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Comparing AnyEvent/README (file contents):
Revision 1.54 by root, Tue Sep 1 18:27:46 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.58 by root, Sun Dec 20 22:49:52 2009 UTC

354 time, which might affect timers and time-outs. 354 time, which might affect timers and time-outs.
355 355
356 When this is the case, you can call this method, which will update 356 When this is the case, you can call this method, which will update
357 the event loop's idea of "current time". 357 the event loop's idea of "current time".
358 358
359 A typical example would be a script in a web server (e.g.
360 "mod_perl") - when mod_perl executes the script, then the event loop
361 will have the wrong idea about the "current time" (being potentially
362 far in the past, when the script ran the last time). In that case
363 you should arrange a call to "AnyEvent->now_update" each time the
364 web server process wakes up again (e.g. at the start of your script,
365 or in a handler).
366
359 Note that updating the time *might* cause some events to be handled. 367 Note that updating the time *might* cause some events to be handled.
360 368
361 SIGNAL WATCHERS 369 SIGNAL WATCHERS
362 $w = AnyEvent->signal (signal => <uppercase_signal_name>, cb => <callback>); 370 $w = AnyEvent->signal (signal => <uppercase_signal_name>, cb => <callback>);
363 371
383 correctly. 391 correctly.
384 392
385 Example: exit on SIGINT 393 Example: exit on SIGINT
386 394
387 my $w = AnyEvent->signal (signal => "INT", cb => sub { exit 1 }); 395 my $w = AnyEvent->signal (signal => "INT", cb => sub { exit 1 });
396
397 Restart Behaviour
398 While restart behaviour is up to the event loop implementation, most
399 will not restart syscalls (that includes Async::Interrupt and AnyEvent's
400 pure perl implementation).
401
402 Safe/Unsafe Signals
403 Perl signals can be either "safe" (synchronous to opcode handling) or
404 "unsafe" (asynchronous) - the former might get delayed indefinitely, the
405 latter might corrupt your memory.
406
407 AnyEvent signal handlers are, in addition, synchronous to the event
408 loop, i.e. they will not interrupt your running perl program but will
409 only be called as part of the normal event handling (just like timer,
410 I/O etc. callbacks, too).
388 411
389 Signal Races, Delays and Workarounds 412 Signal Races, Delays and Workarounds
390 Many event loops (e.g. Glib, Tk, Qt, IO::Async) do not support attaching 413 Many event loops (e.g. Glib, Tk, Qt, IO::Async) do not support attaching
391 callbacks to signals in a generic way, which is a pity, as you cannot do 414 callbacks to signals in a generic way, which is a pity, as you cannot do
392 race-free signal handling in perl, requiring C libraries for this. 415 race-free signal handling in perl, requiring C libraries for this.
896 You should check $AnyEvent::MODEL before adding to this array, 919 You should check $AnyEvent::MODEL before adding to this array,
897 though: if it is defined then the event loop has already been 920 though: if it is defined then the event loop has already been
898 detected, and the array will be ignored. 921 detected, and the array will be ignored.
899 922
900 Best use "AnyEvent::post_detect { BLOCK }" when your application 923 Best use "AnyEvent::post_detect { BLOCK }" when your application
901 allows it,as it takes care of these details. 924 allows it, as it takes care of these details.
902 925
903 This variable is mainly useful for modules that can do something 926 This variable is mainly useful for modules that can do something
904 useful when AnyEvent is used and thus want to know when it is 927 useful when AnyEvent is used and thus want to know when it is
905 initialised, but do not need to even load it by default. This array 928 initialised, but do not need to even load it by default. This array
906 provides the means to hook into AnyEvent passively, without loading 929 provides the means to hook into AnyEvent passively, without loading
907 it. 930 it.
931
932 Example: To load Coro::AnyEvent whenever Coro and AnyEvent are used
933 together, you could put this into Coro (this is the actual code used
934 by Coro to accomplish this):
935
936 if (defined $AnyEvent::MODEL) {
937 # AnyEvent already initialised, so load Coro::AnyEvent
938 require Coro::AnyEvent;
939 } else {
940 # AnyEvent not yet initialised, so make sure to load Coro::AnyEvent
941 # as soon as it is
942 push @AnyEvent::post_detect, sub { require Coro::AnyEvent };
943 }
908 944
909WHAT TO DO IN A MODULE 945WHAT TO DO IN A MODULE
910 As a module author, you should "use AnyEvent" and call AnyEvent methods 946 As a module author, you should "use AnyEvent" and call AnyEvent methods
911 freely, but you should not load a specific event module or rely on it. 947 freely, but you should not load a specific event module or rely on it.
912 948
1701 it's built-in modules) are required to use it. 1737 it's built-in modules) are required to use it.
