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Revision 1.33 by root, Wed Aug 5 22:40:51 2009 UTC vs.
Revision 1.68 by root, Fri Aug 28 23:06:33 2009 UTC

8 8
9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef 9 $NODE # contains this node's noderef
10 NODE # returns this node's noderef 10 NODE # returns this node's noderef
11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port 11 NODE $port # returns the noderef of the port
12 12
13 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks
14
15 # initialise the node so it can send/receive messages
16 initialise_node;
17
18 # ports are message endpoints
19
20 # sending messages
13 snd $port, type => data...; 21 snd $port, type => data...;
22 snd $port, @msg;
23 snd @msg_with_first_element_being_a_port;
14 24
15 $SELF # receiving/own port id in rcv callbacks 25 # creating/using ports, the simple way
26 my $simple_port = port { my @msg = @_; 0 };
16 27
17 rcv $port, smartmatch => $cb->($port, @msg); 28 # creating/using ports, tagged message matching
18 29 my $port = port;
19 # examples:
20 rcv $port2, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 }; 30 rcv $port, ping => sub { snd $_[0], "pong"; 0 };
21 rcv $port1, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n" }; 31 rcv $port, pong => sub { warn "pong received\n"; 0 };
22 snd $port2, ping => $port1;
23 32
24 # more, smarter, matches (_any_ is exported by this module) 33 # create a port on another node
25 rcv $port, [child_died => $pid] => sub { ... 34 my $port = spawn $node, $initfunc, @initdata;
26 rcv $port, [_any_, _any_, 3] => sub { .. $_[2] is 3 35
36 # monitoring
37 mon $port, $cb->(@msg) # callback is invoked on death
38 mon $port, $otherport # kill otherport on abnormal death
39 mon $port, $otherport, @msg # send message on death
40
41=head1 CURRENT STATUS
42
43 AnyEvent::MP - stable API, should work
44 AnyEvent::MP::Intro - outdated
45 AnyEvent::MP::Kernel - mostly stable
46 AnyEvent::MP::Global - mostly stable
47 AnyEvent::MP::Node - mostly stable, but internal anyways
48 AnyEvent::MP::Transport - mostly stable, but internal anyways
49
50 stay tuned.
27 51
28=head1 DESCRIPTION 52=head1 DESCRIPTION
29 53
30This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework. 54This module (-family) implements a simple message passing framework.
31 55
32Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running 56Despite its simplicity, you can securely message other processes running
33on the same or other hosts. 57on the same or other hosts, and you can supervise entities remotely.
34 58
35For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> 59For an introduction to this module family, see the L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro>
36manual page. 60manual page and the examples under F<eg/>.
37 61
38At the moment, this module family is severly broken and underdocumented, 62At the moment, this module family is a bit underdocumented.
39so do not use. This was uploaded mainly to reserve the CPAN namespace -
40stay tuned! The basic API should be finished, however.
41 63
42=head1 CONCEPTS 64=head1 CONCEPTS
43 65
44=over 4 66=over 4
45 67
46=item port 68=item port
47 69
48A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function). 70A port is something you can send messages to (with the C<snd> function).
49 71
50Some ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match specific 72Ports allow you to register C<rcv> handlers that can match all or just
51messages. All C<rcv> handlers will receive messages they match, messages 73some messages. Messages send to ports will not be queued, regardless of
52will not be queued. 74anything was listening for them or not.
53 75
54=item port id - C<noderef#portname> 76=item port ID - C<nodeid#portname>
55 77
56A port id is normaly the concatenation of a noderef, a hash-mark (C<#>) as 78A port ID is the concatenation of a node ID, a hash-mark (C<#>) as
57separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format). An 79separator, and a port name (a printable string of unspecified format).
58exception is the the node port, whose ID is identical to its node
59reference.
60 80
61=item node 81=item node
62 82
63A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node 83A node is a single process containing at least one port - the node port,
64port. You can send messages to node ports to find existing ports or to 84which enables nodes to manage each other remotely, and to create new
65create new ports, among other things. 85ports.
66 86
67Nodes are either private (single-process only), slaves (connected to a 87Nodes are either public (have one or more listening ports) or private
68master node only) or public nodes (connectable from unrelated nodes). 88(no listening ports). Private nodes cannot talk to other private nodes
89currently.
69 90
70=item noderef - C<host:port,host:port...>, C<id@noderef>, C<id> 91=item node ID - C<[a-za-Z0-9_\-.:]+>
71 92
72A node reference is a string that either simply identifies the node (for 93A node ID is a string that uniquely identifies the node within a
73private and slave nodes), or contains a recipe on how to reach a given 94network. Depending on the configuration used, node IDs can look like a
74node (for public nodes). 95hostname, a hostname and a port, or a random string. AnyEvent::MP itself
96doesn't interpret node IDs in any way.
75 97
76This recipe is simply a comma-separated list of C<address:port> pairs (for 98=item binds - C<ip:port>
77TCP/IP, other protocols might look different).
