… | |
… | |
132 | These watchers are normal Perl objects with normal Perl lifetime. After |
132 | These watchers are normal Perl objects with normal Perl lifetime. After |
133 | creating a watcher it will immediately "watch" for events and invoke the |
133 | creating a watcher it will immediately "watch" for events and invoke the |
134 | callback when the event occurs (of course, only when the event model is |
134 | callback when the event occurs (of course, only when the event model is |
135 | in control). |
135 | in control). |
136 | |
136 | |
|
|
137 | Note that callbacks must not permanently change global variables |
|
|
138 | potentially in use by the event loop (such as $_ or $[) and that |
|
|
139 | callbacks must not "die". The former is good programming practise in |
|
|
140 | Perl and the latter stems from the fact that exception handling differs |
|
|
141 | widely between event loops. |
|
|
142 | |
137 | To disable the watcher you have to destroy it (e.g. by setting the |
143 | To disable the watcher you have to destroy it (e.g. by setting the |
138 | variable you store it in to "undef" or otherwise deleting all references |
144 | variable you store it in to "undef" or otherwise deleting all references |
139 | to it). |
145 | to it). |
140 | |
146 | |
141 | All watchers are created by calling a method on the "AnyEvent" class. |
147 | All watchers are created by calling a method on the "AnyEvent" class. |
… | |
… | |
156 | |
162 | |
157 | I/O WATCHERS |
163 | I/O WATCHERS |
158 | You can create an I/O watcher by calling the "AnyEvent->io" method with |
164 | You can create an I/O watcher by calling the "AnyEvent->io" method with |
159 | the following mandatory key-value pairs as arguments: |
165 | the following mandatory key-value pairs as arguments: |
160 | |
166 | |
161 | "fh" the Perl *file handle* (*not* file descriptor) to watch for events |
167 | "fh" is the Perl *file handle* (*not* file descriptor) to watch for |
162 | (AnyEvent might or might not keep a reference to this file handle). |
168 | events (AnyEvent might or might not keep a reference to this file |
|
|
169 | handle). Note that only file handles pointing to things for which |
|
|
170 | non-blocking operation makes sense are allowed. This includes sockets, |
|
|
171 | most character devices, pipes, fifos and so on, but not for example |
|
|
172 | files or block devices. |
|
|
173 | |
163 | "poll" must be a string that is either "r" or "w", which creates a |
174 | "poll" must be a string that is either "r" or "w", which creates a |
164 | watcher waiting for "r"eadable or "w"ritable events, respectively. "cb" |
175 | watcher waiting for "r"eadable or "w"ritable events, respectively. |
|
|
176 | |
165 | is the callback to invoke each time the file handle becomes ready. |
177 | "cb" is the callback to invoke each time the file handle becomes ready. |
166 | |
178 | |
167 | Although the callback might get passed parameters, their value and |
179 | Although the callback might get passed parameters, their value and |
168 | presence is undefined and you cannot rely on them. Portable AnyEvent |
180 | presence is undefined and you cannot rely on them. Portable AnyEvent |
169 | callbacks cannot use arguments passed to I/O watcher callbacks. |
181 | callbacks cannot use arguments passed to I/O watcher callbacks. |
170 | |
182 | |
… | |
… | |
302 | In either case, if you care (and in most cases, you don't), then you |
314 | In either case, if you care (and in most cases, you don't), then you |
303 | can get whatever behaviour you want with any event loop, by taking |
315 | can get whatever behaviour you want with any event loop, by taking |
304 | the difference between "AnyEvent->time" and "AnyEvent->now" into |
316 | the difference between "AnyEvent->time" and "AnyEvent->now" into |
305 | account. |
317 | account. |
306 | |
