asyncore/asynchat IRC client

[brks]

Hi there guys and girls.

I'm writing an IRC bot (even though there are loads out there that can do what I want, I love to learn-by-doing) and currently use the following to connect to the server:

[CODE=python]import sys, string, os
import socket, asyncore, asynchat
from irc_config import *
from irc_parse import *
from irc_modules import *
#from irc_connect import *

# create our socket
sock = socket.socket()

# start us up
parser = parse( sock, config.s )

# load all our modules
startup_modules ( parser )

# connect to our server
sock.connect( ( config.s, config.p ) )

# our buffer destination
readbuffer = ''

# send our initial nick/user bits
sock.send( 'NICK %s\r\n' % config.n )
sock.send( 'USER %s iw 0 :%s\r\n' % ( config.i, config.r ) )

# enter our data loop
while 1:
try:
bytes_received = readbuffer

while bytes_received >= config.b:
packet = sock.recv( config.b )
bytes_received = len( packet )
readbuffer += packet

except Exception, e:
if config.b == 1:
print e
print '<< DEBUG >> Fatal error.'
sys.exit(1)

while readbuffer.find ( '\r\n' ) >= 0:
currentline = readbuffer[:readbuffer.fin d( '\r\n' )]
readbuffer = readbuffer[len( currentline )+2:]
print currentline

parser.irc_pars e( currentline )[/CODE]

Now, this works - just fine and dandy. However, the birds aren't quite tweeting and I'm not sitting bare arsed on the office photocopier with a party hat on quite yet. No, no. In fact, I realise that this blocking method of reading sucks hard. I have written numerous IRC clients in C before that use select and fifo buffers and I wish to do the same in python.

I am having a very hard time getting my head around even where to start with this - can someone please help with a very simple example that I can butcher to my own evil devices?

Thanks for the help in advance,

Ian

[bartonc]

Hey, Ian. Love the way you write. I've got a USB model that queues read packets for the app to read when it gets around to it around here somewhere. I'll dig up that link for you.

I hope you like our Python forum,
Barton

[bartonc]

Hey, Ian. Love the way you write. I've got a USB model that queues read packets for the app to read when it gets around to it around here somewhere. I'll dig up that link for you.

I hope you like our Python forum,
Barton

Ah, here it is. Threading and Queuing, all in one.

I haven't used the asyn* modules.

[brks]

Hey, Ian. Love the way you write.

Thank you - I've found over the years that the more entertaining your questions are to read, the more likely people are to read and reply! :o)

Ah, here it is. Threading and Queuing, all in one.

I haven't used the asyn* modules.

Thanks again for that - it was an interesting read. I see the logic behind the threading, almost deamonizing reading and the concept I think it pretty much what I need. However, much to my distress, every current example of python IRC bots manages to utilise asyn* modules in such a way as to completely confuse me and, I personally think, over-complicate the whole thing. I'm pretty sure it should go somewhere along the lines of (mostly from python bot 'phenny'):

[CODE=python]
import sys, os, socket, asyncore, asynchat

class Bot:
def __init__(self, nick):
asynchat.async_ chat.__init__(s elf)
self.buffer = ''
self.set_termin ator('\r\n')
self.nick = nick
self.msgstack = []

def write(self, args, text=None):
if text is not None:
self.push(' '.join(args) + ' :' + text + '\r\n')
else: self.push(' '.join(args) + '\r\n')

def handle_connect( self):
self.write(('NI CK', self.nick))
self.write(('US ER', self.uid, '+iw', self.nick), self.name)

def collect_incomin g_data(self, data):
self.buffer += data

def found_terminato r(self):
line = self.buffer
self.buffer = ''
if line.startswith (':'):
origin, line = line[1:].split(' ', 1)
origin = Origin(origin)
else: origin = None

if ' :' in line:
args, text = line.split(' :', 1)
else: args, text = line, ''
args = args.split()

if origin: origin.replyTo( self.nick, args)
self.dispatch(a rgs, text, origin)

def todo(self, args, *text):
command = ' '.join(args)
if text:
command = '%s : %s' % (command, ' '.join(text))
command = re.sub(r"\n", "", command)
command = re.sub(r"\r", "", command)
self.push(comma nd + CRLF)

def run(self, host, port):
self.create_soc ket(socket.AF_I NET, socket.SOCK_STR EAM)
time.sleep(0.5)
self.connect((h ost, port))
time.sleep(0.5)
asyncore.loop()

test = Bot.run
test( 'irc.some.serve r.org', 6667 ) # should start the bot off
[/CODE]

Now that I've pasted nearly all of somebody else's work I guess I should ask a few questions hey!

