package Net::Ident; use strict; use Socket; use Fcntl; use FileHandle; use Carp; use Config; use Errno; require Exporter; use vars qw(@ISA @EXPORT_OK $DEBUG $VERSION %EXPORT_TAGS @EXPORT_FAIL %EXPORT_HOOKS @EXPORT); @ISA = qw(Exporter); @EXPORT_OK = qw(ident_lookup lookup lookupFromInAddr); # EXPORT_HOOKS is a sortof Exporter extension. Whenever one of the keys # of this hash is imported as a "tag", the corresponding function is called %EXPORT_HOOKS = ( 'fh' => \&_add_fh_method, 'apache' => \&_add_apache_method, 'debug' => \&_set_debug, ); # provide import magic sub _export_hooks () { my ( $tag, $hook ); while ( ( $tag, $hook ) = each %EXPORT_HOOKS ) { my $hookname = "_export_hook_$tag"; # pseudo-function name $EXPORT_TAGS{$tag} = [$hookname]; push @EXPORT_OK, $hookname; push @EXPORT_FAIL, $hookname; } } # put the export hooks in the standard Exporter structures _export_hooks(); # for compatibility mode, uncomment the next line @@ s/^#\s*// @@ # @EXPORT = qw(_export_hook_fh); $VERSION = "1.24"; $DEBUG ||= 0; *STDDBG = *STDERR; sub _set_debug { $DEBUG++; print STDDBG "Debugging turned to level $DEBUG\n"; } # protocol number for tcp. my $tcpproto = ( getprotobyname('tcp') )[2] || 6; # get identd port (default to 113). my $identport = ( getservbyname( 'ident', 'tcp' ) )[2] || 113; # what to use to make nonblocking sockets my $NONBLOCK = eval "&$Config{o_nonblock}"; # turn a filehandle passed as a string, or glob, into a ref # private subroutine sub _passfh ($) { my ($fh) = @_; # test if $fh is a reference. if it's not, we need to process... if ( !ref $fh ) { print STDDBG "passed fh: $fh is not a reference\n" if $DEBUG; # check for fully qualified name if ( $fh !~ /'|::/ ) { print STDDBG "$fh is not fully qualified\n" if $DEBUG; # get our current package my $mypkg = (caller)[0]; print STDDBG "We are package $mypkg\n" if $DEBUG; # search for calling package my $depth = 1; my $otherpkg; $depth++ while ( ( $otherpkg = caller($depth) ) eq $mypkg ); print STDDBG "We are called from package $otherpkg\n" if $DEBUG; $fh = "${otherpkg}::$fh"; print STDDBG "passed fh now fully qualified: $fh\n" if $DEBUG; } # turn $fh into a reference to a $fh. we need to disable strict refs no strict 'refs'; $fh = \*{$fh}; } $fh; } # create a Net::Ident object, and perform a non-blocking connect() # to the remote identd port. # class method, constructor sub new { my ( $class, $fh, $timeout ) = @_; my ( $localaddr, $remoteaddr ); print STDDBG "Net::Ident::new fh=$fh, timeout=" . ( defined $timeout ? $timeout : "" ) . "\n" if $DEBUG > 1; # "try" eval { defined $fh or die "= fh undef\n"; $fh = _passfh($fh); # get information about this (the local) end of the connection. We # assume that $fh is a connected socket of type SOCK_STREAM. If # it isn't, you'll find out soon enough because one of these functions # will return undef real fast. $localaddr = getsockname($fh) or die "= getsockname failed: $!\n"; # get information about remote end of connection $remoteaddr = getpeername($fh) or die "= getpeername failed: $!\n"; }; if ( $@ =~ /^= (.*)/ ) { # here's the catch of the throw # return false, try to preserve errno local ($!); # we make a "fake" $self my $self = { 'state' => 'error', 'error' => "Net::Ident::new: $1\n", }; print STDDBG $self->{error} if $DEBUG; # return our blessed $self return bless $self, $class; } elsif ($@) { # something else went wrong. barf up completely. confess($@); } # continue with the NewFromInAddr constructor $class->newFromInAddr( $localaddr, $remoteaddr, $timeout ); } sub newFromInAddr { my ( $class, $localaddr, $remoteaddr, $timeout ) = @_; my $self = {}; print STDDBG "Net::Ident::newFromInAddr localaddr=", sub { inet_ntoa( $_[1] ) . ":$_[0]" } ->( sockaddr_in($localaddr) ), ", remoteaddr=", sub { inet_ntoa( $_[1] ) . ":$_[0]" } ->( sockaddr_in($remoteaddr) ), ", timeout=", defined $timeout ? $timeout : "", "\n" if $DEBUG > 1; eval { # unpack addresses and store in my ( $localip, $remoteip ); ( $self->{localport}, $localip ) = sockaddr_in($localaddr); ( $self->{remoteport}, $remoteip ) = sockaddr_in($remoteaddr); # create a local binding port. We cannot bind to INADDR_ANY, it has # to be bind (bound?) to the same IP address as the connection we're # interested in on machines with multiple IP addresses my $localbind = sockaddr_in( 0, $localip ); # store max time $self->{maxtime} = defined($timeout) ? time + $timeout : undef; # create a remote connect point my $identbind = sockaddr_in( $identport, $remoteip ); # create a new FileHandle $self->{fh} = new FileHandle; # create a stream socket. socket( $self->{fh}, PF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, $tcpproto ) or die "= socket failed: $!