318 | |
|
|
319 | AnyEvent->now_update |
|
|
320 | Some event loops (such as EV or AnyEvent::Impl::Perl) cache the |
|
|
321 | current time for each loop iteration (see the discussion of |
|
|
322 | AnyEvent->now, above). |
|
|
323 | |
|
|
324 | When a callback runs for a long time (or when the process sleeps), |
|
|
325 | then this "current" time will differ substantially from the real |
|
|
326 | time, which might affect timers and time-outs. |
|
|
327 | |
|
|
328 | When this is the case, you can call this method, which will update |
|
|
329 | the event loop's idea of "current time". |
|
|
330 | |
|
|
331 | Note that updating the time *might* cause some events to be handled. |
|
|
332 | |
307 | SIGNAL WATCHERS |
333 | SIGNAL WATCHERS |
308 | You can watch for signals using a signal watcher, "signal" is the signal |
334 | You can watch for signals using a signal watcher, "signal" is the signal |
309 | *name* in uppercase and without any "SIG" prefix, "cb" is the Perl |
335 | *name* in uppercase and without any "SIG" prefix, "cb" is the Perl |
310 | callback to be invoked whenever a signal occurs. |
336 | callback to be invoked whenever a signal occurs. |
311 | |
337 | |
… | |
… | |
330 | |
356 | |
331 | CHILD PROCESS WATCHERS |
357 | CHILD PROCESS WATCHERS |
332 | You can also watch on a child process exit and catch its exit status. |
358 | You can also watch on a child process exit and catch its exit status. |
333 | |
359 | |
334 | The child process is specified by the "pid" argument (if set to 0, it |
360 | The child process is specified by the "pid" argument (if set to 0, it |
335 | watches for any child process exit). The watcher will trigger as often |
361 | watches for any child process exit). The watcher will triggered only |
336 | as status change for the child are received. This works by installing a |
362 | when the child process has finished and an exit status is available, not |
337 | signal handler for "SIGCHLD". The callback will be called with the pid |
363 | on any trace events (stopped/continued). |
338 | and exit status (as returned by waitpid), so unlike other watcher types, |
364 | |
339 | you *can* rely on child watcher callback arguments. |
365 | The callback will be called with the pid and exit status (as returned by |
|
|
366 | waitpid), so unlike other watcher types, you *can* rely on child watcher |
|
|
367 | callback arguments. |
|
|
368 | |
|
|
369 | This watcher type works by installing a signal handler for "SIGCHLD", |
|
|
370 | and since it cannot be shared, nothing else should use SIGCHLD or reap |
|
|
371 | random child processes (waiting for specific child processes, e.g. |
|
|
372 | inside "system", is just fine). |
340 | |
373 | |
341 | There is a slight catch to child watchers, however: you usually start |
374 | There is a slight catch to child watchers, however: you usually start |
342 | them *after* the child process was created, and this means the process |
375 | them *after* the child process was created, and this means the process |
343 | could have exited already (and no SIGCHLD will be sent anymore). |
376 | could have exited already (and no SIGCHLD will be sent anymore). |
344 | |
377 | |
… | |
… | |
770 | |
803 | |
771 | AnyEvent::IGS |
804 | AnyEvent::IGS |
772 | A non-blocking interface to the Internet Go Server protocol (used by |
805 | A non-blocking interface to the Internet Go Server protocol (used by |
773 | App::IGS). |
806 | App::IGS). |
774 | |
807 | |
|
|
808 | AnyEvent::IRC |
|
|
809 | AnyEvent based IRC client module family (replacing the older |
775 | Net::IRC3 |
810 | Net::IRC3). |
776 | AnyEvent based IRC client module family. |
|
|
777 | |
811 | |
778 | Net::XMPP2 |
812 | Net::XMPP2 |
779 | AnyEvent based XMPP (Jabber protocol) module family. |
813 | AnyEvent based XMPP (Jabber protocol) module family. |
780 | |
814 | |
781 | Net::FCP |