1) asyncore.loop() - what exactly is that doing? Is that like my initial while 1: loop in my very first post? If so, where is the data read to? self.buffer?

2) does assigning something to self. make it globally available or is it just accessible within that class?

3) can someone explain what 'dispatch' is doing exactly?

I hope you like our Python forum,
Barton

If everyone is as helpful and friendly as yourself I'll be sticking around a lot more!

All the best,

Ian

[brks]

OK - I've finally done it.

After many cups of coffee and a very late night, the problem has been solved and I have asynchronous reading once more. Awesome.

Thanks for your help - I'm sure I'll be sticking around :o)

All the best,

Ian

[bartonc]

OK - I've finally done it.

After many cups of coffee and a very late night, the problem has been solved and I have asynchronous reading once more. Awesome.

Thanks for your help - I'm sure I'll be sticking around :o)

All the best,

Ian

Any chance that we can get a peek at you work for the benefit of the budding Pythoneers who visit in the future?

[brks]

Sure thing!

[CODE=python]#!/usr/bin/env python

import os, sys
import socket, asyncore, asynchat
import irc_config
import irc_parse
import irc_modules

class Bot( asynchat.async_ chat ):
def __init__( self, config ):
asynchat.async_ chat.__init__( self )
self.buffer = ''
self.set_termin ator( '\r\n' )
self.nick = config.n
self.ident = config.i
self.realname = config.r
self.debug = config.d
self.parser = irc_parse.parse _irc_input( config.s, self.write )

# load all our modules
irc_modules.sta rtup_modules( self.parser )

def write( self, text ):
if self.debug == 1:
print '<< DEBUG >> WRITING "%s" TO SOCKET!' % text
self.push( text + '\r\n' )


def handle_connect( self ):
self.write( 'NICK %s' % self.nick )
self.write( 'USER %s iw 0 :%s' % ( self.ident, self.realname ) )

def collect_incomin g_data( self, data ):
self.buffer += data

def found_terminato r( self ):
line = self.buffer
self.buffer = ''
if self.debug == 1:
print '<< DEBUG >> %s' % line
self.parser.par se_text( line )

def run( self, host, port ):
self.create_soc ket( socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STR EAM )
self.connect( ( host, port ) )
asyncore.loop()

# attemptfork is thanks to phenny irc bot ( http://inamidst.com/phenny/ )
def attemptfork():
try:
pid = os.fork()
if pid > 0:
sys.exit( 0 )
except OSError, e:
raise OSError( 'Could not daemonize process: %d ( %s )' % ( e.errno, e.strerror ) )
os.setsid()
os.umask( 0 )
try:
pid = os.fork()
if pid > 0:
sys.exit( 0 )
except OSError, e:
raise OSError( 'Could not daemonize process: %d ( %s )' % ( e.errno, e.strerror ) )

# load our config
conf = irc_config.conf ig

if conf.d == 0 and conf.b == 1 and hasattr( os, 'fork' ):
attemptfork()

# initialize
mypybot = Bot( conf )

# and run
mypybot.run( conf.s, conf.p )[/CODE]

there's a lot left to the imagination, but you see the general jist of what's happening as far as asynchronous data transfer goes!

All the best guys,

Ian

[bartonc]

Thanks, Ian. Hope to see ya 'round...
Barton

[bvdet]

Ian,

I appreciate your sharing with us. This is new to me - maybe I can learn something!

BV

[brks]

no problems guys - glad it was so useful

i'll keep you all updated on the architecture i'm releasing as a barse-bones module driven irc bot

if you're a die-hard irc'er like myself then you'll love it!

cheerio

Ian

[bartonc]

no problems guys - glad it was so useful

i'll keep you all updated on the architecture i'm releasing as a barse-bones module driven irc bot

if you're a die-hard irc'er like myself then you'll love it!

cheerio

Ian

(OK) You meant to say "barse-bones", right? ROFL

[brks]

It was meant to be 'bare-bones' admittedly, but i thought no-one would notice ;)

[William Manley]

This looks very interesting. I use irclib.py for my ircbot, but I think I will take a look at this, when you release it, as well.