Re: Making new ports.

[Ian Grant]

> There should be some kind of interface for adding/managing buffers.

Yes.  When I implemented large object ports for guile-pg I ended up copying a 
big chunk of code from the fports implementation - specifically most of the 
write and flush `methods' and the setting up of buffers.  I think there might 
be a way of providing default buffer handling. I  haven't mentioned this 
before because I haven't thought it through properly.

>  I didn't think the apache port needed it because the ap_rwrite call and
> friends are doing their own buffering, counting bytes and sending things
> out in chunks (or something like that).  How often is there a need for a
> new port type?  File/socket/string ports are probably all most people
> need. 

Large objects on database interfaces is an example where a new port type is 
the most elegant interface.  Similarly your Apache ports. There are bound to 
be other interfaces where ports are equally useful (zlib for example, and Jim 
Blandy has mentioned character ports of some sort that are cognisant of the 
character encoding they reading).  I think there will be lots of ports 
appearing soon.

Ian
-- 
Ian Grant, Computer Lab., New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge
Phone: +44 1223 334420          Personal e-mail: iang at pobox dot com