815 | Net::FCP |
… | |
… | |
790 | |
824 | |
791 | IO::Lambda |
825 | IO::Lambda |
792 | The lambda approach to I/O - don't ask, look there. Can use |
826 | The lambda approach to I/O - don't ask, look there. Can use |
793 | AnyEvent. |
827 | AnyEvent. |
794 | |
828 | |
795 | SUPPLYING YOUR OWN EVENT MODEL INTERFACE |
829 | ERROR AND EXCEPTION HANDLING |
796 | This is an advanced topic that you do not normally need to use AnyEvent |
830 | In general, AnyEvent does not do any error handling - it relies on the |
797 | in a module. This section is only of use to event loop authors who want |
831 | caller to do that if required. The AnyEvent::Strict module (see also the |
798 | to provide AnyEvent compatibility. |
832 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_STRICT" environment variable, below) provides strict |
|
|
833 | checking of all AnyEvent methods, however, which is highly useful during |
|
|
834 | development. |
799 | |
835 | |
800 | If you need to support another event library which isn't directly |
836 | As for exception handling (i.e. runtime errors and exceptions thrown |
801 | supported by AnyEvent, you can supply your own interface to it by |
837 | while executing a callback), this is not only highly event-loop |
802 | pushing, before the first watcher gets created, the package name of the |
838 | specific, but also not in any way wrapped by this module, as this is the |
803 | event module and the package name of the interface to use onto |
839 | job of the main program. |
804 | @AnyEvent::REGISTRY. You can do that before and even without loading |
|
|
805 | AnyEvent, so it is reasonably cheap. |
|
|
806 | |
840 | |
807 | Example: |
841 | The pure perl event loop simply re-throws the exception (usually within |
808 | |
842 | "condvar->recv"), the Event and EV modules call "$Event/EV::DIED->()", |
809 | push @AnyEvent::REGISTRY, [urxvt => urxvt::anyevent::]; |
843 | Glib uses "install_exception_handler" and so on. |
810 | |
|
|
811 | This tells AnyEvent to (literally) use the "urxvt::anyevent::" |
|
|
812 | package/class when it finds the "urxvt" package/module is already |
|
|
813 | loaded. |
|
|
814 | |
|
|
815 | When AnyEvent is loaded and asked to find a suitable event model, it |
|
|
816 | will first check for the presence of urxvt by trying to "use" the |
|
|
817 | "urxvt::anyevent" module. |
|
|
818 | |
|
|
819 | The class should provide implementations for all watcher types. See |
|
|
820 | AnyEvent::Impl::EV (source code), AnyEvent::Impl::Glib (Source code) and |
|
|
821 | so on for actual examples. Use "perldoc -m AnyEvent::Impl::Glib" to see |
|
|
822 | the sources. |
|
|
823 | |
|
|
824 | If you don't provide "signal" and "child" watchers than AnyEvent will |
|
|
825 | provide suitable (hopefully) replacements. |
|
|
826 | |
|
|
827 | The above example isn't fictitious, the *rxvt-unicode* (a.k.a. urxvt) |
|
|
828 | terminal emulator uses the above line as-is. An interface isn't included |
|
|
829 | in AnyEvent because it doesn't make sense outside the embedded |
|
|
830 | interpreter inside *rxvt-unicode*, and it is updated and maintained as |
|
|
831 | part of the *rxvt-unicode* distribution. |
|
|
832 | |
|
|
833 | *rxvt-unicode* also cheats a bit by not providing blocking access to |
|
|
834 | condition variables: code blocking while waiting for a condition will |
|
|
835 | "die". This still works with most modules/usages, and blocking calls |
|
|
836 | must not be done in an interactive application, so it makes sense. |
|
|
837 | |
844 | |
838 | ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES |
845 | ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES |
839 | The following environment variables are used by this module: |
846 | The following environment variables are used by this module or its |
|
|
847 | submodules: |
840 | |
848 | |
