[ViewVC] Diff of: cvs/libev/ev.pod

Comparing libev/ev.pod (file contents):
Revision 1.60 by root, Wed Nov 28 18:29:30 2007 UTC vs.
Revision 1.69 by root, Fri Dec 7 19:15:39 2007 UTC

…		…
47		47
48	return 0;	48	return 0;
49	}	49	}
50		50
51	=head1 DESCRIPTION	51	=head1 DESCRIPTION
		52
		53	The newest version of this document is also available as a html-formatted
		54	web page you might find easier to navigate when reading it for the first
		55	time: L<http://cvs.schmorp.de/libev/ev.html>.
52		56
53	Libev is an event loop: you register interest in certain events (such as a	57	Libev is an event loop: you register interest in certain events (such as a
54	file descriptor being readable or a timeout occuring), and it will manage	58	file descriptor being readable or a timeout occuring), and it will manage
55	these event sources and provide your program with events.	59	these event sources and provide your program with events.
56		60
…		…
266	C<LIBEV_FLAGS>. Otherwise (the default), this environment variable will	270	C<LIBEV_FLAGS>. Otherwise (the default), this environment variable will
267	override the flags completely if it is found in the environment. This is	271	override the flags completely if it is found in the environment. This is
268	useful to try out specific backends to test their performance, or to work	272	useful to try out specific backends to test their performance, or to work
269	around bugs.	273	around bugs.
270		274
		275	=item C<EVFLAG_FORKCHECK>
		276
		277	Instead of calling C<ev_default_fork> or C<ev_loop_fork> manually after
		278	a fork, you can also make libev check for a fork in each iteration by
		279	enabling this flag.
		280
		281	This works by calling C<getpid ()> on every iteration of the loop,
		282	and thus this might slow down your event loop if you do a lot of loop
		283	iterations and little real work, but is usually not noticeable (on my
		284	Linux system for example, C<getpid> is actually a simple 5-insn sequence
		285	without a syscall and thus I<very> fast, but my Linux system also has
		286	C<pthread_atfork> which is even faster).
		287
		288	The big advantage of this flag is that you can forget about fork (and
		289	forget about forgetting to tell libev about forking) when you use this
		290	flag.
		291
		292	This flag setting cannot be overriden or specified in the C<LIBEV_FLAGS>
		293	environment variable.
		294
271	=item C<EVBACKEND_SELECT> (value 1, portable select backend)	295	=item C<EVBACKEND_SELECT> (value 1, portable select backend)
272		296
273	This is your standard select(2) backend. Not I<completely> standard, as	297	This is your standard select(2) backend. Not I<completely> standard, as
274	libev tries to roll its own fd_set with no limits on the number of fds,	298	libev tries to roll its own fd_set with no limits on the number of fds,
275	but if that fails, expect a fairly low limit on the number of fds when	299	but if that fails, expect a fairly low limit on the number of fds when
…		…
409	=item ev_loop_fork (loop)	433	=item ev_loop_fork (loop)
410		434
411	Like C<ev_default_fork>, but acts on an event loop created by	435	Like C<ev_default_fork>, but acts on an event loop created by
412	C<ev_loop_new>. Yes, you have to call this on every allocated event loop	436	C<ev_loop_new>. Yes, you have to call this on every allocated event loop
413	after fork, and how you do this is entirely your own problem.	437	after fork, and how you do this is entirely your own problem.
		438
		439	=item unsigned int ev_loop_count (loop)
		440
		441	Returns the count of loop iterations for the loop, which is identical to
		442	the number of times libev did poll for new events. It starts at C<0> and
		443	happily wraps around with enough iterations.
		444
		445	This value can sometimes be useful as a generation counter of sorts (it
		446	"ticks" the number of loop iterations), as it roughly corresponds with
		447	C<ev_prepare> and C<ev_check> calls.
414		448
415	=item unsigned int ev_backend (loop)	449	=item unsigned int ev_backend (loop)
416		450
417	Returns one of the C<EVBACKEND_*> flags indicating the event backend in	451	Returns one of the C<EVBACKEND_*> flags indicating the event backend in
418	use.	452	use.
