How to implement non blocking socket server in python
Have a look to Asyncore, it is exactly done for what you're searching for :)
http://docs.python.org/2/library/asyncore.html
Cheers,
K.
Zac
Updated on June 04, 2022Comments
-
Zac almost 2 years
A similar but different question:
I have an IRC client that generates strings. This IRC client uses a hook to call a method (somone_said) whenever someone says something. I want to send this string over a socket to my flash client.
I have a working client in flash and a server in python but the problem is that it blocks: 1) while listening for the client connection 2) while waiting for the next message to be generated
This stops the IRC client from responding to other inputs.
I think I need to create my socket in a separate thread but this creates three more problems. 1) how does my someone_said event driven method access the socket 2) What if someone says something when there is no server client connection (while listening) or if the client has closed the connection. 3) How to check if the thread is alive and if not to open a new one?
My blocking server code is this:
# Echo server program import socket import sys HOST = None # Symbolic name meaning all available interfaces PORT = 7001 # Arbitrary non-privileged port s = None def startListening(): print "starting to listen" for res in socket.getaddrinfo(HOST, PORT, socket.AF_UNSPEC, socket.SOCK_STREAM, 0, socket.AI_PASSIVE): af, socktype, proto, canonname, sa = res try: s = socket.socket(af, socktype, proto) except socket.error as msg: s = None continue try: s.bind(sa) s.listen(1) except socket.error as msg: s.close() s = None continue break if s is None: print 'could not open socket' sys.exit(1) conn, addr = s.accept() print 'Connected by', addr while 1: try: data = conn.recv(1024) except: print "cannot recieve data" break if not data: break print data message = "" while not "quit" in message: message = raw_input('Say Something : ') # This will come from event driven method try: conn.sendall(message) except Exception as exc: print "message could not be sent" break conn.close() print "connection closed" while 1: startListening()
The xchat module python script works like this (requires HexChat to run)
__module_name__ = "Forward Module" __module_version__ = "1.0.0" __module_description__ = "Forward To Flash Module by Xcom" import sys import xchat def someone_said(word, word_eol, userdata): # method called whenever someone speaks in IRC channel username = str(word[0]) # From IRC contains the username string message = str(word[1]) # From IRC contains the user message sendString = username + " : " + message send_to_server(sendString) def send_to_server(message): # send over socket method to be implemented here xchat.hook_print('Channel Message' , someone_said)
I've been banging my head against this wall for days now. Help me obi wan kenobi, you're my only hope.
-
Zac almost 11 yearsI added some asyncore code, but the script still blocks while waiting for connection and between sends. This is unacceptable because the HexChat IRC client has to do other things while this is going on.
-
Koreth almost 11 yearsPython provides you the ability to use
socket.setblocking(0)
, after which your socket will be non-blocking. The main documentation is avalaible here (docs.python.org/2/howto/sockets.html#non-blocking-sockets) and you also have some utilization here (pymotw.com/2/select/index.html). -
Zac almost 11 yearsThe program still hangs while listening for the client to connect or between sends. I can't allow the program to hang/pause like that because it is supposed to be doing other things at the same time.