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Revision 1.9 by root, Sun Aug 2 15:47:04 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.48 by root, Thu Aug 13 02:59:42 2009 UTC

4 4
5=head1 SYNOPSIS 5=head1 SYNOPSIS
6 6
7 use AnyEvent::MP; 7 use AnyEvent::MP;
8 8
9 NODE # returns this node identifier
10 $NODE # contains this node identifier 9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef
10 NODE # returns this node's noderef
11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port
11 12
13 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks
14
15 # initialise the node so it can send/receive messages
16 initialise_node; # -OR-
17 initialise_node "localhost:4040"; # -OR-
18 initialise_node "slave/", "localhost:4040"
19
20 # ports are message endpoints
21
22 # sending messages
12 snd $port, type => data...; 23 snd $port, type => data...;
24 snd $port, @msg;
25 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
13 26
27 # creating/using miniports
28 my $miniport = port { my @msg = @_; 0 };
29
30 # creating/using full ports
31 my $port = port;
14 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 32 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->(@msg);
15
16 # examples:
17 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 33 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 };
18 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 34 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n"; 0 };
19 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
20 35
21 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 36 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module)
22 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 37 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ...
23 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 38 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3
24 39
40 # create a port on another node
41 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
42
43 # monitoring
44 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
45 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
46 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
47
48=head1 CURRENT STATUS
49
50 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work
51 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - outdated
52 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - WIP
53 AnyEvent::MP::Transport - mostly stable
54
55 stay tuned.
56
25=head1 DESCRIPTION 57=head1 DESCRIPTION
26 58
27This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 59This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
28 60
29Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 61Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
30on the same or other hosts. 62on the same or other hosts.
31 63
64For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
65manual page.
66
32At the moment, this module family is severly brokena nd underdocumented, 67At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented,
33so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to resreve the CPAN namespace - 68so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
34stay tuned! 69stay tuned!
35 70
36=head1 CONCEPTS 71=head1 CONCEPTS
37 72
38=over 4 73=over 4
39 74
40=item port 75=item port
41 76
42A port is something you can send messages to with the C<snd> function, and 77A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
43you can register C<rcv> handlers with. All C<rcv> handlers will receive 78
44messages they match, messages will not be queued. 79Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific
80messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages
81will not be queued.
45 82
46=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 83=item port id - C<noderef#portname>
47 84
48A port id is always the noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as separator, followed 85A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
49by a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). 86separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An
87exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
88reference.
50 89
51=item node 90=item node
52 91
53A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 92A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node
54port. You can send messages to node ports to let them create new ports, 93port. You can send messages to node ports to find existing ports or to
55among other things. 94create new ports, among other things.
56 95
57Initially, nodes are either private (single-process only) or hidden 96Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a
58(connected to a master node only). Only when they epxlicitly "become 97master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes).
59public" can you send them messages from unrelated other nodes.
60 98
61=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 99=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id>
62 100
63A noderef is a string that either uniquely identifies a given node (for 101A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for
64private and hidden nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 102private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given
65node (for public nodes). 103node (for public nodes).
66 104
105This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for
106TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
107
108Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical
109addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses).
110
111Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to
112resolve it.
113
67=back 114=back
68 115
69=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 116=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
70 117
71=over 4 118=over 4
72 119
73=cut 120=cut
74 121
75package AnyEvent::MP; 122package AnyEvent::MP;
76 123
77use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 124use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
78 125
79use common::sense; 126use common::sense;
80 127
81use Carp (); 128use Carp ();
82 129
83use AE (); 130use AE ();
84 131
85use base "Exporter"; 132use base "Exporter";
86 133
87our $VERSION = '0.02'; 134our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
135
88our @EXPORT = qw( 136our @EXPORT = qw(
89 NODE $NODE $PORT snd rcv _any_ 137 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_
90 create_port create_port_on 138 resolve_node initialise_node
91 become_slave become_public 139 snd rcv mon kil reg psub spawn
140 port
92); 141);
93 142
143our $SELF;
144
145sub _self_die() {
146 my $msg = $@;
147 $msg =~ s/\n+$// unless ref $msg;
148 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
149}
150
94=item NODE / $NODE 151=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
95 152
96The C<NODE ()> function and the C<$NODE> variable contain the noderef of 153The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains
97the local node. The value is initialised by a call to C<become_public> or 154the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call
98C<become_slave>, after which all local port identifiers become invalid. 155to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port
156identifiers become invalid.