…		…
714	=item ev_cb_set (ev_TYPE *watcher, callback)	748	=item ev_cb_set (ev_TYPE *watcher, callback)
715		749
716	Change the callback. You can change the callback at virtually any time	750	Change the callback. You can change the callback at virtually any time
717	(modulo threads).	751	(modulo threads).
718		752
		753	=item ev_set_priority (ev_TYPE *watcher, priority)
		754
		755	=item int ev_priority (ev_TYPE *watcher)
		756
		757	Set and query the priority of the watcher. The priority is a small
		758	integer between C<EV_MAXPRI> (default: C<2>) and C<EV_MINPRI>
		759	(default: C<-2>). Pending watchers with higher priority will be invoked
		760	before watchers with lower priority, but priority will not keep watchers
		761	from being executed (except for C<ev_idle> watchers).
		762
		763	This means that priorities are I<only> used for ordering callback
		764	invocation after new events have been received. This is useful, for
		765	example, to reduce latency after idling, or more often, to bind two
		766	watchers on the same event and make sure one is called first.
		767
		768	If you need to suppress invocation when higher priority events are pending
		769	you need to look at C<ev_idle> watchers, which provide this functionality.
		770
		771	The default priority used by watchers when no priority has been set is
		772	always C<0>, which is supposed to not be too high and not be too low :).
		773
		774	Setting a priority outside the range of C<EV_MINPRI> to C<EV_MAXPRI> is
		775	fine, as long as you do not mind that the priority value you query might
		776	or might not have been adjusted to be within valid range.
		777
719	=back	778	=back
720		779
721		780
722	=head2 ASSOCIATING CUSTOM DATA WITH A WATCHER	781	=head2 ASSOCIATING CUSTOM DATA WITH A WATCHER
723		782
…		…
828	it is best to always use non-blocking I/O: An extra C<read>(2) returning	887	it is best to always use non-blocking I/O: An extra C<read>(2) returning
829	C<EAGAIN> is far preferable to a program hanging until some data arrives.	888	C<EAGAIN> is far preferable to a program hanging until some data arrives.
830		889
831	If you cannot run the fd in non-blocking mode (for example you should not	890	If you cannot run the fd in non-blocking mode (for example you should not
832	play around with an Xlib connection), then you have to seperately re-test	891	play around with an Xlib connection), then you have to seperately re-test
833	wether a file descriptor is really ready with a known-to-be good interface	892	whether a file descriptor is really ready with a known-to-be good interface
834	such as poll (fortunately in our Xlib example, Xlib already does this on	893	such as poll (fortunately in our Xlib example, Xlib already does this on
835	its own, so its quite safe to use).	894	its own, so its quite safe to use).
836		895
837	=over 4	896	=over 4
838		897
…		…
916	=item ev_timer_again (loop)	975	=item ev_timer_again (loop)
917		976
918	This will act as if the timer timed out and restart it again if it is	977	This will act as if the timer timed out and restart it again if it is
919	repeating. The exact semantics are:	978	repeating. The exact semantics are:
920		979
		980	If the timer is pending, its pending status is cleared.
		981
921	If the timer is started but nonrepeating, stop it.	982	If the timer is started but nonrepeating, stop it (as if it timed out).
922		983
923	If the timer is repeating, either start it if necessary (with the repeat	984	If the timer is repeating, either start it if necessary (with the
924	value), or reset the running timer to the repeat value.	985	C<repeat> value), or reset the running timer to the C<repeat> value.