78 99
79Node references come in two flavours: resolved (containing only numerical 100Nodes can only talk to each other by creating some kind of connection to
80addresses) or unresolved (where hostnames are used instead of addresses). 101each other. To do this, nodes should listen on one or more local transport
102endpoints - binds. Currently, only standard C<ip:port> specifications can
103be used, which specify TCP ports to listen on.
81 104
82Before using an unresolved node reference in a message you first have to 105=item seeds - C<host:port>
83resolve it. 106
107When a node starts, it knows nothing about the network. To teach the node
108about the network it first has to contact some other node within the
109network. This node is called a seed.
110
111Seeds are transport endpoint(s) of as many nodes as one wants. Those nodes
112are expected to be long-running, and at least one of those should always
113be available. When nodes run out of connections (e.g. due to a network
114error), they try to re-establish connections to some seednodes again to
115join the network.
116
117Apart from being sued for seeding, seednodes are not special in any way -
118every public node can be a seednode.
84 119
85=back 120=back
86 121
87=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS 122=head1 VARIABLES/FUNCTIONS
88 123
90 125
91=cut 126=cut
92 127
93package AnyEvent::MP; 128package AnyEvent::MP;
94 129
95use AnyEvent::MP::Base; 130use AnyEvent::MP::Kernel;
96 131
97use common::sense; 132use common::sense;
98 133
99use Carp (); 134use Carp ();
100 135
101use AE (); 136use AE ();
102 137
103use base "Exporter"; 138use base "Exporter";
104 139
105our $VERSION = '0.1'; 140our $VERSION = $AnyEvent::MP::Kernel::VERSION;
141
106our @EXPORT = qw( 142our @EXPORT = qw(
107 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of _any_ 143 NODE $NODE *SELF node_of after
108 resolve_node initialise_node 144 initialise_node
109 snd rcv mon kil reg psub 145 snd rcv mon mon_guard kil reg psub spawn
110 port 146 port
111); 147);
112 148
113our $SELF; 149our $SELF;
114 150
118 kil $SELF, die => $msg; 154 kil $SELF, die => $msg;
119} 155}
120 156
121=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE 157=item $thisnode = NODE / $NODE
122 158
123The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains 159The C<NODE> function returns, and the C<$NODE> variable contains, the node
124the noderef of the local node. The value is initialised by a call 160ID of the node running in the current process. This value is initialised by
125to C<become_public> or C<become_slave>, after which all local port 161a call to C<initialise_node>.
126identifiers become invalid.
127 162
128=item $noderef = node_of $port 163=item $nodeid = node_of $port
129 164
130Extracts and returns the noderef from a portid or a noderef. 165Extracts and returns the node ID from a port ID or a node ID.
131 166
132=item $cv = resolve_node $noderef 167=item initialise_node $profile_name
133 168
134Takes an unresolved node reference that may contain hostnames and 169Before a node can talk to other nodes on the network (i.e. enter
135abbreviated IDs, resolves all of them and returns a resolved node 170"distributed mode") it has to initialise itself - the minimum a node needs
136reference. 171to know is its own name, and optionally it should know the addresses of
172some other nodes in the network to discover other nodes.
137 173
138In addition to C<address:port> pairs allowed in resolved noderefs, the 174This function initialises a node - it must be called exactly once (or
139following forms are supported: 175never) before calling other AnyEvent::MP functions.
140 176
141=over 4 177The first argument is a profile name. If it is C<undef> or missing, then
178the current nodename will be used instead (i.e. F<uname -n>).
142 179
143=item the empty string 180The function then looks up the profile in the aemp configuration (see the
181L<aemp> commandline utility).
144 182
145An empty-string component gets resolved as if the default port (4040) was 183If the profile specifies a node ID, then this will become the node ID of
146specified. 184this process. If not, then the profile name will be used as node ID. The
185special node ID of C<anon/> will be replaced by a random node ID.
147 186
148=item naked port numbers (e.g. C<1234>) 187The next step is to look up the binds in the profile, followed by binding
188aemp protocol listeners on all binds specified (it is possible and valid
189to have no binds, meaning that the node cannot be contacted form the
190outside. This means the node cannot talk to other nodes that also have no
191binds, but it can still talk to all "normal" nodes).
149 192
150These are resolved by prepending the local nodename and a colon, to be 193If the profile does not specify a binds list, then the node ID will be
151further resolved. 194treated as if it were of the form C<host:port>, which will be resolved and
195used as binds list.
152 196
153=item hostnames (e.g. C<localhost:1234>, C<localhost>) 197Lastly, the seeds list from the profile is passed to the
198L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> module, which will then use it to keep
199connectivity with at least on of those seed nodes at any point in time.
154 200
155These are resolved by using AnyEvent::DNS to resolve them, optionally 201Example: become a distributed node listening on the guessed noderef, or
156looking up SRV records for the C<aemp=4040> port, if no port was 202the one specified via C<aemp> for the current node. This should be the
157specified. 203most common form of invocation for "daemon"-type nodes.
158 204
159=back 205 initialise_node;
206
207Example: become an anonymous node. This form is often used for commandline
208clients.
