
293 579
294Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for: 580Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
295 581
296 mon $port1, $port2; 582If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (ports
297 mon $port2, $port1; 583monitoring other ports will not necessarily die because a port dies
584"normally").
298 585
299It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets 586Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
300killed as well. 587C<mon>, see above).
301 588
302=item $local_port = port 589Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
590will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
303 591
304Create a new local port object that can be used either as a pattern 592Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
305matching port ("full port") or a single-callback port ("miniport"), 593$message >>.
306depending on how C<rcv> callbacks are bound to the object.
307 594
308=item $portid = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
309
310Creates a "mini port", that is, a very lightweight port without any
311pattern matching behind it, and returns its ID.
312
313The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
314callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
315will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
316
317The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
318be passed to the callback.
319
320If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
321
322 my $port; $port = port {
323 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
324 };
325
326=cut 595=cut
327 596
328sub port(;&) { 597=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
329 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
330 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
331 598
332 if (@_) { 599Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
333 my $cb = shift; 600case it's the node where that port resides).
334 $PORT{$id} = sub { 601
335 local $SELF = $port; 602The port ID of the newly created port is returned immediately, and it is
336 eval { 603possible to immediately start sending messages or to monitor the port.
337 &$cb 604
338 and kil $id; 605After the port has been created, the init function is called on the remote
606node, in the same context as a C<rcv> callback. This function must be a
607fully-qualified function name (e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To
608specify a function in the main program, use C<::name>.
609
610If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
611the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
612C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
613exists or it runs out of package names.
614
615The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
616object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
617
618A common idiom is to pass a local port, immediately monitor the spawned
619port, and in the remote init function, immediately monitor the passed
620local port. This two-way monitoring ensures that both ports get cleaned up
621when there is a problem.
622
623Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
624
625 # this node, executed from within a port context:
626 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
627 mon $server;
628
629 # init function on C<$othernode>
630 sub connect {
631 my ($srcport) = @_;
632
633 mon $srcport;
634
635 rcv $SELF, sub {
339 }; 636 ...
340 _self_die if $@;
341 };
342 } else {
343 my $self = bless {
344 id => "$NODE#$id",
345 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
346
347 $PORT_DATA{$id} = $self;
348 $PORT{$id} = sub {
349 local $SELF = $port;
350
351 eval {
352 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
353 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
354 && undef $_;
355 }
356
357 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
358 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
359 && &{$_->[0]}
360 && undef $_;
361 }
362
363 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
364 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
365 && &{$_->[0]}
366 && undef $_;
367 }
368 };
369 _self_die if $@;
370 }; 637 };
371 } 638 }
372 639
373 $port
374}
375
376=item reg $portid, $name
377
378Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
379exists it is replaced.
380
381A port can only be registered under one well known name.
382
383A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
384
385=cut 640=cut
386 641
387sub reg(@) { 642sub _spawn {
388 my ($portid, $name) = @_;
389
390 $REG{$name} = $portid;
391}
392
393=item rcv $portid, $callback->(@msg)
394
395Replaces the callback on the specified miniport (or newly created port
396object, see C<port>). Full ports are configured with the following calls:
397
398=item rcv $portid, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
399
400=item rcv $portid, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
401
402=item rcv $portid, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
403
404Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given port.
405
406The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
407which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
408registered.
409
410The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$portid> while
411executing the callback.
412
413Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being
414C<kil>ed.
415
416If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
417first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
418matched.
419
420Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
421exported by this module) matches any single element of the message.
422
423While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
424element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
425also the most efficient match (by far).
426
427=cut
428
429sub rcv($@) {
430 my $portid = shift; 643 my $port = shift;
431 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, $port, 2; 644 my $init = shift;
432 645
433 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""} 646 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
434 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught"; 647 eval {
435 648 &{ load_func $init }
436 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$port}
437 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
438
439 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
440 or Carp::croak "$noderef#$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
441
442 while (@_) {
443 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
444
445 if (!ref $match) {
446 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb];
447 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
448 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
449 @match
450 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
451 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
452 } else {
453 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
454 }
455 }
456
457 $portid
458}
459
460=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
461
462Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
463closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
464callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
465
466This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
467
468 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
469 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
470 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
471 snd @reply, $SELF;
472 };
473 }; 649 };
474
475=cut
476
477sub psub(&) {
478 my $cb = shift;
479
480 my $port = $SELF
481 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
482
483 sub {
484 local $SELF = $port;
485
486 if (wantarray) {
487 my @res = eval { &$cb };
488 _self_die if $@; 650 _self_die if $@;
489 @res 651}
490 } else { 652
491 my $res = eval { &$cb }; 653sub spawn(@) {
492 _self_die if $@; 654 my ($nodeid, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
493 $res 655
494 } 656 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
657
658 $_[0] =~ /::/
659 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
660
661 snd_to_func $nodeid, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
662
663 "$nodeid#$id"
664}
665
666=item after $timeout, @msg
667
668=item after $timeout, $callback
669
670Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
671specified number of seconds.