\n"; # bind it to the same IP number as the local end of THESOCK bind( $self->{fh}, $localbind ) or die "= bind failed: $!\n"; # make it a non-blocking socket if ( $^O ne 'MSWin32' ) { fcntl( $self->{fh}, F_SETFL, $NONBLOCK ) or die "= fcntl failed: $!\n"; } # connect it to the remote identd port, this can return EINPROGRESS. # for some reason, reading $! twice doesn't work as it should connect( $self->{fh}, $identbind ) or $!{EINPROGRESS} or die "= connect failed: $!\n"; $self->{fh}->blocking(0) if $^O eq 'MSWin32'; }; if ( $@ =~ /^= (.*)/ ) { # here's the catch of the throw # return false, try to preserve errno local ($!); $self->{error} = "Net::Ident::new: $1\n"; print STDDBG $self->{error} if $DEBUG; # this deletes the FileHandle, which gets closed, # so that might change errno delete $self->{fh}; # do NOT return, so the constructor always succeeds } elsif ($@) { # something else went wrong. barf up completely. confess($@); } # clear errno in case it contains EINPROGRESS $! = 0; # mark the state of the connection $self->{state} = 'connect'; # return a blessed reference bless $self, $class; } # send the query to the remote daemon. # object method sub query { my ($self) = @_; my ( $wmask, $timeout, $emask, $fileno, $err, $query ); print STDDBG "Net::Ident::query\n" if $DEBUG > 1; # bomb out if no fh return undef unless $self->{fh}; # "try" eval { $self->{state} eq 'connect' or die "= calling in the wrong order\n"; $fileno = fileno $self->{fh}; # calculate the time left, abort if necessary. Note that $timeout # is simply left undef if $self->{maxtime} is not defined if ( defined( $self->{maxtime} ) && ( $timeout = $self->{maxtime} - time ) < 0 ) { die "= Connection timed out\n"; } # wait until the socket becomes writable. $wmask = ''; vec( $wmask, $fileno, 1 ) = 1; scalar select( undef, $wmask, $emask = $wmask, $timeout ) or die "= Connection timed out\n"; # Check for errors via select (you never know) vec( $emask, $fileno, 1 ) and die "= connection error: $!\n"; # fh must be writable now vec( $wmask, $fileno, 1 ) or die "= connection timed out or error: $!\n"; # check for errors via getsockopt(SO_ERROR) $err = getsockopt( $self->{fh}, SOL_SOCKET, SO_ERROR ); if ( !defined($err) || ( $! = unpack( 'L', $err ) ) ) { die "= connect: $!\n"; } # create the query, based on the remote port and the local port $query = "$self->{remoteport},$self->{localport}\r\n"; # write the query. Ignore the chance that such a short # write will be fragmented. syswrite( $self->{fh}, $query, length $query ) == length $query or die "= fragmented write on socket: $!\n"; }; if ( $@ =~ /^= (.*)/ ) { # here's the catch of the throw # return false, try to preserve errno local ($!); $self->{error} = "Net::Ident::query: $1\n"; print STDDBG $self->{error} if $DEBUG; # this deletes the FileHandle, which gets closed, # so that might change errno delete $self->{fh}; return undef; } elsif ($@) { # something else went wrong. barf up completely. confess($@); } # initialise empty answer to prevent uninitialised value warning $self->{answer} = ''; # mark the state of the connection $self->{state} = 'query'; # return the same object on success $self; } # read data, if any, and check if it's enough. # object method sub ready { my ( $self, $blocking ) = @_; my ( $timeout, $rmask, $emask, $answer, $ret, $fileno ); print STDDBG "Net::Ident::ready blocking=" . ( $blocking ? "true\n" : "false\n" ) if $DEBUG > 1; # perform the query if not already done. if ( $self->{state} ne 'query' ) { $self->query or return undef; } # exit immediately if ready returned 1 before. elsif ( $self->{state} eq 'ready' ) { return 1; } # bomb out if no fh return undef unless $self->{fh}; # "try" $ret = eval { $fileno = fileno $self->{fh}; # while $blocking, but at least once... do { # calculate the time left, abort if necessary. if ( defined( $self->{maxtime} ) && ( $timeout = $self->{maxtime} - time ) < 0 ) { die "= Timeout\n"; } # zero timeout for non-blocking $timeout = 0 unless $blocking; # wait for something $rmask = ''; vec( $rmask, $fileno, 1 ) = 1; if ( select( $rmask, undef, $emask = $rmask, $timeout ) ) { # something came in vec( $emask, $fileno, 1 ) and die "= error while reading: $!