925		986
926	This sounds a bit complicated, but here is a useful and typical	987	This sounds a bit complicated, but here is a useful and typical
927	example: Imagine you have a tcp connection and you want a so-called	988	example: Imagine you have a tcp connection and you want a so-called idle
928	idle timeout, that is, you want to be called when there have been,	989	timeout, that is, you want to be called when there have been, say, 60
929	say, 60 seconds of inactivity on the socket. The easiest way to do	990	seconds of inactivity on the socket. The easiest way to do this is to
930	this is to configure an C<ev_timer> with C<after>=C<repeat>=C<60> and calling	991	configure an C<ev_timer> with a C<repeat> value of C<60> and then call
931	C<ev_timer_again> each time you successfully read or write some data. If	992	C<ev_timer_again> each time you successfully read or write some data. If
932	you go into an idle state where you do not expect data to travel on the	993	you go into an idle state where you do not expect data to travel on the
933	socket, you can stop the timer, and again will automatically restart it if	994	socket, you can C<ev_timer_stop> the timer, and C<ev_timer_again> will
934	need be.	995	automatically restart it if need be.
935		996
936	You can also ignore the C<after> value and C<ev_timer_start> altogether	997	That means you can ignore the C<after> value and C<ev_timer_start>
937	and only ever use the C<repeat> value:	998	altogether and only ever use the C<repeat> value and C<ev_timer_again>:
938		999
939	ev_timer_init (timer, callback, 0., 5.);	1000	ev_timer_init (timer, callback, 0., 5.);
940	ev_timer_again (loop, timer);	1001	ev_timer_again (loop, timer);
941	...	1002	...
942	timer->again = 17.;	1003	timer->again = 17.;
943	ev_timer_again (loop, timer);	1004	ev_timer_again (loop, timer);
944	...	1005	...
945	timer->again = 10.;	1006	timer->again = 10.;
946	ev_timer_again (loop, timer);	1007	ev_timer_again (loop, timer);
947		1008
948	This is more efficient then stopping/starting the timer eahc time you want	1009	This is more slightly efficient then stopping/starting the timer each time
949	to modify its timeout value.	1010	you want to modify its timeout value.
950		1011
951	=item ev_tstamp repeat [read-write]	1012	=item ev_tstamp repeat [read-write]
952		1013
953	The current C<repeat> value. Will be used each time the watcher times out	1014	The current C<repeat> value. Will be used each time the watcher times out
954	or C<ev_timer_again> is called and determines the next timeout (if any),	1015	or C<ev_timer_again> is called and determines the next timeout (if any),
…		…
1319	ev_stat_start (loop, &passwd);	1380	ev_stat_start (loop, &passwd);
1320		1381
1321		1382
1322	=head2 C<ev_idle> - when you've got nothing better to do...	1383	=head2 C<ev_idle> - when you've got nothing better to do...
1323		1384
1324	Idle watchers trigger events when there are no other events are pending	1385	Idle watchers trigger events when no other events of the same or higher
1325	(prepare, check and other idle watchers do not count). That is, as long	1386	priority are pending (prepare, check and other idle watchers do not
1326	as your process is busy handling sockets or timeouts (or even signals,	1387	count).
1327	imagine) it will not be triggered. But when your process is idle all idle	1388
1328	watchers are being called again and again, once per event loop iteration -	1389	That is, as long as your process is busy handling sockets or timeouts
		1390	(or even signals, imagine) of the same or higher priority it will not be
		1391	triggered. But when your process is idle (or only lower-priority watchers
		1392	are pending), the idle watchers are being called once per event loop
1329	until stopped, that is, or your process receives more events and becomes	1393	iteration - until stopped, that is, or your process receives more events
1330	busy.	1394	and becomes busy again with higher priority stuff.
1331		1395
1332	The most noteworthy effect is that as long as any idle watchers are	1396	The most noteworthy effect is that as long as any idle watchers are
1333	active, the process will not block when waiting for new events.	1397	active, the process will not block when waiting for new events.