99 157
158=item $noderef = node_of $port
159
160Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef.
161
162=item initialise_node $noderef, $seednode, $seednode...
163
164=item initialise_node "slave/", $master, $master...
165
166Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network it has to initialise
167itself - the minimum a node needs to know is it's own name, and optionally
168it should know the noderefs of some other nodes in the network.
169
170This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
171never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
172
173All arguments are noderefs, which can be either resolved or unresolved.
174
175There are two types of networked nodes, public nodes and slave nodes:
176
177=over 4
178
179=item public nodes
180
181For public nodes, C<$noderef> must either be a (possibly unresolved)
182noderef, in which case it will be resolved, or C<undef> (or missing), in
183which case the noderef will be guessed.
184
185Afterwards, the node will bind itself on all endpoints and try to connect
186to all additional C<$seednodes> that are specified. Seednodes are optional
187and can be used to quickly bootstrap the node into an existing network.
188
189=item slave nodes
190
191When the C<$noderef> is the special string C<slave/>, then the node will
192become a slave node. Slave nodes cannot be contacted from outside and will
193route most of their traffic to the master node that they attach to.
194
195At least one additional noderef is required: The node will try to connect
196to all of them and will become a slave attached to the first node it can
197successfully connect to.
198
199=back
200
201This function will block until all nodes have been resolved and, for slave
202nodes, until it has successfully established a connection to a master
203server.
204
205Example: become a public node listening on the default node.
206
207 initialise_node;
208
209Example: become a public node, and try to contact some well-known master
210servers to become part of the network.
211
212 initialise_node undef, "master1", "master2";
213
214Example: become a public node listening on port C<4041>.
215
216 initialise_node 4041;
217
218Example: become a public node, only visible on localhost port 4044.
219
220 initialise_node "locahost:4044";
221
222Example: become a slave node to any of the specified master servers.
223
224 initialise_node "slave/", "master1", "192.168.13.17", "mp.example.net";
225
226=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef
227
228Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and
229abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node
230reference.
231
232In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the
233following forms are supported:
234
235=over 4
236
237=item the empty string
238
239An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was
240specified.
241
242=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>)
243
244These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be
245further resolved.
246
247=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>)
248
249These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally
250looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was
251specified.
252
253=back
254
255=item $SELF
256
257Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
258blocks.
259
260=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
261
262Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
263just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this
264module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
265
100=item snd $portid, type => @data 266=item snd $port, type => @data
101 267
102=item snd $portid, @msg 268=item snd $port, @msg
103 269
104Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 270Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either
105a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat 271a local or a remote port, and can be either a string or soemthignt hat
106stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :). 272stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
107 273
117JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 283JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
118of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 284of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
119that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 285that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
120node, anything can be passed. 286node, anything can be passed.
121 287
122=item $local_port = create_port 288=item $local_port = port
123 289
124Create a new local port object. See the next section for allowed methods. 290Create a new local port object that can be used either as a pattern
291matching port ("full port") or a single-callback port ("miniport"),
292depending on how C<rcv> callbacks are bound to the object.
125 293
126=cut 294=item $port = port { my @msg = @_; $finished }
127 295
128sub create_port { 296Creates a "miniport", that is, a very lightweight port without any pattern
129 my $id = "$AnyEvent::MP::Base::UNIQ." . ++$AnyEvent::MP::Base::ID; 297matching behind it, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as creating
298a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
130 299
131 my $self = bless { 300The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the
132 id => "$NODE#$id", 301callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port
133 names => [$id], 302will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive.
134 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
135 303
136 $AnyEvent::MP::Base::PORT{$id} = sub { 304The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will
137 unshift @_, $self; 305be passed to the callback.
