From: Lloyd Zusman <ljz@...>
Date: 2004-07-29T08:41:47+09:00
Subject: IO::Reactor on a disk file?

I have been experimenting with IO::Reactor to implement a multi-file
"tail -f".  It works, but the `select' call that is made within
IO::Reactor returns immediately with a ":read" indication whether there
is new data to read at the end of the file or not [this is with
`poll(-1)']. Therefore, I can get my "tail -f" logic to work, but only
at the expense of lots of useless looping.

Is there something I can do to make the `select' call block at end
of file until new data appears, or is the behavior I'm seeing intrinsic
to `select' on a Unix system?  I'm using FreeBSD, if that makes any
difference.

I have already successfully implemented a multi-file "tail -f" in ruby
using a different approach, and so I'm not looking for a solution to
that particular problem.  I'm just experimenting with IO::Reactor and
I'm curious about this property of `select'.

Thanks in advance for any light that any of you can shed on this.


-- 
 Lloyd Zusman
 ljz@asfast.com
 God bless you.