Agent::Transport - the Transportable Agent Perl module

  use Agent;

  my $t = new Agent::Transport(
	Medium => $name,
	Address => $addr
	...
  );
  ...
  my $data = $t->recv( [%args] );

This package provides a standard interface to different transport mediums. Agent::Transport does not contain any transport code itself; it contains a constructor, and code that autoloads the appropriate transport methods.

new( %args )

new() must be passed at least a Medium. The Address argument is strongly recomended (and should be required in most cases), as it's best not to let the system make assumptions. new() decides which Transport package to use base upon the Medium specified. Address is the destination in that medium. Any other arguments will be documented in the Agent::Transport subclasses (such as Agent::Transport::TCP).

These methods are implemented in all transport subclasses.

$t->recv()

recv attempts to retrieve a message (from said address, over said transport medium). Returns the data if called in a scalar context, or a list containing ($data, $from_address) if called in an array context. Returns nothing (i.e. sv_null or an empty list) if unsuccessful.

$t->transport()

Returns the transport medium over which the object communicates.

$t->address()

Returns the primary address at which the object can be reached.

$t->aliases()

Returns a list of addresses at which the object can be reached.

send( %args )

send too must be passed a Medium and an Address. In addition, it also needs a Message as either an anonymous array or a reference to an array.

valid_address( %args )

This checks to see if the Address provided is valid within the Medium specified by checking the syntax of the address. It does not check to see whether or not said address exists. Returns the address if successful, or nothing otherwise.

Agent, Agent::Transport::*

Steve Purkis <spurkis@engsoc.carleton.ca>

Copyright (c) 1998 Steve Purkis. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

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