1702 1738
1703 That does not mean that AnyEvent won't take advantage of some additional 1739 That does not mean that AnyEvent won't take advantage of some additional
1704 modules if they are installed. 1740 modules if they are installed.
1705 1741
1706 This section epxlains which additional modules will be used, and how 1742 This section explains which additional modules will be used, and how
1707 they affect AnyEvent's operetion. 1743 they affect AnyEvent's operation.
1708 1744
1709 Async::Interrupt 1745 Async::Interrupt
1710 This slightly arcane module is used to implement fast signal 1746 This slightly arcane module is used to implement fast signal
1711 handling: To my knowledge, there is no way to do completely 1747 handling: To my knowledge, there is no way to do completely
1712 race-free and quick signal handling in pure perl. To ensure that 1748 race-free and quick signal handling in pure perl. To ensure that
1715 10 seconds, look for $AnyEvent::MAX_SIGNAL_LATENCY). 1751 10 seconds, look for $AnyEvent::MAX_SIGNAL_LATENCY).
1716 1752
1717 If this module is available, then it will be used to implement 1753 If this module is available, then it will be used to implement
1718 signal catching, which means that signals will not be delayed, and 1754 signal catching, which means that signals will not be delayed, and
1719 the event loop will not be interrupted regularly, which is more 1755 the event loop will not be interrupted regularly, which is more
1720 efficient (And good for battery life on laptops). 1756 efficient (and good for battery life on laptops).
1721 1757
1722 This affects not just the pure-perl event loop, but also other event 1758 This affects not just the pure-perl event loop, but also other event
1723 loops that have no signal handling on their own (e.g. Glib, Tk, Qt). 1759 loops that have no signal handling on their own (e.g. Glib, Tk, Qt).
1724 1760
1725 Some event loops (POE, Event, Event::Lib) offer signal watchers 1761 Some event loops (POE, Event, Event::Lib) offer signal watchers
1742 "AnyEvent::Util::guard". This speeds up guards considerably (and 1778 "AnyEvent::Util::guard". This speeds up guards considerably (and
1743 uses a lot less memory), but otherwise doesn't affect guard 1779 uses a lot less memory), but otherwise doesn't affect guard
1744 operation much. It is purely used for performance. 1780 operation much. It is purely used for performance.
1745 1781
1746 JSON and JSON::XS 1782 JSON and JSON::XS
1747 This module is required when you want to read or write JSON data via 1783 One of these modules is required when you want to read or write JSON
1748 AnyEvent::Handle. It is also written in pure-perl, but can take 1784 data via AnyEvent::Handle. It is also written in pure-perl, but can
1749 advantage of the ultra-high-speed JSON::XS module when it is 1785 take advantage of the ultra-high-speed JSON::XS module when it is
1750 installed. 1786 installed.
1751 1787
1752 In fact, AnyEvent::Handle will use JSON::XS by default if it is 1788 In fact, AnyEvent::Handle will use JSON::XS by default if it is
1753 installed. 1789 installed.
1754 1790
1767FORK 1803FORK
1768 Most event libraries are not fork-safe. The ones who are usually are 1804 Most event libraries are not fork-safe. The ones who are usually are
1769 because they rely on inefficient but fork-safe "select" or "poll" calls. 1805 because they rely on inefficient but fork-safe "select" or "poll" calls.
1770 Only EV is fully fork-aware. 1806 Only EV is fully fork-aware.
1771 1807
1808 This means that, in general, you cannot fork and do event processing in
1809 the child if a watcher was created before the fork (which in turn
1810 initialises the event library).
1811
1772 If you have to fork, you must either do so *before* creating your first 1812 If you have to fork, you must either do so *before* creating your first
1773 watcher OR you must not use AnyEvent at all in the child OR you must do 1813 watcher OR you must not use AnyEvent at all in the child OR you must do
1774 something completely out of the scope of AnyEvent. 1814 something completely out of the scope of AnyEvent.
1815
1816 The problem of doing event processing in the parent *and* the child is
1817 much more complicated: even for backends that *are* fork-aware or
1818 fork-safe, their behaviour is not usually what you want: fork clones all
1819 watchers, that means all timers, I/O watchers etc. are active in both
1820 parent and child, which is almost never what you want.
1775 1821
1776SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS 1822SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
1777 AnyEvent can be forced to load any event model via 1823 AnyEvent can be forced to load any event model via
1778 $ENV{PERL_ANYEVENT_MODEL}. While this cannot (to my knowledge) be used 1824 $ENV{PERL_ANYEVENT_MODEL}. While this cannot (to my knowledge) be used
1779 to execute arbitrary code or directly gain access, it can easily be used 1825 to execute arbitrary code or directly gain access, it can easily be used

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