138 306
139 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[1]} }) { 307If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely:
140 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
141 && undef $_;
142 }
143 308
144 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[1]} }) { 309 my $port; $port = port {
145 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1] 310 snd $otherport, reply => $port;
146 && &{$_->[0]}
147 && undef $_;
148 }
149
150 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
151 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
152 && &{$_->[0]}
153 && undef $_;
154 }
155 }; 311 };
156 312
157 $self 313=cut
314
315sub rcv($@);
316
317sub port(;&) {
318 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
319 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
320
321 if (@_) {
322 rcv $port, shift;
323 } else {
324 $PORT{$id} = sub { }; # nop
325 }
326
327 $port
158} 328}
159 329
160package AnyEvent::MP::Port; 330=item reg $port, $name
161 331
162=back 332=item reg $name
163 333
164=head1 METHODS FOR PORT OBJECTS 334Registers the given port (or C<$SELF><<< if missing) under the name
335C<$name>. If the name already exists it is replaced.
165 336
166=over 4 337A port can only be registered under one well known name.
167 338
168=item "$port" 339A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
169 340
170A port object stringifies to its port ID, so can be used directly for
171C<snd> operations.
172
173=cut 341=cut
174 342
175use overload 343sub reg(@) {
176 '""' => sub { $_[0]{id} }, 344 my $port = @_ > 1 ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'reg: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
177 fallback => 1;
178 345
179=item $port->rcv (type => $callback->($port, @msg)) 346 $REG{$_[0]} = $port;
347}
180 348
181=item $port->rcv ($smartmatch => $callback->($port, @msg)) 349=item rcv $port, $callback->(@msg)
182 350
351Replaces the callback on the specified miniport (after converting it to
352one if required).
353
354=item rcv $port, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
355
356=item rcv $port, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
357
183=item $port->rcv ([$smartmatch...] => $callback->($port, @msg)) 358=item rcv $port, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
184 359
185Register a callback on the given port. 360Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given full
361port (after converting it to one if required) and return the port.
186 362
187The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after 363The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
188which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay 364which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
189registered. 365registered.
190 366
367The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
368executing the callback.
369
370Runtime errors during callback execution will result in the port being
371C<kil>ed.
372
191If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the 373If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the
192first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being 374first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
193matched. 375matched.
194 376
195Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function 377Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function
197 379
198While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching 380While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching
199element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is 381element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is
200also the most efficient match (by far). 382also the most efficient match (by far).
201 383
384Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
385
386 my $port = rcv port,
387 msg1 => sub { ...; 0 },
388 msg2 => sub { ...; 0 },
389 ;
390
391Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
392in one go:
393
394 snd $otherport, reply =>
395 rcv port,
396 msg1 => sub { ...; 0 },
397 ...
398 ;
399
202=cut 400=cut
203 401
204sub rcv($@) { 402sub rcv($@) {
205 my ($self, $match, $cb) = @_; 403 my $port = shift;
404 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
206 405
207 if (!ref $match) { 406 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""}
208 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb]; 407 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
209 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) { 408
210 my ($type, @match) = @$match; 409 if (@_ == 1) {
211 @match 410 my $cb = shift;
212 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match] 411 delete $PORT_DATA{$portid};
213 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb]; 412 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
413 local $SELF = $port;
414 eval {
415 &$cb
416 and kil $port;
417 };
418 _self_die if $@;
419 };
214 } else { 420 } else {
421 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
422 my $self = bless {
423 id => $port,
424 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
425
426 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
427 local $SELF = $port;
428
429 eval {
430 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) {
431 $_ && &{$_->[0]}
432 && undef $_;
433 }
434
435 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
436 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
437 && &{$_->[0]}
438 && undef $_;
439 }
440
441 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
442 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
443 && &{$_->[0]}
444 && undef $_;
445 }
446 };
447 _self_die if $@;
448 };
449
450 $self
451 };
452
453 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
454 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
455
456 while (@_) {
457 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
458
459 if (!ref $match) {
460 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb];
461 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
462 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
463 @match
464 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
465 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
466 } else {
215 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match]; 467 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match];
468 }
469 }
470 }
471
472 $port
473}
474
475=item $closure = psub { BLOCK }
476
477Remembers C<$SELF> and creates a closure out of the BLOCK. When the
478closure is executed, sets up the environment in the same way as in C<rcv>
479callbacks, i.e. runtime errors will cause the port to get C<kil>ed.