209
210 initialise_node "anon/";
211
212Example: become a distributed node. If there is no profile of the given
213name, or no binds list was specified, resolve C<localhost:4044> and bind
214on the resulting addresses.
215
216 initialise_node "localhost:4044";
160 217
161=item $SELF 218=item $SELF
162 219
163Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub> 220Contains the current port id while executing C<rcv> callbacks or C<psub>
164blocks. 221blocks.
165 222
166=item SELF, %SELF, @SELF... 223=item *SELF, SELF, %SELF, @SELF...
167 224
168Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to 225Due to some quirks in how perl exports variables, it is impossible to
169just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols called C<SELF> are exported by this 226just export C<$SELF>, all the symbols named C<SELF> are exported by this
170module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used. 227module, but only C<$SELF> is currently used.
171 228
172=item snd $port, type => @data 229=item snd $port, type => @data
173 230
174=item snd $port, @msg 231=item snd $port, @msg
175 232
176Send the given message to the given port ID, which can identify either 233Send 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 234local or a remote port, and must be a port ID.
178stringifies a sa port ID (such as a port object :).
179 235
180While the message can be about anything, it is highly recommended to use a 236While the message can be almost anything, it is highly recommended to
181string as first element (a portid, or some word that indicates a request 237use a string as first element (a port ID, or some word that indicates a
182type etc.). 238request type etc.) and to consist if only simple perl values (scalars,
239arrays, hashes) - if you think you need to pass an object, think again.
183 240
184The message data effectively becomes read-only after a call to this 241The message data logically becomes read-only after a call to this
185function: modifying any argument is not allowed and can cause many 242function: modifying any argument (or values referenced by them) is
186problems. 243forbidden, as there can be considerable time between the call to C<snd>
244and the time the message is actually being serialised - in fact, it might
245never be copied as within the same process it is simply handed to the
246receiving port.
187 247
188The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when 248The type of data you can transfer depends on the transport protocol: when
189JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting 249JSON is used, then only strings, numbers and arrays and hashes consisting
190of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything 250of those are allowed (no objects). When Storable is used, then anything
191that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local 251that Storable can serialise and deserialise is allowed, and for the local
192node, anything can be passed. 252node, anything can be passed. Best rely only on the common denominator of
253these.
193 254
194=item $local_port = port 255=item $local_port = port
195 256
196Create a new local port object that can be used either as a pattern 257Create a new local port object and returns its port ID. Initially it has
197matching port ("full port") or a single-callback port ("miniport"), 258no callbacks set and will throw an error when it receives messages.
198depending on how C<rcv> callbacks are bound to the object.
199 259
200=item $port = port { my @msg = @_; $finished } 260=item $local_port = port { my @msg = @_ }
201 261
202Creates a "miniport", that is, a very lightweight port without any pattern 262Creates a new local port, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as
203matching behind it, and returns its ID. Semantically the same as creating
204a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it. 263creating a port and calling C<rcv $port, $callback> on it.
205 264
206The block will be called for every message received on the port. When the 265The block will be called for every message received on the port, with the
207callback returns a true value its job is considered "done" and the port 266global variable C<$SELF> set to the port ID. Runtime errors will cause the
208will be destroyed. Otherwise it will stay alive. 267port to be C<kil>ed. The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument
268(i.e. no port ID) will be passed to the callback.
209 269
210The message will be passed as-is, no extra argument (i.e. no port id) will 270If you want to stop/destroy the port, simply C<kil> it:
211be passed to the callback.
212 271
213If you need the local port id in the callback, this works nicely: 272 my $port = port {
214 273 my @msg = @_;
215 my $port; $port = port { 274 ...
216 snd $otherport, reply => $port; 275 kil $SELF;
217 }; 276 };
218 277
219=cut 278=cut
220 279
221sub rcv($@); 280sub rcv($@);
281
282sub _kilme {
283 die "received message on port without callback";
284}
222 285
223sub port(;&) { 286sub port(;&) {
224 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++; 287 my $id = "$UNIQ." . $ID++;
225 my $port = "$NODE#$id"; 288 my $port = "$NODE#$id";
226 289
227 if (@_) { 290 rcv $port, shift || \&_kilme;
228 rcv $port, shift;
229 } else {
230 $PORT{$id} = sub { }; # nop
231 }
232 291
233 $port 292 $port
234} 293}
235 294
236=item reg $port, $name
237
238Registers the given port under the name C<$name>. If the name already
239exists it is replaced.
240
241A port can only be registered under one well known name.
242
243A port automatically becomes unregistered when it is killed.
244
245=cut
246
247sub reg(@) {
248 my ($port, $name) = @_;
249
250 $REG{$name} = $port;
251}
252
253=item rcv $port, $callback->(@msg) 295=item rcv $local_port, $callback->(@msg)
254 296
255Replaces the callback on the specified miniport (after converting it to 297Replaces the default callback on the specified port. There is no way to
256one if required). 298remove the default callback: use C<sub { }> to disable it, or better
257 299C<kil> the port when it is no longer needed.
