Kevin, Yes, that error correlates directly with a CGI timing out. (See http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/core.html#timeout for how that timeout is controlled.)
If you still want to try to use persistant perl threads, you'll probably need to use mod_perl2 with the PerlChildInitHandler directive to spawn your "server" thread in each apache child process. See the following link for an example of how you might do this: http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/modperl/modperl/77651#77651 Once again, though, probably the most efficient solution is to use an external datasource for your data, and connect to it whenever you need it. If using a separate server is too much (like memcached or a database server), then you could try BerkeleyDB (http://search.cpan.org/~pmqs/BerkeleyDB-0.31/) or SQLite (http://search.cpan.org/~msergeant/DBD-SQLite-1.13/lib/DBD/SQLite.pm). Each can store your data in a separate data source and access it using in-memory shared libraries. BerkeleyDB has the advantage of having a perltie interface, such that with a little work, you can abstract away the access to your data in a way that looks like you're using standard perl hashes and arrays. Of course, this depends on how difficult it would be to convert the file data to a database format and keep it updated. Thus, I'd probably recommend you try the PerlChildInitHandler mod_perl2 idea first. Regards, Eric --- "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Eric, > > Thanks for the help. One other things that might show some insight > into the problem, is that I seeem to get this error in the Apache log > when the thread finally dies. (70007) The timeout specified has > expired: ap_content_length_filter: apr_bucket_read() failed. > > One other question -- if I made my server in a .pm file, which > creates > the thread, and I 'require' that .pm file in more than one script, > each > server will be in a separate thread of execution, right? Is there > any > 'common memory' style of execution I can use for a daemon, such that > I > can run one instance of the server, yet access it using function > calls? > Too much to ask perhaps? > > Thanks again, > > -Kevin > > Eric Rybski wrote: > > Kevin, > > > > If you are using a CGI script to start a perl thread, then it is > > highly likely apache is timing out (the CGI hosting) your thread. > > (Apache threads should block on an executed CGI until it returns, > or > > apache times it out, whichever occurs first.) > > > > First of all, AFAIK, fork() is not an option on Win32 as it is > > emulated using multiple perl interpreters in a process (e.g. > ithreads). > > See http://perldoc.perl.org/perlport.html and > > http://perldoc.perl.org/perlfork.html regarding this. > > > > (Note that if you were running on a platform with native fork(), > you > > would still need to isolate STDIN, STDOUT, and STDERR pipes of the > > child process to truely daemonize the child process and allow the > > parent apache thread to return.) > > > > Additionally, if your apache is configured to run multiple > servers > > (i.e. StartServers, MinSpareServers, and/or MaxSpareServers greater > > than 1), then this thread "data server" you are trying to create > will > > need to exist isolated as a separate instance in each apache child > > process. This may or may not be an issue for what you are trying > to do > > with your thread "server". > > > > What is the purpose of using a long-running thread? Just to > provide > > access to read-only data instead of reading it from a file every > time? > > > > You may wish to re-approach the problem using a data server > independent > > from both apache and perl. I recommend you check out > > http://www.danga.com/memcached/ as it's fast, reliable, fairly easy > to > > set up, and will persist data between *all* threads and processes > > without any trickery. There is also a lightweight perl API to use > it, > > which implements the Cache::Cache interface: > > http://search.cpan.org/~bradfitz/Cache-Memcached-1.18/ > > > > Hope this helps a bit. > > > > Regards, > > Eric > > > > --- "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I am trying to write a utility that contains a server which spins > up > > > in > > > a cgi script. I am using a thread (ithreads), do a check to see > if > > > it > > > is running, and the start the server. I have the thread creation > in > > > a > > > module. I am running in Win32, using an apache server, all > > > relatively > > > latest and greatest of evreything. > > > > > > So, my server dies after some time of successful operation. Is > this > > > due to Apache limiting how long a process can run? I am > considering > > > a > > > fork/exec (daemon-style), but would prefer not, as this poses > other > > > problems. If I do use fork, is the only way to communicate to it > > > through IPCs (message queue, socket, etc?)? > > > > > > Also, I don't know how to handle static data in perl. I have a > > > function in my module that looks up data out of a file. How can > I > > > look > > > it up once, and keep it in memory thereafter? Make it shared, > and > > > part > > > of my ever-running thread, or is there another way? Every time I > > > enter > > > into my module for a function call, this data gets read from a > file. > > > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > > > -Kevin > > > > > > > >