480
481This is useful when you register callbacks from C<rcv> callbacks:
482
483 rcv delayed_reply => sub {
484 my ($delay, @reply) = @_;
485 my $timer = AE::timer $delay, 0, psub {
486 snd @reply, $SELF;
487 };
488 };
489
490=cut
491
492sub psub(&) {
493 my $cb = shift;
494
495 my $port = $SELF
496 or Carp::croak "psub can only be called from within rcv or psub callbacks, not";
497
498 sub {
499 local $SELF = $port;
500
501 if (wantarray) {
502 my @res = eval { &$cb };
503 _self_die if $@;
504 @res
505 } else {
506 my $res = eval { &$cb };
507 _self_die if $@;
508 $res
509 }
216 } 510 }
217} 511}
218 512
219=item $port->register ($name) 513=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason)
220 514
221Registers the given port under the well known name C<$name>. If the name 515=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport
222already exists it is replaced.
223 516
224A port can only be registered under one well known name. 517=item $guard = mon $port
225 518
226=cut 519=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg
227 520
228sub register { 521Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
229 my ($self, $name) = @_; 522messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
523to stop monitoring again.
230 524
231 $self->{wkname} = $name; 525C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
232 $AnyEvent::MP::Base::WKP{$name} = "$self"; 526that after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port
527will arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible
528message loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between"
529(after the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
530port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
531delivered again.
532
533In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
534number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
535"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
536C<eval> if unsure.
537
538In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
539will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
540"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
541port is killed with the same reason.
542
543The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
544C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
545
546In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
547C<snd>.
548
549As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
550a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
551lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
552even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
553to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
554these problems do not exist.
555
556Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
557
558 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
559
560Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
561
562 mon $port;
563
564Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
565
566 mon $port, $self => "restart";
567
568=cut
569
570sub mon {
571 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
572
573 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
574
575 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
576
577 unless (ref $cb) {
578 if (@_) {
579 # send a kill info message
580 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
581 $cb = sub { snd @msg, @_ };
582 } else {
583 # simply kill other port
584 my $port = $cb;
585 $cb = sub { kil $port, @_ if @_ };
586 }
587 }
588
589 $node->monitor ($port, $cb);
590
591 defined wantarray
592 and AnyEvent::Util::guard { $node->unmonitor ($port, $cb) }
233} 593}
234 594
235=item $port->destroy 595=item $guard = mon_guard $port, $ref, $ref...
236 596
237Explicitly destroy/remove/nuke/vaporise the port. 597Monitors the given C<$port> and keeps the passed references. When the port
598is killed, the references will be freed.
238 599
239Ports are normally kept alive by there mere existance alone, and need to 600Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
240be destroyed explicitly.
241 601
242=cut 602This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
603want to free them when the port gets killed:
243 604
244sub destroy { 605 $port->rcv (start => sub {
245 my ($self) = @_; 606 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub {
607 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
608 });
609 });
246 610
247 delete $AnyEvent::MP::Base::WKP{ $self->{wkname} }; 611=cut
248 612
249 delete $AnyEvent::MP::Base::PORT{$_} 613sub mon_guard {
250 for @{ $self->{names} }; 614 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
615
616 #TODO: mon-less form?
617
618 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
251} 619}
252 620
253=back 621=item kil $port[, @reason]
254 622
255=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 623Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
256 624
257=over 4 625If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked
626ports will not be kileld, or even notified).
258 627
259=item mon $noderef, $callback->($noderef, $status, $) 628Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
629C<mon>, see below).
260 630
261Monitors the given noderef. 631Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
632will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
262 633
263=item become_public endpoint... 634Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
635$message >>.
264 636
265Tells the node to become a public node, i.e. reachable from other nodes.
266
267If no arguments are given, or the first argument is C<undef>, then
268AnyEvent::MP tries to bind on port C<4040> on all IP addresses that the
269local nodename resolves to.