\n"; # check for incoming data if ( vec( $rmask, $fileno, 1 ) ) { # try to read as much data as possible. $answer = ''; defined sysread( $self->{fh}, $answer, 1000 ) or die "= read returned error: $!\n"; # append incoming data to total received $self->{answer} .= $answer; # check for max length length( $self->{answer} ) <= 1000 or die "= remote daemon babbling too much\n"; # if data contains a CR or LF, we are ready receiving. # strip everything after and including the CR or LF and # return success if ( $self->{answer} =~ /[\n\r]/ ) { $self->{answer} =~ s/[\n\r].*//s; print STDDBG "Net::Ident::ready received: $self->{answer}\n" if $DEBUG; # close the socket to the remote identd close( $self->{fh} ); $self->{state} = 'ready'; return 1; } } } } while $blocking; # we don't block, but we didn't receive everything yet... return false. 0; }; if ( $@ =~ /^= (.*)/ ) { # here's the catch of the throw # return undef, try to preserve errno local ($!); $self->{error} = "Net::Ident::ready: $1\n"; print STDDBG $self->{error} if $DEBUG; # this deletes the FileHandle, which gets closed, # so that might change errno delete $self->{fh}; return undef; } elsif ($@) { # something else went wrong. barf up completely. confess($@); } # return the return value from the eval{} $ret; } # return the username from the rfc931 query return. # object method sub username { my ($self) = @_; my ( $remoteport, $localport, $port1, $port2, $replytype, $reply, $opsys, $userid, $error ); print STDDBG "Net::Ident::username\n" if $DEBUG > 1; # wait for data, if necessary. return wantarray ? ( undef, undef, $self->{error} ) : undef unless $self->ready(1); # parse the received string, split it into parts. ( $port1, $port2, $replytype, $reply ) = ( $self->{answer} =~ /^\s*(\d+)\s*,\s*(\d+)\s*:\s*(ERROR|USERID)\s*:\s*(.*)$/ ); # make sure the answer parsed properly, and that the ports are the same. if ( !defined($reply) || ( $self->{remoteport} != $port1 ) || ( $self->{localport} != $port2 ) ) { $self->{error} = "Net::Ident::username couldn't parse reply or port mismatch\n"; print STDDBG $self->{error} if $DEBUG; return wantarray ? ( undef, undef, $self->{error} ) : undef; } # check for error return type if ( $replytype eq "ERROR" ) { print STDDBG "Net::Ident::username: lookup returned ERROR\n" if $DEBUG; $userid = undef; $opsys = "ERROR"; ( $error = $reply ) =~ s/\s+$//; } else { # a normal reply, parse the opsys and userid. Note that the opsys may # contain \ escaped colons, which is why the hairy regexp is necessary. unless ( ( $opsys, $userid ) = ( $reply =~ /\s*((?:[^\\:]+|\\.)*):(.*)$/ ) ) { # didn't parse properly, abort. $self->{error} = "Net::Ident::username: couldn't parse userid\n"; print STDDBG $self->{error} if $DEBUG; return wantarray ? ( undef, undef, $self->{error} ) : undef; } # remove trailing whitespace, except backwhacked whitespaces from opsys $opsys =~ s/([^\\])\s+$/$1/; # un-backwhack opsys. $opsys =~ s/\\(.)/$1/g; # in all cases is leading whitespace removed from the username, even # though rfc1413 mentions that it shouldn't be done, current # implementation practice dictates otherwise. What insane OS would # use leading whitespace in usernames anyway... $userid =~ s/^\s+//; # Test if opsys is "special": if it contains a charset definition, # or if it is "OTHER". This means that it is rfc1413-like, instead # of rfc931-like. (Why can't they make these RFCs non-conflicting??? ;) # Note that while rfc1413 (the one that superseded rfc931) indicates # that _any_ characters following the final colon are part of the # username, current implementation practice inserts a space there, # even "modern" identd daemons. # Also, rfc931 specifically mentions escaping characters, while # rfc1413 does not mention it (it isn't really necessary). Anyway, # I'm going to remove trailing whitespace from userids, and I'm # going to un-backwhack them, unless the opsys is "special". unless ( $opsys =~ /,/ || $opsys eq 'OTHER' ) { # remove trailing whitespace, except backwhacked whitespaces. $userid =~ s/([^\\])\s+$/$1/; # un-backwhack $userid =~ s/\\(.)