672
673This is simply a utility function that comes in handy at times - the
674AnyEvent::MP author is not convinced of the wisdom of having it, though,
675so it may go away in the future.
676
677=cut
678
679sub after($@) {
680 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
681
682 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
683 undef $t;
684 ref $action[0]
685 ? $action[0]()
686 : snd @action;
495 } 687 };
496} 688}
497 689
498=back 690=back
499 691
500=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 692=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
693
694AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
695== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
696programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
697sample:
698
699 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
700 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
701 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
702 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
703
704Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
501 705
502=over 4 706=over 4
503 707
504=item become_public $noderef 708=item * Node IDs are arbitrary strings in AEMP.
505 709
506Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes.
507
508The first argument is the (unresolved) node reference of the local node
509(if missing then the empty string is used).
510
511It is quite common to not specify anything, in which case the local node
512tries to listen on the default port, or to only specify a port number, in
513which case AnyEvent::MP tries to guess the local addresses.
514
515=cut
516
517=back
518
519=head1 NODE MESSAGES
520
521Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
522arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
523message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
524the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
525
526While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
527
528=over 4
529
530=cut
531
532=item lookup => $name, @reply
533
534Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
535
536=item devnull => ...
537
538Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
539
540=item relay => $port, @msg
541
542Simply forwards the message to the given port.
543
544=item eval => $string[ @reply]
545
546Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
547form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
548
549Example: crash another node.
550
551 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
552
553=item time => @reply
554
555Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
556
557Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
558C<timereply> message.
559
560 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
561 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
562
563=back
564
565=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
566
567AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node
568== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
569programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
570sample:
571
572 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
573 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
574 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
575 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
576
577Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
578
579=over 4
580
581=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
582
583Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the 710Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the same
584same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with 711way. AEMP relies on each node somehow knowing its own address(es) (e.g. by
585convenience functionality. 712configuraiton or DNS), but will otherwise discover other odes itself.
586 713
587This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 714=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
588cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 715uses "local ports are like remote ports".
716
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.
589 728
590=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 729=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
591 730
592Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 731Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
593needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 732needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
594purpose. 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.
595 736
596(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 737(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
597 738
598=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 739=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
599 740
600Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 741Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
601sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 742so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
602background. 743connection establishment is handled in the background.
603 744
604=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 745=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
605 746
606Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 747Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
607without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 748without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
608and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 749and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
609 750
610AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 751AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that after one message
611holes in the message sequence. 752is lost, all following ones sent to the same port are lost as well, until
612 753monitoring raises an error, so there are no silent "holes" in the message
613=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 754sequence.
614alive.
615
616In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
617linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
618still alive - and can receive messages.
619
620In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
621eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
622and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
623 755
624=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 756=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
625 757
626In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 758In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
627ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 759known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
628messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 760destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
629 761
630AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 762AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
631around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 763around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
632 764
633=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 765=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
634authentication and can use TLS. 766authentication and can use TLS.
635 767
636AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and 768AEMP can use a proven protocol - TLS - to protect connections and
637securely authenticate nodes. 769securely authenticate nodes.
638 770
639=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 771=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
640communications. 772communications.
641 773
642The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 774The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both programming
643language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 775language independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
644language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 776language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). By default, unless TLS is
777used, the protocol is actually completely text-based.
645 778
646It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 779It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
647with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 780with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading functionality to make the
648protocol simple. 781protocol simple.
649 782
783=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
784
785In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
786or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
787difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
788Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
789on a per-process basis.
790
791=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
792
793Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes, in the
794same way as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
795
796In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
797that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
798on the remote node. The init function monitors you, and you monitor the
799remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much more
800reliable (no need for C<spawn_link>).
801
802This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
803(hard to do in Erlang).
804
650=back 805=back
651 806
807=head1 RATIONALE
808
809=over 4
810
811=item Why strings for port and node IDs, why not objects?
812
813We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
814that can be called are quite low. Since port and node IDs travel over
815the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
816overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object everywhere.
817
818Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
819procedures to be "valid".
820
821And as a result, a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a
822global hash - it can't become much cheaper.
823
824=item Why favour JSON, why not a real serialising format such as Storable?
825
826In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
827format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
828default (although all nodes will accept it).
829
830The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
831faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
832experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
833than it solves: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
834easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
835always have to re-think your design.
836
837Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
838objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
839
840=back
841
652=head1 SEE ALSO 842=head1 SEE ALSO
843
844L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> - a gentle introduction.
845
846L<AnyEvent::MP::Kernel> - more, lower-level, stuff.
847
848L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> - network maintainance and port groups, to find
849your applications.
653 850
654L<AnyEvent>. 851L<AnyEvent>.
655 852
656=head1 AUTHOR 853=head1 AUTHOR
657 854

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