270
271Otherwise the first argument must be an array-reference with transport
272endpoints ("ip:port", "hostname:port") or port numbers (in which case the
273local nodename is used as hostname). The endpoints are all resolved and
274will become the node reference.
275
276=cut 637=cut
638
639=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
640
641Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
642case it's the node where that port resides).
643
644The port ID of the newly created port is return immediately, and it is
645permissible to immediately start sending messages or monitor the port.
646
647After the port has been created, the init function is
648called. This function must be a fully-qualified function name
649(e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To specify a function in the main
650program, use C<::name>.
651
652If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
653the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
654C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
655exists or it runs out of package names.
656
657The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
658object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
659
660A common idiom is to pass your own port, monitor the spawned port, and
661in the init function, monitor the original port. This two-way monitoring
662ensures that both ports get cleaned up when there is a problem.
663
664Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
665
666 # this node, executed from within a port context:
667 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
668 mon $server;
669
670 # init function on C<$othernode>
671 sub connect {
672 my ($srcport) = @_;
673
674 mon $srcport;
675
676 rcv $SELF, sub {
677 ...
678 };
679 }
680
681=cut
682
683sub _spawn {
684 my $port = shift;
685 my $init = shift;
686
687 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
688 eval {
689 &{ load_func $init }
690 };
691 _self_die if $@;
692}
693
694sub spawn(@) {
695 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
696
697 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
698
699 $_[0] =~ /::/
700 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
701
702 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef)
703 ->send (["", "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_]);
704
705 "$noderef#$id"
706}
277 707
278=back 708=back
279 709
280=head1 NODE MESSAGES 710=head1 NODE MESSAGES
281 711
282Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take 712Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
283arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply 713arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
284message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and 714message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
285the remaining arguments are simply the message data. 715the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
286 716
717While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
718
287=over 4 719=over 4
288 720
289=cut 721=cut
290 722
291=item wkp => $name, @reply 723=item lookup => $name, @reply
292 724
293Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>. 725Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
294 726
295=item devnull => ... 727=item devnull => ...
296 728
319 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2; 751 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
320 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time> 752 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
321 753
322=back 754=back
323 755
756=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
757
758AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
759== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
760programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
761sample:
762
763 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
764 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
765 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
766 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
767
768Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
769
770=over 4
771
772=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
773
774Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the
775same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with
776convenience functionality.
777
778This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the
779cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead.
780
781=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
782
783Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore
784needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful
785purpose.
786
787(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
788
789=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
790
791Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP
792sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the
793background.
794
795=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot.
796
797Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
798without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
799and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
800
801AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no
802holes in the message sequence.
803
804=item * In Erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be
805alive.
806
807In Erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
808linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
809still alive - and can receive messages.
810
811In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
812eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
813and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
814
815=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
816
817In Erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process
818ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing
819messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
820
821AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
822around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
823
824=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
825authentication and can use TLS.
826
827AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and
828securely authenticate nodes.
829
830=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
831communications.
832
833The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both
834language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
835language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable).
836
837It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
838with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the
839protocol simple.
840
841=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
842
843In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
844or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
845difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
846Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
847on a per-process basis.
848
849=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
850
851Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes,
852as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
853
854In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
855that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
856on the remote node. The init function monitors the you, and you monitor
857the remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much
858more reliable.
859
860This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
861(hard to do in Erlang).
862
863=back
864
865=head1 RATIONALE
866
867=over 4
868
869=item Why strings for ports and noderefs, why not objects?
870
871We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
872thatc an be called are very low. Since port IDs and noderefs travel over
873the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
874overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object.
875
876Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
877procedures to be "valid".
878
879And a a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a global hash - it
880can't become much cheaper.
881
882=item Why favour JSON, why not real serialising format such as Storable?
883
884In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
885format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
886default.
887
888The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
889faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
890experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
891than it gains: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
892easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
893always have to re-think your design.
894
895Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
896objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
897
898=back
899
324=head1 SEE ALSO 900=head1 SEE ALSO
325 901
326L<AnyEvent>. 902L<AnyEvent>.
327 903
328=head1 AUTHOR 904=head1 AUTHOR

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