1334		1398
1335	Apart from keeping your process non-blocking (which is a useful	1399	Apart from keeping your process non-blocking (which is a useful
…		…
1435		1499
1436	// create io watchers for each fd and a timer before blocking	1500	// create io watchers for each fd and a timer before blocking
1437	static void	1501	static void
1438	adns_prepare_cb (ev_loop loop, ev_prepare w, int revents)	1502	adns_prepare_cb (ev_loop loop, ev_prepare w, int revents)
1439	{	1503	{
1440	int timeout = 3600000;truct pollfd fds [nfd];	1504	int timeout = 3600000;
		1505	struct pollfd fds [nfd];
1441	// actual code will need to loop here and realloc etc.	1506	// actual code will need to loop here and realloc etc.
1442	adns_beforepoll (ads, fds, &nfd, &timeout, timeval_from (ev_time ()));	1507	adns_beforepoll (ads, fds, &nfd, &timeout, timeval_from (ev_time ()));
1443		1508
1444	/* the callback is illegal, but won't be called as we stop during check */	1509	/* the callback is illegal, but won't be called as we stop during check */
1445	ev_timer_init (&tw, 0, timeout * 1e-3);	1510	ev_timer_init (&tw, 0, timeout * 1e-3);
…		…
1783		1848
1784		1849
1785	=head1 MACRO MAGIC	1850	=head1 MACRO MAGIC
1786		1851
1787	Libev can be compiled with a variety of options, the most fundemantal is	1852	Libev can be compiled with a variety of options, the most fundemantal is
1788	C<EV_MULTIPLICITY>. This option determines wether (most) functions and	1853	C<EV_MULTIPLICITY>. This option determines whether (most) functions and
1789	callbacks have an initial C<struct ev_loop *> argument.	1854	callbacks have an initial C<struct ev_loop *> argument.
1790		1855
1791	To make it easier to write programs that cope with either variant, the	1856	To make it easier to write programs that cope with either variant, the
1792	following macros are defined:	1857	following macros are defined:
1793		1858
…		…
1826	Similar to the other two macros, this gives you the value of the default	1891	Similar to the other two macros, this gives you the value of the default
1827	loop, if multiple loops are supported ("ev loop default").	1892	loop, if multiple loops are supported ("ev loop default").
1828		1893
1829	=back	1894	=back
1830		1895
1831	Example: Declare and initialise a check watcher, working regardless of	1896	Example: Declare and initialise a check watcher, utilising the above
1832	wether multiple loops are supported or not.	1897	macros so it will work regardless of whether multiple loops are supported
		1898	or not.
1833		1899
1834	static void	1900	static void
1835	check_cb (EV_P_ ev_timer *w, int revents)	1901	check_cb (EV_P_ ev_timer *w, int revents)
1836	{	1902	{
1837	ev_check_stop (EV_A_ w);	1903	ev_check_stop (EV_A_ w);
…		…
1840	ev_check check;	1906	ev_check check;
1841	ev_check_init (&check, check_cb);	1907	ev_check_init (&check, check_cb);
1842	ev_check_start (EV_DEFAULT_ &check);	1908	ev_check_start (EV_DEFAULT_ &check);
1843	ev_loop (EV_DEFAULT_ 0);	1909	ev_loop (EV_DEFAULT_ 0);
1844		1910
1845
1846	=head1 EMBEDDING	1911	=head1 EMBEDDING
1847		1912
1848	Libev can (and often is) directly embedded into host	1913	Libev can (and often is) directly embedded into host
1849	applications. Examples of applications that embed it include the Deliantra	1914	applications. Examples of applications that embed it include the Deliantra
1850	Game Server, the EV perl module, the GNU Virtual Private Ethernet (gvpe)	1915	Game Server, the EV perl module, the GNU Virtual Private Ethernet (gvpe)