258=item rcv $port, tagstring => $callback->(@msg), ...
259
260=item rcv $port, $smartmatch => $callback->(@msg), ...
261
262=item rcv $port, [$smartmatch...] => $callback->(@msg), ...
263
264Register callbacks to be called on matching messages on the given full
265port (after converting it to one if required).
266
267The callback has to return a true value when its work is done, after
268which is will be removed, or a false value in which case it will stay
269registered.
270 300
271The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while 301The global C<$SELF> (exported by this module) contains C<$port> while
272executing the callback. 302executing the callback. Runtime errors during callback execution will
303result in the port being C<kil>ed.
273 304
274Runtime errors wdurign callback execution will result in the port being 305The default callback received all messages not matched by a more specific
275C<kil>ed. 306C<tag> match.
276 307
277If the match is an array reference, then it will be matched against the 308=item rcv $local_port, tag => $callback->(@msg_without_tag), ...
278first elements of the message, otherwise only the first element is being
279matched.
280 309
281Any element in the match that is specified as C<_any_> (a function 310Register (or replace) callbacks to be called on messages starting with the
282exported by this module) matches any single element of the message. 311given tag on the given port (and return the port), or unregister it (when
312C<$callback> is C<$undef> or missing). There can only be one callback
313registered for each tag.
283 314
284While not required, it is highly recommended that the first matching 315The original message will be passed to the callback, after the first
285element is a string identifying the message. The one-string-only match is 316element (the tag) has been removed. The callback will use the same
286also the most efficient match (by far). 317environment as the default callback (see above).
318
319Example: create a port and bind receivers on it in one go.
320
321 my $port = rcv port,
322 msg1 => sub { ... },
323 msg2 => sub { ... },
324 ;
325
326Example: create a port, bind receivers and send it in a message elsewhere
327in one go:
328
329 snd $otherport, reply =>
330 rcv port,
331 msg1 => sub { ... },
332 ...
333 ;
334
335Example: temporarily register a rcv callback for a tag matching some port
336(e.g. for a rpc reply) and unregister it after a message was received.
337
338 rcv $port, $otherport => sub {
339 my @reply = @_;
340
341 rcv $SELF, $otherport;
342 };
287 343
288=cut 344=cut
289 345
290sub rcv($@) { 346sub rcv($@) {
291 my $port = shift; 347 my $port = shift;
292 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2; 348 my ($noderef, $portid) = split /#/, $port, 2;
293 349
294 ($NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef) == $NODE{""} 350 $NODE{$noderef} == $NODE{""}
295 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught"; 351 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on local ports, caught";
296 352
297 if (@_ == 1) { 353 while (@_) {
354 if (ref $_[0]) {
355 if (my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid}) {
356 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
357 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
358
359 $self->[2] = shift;
360 } else {
298 my $cb = shift; 361 my $cb = shift;
299 delete $PORT_DATA{$portid};
300 $PORT{$portid} = sub { 362 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
301 local $SELF = $port; 363 local $SELF = $port;
302 eval { 364 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
303 &$cb 365 };
304 and kil $port;
305 }; 366 }
306 _self_die if $@; 367 } elsif (defined $_[0]) {
307 };
308 } else {
309 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do { 368 my $self = $PORT_DATA{$portid} ||= do {
310 my $self = bless { 369 my $self = bless [$PORT{$port} || sub { }, { }, $port], "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
311 id => $port,
312 }, "AnyEvent::MP::Port";
313 370
314 $PORT{$portid} = sub { 371 $PORT{$portid} = sub {
315 local $SELF = $port; 372 local $SELF = $port;
316 373
317 eval {
318 for (@{ $self->{rc0}{$_[0]} }) { 374 if (my $cb = $self->[1]{$_[0]}) {
319 $_ && &{$_->[0]} 375 shift;
320 && undef $_; 376 eval { &$cb }; _self_die if $@;
321 } 377 } else {
322
323 for (@{ $self->{rcv}{$_[0]} }) {
324 $_ && [@_[1 .. @{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
325 && &{$_->[0]} 378 &{ $self->[0] };
326 && undef $_;
327 }
328
329 for (@{ $self->{any} }) {
330 $_ && [@_[0 .. $#{$_->[1]}]] ~~ $_->[1]
331 && &{$_->[0]}
332 && undef $_;
333 } 379 }
334 }; 380 };
335 _self_die if $@; 381
382 $self
336 }; 383 };
337 384
338 $self
339 };
340
341 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self 385 "AnyEvent::MP::Port" eq ref $self
342 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught"; 386 or Carp::croak "$port: rcv can only be called on message matching ports, caught";
343 387
344 while (@_) {
345 my ($match, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2; 388 my ($tag, $cb) = splice @_, 0, 2;
346 389
347 if (!ref $match) { 390 if (defined $cb) {
348 push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match} }, [$cb]; 391 $self->[1]{$tag} = $cb;
349 } elsif (("ARRAY" eq ref $match && !ref $match->[0])) {
350 my ($type, @match) = @$match;
351 @match
352 ? push @{ $self->{rcv}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb, \@match]
353 : push @{ $self->{rc0}{$match->[0]} }, [$cb];
354 } else { 392 } else {
355 push @{ $self->{any} }, [$cb, $match]; 393 delete $self->[1]{$tag};
356 } 394 }
357 } 395 }
358 } 396 }
359 397
360 $port 398 $port
396 $res 434 $res
397 } 435 }
398 } 436 }
399} 437}
400 438
401=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) 439=item $guard = mon $port, $cb->(@reason) # call $cb when $port dies
402 440
403=item $guard = mon $port, $otherport 441=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport # kill $rcvport when $port dies
404 442
405=item $guard = mon $port, $otherport, @msg 443=item $guard = mon $port # kill $SELF when $port dies
406 444
445=item $guard = mon $port, $rcvport, @msg # send a message when $port dies
446
407Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed. 447Monitor the given port and do something when the port is killed or
448messages to it were lost, and optionally return a guard that can be used
449to stop monitoring again.
