module Netplex_mbox

: sig

Netplex message boxes

This plugin implements a message box, following a simple model: Receivers wait until messages are put into the box. Senders wait until the box is free again.

This is actually an extension of [root:Netplex_sharedvar], and the same caveats apply.

val plugin : Netplex_types.plugin

To enable message boxes, call the controller's add_plugin method with this object as argument. This can e.g. be done in the post_add_hook of the processor.

How to use this module:

Encapsulate the type of the messages:

module Msg_type = struct type t = <some_type> end

Create the box module for this type:

module Mbox_type = Netplex_mbox.Make_mbox_type(Msg_type)

Call functions of this module, e.g.

let box = Mbox_type.create "my_box"
let msg = Mbox_type.receive box

module type MBOX = sig

The type of mailboxes mbox with messages of type t

type t

The type of messages

type mbox

The type of the mailboxes

val create : string -> mbox

Creates a new mailbox with the passed name, or opens an existing mailbox. Names are global to the whole Netplex process system.

val send : mbox -> t -> unit

Send a message to this box. If the box is full, it is waited until the box is free again. If several senders wait for the box, one sender is selected.

val receive : mbox -> t

Receive a message: It is waited until a sender puts a message into the box. If several receivers wait for the box, one receiver is selected.

end

module Make_mbox_type : functor (T : Netplex_cenv.TYPE) -> MBOX with type t = T.t

Create a new mailbox access module for message type T.t

end