1Config::Watch(3) User Contributed Perl Documentation Config::Watch(3)
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6 Log::Log4perl::Config::Watch - Detect file changes
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9 use Log::Log4perl::Config::Watch;
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11 my $watcher = Log::Log4perl::Config::Watch->new(
12 file => "/data/my.conf",
13 check_interval => 30,
14 );
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16 while(1) {
17 if($watcher->change_detected()) {
18 print "Change detected!\n";
19 }
20 sleep(1);
21 }
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24 This module helps detecting changes in files. Although it comes with
25 the "Log::Log4perl" distribution, it can be used independently.
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27 The constructor defines the file to be watched and the check interval
28 in seconds. Subsequent calls to "change_detected()" will
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30 · return a false value immediately without doing physical file checks
31 if "check_interval" hasn't elapsed.
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33 · perform a physical test on the specified file if the number of
34 seconds specified in "check_interval" have elapsed since the last
35 physical check. If the file's modification date has changed since
36 the last physical check, it will return a true value, otherwise a
37 false value is returned.
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39 Bottom line: "check_interval" allows you to call the function
40 "change_detected()" as often as you like, without paying the performing
41 a significant performance penalty because file system operations are
42 being performed (however, you pay the price of not knowing about file
43 changes until "check_interval" seconds have elapsed).
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45 The module clearly distinguishes system time from file system time. If
46 your (e.g. NFS mounted) file system is off by a constant amount of time
47 compared to the executing computer's clock, it'll just work fine.
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49 To disable the resource-saving delay feature, just set "check_interval"
50 to 0 and "change_detected()" will run a physical file test on every
51 call.
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53 If you already have the current time available, you can pass it on to
54 "change_detected()" as an optional parameter, like in
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56 change_detected($time)
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58 which then won't trigger a call to "time()", but use the value
59 provided.
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61 SIGNAL MODE
62 Instead of polling time and file changes, "new()" can be instructed to
63 set up a signal handler. If you call the constructor like
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65 my $watcher = Log::Log4perl::Config::Watch->new(
66 file => "/data/my.conf",
67 signal => 'HUP'
68 );
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70 then a signal handler will be installed, setting the object's variable
71 "$self->{signal_caught}" to a true value when the signal arrives.
72 Comes with all the problems that signal handlers go along with.
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74 TRIGGER CHECKS
75 To trigger a physical file check on the next call to
76 "change_detected()" regardless if "check_interval" has expired or not,
77 call
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79 $watcher->force_next_check();
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81 on the watcher object.
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83 DETECT MOVED FILES
84 The watcher can also be used to detect files that have moved. It will
85 not only detect if a watched file has disappeared, but also if it has
86 been replaced by a new file in the meantime.
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88 my $watcher = Log::Log4perl::Config::Watch->new(
89 file => "/data/my.conf",
90 check_interval => 30,
91 );
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93 while(1) {
94 if($watcher->file_has_moved()) {
95 print "File has moved!\n";
96 }
97 sleep(1);
98 }
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100 The parameters "check_interval" and "signal" limit the number of
101 physical file system checks, similarily as with "change_detected()".
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104 Copyright 2002-2013 by Mike Schilli <m@perlmeister.com> and Kevin Goess
105 <cpan@goess.org>.
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107 This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
108 under the same terms as Perl itself.
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111 Please contribute patches to the project on Github:
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113 http://github.com/mschilli/log4perl
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115 Send bug reports or requests for enhancements to the authors via our
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117 MAILING LIST (questions, bug reports, suggestions/patches):
118 log4perl-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
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120 Authors (please contact them via the list above, not directly): Mike
121 Schilli <m@perlmeister.com>, Kevin Goess <cpan@goess.org>
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123 Contributors (in alphabetical order): Ateeq Altaf, Cory Bennett, Jens
124 Berthold, Jeremy Bopp, Hutton Davidson, Chris R. Donnelly, Matisse
125 Enzer, Hugh Esco, Anthony Foiani, James FitzGibbon, Carl Franks, Dennis
126 Gregorovic, Andy Grundman, Paul Harrington, Alexander Hartmaier David
127 Hull, Robert Jacobson, Jason Kohles, Jeff Macdonald, Markus Peter,
128 Brett Rann, Peter Rabbitson, Erik Selberg, Aaron Straup Cope, Lars
129 Thegler, David Viner, Mac Yang.
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133perl v5.28.0 2017-02-21 Config::Watch(3)