…		…
1889	ev_vars.h	1954	ev_vars.h
1890	ev_wrap.h	1955	ev_wrap.h
1891		1956
1892	ev_win32.c required on win32 platforms only	1957	ev_win32.c required on win32 platforms only
1893		1958
1894	ev_select.c only when select backend is enabled (which is by default)	1959	ev_select.c only when select backend is enabled (which is enabled by default)
1895	ev_poll.c only when poll backend is enabled (disabled by default)	1960	ev_poll.c only when poll backend is enabled (disabled by default)
1896	ev_epoll.c only when the epoll backend is enabled (disabled by default)	1961	ev_epoll.c only when the epoll backend is enabled (disabled by default)
1897	ev_kqueue.c only when the kqueue backend is enabled (disabled by default)	1962	ev_kqueue.c only when the kqueue backend is enabled (disabled by default)
1898	ev_port.c only when the solaris port backend is enabled (disabled by default)	1963	ev_port.c only when the solaris port backend is enabled (disabled by default)
1899		1964
…		…
2062	will have the C<struct ev_loop *> as first argument, and you can create	2127	will have the C<struct ev_loop *> as first argument, and you can create
2063	additional independent event loops. Otherwise there will be no support	2128	additional independent event loops. Otherwise there will be no support
2064	for multiple event loops and there is no first event loop pointer	2129	for multiple event loops and there is no first event loop pointer
2065	argument. Instead, all functions act on the single default loop.	2130	argument. Instead, all functions act on the single default loop.
2066		2131
		2132	=item EV_MINPRI
		2133
		2134	=item EV_MAXPRI
		2135
		2136	The range of allowed priorities. C<EV_MINPRI> must be smaller or equal to
		2137	C<EV_MAXPRI>, but otherwise there are no non-obvious limitations. You can
		2138	provide for more priorities by overriding those symbols (usually defined
		2139	to be C<-2> and C<2>, respectively).
		2140
		2141	When doing priority-based operations, libev usually has to linearly search
		2142	all the priorities, so having many of them (hundreds) uses a lot of space
		2143	and time, so using the defaults of five priorities (-2 .. +2) is usually
		2144	fine.
		2145
		2146	If your embedding app does not need any priorities, defining these both to
		2147	C<0> will save some memory and cpu.
		2148
2067	=item EV_PERIODIC_ENABLE	2149	=item EV_PERIODIC_ENABLE
2068		2150
2069	If undefined or defined to be C<1>, then periodic timers are supported. If	2151	If undefined or defined to be C<1>, then periodic timers are supported. If
		2152	defined to be C<0>, then they are not. Disabling them saves a few kB of
		2153	code.
		2154
		2155	=item EV_IDLE_ENABLE
		2156
		2157	If undefined or defined to be C<1>, then idle watchers are supported. If
2070	defined to be C<0>, then they are not. Disabling them saves a few kB of	2158	defined to be C<0>, then they are not. Disabling them saves a few kB of
2071	code.	2159	code.
2072		2160
2073	=item EV_EMBED_ENABLE	2161	=item EV_EMBED_ENABLE
2074		2162
…		…
2141	interface) and F<EV.xs> (implementation) files. Only the F<EV.xs> file	2229	interface) and F<EV.xs> (implementation) files. Only the F<EV.xs> file
2142	will be compiled. It is pretty complex because it provides its own header	2230	will be compiled. It is pretty complex because it provides its own header
2143	file.	2231	file.
