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Comparing AnyEvent/README (file contents):
Revision 1.71 by root, Wed Aug 21 08:40:28 2013 UTC vs.
Revision 1.74 by root, Sat May 2 14:39:31 2015 UTC

1NAME 1NAME
2 AnyEvent - the DBI of event loop programming 2 AnyEvent - the DBI of event loop programming
3 3
4 EV, Event, Glib, Tk, Perl, Event::Lib, Irssi, rxvt-unicode, IO::Async, 4 EV, Event, Glib, Tk, UV, Perl, Event::Lib, Irssi, rxvt-unicode,
5 Qt, FLTK and POE are various supported event loops/environments. 5 IO::Async, Qt, FLTK and POE are various supported event
6 loops/environments.
6 7
7SYNOPSIS 8SYNOPSIS
8 use AnyEvent; 9 use AnyEvent;
9 10
10 # if you prefer function calls, look at the AE manpage for 11 # if you prefer function calls, look at the AE manpage for
469 470
470 Example: fork a process and wait for it 471 Example: fork a process and wait for it
471 472
472 my $done = AnyEvent->condvar; 473 my $done = AnyEvent->condvar;
473 474
475 # this forks and immediately calls exit in the child. this
476 # normally has all sorts of bad consequences for your parent,
477 # so take this as an example only. always fork and exec,
478 # or call POSIX::_exit, in real code.
474 my $pid = fork or exit 5; 479 my $pid = fork or exit 5;
475 480
476 my $w = AnyEvent->child ( 481 my $w = AnyEvent->child (
477 pid => $pid, 482 pid => $pid,
478 cb => sub { 483 cb => sub {
718 This works because for every event source (EOF on file handle), 723 This works because for every event source (EOF on file handle),
719 there is one call to "begin", so the condvar waits for all calls to 724 there is one call to "begin", so the condvar waits for all calls to
720 "end" before sending. 725 "end" before sending.
721 726
722 The ping example mentioned above is slightly more complicated, as 727 The ping example mentioned above is slightly more complicated, as
723 the there are results to be passwd back, and the number of tasks 728 the there are results to be passed back, and the number of tasks
724 that are begun can potentially be zero: 729 that are begun can potentially be zero:
725 730
726 my $cv = AnyEvent->condvar; 731 my $cv = AnyEvent->condvar;
727 732
728 my %result; 733 my %result;
839 by the main program. 844 by the main program.
840 845
841 AnyEvent::Impl::Event based on Event, very stable, few glitches. 846 AnyEvent::Impl::Event based on Event, very stable, few glitches.
842 AnyEvent::Impl::Glib based on Glib, slow but very stable. 847 AnyEvent::Impl::Glib based on Glib, slow but very stable.
843 AnyEvent::Impl::Tk based on Tk, very broken. 848 AnyEvent::Impl::Tk based on Tk, very broken.
849 AnyEvent::Impl::UV based on UV, innovated square wheels.
844 AnyEvent::Impl::EventLib based on Event::Lib, leaks memory and worse. 850 AnyEvent::Impl::EventLib based on Event::Lib, leaks memory and worse.
845 AnyEvent::Impl::POE based on POE, very slow, some limitations. 851 AnyEvent::Impl::POE based on POE, very slow, some limitations.
846 AnyEvent::Impl::Irssi used when running within irssi. 852 AnyEvent::Impl::Irssi used when running within irssi.
847 AnyEvent::Impl::IOAsync based on IO::Async. 853 AnyEvent::Impl::IOAsync based on IO::Async.
848 AnyEvent::Impl::Cocoa based on Cocoa::EventLoop. 854 AnyEvent::Impl::Cocoa based on Cocoa::EventLoop.
980 To understand the usefulness of this function, consider a function 986 To understand the usefulness of this function, consider a function
981 that asynchronously does something for you and returns some 987 that asynchronously does something for you and returns some
982 transaction object or guard to let you cancel the operation. For 988 transaction object or guard to let you cancel the operation. For
983 example, "AnyEvent::Socket::tcp_connect": 989 example, "AnyEvent::Socket::tcp_connect":
984 990
985 # start a conenction attempt unless one is active 991 # start a connection attempt unless one is active
986 $self->{connect_guard} ||= AnyEvent::Socket::tcp_connect "www.example.net", 80, sub { 992 $self->{connect_guard} ||= AnyEvent::Socket::tcp_connect "www.example.net", 80, sub {
987 delete $self->{connect_guard}; 993 delete $self->{connect_guard};
988 ... 994 ...