841 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_VERBOSE" |
849 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_VERBOSE" |
842 | By default, AnyEvent will be completely silent except in fatal |
850 | By default, AnyEvent will be completely silent except in fatal |
843 | conditions. You can set this environment variable to make AnyEvent |
851 | conditions. You can set this environment variable to make AnyEvent |
844 | more talkative. |
852 | more talkative. |
… | |
… | |
857 | thoroughly check the arguments passed to most method calls. If it |
865 | thoroughly check the arguments passed to most method calls. If it |
858 | finds any problems it will croak. |
866 | finds any problems it will croak. |
859 | |
867 | |
860 | In other words, enables "strict" mode. |
868 | In other words, enables "strict" mode. |
861 | |
869 | |
862 | Unlike "use strict" it is definitely recommended ot keep it off in |
870 | Unlike "use strict", it is definitely recommended ot keep it off in |
863 | production. |
871 | production. Keeping "PERL_ANYEVENT_STRICT=1" in your environment |
|
|
872 | while developing programs can be very useful, however. |
864 | |
873 | |
865 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_MODEL" |
874 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_MODEL" |
866 | This can be used to specify the event model to be used by AnyEvent, |
875 | This can be used to specify the event model to be used by AnyEvent, |
867 | before auto detection and -probing kicks in. It must be a string |
876 | before auto detection and -probing kicks in. It must be a string |
868 | consisting entirely of ASCII letters. The string "AnyEvent::Impl::" |
877 | consisting entirely of ASCII letters. The string "AnyEvent::Impl::" |
… | |
… | |
887 | mentioned will be used, and preference will be given to protocols |
896 | mentioned will be used, and preference will be given to protocols |
888 | mentioned earlier in the list. |
897 | mentioned earlier in the list. |
889 | |
898 | |
890 | This variable can effectively be used for denial-of-service attacks |
899 | This variable can effectively be used for denial-of-service attacks |
891 | against local programs (e.g. when setuid), although the impact is |
900 | against local programs (e.g. when setuid), although the impact is |
892 | likely small, as the program has to handle connection errors |
901 | likely small, as the program has to handle conenction and other |
893 | already- |
902 | failures anyways. |
894 | |
903 | |
895 | Examples: "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4,ipv6" - prefer IPv4 over |
904 | Examples: "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4,ipv6" - prefer IPv4 over |
896 | IPv6, but support both and try to use both. |
905 | IPv6, but support both and try to use both. |
897 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4" - only support IPv4, never try to |
906 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_PROTOCOLS=ipv4" - only support IPv4, never try to |
898 | resolve or contact IPv6 addresses. |
907 | resolve or contact IPv6 addresses. |
… | |
… | |
909 | EDNS0 in its DNS requests. |
918 | EDNS0 in its DNS requests. |
910 | |
919 | |
911 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_MAX_FORKS" |
920 | "PERL_ANYEVENT_MAX_FORKS" |
912 | The maximum number of child processes that |
921 | The maximum number of child processes that |
913 | "AnyEvent::Util::fork_call" will create in parallel. |
922 | "AnyEvent::Util::fork_call" will create in parallel. |
|
|
923 | |
|
|
924 | SUPPLYING YOUR OWN EVENT MODEL INTERFACE |
|
|
925 | This is an advanced topic that you do not normally need to use AnyEvent |
|
|
926 | in a module. This section is only of use to event loop authors who want |
|
|
927 | to provide AnyEvent compatibility. |
|
|
928 | |
|
|