/$1/g; } $error = undef; } # return the requested information, depending on whether in array context. if ( $DEBUG > 1 ) { print STDDBG "Net::Ident::username returns:\n"; print STDDBG "userid = ", defined $userid ? $userid : "", "\n"; print STDDBG "opsys = ", defined $opsys ? $opsys : "", "\n"; print STDDBG "error = ", defined $error ? $error : "", "\n"; } wantarray ? ( $userid, $opsys, $error ) : $userid; } # do the entire rfc931 lookup in one blow. # exportable subroutine, not a method sub lookup ($;$) { my ( $fh, $timeout ) = @_; print STDDBG "Net::Ident::lookup fh=$fh, timeout=", defined $timeout ? $timeout : "", "\n" if $DEBUG > 1; Net::Ident->new( $fh, $timeout )->username; } # do the entire rfc931 lookup from two in_addr structs sub lookupFromInAddr ($$;$) { my ( $localaddr, $remoteaddr, $timeout ) = @_; print STDDBG "Net::Ident::lookupFromInAddr localaddr=", sub { inet_ntoa( $_[1] ) . ":$_[0]" } ->( sockaddr_in($localaddr) ), ", remoteaddr=", sub { inet_ntoa( $_[1] ) . ":$_[0]" } ->( sockaddr_in($remoteaddr) ), ", timeout=", defined $timeout ? $timeout : "", "\n" if $DEBUG > 1; Net::Ident->newFromInAddr( $localaddr, $remoteaddr, $timeout )->username; } # alias Net::Ident::ident_lookup to Net::Ident::lookup sub ident_lookup ($;$); *ident_lookup = \&lookup; # prevent "used only once" warning ident_lookup(0) if 0; # get the FileHandle ref from the object, to be used in an external select(). # object method sub getfh ($) { my ($self) = @_; $self->{fh}; } # get the last error message. # object method sub geterror ($) { my ($self) = @_; $self->{error}; } # this is called whenever a function in @EXPORT_FAIL is imported. # simply calls the installed export hooks from %EXPORT_HOOKS, or # passes along the export_fail up the inheritance chain sub export_fail { my $pkg = shift; my $fail; my @other; foreach $fail (@_) { if ( $fail =~ /^_export_hook_(.*)$/ && $EXPORT_HOOKS{$1} ) { &{ $EXPORT_HOOKS{$1} }; } else { push @other, $fail; } } if (@other) { @other = SUPER::export_fail(@other); } @other; } # add lookup method for FileHandle objects. Note that this relies on the # use FileHandle; sub _add_fh_method { # determine package to add method to my $pkg = grep( /^IO::/, @FileHandle::ISA ) ? "IO::Handle" : "FileHandle"; # insert method in package. Arguments are already OK for std lookup # turn off strict refs for this glob-mangling trick no strict 'refs'; *{"${pkg}::ident_lookup"} = \&lookup; print STDDBG "Added ${pkg}::ident_lookup method\n" if $DEBUG; } sub _add_apache_method { # add method to Apache::Connection class no strict 'refs'; *{"Apache::Connection::ident_lookup"} = sub { my ( $self, $timeout ) = @_; print STDDBG "Apache::Connection::ident_lookup self=$self, ", "timeout=", defined $timeout ? $timeout : "", "\n" if $DEBUG > 1; lookupFromInAddr( $self->local_addr, $self->remote_addr, $timeout ); }; print STDDBG "Added Apache::Connection::ident_lookup method\n" if $DEBUG; } 1; __END__ =head1 NAME Net::Ident - lookup the username on the remote end of a TCP/IP connection =head1 SYNOPSIS use Net::Ident; $username = Net::Ident::lookup(SOCKET, $timeout); $username = Net::Ident::lookupFromInAddr($localsockaddr, $remotesockaddr, $timeout); $obj = Net::Ident->new(SOCKET, $timeout); $obj = Net::Ident->newFromInAddr($localsockaddr, $remotesockaddr, $timeout); $status = $obj->query; $status = $obj->ready; $username = $obj->username; ($username, $opsys, $error) = $obj->username; $fh = $obj->getfh; $txt = $obj->geterror; use Net::Ident 'ident_lookup'; $username = ident_lookup(SOCKET, $timeout); use Net::Ident 'lookupFromInAddr'; $username = lookupFromInAddr($localsockaddr, $remotesockaddr, $timeout); use Net::Ident ':fh'; $username = SOCKET->ident_lookup($timeout); use Net::Ident ':apache'; # my Apache $r; $c = $r->connection; $username = $c->ident_lookup($timeout); =head1 OVERVIEW B is a module that looks up the username on the remote side of a TCP/IP connection through