989 }; 995 };
990 996
1121 Truly asynchronous (as opposed to non-blocking) I/O, should be in 1127 Truly asynchronous (as opposed to non-blocking) I/O, should be in
1122 the toolbox of every event programmer. AnyEvent::AIO transparently 1128 the toolbox of every event programmer. AnyEvent::AIO transparently
1123 fuses IO::AIO and AnyEvent together, giving AnyEvent access to 1129 fuses IO::AIO and AnyEvent together, giving AnyEvent access to
1124 event-based file I/O, and much more. 1130 event-based file I/O, and much more.
1125 1131
1132 AnyEvent::Fork, AnyEvent::Fork::RPC, AnyEvent::Fork::Pool,
1133 AnyEvent::Fork::Remote
1134 These let you safely fork new subprocesses, either locally or
1135 remotely (e.g.v ia ssh), using some RPC protocol or not, without the
1136 limitations normally imposed by fork (AnyEvent works fine for
1137 example). Dynamically-resized worker pools are obviously included as
1138 well.
1139
1140 And they are quite tiny and fast as well - "abusing" AnyEvent::Fork
1141 just to exec external programs can easily beat using "fork" and
1142 "exec" (or even "system") in most programs.
1143
1126 AnyEvent::Filesys::Notify 1144 AnyEvent::Filesys::Notify
1127 AnyEvent is good for non-blocking stuff, but it can't detect file or 1145 AnyEvent is good for non-blocking stuff, but it can't detect file or
1128 path changes (e.g. "watch this directory for new files", "watch this 1146 path changes (e.g. "watch this directory for new files", "watch this
1129 file for changes"). The AnyEvent::Filesys::Notify module promises to 1147 file for changes"). The AnyEvent::Filesys::Notify module promises to
1130 do just that in a portbale fashion, supporting inotify on GNU/Linux 1148 do just that in a portbale fashion, supporting inotify on GNU/Linux
1131 and some weird, without doubt broken, stuff on OS X to monitor 1149 and some weird, without doubt broken, stuff on OS X to monitor
1132 files. It can fall back to blocking scans at regular intervals 1150 files. It can fall back to blocking scans at regular intervals
1133 transparently on other platforms, so it's about as portable as it 1151 transparently on other platforms, so it's about as portable as it
1134 gets. 1152 gets.
1135 1153
1136 (I haven't used it myself, but I haven't heard anybody complaining 1154 (I haven't used it myself, but it seems the biggest problem with it
1137 about it yet). 1155 is it quite bad performance).
1138 1156
1139 AnyEvent::DBI 1157 AnyEvent::DBI
1140 Executes DBI requests asynchronously in a proxy process for you, 1158 Executes DBI requests asynchronously in a proxy process for you,
1141 notifying you in an event-based way when the operation is finished. 1159 notifying you in an event-based way when the operation is finished.
1142
1143 AnyEvent::HTTPD
1144 A simple embedded webserver.
1145 1160
1146 AnyEvent::FastPing 1161 AnyEvent::FastPing
1147 The fastest ping in the west. 1162 The fastest ping in the west.
1148 1163
1149 Coro 1164 Coro
1345 mentioned will be used, and preference will be given to protocols 1360 mentioned will be used, and preference will be given to protocols
1346 mentioned earlier in the list. 1361 mentioned earlier in the list.
1347 1362
1348 This variable can effectively be used for denial-of-service attacks 1363 This variable can effectively be used for denial-of-service attacks
1349 against local programs (e.g. when setuid), although the impact is 1364 against local programs (e.g. when setuid), although the impact is
1350 likely small, as the program has to handle conenction and other 1365 likely small, as the program has to handle connection and other
1351 failures anyways. 1366 failures anyways.
1352 1367
1353 Examples: "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4,ipv6" - prefer IPv4 over 1368 Examples: "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4,ipv6" - prefer IPv4 over
1354 IPv6, but support both and try to use both. 1369 IPv6, but support both and try to use both.
1355 "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4" - only support IPv4, never try to 1370 "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4" - only support IPv4, never try to
2035 usually happens when the first AnyEvent watcher is created, or the 2050 usually happens when the first AnyEvent watcher is created, or the
2036 library is loaded). 2051 library is loaded).
2037 2052
2038 If you have to fork, you must either do so *before* creating your first 2053 If you have to fork, you must either do so *before* creating your first
2039 watcher OR you must not use AnyEvent at all in the child OR you must do 2054 watcher OR you must not use AnyEvent at all in the child OR you must do
2040 something completely out of the scope of AnyEvent. 2055 something completely out of the scope of AnyEvent (see below).
