Tag Archive: Perl


Assuming that you installed Sybase OpenClient 15.5 from the 15.5 PC Client:

Install ActiveState Perl from http://www.activestate.com (free) and install DBI if it isn’t already installed.  It should be but you never know…

  1. Start -> ActiveState Perl -> Perl Package Manager
  2. install DBI
  3. exit

Now, the easy part.  Install the DBD::Sybase 1.09.01 PPM:

  1. download DBD::Sybase 1.09.01 PPM
  2. extract zip file to temporary directory (e.g. c:\test)
  3. Start -> Run -> cmd.exe (as Administrator if Vista or Windows 7)
  4. cd \test
  5. ppm install DBD-Sybase.ppd
  6. exit

That’s it :)

It should automatically install the DBD::Sybase for Perl 5.8 or 5.10 depending on which version of Active State Perl you have installed.

Assuming that you installed Sybase OpenClient 15.5 from the 15.5 PC Client:

Install ActiveState Perl from http://www.activestate.com (free) and install DBI if it isn’t already installed.  It should be but you never know…

  1. Start -> ActiveState Perl -> Perl Package Manager
  2. install DBI
  3. exit

Now, the easy part.  Install the DBD::Sybase 1.09 PPM:

  1. download DBD::Sybase 1.09 PPM
  2. extract zip file to temporary directory (e.g. c:\test)
  3. Start -> Run -> cmd.exe (as Administrator if Vista or Windows 7)
  4. cd \test
  5. ppm install DBD-Sybase.ppd
  6. exit

That’s it :)

Sybase

Yesterday, I posted Howto: Convert your mp3 tags (id3v2 to id3v1) so your Playstation 3 can play your MP3s! and it worked fine but there was one little problem with it.

When we processed the files, namely running eye3D, we did so synchronously. Essentially, the file notification came in from the Linux kernel and we processed the file at that time. This may be an issue of overflowing the inotify queue within the Linux kernel if there are a lot of files to process.

A better solution would be to add the file to an internal queue and process the files in a sub process using POE::Wheel::Run. Of course we will limit the number of sub processes :)

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

use File::Basename;
use File::Find ();
use Getopt::Std;
use Linux::Inotify2;
use POE qw( Kernel Session Wheel::Run );

$|++;

#######################################
#######################################

our @found_dirs;
our $max_concurrent_tasks;

sub watch_add_dir {
 my ($heap_ref, $session, $dir_name) = @_;

 ##############
 # Watch this directory with a call back
 #  to the watch_hdlr() subroutine via
 #  a message to the POE system
 ##############
 $heap_ref->{inotify}->watch($dir_name, IN_CREATE|IN_CLOSE_WRITE, $session->postback("watch_hdlr"));
 print " Watching directory $dir_name\n";
}

sub watch_hdlr {
 my ($kernel, $heap, $session, $event) = ( $_[KERNEL], $_[HEAP], $_[SESSION], $_[ARG1][0] );

 my $name = $event->fullname;
 my $short_name = $event->name;

 ##############
 # We can receive many many notifications
 #  for a file.  If we’ve already processed
 #  the file, do nothing.
 ##############
 unless ($heap->{inotify}{files}{$name}) {

  ##############
  # If a new directory is added, we need
  #  to watch that directory too.
  ##############
  if ($event->IN_CREATE && -d $name) {
   print "New directory: $name\n";
   watch_add_dir($heap, $session, $name);
   } elsif ($event->IN_CLOSE_WRITE) {

   ##############
   # When a file descriptor that was opened for
   #  ’writing’ is closed, then process that
   #  file it was being written to.  We’re
   #  assuming that the file is complete at this
   #  point as the operation will be a copy into
   #  the watched directory
   ##############
   my $ext = ( fileparse($name, ‘\..*’) )[2];

   if (lc($ext) eq ‘.mp3′) {
    ##############
    # Add the file to the file process queue
    ##############
    push @{ $heap->{task}{task_files} }, $name;

    ##############
    # Mark that we have processed the file.  If
    #  we don’t we will end up processing the file
    #  in an infinite loop because we are modifying
    #  the files.
    ##############
    $heap->{inotify}{files}{$name} = 1;

    ##############
    # Yield to "task_next_file" through so
    #  that we can process files in the queue.
    ##############
    $kernel->yield("task_next_file");
   }

   $heap->{inotify}{files}{$name} = 1;
  }
 }

 ##############
 # While possible, it is highly unlikely that we will
 #  overflow the notification buffers within the Linux
 #  kernel.  If so, we should report that.
 ##############
  print "events for $name have been lost\n" if $event->IN_Q_OVERFLOW;
}

sub task_next_file {
 my ($kernel, $heap) = @_[ KERNEL, HEAP ];