929 | If you need to support another event library which isn't directly |
|
|
930 | supported by AnyEvent, you can supply your own interface to it by |
|
|
931 | pushing, before the first watcher gets created, the package name of the |
|
|
932 | event module and the package name of the interface to use onto |
|
|
933 | @AnyEvent::REGISTRY. You can do that before and even without loading |
|
|
934 | AnyEvent, so it is reasonably cheap. |
|
|
935 | |
|
|
936 | Example: |
|
|
937 | |
|
|
938 | push @AnyEvent::REGISTRY, [urxvt => urxvt::anyevent::]; |
|
|
939 | |
|
|
940 | This tells AnyEvent to (literally) use the "urxvt::anyevent::" |
|
|
941 | package/class when it finds the "urxvt" package/module is already |
|
|
942 | loaded. |
|
|
943 | |
|
|
944 | When AnyEvent is loaded and asked to find a suitable event model, it |
|
|
945 | will first check for the presence of urxvt by trying to "use" the |
|
|
946 | "urxvt::anyevent" module. |
|
|
947 | |
|
|
948 | The class should provide implementations for all watcher types. See |
|
|
949 | AnyEvent::Impl::EV (source code), AnyEvent::Impl::Glib (Source code) and |
|
|
950 | so on for actual examples. Use "perldoc -m AnyEvent::Impl::Glib" to see |
|
|
951 | the sources. |
|
|
952 | |
|
|
953 | If you don't provide "signal" and "child" watchers than AnyEvent will |
|
|
954 | provide suitable (hopefully) replacements. |
|
|
955 | |
|
|
956 | The above example isn't fictitious, the *rxvt-unicode* (a.k.a. urxvt) |
|
|
957 | terminal emulator uses the above line as-is. An interface isn't included |
|
|
958 | in AnyEvent because it doesn't make sense outside the embedded |
|
|
959 | interpreter inside *rxvt-unicode*, and it is updated and maintained as |
|
|
960 | part of the *rxvt-unicode* distribution. |
|
|
961 | |
|
|
962 | *rxvt-unicode* also cheats a bit by not providing blocking access to |
|
|
963 | condition variables: code blocking while waiting for a condition will |
|
|
964 | "die". This still works with most modules/usages, and blocking calls |
|
|
965 | must not be done in an interactive application, so it makes sense. |
914 | |
966 | |
915 | EXAMPLE PROGRAM |
967 | EXAMPLE PROGRAM |
916 | The following program uses an I/O watcher to read data from STDIN, a |
968 | The following program uses an I/O watcher to read data from STDIN, a |
917 | timer to display a message once per second, and a condition variable to |
969 | timer to display a message once per second, and a condition variable to |
918 | quit the program when the user enters quit: |
970 | quit the program when the user enters quit: |
… | |
… | |
1105 | *destroy* is the time, in microseconds, that it takes to destroy a |
1157 | *destroy* is the time, in microseconds, that it takes to destroy a |
1106 | single watcher. |
1158 | single watcher. |
1107 | |
1159 | |
1108 | Results |
1160 | Results |
1109 | name watchers bytes create invoke destroy comment |
1161 | name watchers bytes create invoke destroy comment |
1110 | EV/EV 400000 244 0.56 0.46 0.31 EV native interface |
1162 | EV/EV 400000 224 0.47 0.35 0.27 EV native interface |
1111 | EV/Any 100000 244 2.50 0.46 0.29 EV + AnyEvent watchers |
1163 | EV/Any 100000 224 2.88 0.34 0.27 EV + AnyEvent watchers |
1112 | CoroEV/Any 100000 244 2.49 0.44 0.29 coroutines + Coro::Signal |
1164 | CoroEV/Any 100000 224 2.85 0.35 0.28 coroutines + Coro::Signal |
1113 | Perl/Any 100000 513 4.92 0.87 1.12 pure perl implementation |
1165 | Perl/Any 100000 452 4.13 0.73 0.95 pure perl implementation |
1114 | Event/Event 16000 516 31.88 31.30 0.85 Event native interface |
1166 | Event/Event 16000 517 32.20 31.80 0.81 Event native interface |
1115 | Event/Any 16000 590 35.75 31.42 1.08 Event + AnyEvent watchers |
1167 | Event/Any 16000 590 35.85 31.55 1.06 Event + AnyEvent watchers |
1116 | Glib/Any 16000 1357 98.22 12.41 54.00 quadratic behaviour |
1168 | Glib/Any 16000 1357 102.33 12.31 51.00 quadratic behaviour |