408 450
451C<mon> effectively guarantees that, in the absence of hardware failures,
452after starting the monitor, either all messages sent to the port will
453arrive, or the monitoring action will be invoked after possible message
454loss has been detected. No messages will be lost "in between" (after
455the first lost message no further messages will be received by the
456port). After the monitoring action was invoked, further messages might get
457delivered again.
458
459Note that monitoring-actions are one-shot: once messages are lost (and a
460monitoring alert was raised), they are removed and will not trigger again.
461
409In the first form, the callback is simply called with any number 462In the first form (callback), the callback is simply called with any
410of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted 463number of C<@reason> elements (no @reason means that the port was deleted
411"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use 464"normally"). Note also that I<< the callback B<must> never die >>, so use
412C<eval> if unsure. 465C<eval> if unsure.
413 466
414In the second form, the other port will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff 467In the second form (another port given), the other port (C<$rcvport>)
415a @reason was specified, i.e. on "normal" kils nothing happens, while 468will be C<kil>'ed with C<@reason>, iff a @reason was specified, i.e. on
416under all other conditions, the other port is killed with the same reason. 469"normal" kils nothing happens, while under all other conditions, the other
470port is killed with the same reason.
417 471
472The third form (kill self) is the same as the second form, except that
473C<$rvport> defaults to C<$SELF>.
474
418In the last form, a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be C<snd>. 475In the last form (message), a message of the form C<@msg, @reason> will be
476C<snd>.
477
478As a rule of thumb, monitoring requests should always monitor a port from
479a local port (or callback). The reason is that kill messages might get
480lost, just like any other message. Another less obvious reason is that
481even monitoring requests can get lost (for exmaple, when the connection
482to the other node goes down permanently). When monitoring a port locally
483these problems do not exist.
419 484
420Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed. 485Example: call a given callback when C<$port> is killed.
421 486
422 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" }; 487 mon $port, sub { warn "port died because of <@_>\n" };
423 488
424Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally. 489Example: kill ourselves when C<$port> is killed abnormally.
425 490
426 mon $port, $self; 491 mon $port;
427 492
428Example: send us a restart message another C<$port> is killed. 493Example: send us a restart message when another C<$port> is killed.
429 494
430 mon $port, $self => "restart"; 495 mon $port, $self => "restart";
431 496
432=cut 497=cut
433 498
434sub mon { 499sub mon {
435 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2; 500 my ($noderef, $port) = split /#/, shift, 2;
436 501
437 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef; 502 my $node = $NODE{$noderef} || add_node $noderef;
438 503
439 my $cb = shift; 504 my $cb = @_ ? shift : $SELF || Carp::croak 'mon: called with one argument only, but $SELF not set,';
440 505
441 unless (ref $cb) { 506 unless (ref $cb) {
442 if (@_) { 507 if (@_) {
443 # send a kill info message 508 # send a kill info message
444 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_); 509 my (@msg) = ($cb, @_);
462is killed, the references will be freed. 527is killed, the references will be freed.
463 528
464Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring. 529Optionally returns a guard that will stop the monitoring.
465 530
466This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and 531This function is useful when you create e.g. timers or other watchers and
467want to free them when the port gets killed: 532want to free them when the port gets killed (note the use of C<psub>):
468 533
469 $port->rcv (start => sub { 534 $port->rcv (start => sub {
470 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, sub { 535 my $timer; $timer = mon_guard $port, AE::timer 1, 1, psub {
471 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand; 536 undef $timer if 0.9 < rand;
472 }); 537 });
473 }); 538 });
474 539
475=cut 540=cut
476 541
477sub mon_guard { 542sub mon_guard {
478 my ($port, @refs) = @_; 543 my ($port, @refs) = @_;
479 544
545 #TODO: mon-less form?
546
480 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs } 547 mon $port, sub { 0 && @refs }
481} 548}
482 549
483=item lnk $port1, $port2
484
485Link two ports. This is simply a shorthand for:
486
487 mon $port1, $port2;
488 mon $port2, $port1;
489
490It means that if either one is killed abnormally, the other one gets
491killed as well.