 ##############
 # Process the files in the queue up
 #  to the $max_concurrent_tasks at
 #  once.  Any extras will be processed
 #  when a file (task) completes.
 ##############
 while ( keys( %{ $heap->{task} } ) < $max_concurrent_tasks ) {
  my $next_task_file = shift @{ $heap->{task}{task_files} };

  ##############
  # If the $next_task_file is empty, then we can safely
  #  ignore it.
  ##############
  last unless defined $next_task_file;

  ##############
  # Use POE::Wheel::Run to fire off the
  #  file processing using a sub process
  #  to the process_file() subroutine
  ##############
  my $task = POE::Wheel::Run->new (
    Program => sub { process_file($next_task_file) },
    StdoutEvent => "task_output",
    CloseEvent => "task_done",
   );

  ##############
  # Update the session with the task
  #  information and the kernel with
  #  the SIG_CHILD handler.  These are
  #  necessary for the task to execute.
  ##############
  $heap->{task}->{ $task->ID } = $task;
  $kernel->sig_child( $task->PID, "sig_child");
 }
}

sub process_file {
 my $file = shift;

 print "  Processed \"$file\"\n";

 ##############
 # Use the eyeD3 package to convert
 #  the mp3 id3v2/3/4 to id3v1.  If
 #  eyeD3 fails, we don’t really care. :)
 ##############
 my $cmd_output = `eyeD3 –to-v1.1 "$file"`;
 $cmd_output = `eyeD3 –remove-v2 "$file"`;
}

sub find_wanted {
 my $object = $File::Find::name;

 if (-d $object) {
  push @found_dirs, $object;
 }
}

#######################################
#######################################
#######################################

my %arg_options;
my $watch_dir;

getopts(‘d:t:’, \%arg_options);

if ($arg_options{d} && -d $arg_options{d}) {
 $watch_dir = $arg_options{d};

 if ($arg_options{t} && $arg_options{t} =~ /^\d+/) {
  $max_concurrent_tasks = $arg_options{t};
 } else {
  $max_concurrent_tasks = 2;
 }

 ##############
 # We need to watch all existing sub directories
 #  so we will find them and add them to the
 #  @found_dirs array to be added to the watched
 #  directories when we create the Inotify object
 ##############
 File::Find::find({wanted => \&find_wanted}, $watch_dir);

 POE::Session->create
  ( inline_states =>
   { _start => sub {
     my $inotify_FH;

     ##############
     # alias this particular POE session to
     #  ’notify’ so we can easily reference
     #  it later if needed
     ##############
     $_[KERNEL]->alias_set(‘notify’);

     ##############
     # Create the Linux::INotify object
     ##############
     $_[HEAP]{inotify} = new Linux::Inotify2
      or die "Unable to create new inotify object: $!";

     ##############
     # Add the preexisting directories to
     #  be watched from the @found_dirs array
     ##############
     foreach my $dir (@found_dirs) {
      watch_add_dir($_[HEAP], $_[SESSION], $dir);
     }

     ##############
     # We need to create a hash in the "notify"
     #  POE session so we can determine if we’ve
     #  processed a file already
     ##############
     $_[HEAP]{inotify}{files} = {};

     ##############
     # The Inotify notifications are received
     #  on a file descriptor.  We need to read
     #  from it when there is something to be
     #  read
     ##############
     open $inotify_FH, "< &=" . $_[HEAP]{inotify}->fileno
      or die "Can’t fdopen: $!\n";

     ##############
     # Inform POE to poll the file descriptor
     ##############
     $_[KERNEL]->select_read( $inotify_FH, "inotify_poll" );
    },
    inotify_poll => sub {
     $_[HEAP]{inotify}->poll;
    },
    watch_hdlr => \&watch_hdlr,

    ##############
    # Process the next file in the queue
    ##############
    task_next_file => \&task_next_file,

    ##############
    # print the output of the job
    ##############
    task_output => sub {
     my $result = $_[ARG0];

     print "$result\n";
    },

    ##############
    # When we are done with a file, go process the
    #  next file if there is one waiting
    ##############
    task_done => sub {
     my ($kernel, $heap, $task_id) = @_[ KERNEL, HEAP, ARG0 ];

     delete $heap->{task}{$task_id};
     $kernel->yield("task_next_file");
    },
    sig_child => sub {
     my ($heap, $pid) = @_[ HEAP, ARG1 ];

     my $details = delete $heap->{$pid};
    },
   },
 );

 POE::Kernel->run();
}

exit 0;

