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Key for message queue creation...

by leslie (Pilgrim)
on Jun 23, 2009 at 06:28 UTC ( [id://773880]=perlquestion: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??

leslie has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Dear friends, Is there any function available for generating the key for creating new message queue in perl.

It is available in C, but I don't in perl. Please give some useful information...

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Key for message queue creation...
by targetsmart (Curate) on Jun 23, 2009 at 06:51 UTC
    first of all give some more clarity to us about your question

    having said that I assumed the below things
    I think you are talking about ftok
    from this I understood it.

    "Are you the Key Master?" What about this key nonsense? How do we create one? Well, since the ty +pe key_t is actually just a long, you can use any number you want. Bu +t what if you hard-code the number and some other unrelated program h +ardcodes the same number but wants another queue? The solution is to +use the ftok() function which generates a key from two arguments: key_t ftok(const char *path, int id); Ok, this is getting weird. Basically, path just has to be a file that +this process can read. The other argument, id is usually just set to +some arbitrary char, like 'A'. The ftok() function uses information a +bout the named file (like inode number, etc.) and the id to generate +a probably-unique key for msgget(). Programs that want to use the sam +e queue must generate the same key, so they must pass the same parame +ters to ftok(). Finally, it's time to make the call: #include <sys/msg.h> key = ftok("/home/beej/somefile", 'b'); msqid = msgget(key, 0666 | IPC_CREAT); In the above example, I set the permissions on the queue to 666 (or rw +-rw-rw-, if that makes more sense to you). And now we have msqid whic +h will be used to send and receive messages from the queue.
    at the same time IPC::SysV has the function ftok, which you can try and use.


    Vivek
    -- 'I' am not the body, 'I' am the 'soul', which has no beginning or no end, no attachment or no aversion, nothing to attain or lose.
      Thank you for your replay. It is very much helpful for me.
Re: Key for message queue creation...
by cdarke (Prior) on Jun 23, 2009 at 08:51 UTC
    The key provided by ftok is notoriously unreliable. Depending on the version, it is and algorithm based on an inode number and a project code.

    The inode number is unreliable for several reasons. An inode is only unique within a partition. It is possible that two files on different paritions could have the same inode resulting in ftok returning a non-unique key - unlikely, but possible.

    Inode numbers change! If a sys. admin. reorganises the partition, maybe just a backup then restore, then inodes are now different. Since message queues are "kernel persistent" (lost on a reboot), and we never reboot UNIX ;-) then programs running will use different keys to any started after the reorg. This has happened to me more than once.

    So, personally I would not use ftok, but create my own safe algorithm which is repeatable on every occasion.
Re: Key for message queue creation...
by moritz (Cardinal) on Jun 23, 2009 at 06:37 UTC

    What kind of message queue do you want to create? do you use threads? and why do you need a key for it?

      No. I am not using threads. this is just testing program.
      I did some message queue program using "c". In that they are providing the ftok() for generate the dynamic key.
       I am asking that is there any function available in perl like ftok()...
       Thank you for your effort...
        In Perl you usually use modules that abstract away such things. From the ftok manual page it looks like you're dealing with System V message queues. If that's the case, maybe take a look at IPC::Msg or other ipc modules.
Re: Key for message queue creation...
by sundialsvc4 (Abbot) on Jun 23, 2009 at 15:58 UTC

    Categorically speaking, when you want to “do fun stuff” in Perl, you do so by finding and downloading an appropriate package from CPAN. Then, you use it in your program.

    Perl packages may include low-level "C" subroutines and often do. But you do not have to be consciously aware of this. All that you need to know, and can rely upon, is that “the Perl package just works.™” (During installation, a package will typically be run through dozens of self-tests to verify correct operation on your system.) You can focus on what you want to do, while remaining “blissfully unaware” of how it's done:   somebody else did that for you.

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