do a lot of minor tweaking

[software/libev.git] / ev.pod

diff --git a/ev.pod b/ev.pod
index a3bcef3ac1afcb2f41a7e037cf852c3b1be6bdff..411fbb5f1a38cb0af2e56a0c39d6dc180df832bf 100644 (file)
--- a/ev.pod
+++ b/ev.pod
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ library in any way.
 
 =item ev_tstamp ev_time ()
 
 
 =item ev_tstamp ev_time ()
 

-Returns the current time as libev would use it.
+Returns the current time as libev would use it. Please note that the
+C<ev_now> function is usually faster and also often returns the timestamp
+you actually want to know.

 
 =item int ev_version_major ()
 
 
 =item int ev_version_major ()
 


@@ -239,11 +241,29 @@ This flags value could be used to implement alternative looping
 constructs, but the C<prepare> and C<check> watchers provide a better and
 more generic mechanism.
 
 constructs, but the C<prepare> and C<check> watchers provide a better and
 more generic mechanism.
 

+Here are the gory details of what ev_loop does:
+
+   1. If there are no active watchers (reference count is zero), return.
+   2. Queue and immediately call all prepare watchers.
+   3. If we have been forked, recreate the kernel state.
+   4. Update the kernel state with all outstanding changes.
+   5. Update the "event loop time".
+   6. Calculate for how long to block.
+   7. Block the process, waiting for events.
+   8. Update the "event loop time" and do time jump handling.
+   9. Queue all outstanding timers.
+  10. Queue all outstanding periodics.
+  11. If no events are pending now, queue all idle watchers.
+  12. Queue all check watchers.
+  13. Call all queued watchers in reverse order (i.e. check watchers first).
+  14. If ev_unloop has been called or EVLOOP_ONESHOT or EVLOOP_NONBLOCK
+      was used, return, otherwise continue with step #1.
+

 =item ev_unloop (loop, how)
 
 Can be used to make a call to C<ev_loop> return early (but only after it
 has processed all outstanding events). The C<how> argument must be either
 =item ev_unloop (loop, how)
 
 Can be used to make a call to C<ev_loop> return early (but only after it
 has processed all outstanding events). The C<how> argument must be either

-C<EVUNLOOP_ONCE>, which will make the innermost C<ev_loop> call return, or
+C<EVUNLOOP_ONE>, which will make the innermost C<ev_loop> call return, or

 C<EVUNLOOP_ALL>, which will make all nested C<ev_loop> calls return.
 
 =item ev_ref (loop)
 C<EVUNLOOP_ALL>, which will make all nested C<ev_loop> calls return.
 
 =item ev_ref (loop)


@@ -427,8 +447,8 @@ required if you know what you are doing).
 You have to be careful with dup'ed file descriptors, though. Some backends
 (the linux epoll backend is a notable example) cannot handle dup'ed file
 descriptors correctly if you register interest in two or more fds pointing
 You have to be careful with dup'ed file descriptors, though. Some backends
 (the linux epoll backend is a notable example) cannot handle dup'ed file
 descriptors correctly if you register interest in two or more fds pointing

-to the same file/socket etc. description (that is, they share the same
-underlying "file open").
+to the same underlying file/socket etc. description (that is, they share
+the same underlying "file open").

 
 If you must do this, then force the use of a known-to-be-good backend
 (at the time of this writing, this includes only EVMETHOD_SELECT and
 
 If you must do this, then force the use of a known-to-be-good backend
 (at the time of this writing, this includes only EVMETHOD_SELECT and


@@ -454,17 +474,21 @@ given time, and optionally repeating in regular intervals after that.
 The timers are based on real time, that is, if you register an event that
 times out after an hour and you reset your system clock to last years
 time, it will still time out after (roughly) and hour. "Roughly" because
 The timers are based on real time, that is, if you register an event that
 times out after an hour and you reset your system clock to last years
 time, it will still time out after (roughly) and hour. "Roughly" because

-detecting time jumps is hard, and soem inaccuracies are unavoidable (the
+detecting time jumps is hard, and some inaccuracies are unavoidable (the

 monotonic clock option helps a lot here).
 
 The relative timeouts are calculated relative to the C<ev_now ()>
 time. This is usually the right thing as this timestamp refers to the time
 monotonic clock option helps a lot here).
 
 The relative timeouts are calculated relative to the C<ev_now ()>
 time. This is usually the right thing as this timestamp refers to the time

-of the event triggering whatever timeout you are modifying/starting.  If
-you suspect event processing to be delayed and you *need* to base the timeout
+of the event triggering whatever timeout you are modifying/starting. If
+you suspect event processing to be delayed and you I<need> to base the timeout

 on the current time, use something like this to adjust for this:
 
    ev_timer_set (&timer, after + ev_now () - ev_time (), 0.);
 
 on the current time, use something like this to adjust for this:
 
    ev_timer_set (&timer, after + ev_now () - ev_time (), 0.);
 

+The callback is guarenteed to be invoked only when its timeout has passed,
+but if multiple timers become ready during the same loop iteration then
+order of execution is undefined.
+

 =over 4
 
 =item ev_timer_init (ev_timer *, callback, ev_tstamp after, ev_tstamp repeat)
 =over 4
 
 =item ev_timer_init (ev_timer *, callback, ev_tstamp after, ev_tstamp repeat)


@@ -520,6 +544,10 @@ again).
 They can also be used to implement vastly more complex timers, such as
 triggering an event on eahc midnight, local time.
 
 They can also be used to implement vastly more complex timers, such as
 triggering an event on eahc midnight, local time.
 

+As with timers, the callback is guarenteed to be invoked only when the
+time (C<at>) has been passed, but if multiple periodic timers become ready
+during the same loop iteration then order of execution is undefined.
+

 =over 4
 
 =item ev_periodic_init (ev_periodic *, callback, ev_tstamp at, ev_tstamp interval, reschedule_cb)
 =over 4
 
 =item ev_periodic_init (ev_periodic *, callback, ev_tstamp at, ev_tstamp interval, reschedule_cb)


@@ -529,7 +557,6 @@ triggering an event on eahc midnight, local time.
 Lots of arguments, lets sort it out... There are basically three modes of
 operation, and we will explain them from simplest to complex:
 
 Lots of arguments, lets sort it out... There are basically three modes of
 operation, and we will explain them from simplest to complex:
 

-

 =over 4
 
 =item * absolute timer (interval = reschedule_cb = 0)
 =over 4
 
 =item * absolute timer (interval = reschedule_cb = 0)


@@ -774,7 +801,30 @@ Feed an event as if the given signal occured (loop must be the default loop!).
 
 =head1 LIBEVENT EMULATION
 
 
 =head1 LIBEVENT EMULATION
 

-TBD.
+Libev offers a compatibility emulation layer for libevent. It cannot
+emulate the internals of libevent, so here are some usage hints:
+
+=over 4
+
+=item * Use it by including <event.h>, as usual.
+
+=item * The following members are fully supported: ev_base, ev_callback,
+ev_arg, ev_fd, ev_res, ev_events.
+
+=item * Avoid using ev_flags and the EVLIST_*-macros, while it is
+maintained by libev, it does not work exactly the same way as in libevent (consider
+it a private API).
+
+=item * Priorities are not currently supported. Initialising priorities
+will fail and all watchers will have the same priority, even though there
+is an ev_pri field.
+
+=item * Other members are not supported.
+
+=item * The libev emulation is I<not> ABI compatible to libevent, you need
+to use the libev header file and library.
+
+=back

 
 =head1 C++ SUPPORT
 
 
 =head1 C++ SUPPORT