492
493=item kil $port[, @reason] 550=item kil $port[, @reason]
494 551
495Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>. 552Kill the specified port with the given C<@reason>.
496 553
497If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (linked 554If no C<@reason> is specified, then the port is killed "normally" (ports
498ports will not be kileld, or even notified). 555monitoring other ports will not necessarily die because a port dies
556"normally").
499 557
500Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of 558Otherwise, linked ports get killed with the same reason (second form of
501C<mon>, see below). 559C<mon>, see above).
502 560
503Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks 561Runtime errors while evaluating C<rcv> callbacks or inside C<psub> blocks
504will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>. 562will be reported as reason C<< die => $@ >>.
505 563
506Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error => 564Transport/communication errors are reported as C<< transport_error =>
507$message >>. 565$message >>.
508 566
567=cut
568
569=item $port = spawn $node, $initfunc[, @initdata]
570
571Creates a port on the node C<$node> (which can also be a port ID, in which
572case it's the node where that port resides).
573
574The port ID of the newly created port is returned immediately, and it is
575possible to immediately start sending messages or to monitor the port.
576
577After the port has been created, the init function is called on the remote
578node, in the same context as a C<rcv> callback. This function must be a
579fully-qualified function name (e.g. C<MyApp::Chat::Server::init>). To
580specify a function in the main program, use C<::name>.
581
582If the function doesn't exist, then the node tries to C<require>
583the package, then the package above the package and so on (e.g.
584C<MyApp::Chat::Server>, C<MyApp::Chat>, C<MyApp>) until the function
585exists or it runs out of package names.
586
587The init function is then called with the newly-created port as context
588object (C<$SELF>) and the C<@initdata> values as arguments.
589
590A common idiom is to pass a local port, immediately monitor the spawned
591port, and in the remote init function, immediately monitor the passed
592local port. This two-way monitoring ensures that both ports get cleaned up
593when there is a problem.
594
595Example: spawn a chat server port on C<$othernode>.
596
597 # this node, executed from within a port context:
598 my $server = spawn $othernode, "MyApp::Chat::Server::connect", $SELF;
599 mon $server;
600
601 # init function on C<$othernode>
602 sub connect {
603 my ($srcport) = @_;
604
605 mon $srcport;
606
607 rcv $SELF, sub {
608 ...
609 };
610 }
611
612=cut
613
614sub _spawn {
615 my $port = shift;
616 my $init = shift;
617
618 local $SELF = "$NODE#$port";
619 eval {
620 &{ load_func $init }
621 };
622 _self_die if $@;
623}
624
625sub spawn(@) {
626 my ($noderef, undef) = split /#/, shift, 2;
627
628 my $id = "$RUNIQ." . $ID++;
629
630 $_[0] =~ /::/
631 or Carp::croak "spawn init function must be a fully-qualified name, caught";
632
633 snd_to_func $noderef, "AnyEvent::MP::_spawn" => $id, @_;
634
635 "$noderef#$id"
636}
637
638=item after $timeout, @msg
639
640=item after $timeout, $callback
641
642Either sends the given message, or call the given callback, after the
643specified number of seconds.
644
645This is simply a utility function that comes in handy at times - the
646AnyEvent::MP author is not convinced of the wisdom of having it, though,
647so it may go away in the future.
648
649=cut
650
651sub after($@) {
652 my ($timeout, @action) = @_;
653
654 my $t; $t = AE::timer $timeout, 0, sub {
655 undef $t;
656 ref $action[0]
657 ? $action[0]()
658 : snd @action;
659 };
660}
661
509=back 662=back
510 663
511=head1 FUNCTIONS FOR NODES 664=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
665
666AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed Erlang (Erlang node
667== aemp node, Erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
668programming techniques employed by Erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
669sample:
670
671 http://www.Erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
672 http://Erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
673 http://Erlang.org/download/Erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
674 http://Erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
675
676Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
512 677
513=over 4 678=over 4
514 679
515=item initialise_node $noderef, $seednode, $seednode... 680=item * Node IDs are arbitrary strings in AEMP.
516 681
517=item initialise_node "slave/", $master, $master...
518
519Initialises a node - must be called exactly once before calling other
520AnyEvent::MP functions when talking to other nodes is required.
521
522All arguments are noderefs, which can be either resolved or unresolved.
523
524There are two types of networked nodes, public nodes and slave nodes:
525
526=over 4
527
528=item public nodes
529
530For public nodes, C<$noderef> must either be a (possibly unresolved)
531noderef, in which case it will be resolved, or C<undef> (or missing), in
532which case the noderef will be guessed.
533
534Afterwards, the node will bind itself on all endpoints and try to connect
535to all additional C<$seednodes> that are specified. Seednodes are optional
536and can be used to quickly bootstrap the node into an existing network.
537
538=item slave nodes
539
540When the C<$noderef> is the special string C<slave/>, then the node will
541become a slave node. Slave nodes cannot be contacted from outside and will
542route most of their traffic to the master node that they attach to.