Example output:

ps3_mp3_converter.pl -d /home/jfroebe/j
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/bin
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/doc
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/java
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/lib
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/j
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/j/tmp
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/sdk
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/sdk/demo
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/sdk/include
New directory: /home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack
 Watching directory /home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/01 Main Title.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/02 The Scret of Strandhill-Redemption.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/03 Old Flame.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/04 Defector.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/05 Decidion.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/06 Float Like a Butterfly.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/07 Sandoval’s Run.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/08 Bliss.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/09 If You Could Read My Mind.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/10 Lilli.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/11 Law and Order.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/12 Atavus.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/13 Between Heaven and Hell.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/14 Sleepers.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/15 Dimensions.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/16 Moonscape.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/17 Isabel.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/18 The Gauntlet.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/19 Second Chances.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/20 One Man’s Castle.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/21 Payback.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/22 Truth.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/23 Déjà Vu.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/24 Crossfire.mp3"
  Processed "/home/jfroebe/j/Earth Final Conflict Soundtrack/25 Volunteers-End Credits.mp3"
  1. Run the converter on your media server: ps3_mp3_converter.pl -d {directory}
  2. Copy your mp3 collection wherever you told ps3_mp3_converter.pl to run in.
#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

use File::Basename;
use File::Find ();
use Getopt::Std;
use Linux::Inotify2;
use POE;

$|++;

#######################################
#######################################

our @found_dirs;

sub watch_add_dir {
 my ($heap_ref, $session, $dir_name) = @_;

 $heap_ref->{inotify}->watch($dir_name, IN_CREATE|IN_CLOSE_WRITE, $session->postback("watch_hdlr"));
 print " Watching directory $dir_name\n";
}

sub watch_hdlr {
 my ($heap_ref, $session, $event) = ( $_[HEAP], $_[SESSION], $_[ARG1][0] );

 my $name = $event->fullname;
 my $short_name = $event->name;

 unless ($_[HEAP]{inotify}{files}{$name}) {
  if ($event->IN_CREATE && -d $name) {
   print "New directory: $name\n";
   watch_add_dir($heap_ref, $session, $name);
  } elsif ($event->IN_CLOSE_WRITE) {
   my $ext = ( fileparse($name, ‘\..*’) )[2];

   if (lc($ext) eq ‘.mp3′) {
    print "-"x20 . "\n";
    print "$name:\n";

    my $cmd_output = `eyeD3 –to-v1.1 "$name"`;
    $cmd_output = `eyeD3 –remove-v2 "$name"`;
   }

   $_[HEAP]{inotify}{files}{$name} = 1;
  }
 }

 print "events for $name have been lost\n" if $event->IN_Q_OVERFLOW;
}

sub find_wanted {
 my $object = $File::Find::name;

 if (-d $object) {
  push @found_dirs, $object;
 }
}

#######################################
#######################################
#######################################

my %arg_options;
my $watch_dir;

getopts(‘d:’, \%arg_options);

if ($arg_options{d} && -d $arg_options{d}) {
 $watch_dir = $arg_options{d};
 File::Find::find({wanted => \&find_wanted}, $watch_dir);

 POE::Session->create
  ( inline_states =>
   { _start => sub {
     my $inotify_FH;

     $_[KERNEL]->alias_set(‘notify’);
     $_[HEAP]{inotify} = new Linux::Inotify2
      or die "Unable to create new inotify object: $!";

     foreach my $dir (@found_dirs) {
      watch_add_dir($_[HEAP], $_[SESSION], $dir);
     }

     $_[HEAP]{inotify}{files} = {};

     open $inotify_FH, "< &=" . $_[HEAP]{inotify}->fileno
     or die "Can’t fdopen: $!\n";

     $_[KERNEL]->select_read( $inotify_FH, "inotify_poll" );
   },
   inotify_poll => sub {
    $_[HEAP]{inotify}->poll;
   },
    watch_hdlr => \&watch_hdlr,
   },
 );

 POE::Kernel->run();
}

exit 0;

Andy Bakun over at Ars Technica wrote an excellent “HowTo” on writing games with Perl and the Simple DirectMedia Library:

Developing games with Perl and SDL

ars technicaGet ready to dive into game development! Ars explores the art of SDL game programming with Perl. A dynamic, high-level scripting language and powerful open source SDL bindings make it possible to produce sophisticated games without a lot of effort or overhead.
By Andy Bakun | Last updated February 14, 2006 9:00 PM CT

What is SDL_perl?

SDL_Perl is a perl interface to the Simple DirectMedia Library. It is composed of a both a XS wrapper to the SDL libraries and a series of Perl modules that export SDL functionality in an object-oriented fashion.
One of the biggest benefits of using SDL is that it allows portable media applications to be written without having to be concerned with specific implmentations of media libraries for each target platform. Bringing Perl into the picture takes the portability one step further, allowing media-rich applications to be written in a high-level language that can be targeted to a number of platforms. While programming using SDL requires knowledge of C and access to a C compiler, using SDL_perl does not. This greatly decreases the amount of time it takes to get something up on the screen and working.

Read more