1117 | Tk/Any 2000 1860 26.97 67.98 14.00 SEGV with >> 2000 watchers |
1169 | Tk/Any 2000 1860 27.20 66.31 14.00 SEGV with >> 2000 watchers |
1118 | POE/Event 2000 6644 108.64 736.02 14.73 via POE::Loop::Event |
1170 | POE/Event 2000 6328 109.99 751.67 14.02 via POE::Loop::Event |
1119 | POE/Select 2000 6343 94.13 809.12 565.96 via POE::Loop::Select |
1171 | POE/Select 2000 6027 94.54 809.13 579.80 via POE::Loop::Select |
1120 | |
1172 | |
1121 | Discussion |
1173 | Discussion |
1122 | The benchmark does *not* measure scalability of the event loop very |
1174 | The benchmark does *not* measure scalability of the event loop very |
1123 | well. For example, a select-based event loop (such as the pure perl one) |
1175 | well. For example, a select-based event loop (such as the pure perl one) |
1124 | can never compete with an event loop that uses epoll when the number of |
1176 | can never compete with an event loop that uses epoll when the number of |
… | |
… | |
1305 | |
1357 | |
1306 | Summary |
1358 | Summary |
1307 | * C-based event loops perform very well with small number of watchers, |
1359 | * C-based event loops perform very well with small number of watchers, |
1308 | as the management overhead dominates. |
1360 | as the management overhead dominates. |
1309 | |
1361 | |
|
|
1362 | SIGNALS |
|
|
1363 | AnyEvent currently installs handlers for these signals: |
|
|
1364 | |
|
|
1365 | SIGCHLD |
|
|
1366 | A handler for "SIGCHLD" is installed by AnyEvent's child watcher |
|
|
1367 | emulation for event loops that do not support them natively. Also, |
|
|
1368 | some event loops install a similar handler. |
|
|
1369 | |
|
|
1370 | SIGPIPE |
|
|
1371 | A no-op handler is installed for "SIGPIPE" when $SIG{PIPE} is |
|
|
1372 | "undef" when AnyEvent gets loaded. |
|
|
1373 | |
|
|
1374 | The rationale for this is that AnyEvent users usually do not really |
|
|
1375 | depend on SIGPIPE delivery (which is purely an optimisation for |
|
|
1376 | shell use, or badly-written programs), but "SIGPIPE" can cause |
|
|
1377 | spurious and rare program exits as a lot of people do not expect |
|
|
1378 | "SIGPIPE" when writing to some random socket. |
|
|
1379 | |
|
|
1380 | The rationale for installing a no-op handler as opposed to ignoring |
|
|
1381 | it is that this way, the handler will be restored to defaults on |
|
|
1382 | exec. |
|
|
1383 | |
|
|
1384 | Feel free to install your own handler, or reset it to defaults. |
|
|
1385 | |
1310 | FORK |
1386 | FORK |
1311 | Most event libraries are not fork-safe. The ones who are usually are |
1387 | Most event libraries are not fork-safe. The ones who are usually are |
1312 | because they rely on inefficient but fork-safe "select" or "poll" calls. |
1388 | because they rely on inefficient but fork-safe "select" or "poll" calls. |
1313 | Only EV is fully fork-aware. |
1389 | Only EV is fully fork-aware. |
1314 | |
1390 | |
… | |
… | |
1337 | |
1413 | |
1338 | BUGS |
1414 | BUGS |
1339 | Perl 5.8 has numerous memleaks that sometimes hit this module and are |
1415 | Perl 5.8 has numerous memleaks that sometimes hit this module and are |
1340 | hard to work around. If you suffer from memleaks, first upgrade to Perl |
1416 | hard to work around. If you suffer from memleaks, first upgrade to Perl |
1341 | 5.10 and check wether the leaks still show up. (Perl 5.10.0 has other |
1417 | 5.10 and check wether the leaks still show up. (Perl 5.10.0 has other |
1342 | annoying mamleaks, such as leaking on "map" and "grep" but it is usually |
1418 | annoying memleaks, such as leaking on "map" and "grep" but it is usually |
1343 | not as pronounced). |
1419 | not as pronounced). |
1344 | |
1420 | |
1345 | SEE ALSO |
1421 | SEE ALSO |
1346 | Utility functions: AnyEvent::Util. |
1422 | Utility functions: AnyEvent::Util. |
1347 | |
1423 | |