2041 2056
2042 The problem of doing event processing in the parent *and* the child is 2057 The problem of doing event processing in the parent *and* the child is
2043 much more complicated: even for backends that *are* fork-aware or 2058 much more complicated: even for backends that *are* fork-aware or
2044 fork-safe, their behaviour is not usually what you want: fork clones all 2059 fork-safe, their behaviour is not usually what you want: fork clones all
2045 watchers, that means all timers, I/O watchers etc. are active in both 2060 watchers, that means all timers, I/O watchers etc. are active in both
2046 parent and child, which is almost never what you want. USing "exec" to 2061 parent and child, which is almost never what you want. Using "exec" to
2047 start worker children from some kind of manage rprocess is usually 2062 start worker children from some kind of manage prrocess is usually
2048 preferred, because it is much easier and cleaner, at the expense of 2063 preferred, because it is much easier and cleaner, at the expense of
2049 having to have another binary. 2064 having to have another binary.
2065
2066 In addition to logical problems with fork, there are also implementation
2067 problems. For example, on POSIX systems, you cannot fork at all in Perl
2068 code if a thread (I am talking of pthreads here) was ever created in the
2069 process, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. In general, using fork
2070 from Perl is difficult, and attempting to use fork without an exec to
2071 implement some kind of parallel processing is almost certainly doomed.
2072
2073 To safely fork and exec, you should use a module such as Proc::FastSpawn
2074 that let's you safely fork and exec new processes.
2075
2076 If you want to do multiprocessing using processes, you can look at the
2077 AnyEvent::Fork module (and some related modules such as
2078 AnyEvent::Fork::RPC, AnyEvent::Fork::Pool and AnyEvent::Fork::Remote).
2079 This module allows you to safely create subprocesses without any
2080 limitations - you can use X11 toolkits or AnyEvent in the children
2081 created by AnyEvent::Fork safely and without any special precautions.
2050 2082
2051SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS 2083SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
2052 AnyEvent can be forced to load any event model via 2084 AnyEvent can be forced to load any event model via
2053 $ENV{PERL_ANYEVENT_MODEL}. While this cannot (to my knowledge) be used 2085 $ENV{PERL_ANYEVENT_MODEL}. While this cannot (to my knowledge) be used
2054 to execute arbitrary code or directly gain access, it can easily be used 2086 to execute arbitrary code or directly gain access, it can easily be used
2089 2121
2090 Development/Debugging: AnyEvent::Strict (stricter checking), 2122 Development/Debugging: AnyEvent::Strict (stricter checking),
2091 AnyEvent::Debug (interactive shell, watcher tracing). 2123 AnyEvent::Debug (interactive shell, watcher tracing).
2092 2124
2093 Supported event modules: AnyEvent::Loop, EV, EV::Glib, Glib::EV, Event, 2125 Supported event modules: AnyEvent::Loop, EV, EV::Glib, Glib::EV, Event,
2094 Glib::Event, Glib, Tk, Event::Lib, Qt, POE, FLTK. 2126 Glib::Event, Glib, Tk, Event::Lib, Qt, POE, FLTK, Cocoa::EventLoop, UV.
2095 2127
2096 Implementations: AnyEvent::Impl::EV, AnyEvent::Impl::Event, 2128 Implementations: AnyEvent::Impl::EV, AnyEvent::Impl::Event,
2097 AnyEvent::Impl::Glib, AnyEvent::Impl::Tk, AnyEvent::Impl::Perl, 2129 AnyEvent::Impl::Glib, AnyEvent::Impl::Tk, AnyEvent::Impl::Perl,
2098 AnyEvent::Impl::EventLib, AnyEvent::Impl::Qt, AnyEvent::Impl::POE, 2130 AnyEvent::Impl::EventLib, AnyEvent::Impl::Qt, AnyEvent::Impl::POE,
2099 AnyEvent::Impl::IOAsync, Anyevent::Impl::Irssi, AnyEvent::Impl::FLTK. 2131 AnyEvent::Impl::IOAsync, AnyEvent::Impl::Irssi, AnyEvent::Impl::FLTK,
2132 AnyEvent::Impl::Cocoa, AnyEvent::Impl::UV.
2100 2133
2101 Non-blocking handles, pipes, stream sockets, TCP clients and servers: 2134 Non-blocking handles, pipes, stream sockets, TCP clients and servers:
2102 AnyEvent::Handle, AnyEvent::Socket, AnyEvent::TLS. 2135 AnyEvent::Handle, AnyEvent::Socket, AnyEvent::TLS.
2103 2136
2104 Asynchronous File I/O: AnyEvent::IO. 2137 Asynchronous File I/O: AnyEvent::IO.

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