2144		2232
2145	The usage in rxvt-unicode is simpler. It has a F<ev_cpp.h> header file	2233	The usage in rxvt-unicode is simpler. It has a F<ev_cpp.h> header file
2146	that everybody includes and which overrides some autoconf choices:	2234	that everybody includes and which overrides some configure choices:
2147		2235
		2236	#define EV_MINIMAL 1
2148	#define EV_USE_POLL 0	2237	#define EV_USE_POLL 0
2149	#define EV_MULTIPLICITY 0	2238	#define EV_MULTIPLICITY 0
2150	#define EV_PERIODICS 0	2239	#define EV_PERIODIC_ENABLE 0
		2240	#define EV_STAT_ENABLE 0
		2241	#define EV_FORK_ENABLE 0
2151	#define EV_CONFIG_H <config.h>	2242	#define EV_CONFIG_H <config.h>
		2243	#define EV_MINPRI 0
		2244	#define EV_MAXPRI 0
2152		2245
2153	#include "ev++.h"	2246	#include "ev++.h"
2154		2247
2155	And a F<ev_cpp.C> implementation file that contains libev proper and is compiled:	2248	And a F<ev_cpp.C> implementation file that contains libev proper and is compiled:
2156		2249
…		…
2166		2259
2167	=over 4	2260	=over 4
2168		2261
2169	=item Starting and stopping timer/periodic watchers: O(log skipped_other_timers)	2262	=item Starting and stopping timer/periodic watchers: O(log skipped_other_timers)
2170		2263
		2264	This means that, when you have a watcher that triggers in one hour and
		2265	there are 100 watchers that would trigger before that then inserting will
		2266	have to skip those 100 watchers.
		2267
2171	=item Changing timer/periodic watchers (by autorepeat, again): O(log skipped_other_timers)	2268	=item Changing timer/periodic watchers (by autorepeat, again): O(log skipped_other_timers)
2172		2269
		2270	That means that for changing a timer costs less than removing/adding them
		2271	as only the relative motion in the event queue has to be paid for.
		2272
2173	=item Starting io/check/prepare/idle/signal/child watchers: O(1)	2273	=item Starting io/check/prepare/idle/signal/child watchers: O(1)
2174		2274
		2275	These just add the watcher into an array or at the head of a list. If
		2276	the array needs to be extended libev needs to realloc and move the whole
		2277	array, but this happen asymptotically less and less with more watchers,
		2278	thus amortised O(1).
		2279
2175	=item Stopping check/prepare/idle watchers: O(1)	2280	=item Stopping check/prepare/idle watchers: O(1)
2176		2281
2177	=item Stopping an io/signal/child watcher: O(number_of_watchers_for_this_(fd/signal/pid % EV_PID_HASHSIZE))	2282	=item Stopping an io/signal/child watcher: O(number_of_watchers_for_this_(fd/signal/pid % EV_PID_HASHSIZE))
2178		2283
		2284	These watchers are stored in lists then need to be walked to find the
		2285	correct watcher to remove. The lists are usually short (you don't usually
		2286	have many watchers waiting for the same fd or signal).
		2287
2179	=item Finding the next timer per loop iteration: O(1)	2288	=item Finding the next timer per loop iteration: O(1)
2180		2289
2181	=item Each change on a file descriptor per loop iteration: O(number_of_watchers_for_this_fd)	2290	=item Each change on a file descriptor per loop iteration: O(number_of_watchers_for_this_fd)
2182		2291
		2292	A change means an I/O watcher gets started or stopped, which requires
		2293	libev to recalculate its status (and possibly tell the kernel).
		2294
2183	=item Activating one watcher: O(1)	2295	=item Activating one watcher: O(1)
2184		2296
		2297	=item Priority handling: O(number_of_priorities)
		2298
		2299	Priorities are implemented by allocating some space for each
		2300	priority. When doing priority-based operations, libev usually has to
		2301	linearly search all the priorities.
		2302
2185	=back	2303	=back
2186		2304
2187		2305
2188	=head1 AUTHOR	2306	=head1 AUTHOR
2189		2307

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Comparing libev/ev.pod (file contents): Revision 1.60 by root, Wed Nov 28 18:29:30 2007 UTC vs. Revision 1.69 by root, Fri Dec 7 19:15:39 2007 UTC

Diff Legend

Comparing libev/ev.pod (file contents):
Revision 1.60 by root, Wed Nov 28 18:29:30 2007 UTC vs.
Revision 1.69 by root, Fri Dec 7 19:15:39 2007 UTC