543
544At least one additional noderef is required: The node will try to connect
545to all of them and will become a slave attached to the first node it can
546successfully connect to.
547
548=back
549
550This function will block until all nodes have been resolved and, for slave
551nodes, until it has successfully established a connection to a master
552server.
553
554Example: become a public node listening on the default node.
555
556 initialise_node;
557
558Example: become a public node, and try to contact some well-known master
559servers to become part of the network.
560
561 initialise_node undef, "master1", "master2";
562
563Example: become a public node listening on port C<4041>.
564
565 initialise_node 4041;
566
567Example: become a public node, only visible on localhost port 4044.
568
569 initialise_node "locahost:4044";
570
571Example: become a slave node to any of the specified master servers.
572
573 initialise_node "slave/", "master1", "192.168.13.17", "mp.example.net";
574
575=cut
576
577=back
578
579=head1 NODE MESSAGES
580
581Nodes understand the following messages sent to them. Many of them take
582arguments called C<@reply>, which will simply be used to compose a reply
583message - C<$reply[0]> is the port to reply to, C<$reply[1]> the type and
584the remaining arguments are simply the message data.
585
586While other messages exist, they are not public and subject to change.
587
588=over 4
589
590=cut
591
592=item lookup => $name, @reply
593
594Replies with the port ID of the specified well-known port, or C<undef>.
595
596=item devnull => ...
597
598Generic data sink/CPU heat conversion.
599
600=item relay => $port, @msg
601
602Simply forwards the message to the given port.
603
604=item eval => $string[ @reply]
605
606Evaluates the given string. If C<@reply> is given, then a message of the
607form C<@reply, $@, @evalres> is sent.
608
609Example: crash another node.
610
611 snd $othernode, eval => "exit";
612
613=item time => @reply
614
615Replies the the current node time to C<@reply>.
616
617Example: tell the current node to send the current time to C<$myport> in a
618C<timereply> message.
619
620 snd $NODE, time => $myport, timereply => 1, 2;
621 # => snd $myport, timereply => 1, 2, <time>
622
623=back
624
625=head1 AnyEvent::MP vs. Distributed Erlang
626
627AnyEvent::MP got lots of its ideas from distributed erlang (erlang node
628== aemp node, erlang process == aemp port), so many of the documents and
629programming techniques employed by erlang apply to AnyEvent::MP. Here is a
630sample:
631
632 http://www.erlang.se/doc/programming_rules.shtml
633 http://erlang.org/doc/getting_started/part_frame.html # chapters 3 and 4
634 http://erlang.org/download/erlang-book-part1.pdf # chapters 5 and 6
635 http://erlang.org/download/armstrong_thesis_2003.pdf # chapters 4 and 5
636
637Despite the similarities, there are also some important differences:
638
639=over 4
640
641=item * Node references contain the recipe on how to contact them.
642
643Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the 682Erlang relies on special naming and DNS to work everywhere in the same
644same way. AEMP relies on each node knowing it's own address(es), with 683way. AEMP relies on each node somehow knowing its own address(es) (e.g. by
645convenience functionality. 684configuraiton or DNS), but will otherwise discover other odes itself.
646 685
647This means that AEMP requires a less tightly controlled environment at the 686=item * Erlang has a "remote ports are like local ports" philosophy, AEMP
648cost of longer node references and a slightly higher management overhead. 687uses "local ports are like remote ports".
688
689The failure modes for local ports are quite different (runtime errors
690only) then for remote ports - when a local port dies, you I<know> it dies,
691when a connection to another node dies, you know nothing about the other
692port.
693
694Erlang pretends remote ports are as reliable as local ports, even when
695they are not.
696
697AEMP encourages a "treat remote ports differently" philosophy, with local
698ports being the special case/exception, where transport errors cannot
699occur.
649 700
650=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue. 701=item * Erlang uses processes and a mailbox, AEMP does not queue.
651 702
652Erlang uses processes that selctively receive messages, and therefore 703Erlang uses processes that selectively receive messages, and therefore
653needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no useful 704needs a queue. AEMP is event based, queuing messages would serve no
654purpose. 705useful purpose. For the same reason the pattern-matching abilities of
706AnyEvent::MP are more limited, as there is little need to be able to
707filter messages without dequeing them.
655 708
656(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more erlang-like process model on top of AEMP). 709(But see L<Coro::MP> for a more Erlang-like process model on top of AEMP).
657 710
658=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous. 711=item * Erlang sends are synchronous, AEMP sends are asynchronous.
659 712
660Sending messages in erlang is synchronous and blocks the process. AEMP 713Sending messages in Erlang is synchronous and blocks the process (and
661sends are immediate, connection establishment is handled in the 714so does not need a queue that can overflow). AEMP sends are immediate,
662background. 715connection establishment is handled in the background.
663 716
664=item * Erlang can silently lose messages, AEMP cannot. 717=item * Erlang suffers from silent message loss, AEMP does not.
665 718
666Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost 719Erlang makes few guarantees on messages delivery - messages can get lost
667without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b, 720without any of the processes realising it (i.e. you send messages a, b,
668and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c). 721and c, and the other side only receives messages a and c).
669 722
670AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that there are no 723AEMP guarantees correct ordering, and the guarantee that after one message
671holes in the message sequence. 724is lost, all following ones sent to the same port are lost as well, until
672 725monitoring raises an error, so there are no silent "holes" in the message
673=item * In erlang, processes can be declared dead and later be found to be 726sequence.
674alive.
675
676In erlang it can happen that a monitored process is declared dead and
677linked processes get killed, but later it turns out that the process is
678still alive - and can receive messages.
679
680In AEMP, when port monitoring detects a port as dead, then that port will
681eventually be killed - it cannot happen that a node detects a port as dead
682and then later sends messages to it, finding it is still alive.
683 727
684=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not. 728=item * Erlang can send messages to the wrong port, AEMP does not.
685 729
686In erlang it is quite possible that a node that restarts reuses a process 730In Erlang it is quite likely that a node that restarts reuses a process ID
687ID known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing 731known to other nodes for a completely different process, causing messages
688messages destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process. 732destined for that process to end up in an unrelated process.
689 733
690AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating 734AEMP never reuses port IDs, so old messages or old port IDs floating
691around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port. 735around in the network will not be sent to an unrelated port.
692 736
693=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure 737=item * Erlang uses unprotected connections, AEMP uses secure
694authentication and can use TLS. 738authentication and can use TLS.
695 739
696AEMP can use a proven protocol - SSL/TLS - to protect connections and 740AEMP can use a proven protocol - TLS - to protect connections and
697securely authenticate nodes. 741securely authenticate nodes.
698 742
699=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary 743=item * The AEMP protocol is optimised for both text-based and binary
700communications. 744communications.
701 745
702The AEMP protocol, unlike the erlang protocol, supports both 746The AEMP protocol, unlike the Erlang protocol, supports both programming
703language-independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary, 747language independent text-only protocols (good for debugging) and binary,
704language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). 748language-specific serialisers (e.g. Storable). By default, unless TLS is
749used, the protocol is actually completely text-based.
705 750
706It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages 751It has also been carefully designed to be implementable in other languages
707with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading fucntionality to make the 752with a minimum of work while gracefully degrading functionality to make the
708protocol simple. 753protocol simple.
709 754
755=item * AEMP has more flexible monitoring options than Erlang.
756
757In Erlang, you can chose to receive I<all> exit signals as messages
758or I<none>, there is no in-between, so monitoring single processes is
759difficult to implement. Monitoring in AEMP is more flexible than in
760Erlang, as one can choose between automatic kill, exit message or callback
761on a per-process basis.
762
763=item * Erlang tries to hide remote/local connections, AEMP does not.
764
765Monitoring in Erlang is not an indicator of process death/crashes, in the
766same way as linking is (except linking is unreliable in Erlang).
767
768In AEMP, you don't "look up" registered port names or send to named ports
769that might or might not be persistent. Instead, you normally spawn a port
770on the remote node. The init function monitors you, and you monitor the
771remote port. Since both monitors are local to the node, they are much more
772reliable (no need for C<spawn_link>).
773
774This also saves round-trips and avoids sending messages to the wrong port
775(hard to do in Erlang).
776
710=back 777=back
711 778
779=head1 RATIONALE
780
781=over 4
782
783=item Why strings for port and node IDs, why not objects?
784
785We considered "objects", but found that the actual number of methods
786that can be called are quite low. Since port and node IDs travel over
787the network frequently, the serialising/deserialising would add lots of
788overhead, as well as having to keep a proxy object everywhere.
789
790Strings can easily be printed, easily serialised etc. and need no special
791procedures to be "valid".
792
793And as a result, a miniport consists of a single closure stored in a
794global hash - it can't become much cheaper.
795
796=item Why favour JSON, why not a real serialising format such as Storable?
797
798In fact, any AnyEvent::MP node will happily accept Storable as framing
799format, but currently there is no way to make a node use Storable by
800default (although all nodes will accept it).
801
802The default framing protocol is JSON because a) JSON::XS is many times
803faster for small messages and b) most importantly, after years of
804experience we found that object serialisation is causing more problems
805than it solves: Just like function calls, objects simply do not travel
806easily over the network, mostly because they will always be a copy, so you
807always have to re-think your design.
808
809Keeping your messages simple, concentrating on data structures rather than
810objects, will keep your messages clean, tidy and efficient.
811
812=back
813
712=head1 SEE ALSO 814=head1 SEE ALSO
815
816L<AnyEvent::MP::Intro> - a gentle introduction.
817
818L<AnyEvent::MP::Kernel> - more, lower-level, stuff.
819
820L<AnyEvent::MP::Global> - network maintainance and port groups, to find
821your applications.
713 822
714L<AnyEvent>. 823L<AnyEvent>.
715 824
716=head1 AUTHOR 825=head1 AUTHOR
717 826

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