the ident (auth/tap) protocol described in RFC1413 (which supersedes RFC931). Note that this requires the remote site to run a daemon (often called B) to provide the requested information, so it is not always available for all TCP/IP connections. =head1 DESCRIPTION You can either use the simple interface, which does one ident lookup at a time, or use the asynchronous interface to perform (possibly) many simultaneous lookups, or simply continue serving other things while the lookup is proceeding. =head2 Simple Interface The simple interface comes in four varieties. An object oriented method call of a FileHandle object, an object oriented method of an Apache::Connection object, and as one of two different simple subroutine calls. Other than the calling method, these routines behave exactly the same. =over 4 =item C [C<, $timeout>]C<)> B is an exportable function. However, due to the generic name of the B function, it is recommended that you instead import the alias function B. Both functions are exported through C<@EXPORT_OK>, so you'll have to explicitly ask for it if you want the function B to be callable from your program. You can pass the socket using either a string, which doesn't have to be qualified with a package name, or using the more modern FileHandle calling styles: as a glob or as a reference to a glob. The Socket has to be a connected TCP/IP socket, ie. something which is either Bed or Bed. The optional timeout parameter specifies a timeout in seconds. If you do not specify a timeout, or use a value of undef, there will be no timeout (apart from any default system timeouts like TCP connection timeouts). =item C [C<, $timeout>]C<)> B is an exportable function (via C<@EXPORT_OK>). The arguments are the local and remote address of a connection, in packed ``sockaddr'' format (the kind of thing that C returns). The optional timeout value specifies a timeout in seconds, see also the description of the timeout value in the C section above. The given localaddr B have the IP address of a local interface of the machine you're calling this on, otherwise an error will occur. You can use this function whenever you have a local and remote socket address, but no direct access to the socket itself. For example, because you are parsing the output of "netstat" and extracting socket address, or because you are writing a mod_perl script under apache (in that case, also see the Apache::Connection method below). =item C [C<$timeout>] When you import the ``magic'' tag ':fh' using C, the B module extends the B class with one extra method call, B. It assumes that the object (a FileHandle) it is operating on, is a connected TCP/IP socket, ie. something which is either Bed or Bed. The optional parameter specifies the timeout in seconds, just like the timeout parameter of the function calls above. =cut # add a paragraph about compatibility mode if appropriate. The non-breaking # spaces are to force a new paragraph. # @@12 s/^#// @@ # #=pod # #S< > # #Adding the B method to the B class used to be #automatic in previous version of B. During the installation #of this B package, the system administrator choose to install #it in a compatible way, meaning that on this machine, the B #method is automatically added if you use just C # #=cut # end of extra paragraph =pod S< > Some people do not like the way that ``proper'' object design is broken by letting one module add methods to another class. This is why, starting from version 1.20, you have to explicitly ask for this behaviour to occur. Personally, I this it's a compromise: if you want an object-oriented interface, then either you make a derived class, like a FileHandleThatCanPerformIdentLookups, and make sure all appropriate internal functions get wrappers that do the necessary re-blessing. Or, you simply extend the FileHandle class. And since Perl doesn't object to this (pun intended :), I find this an acceptable solution. But you might think otherwise. =item C [C<$timeout>] When you import the ``magic'' tag ':apache' using C, the B module extends the B class with one extra method call, B. This method takes one optional parameter: a timeout value in seconds. This is a similar convenience function as the FileHandle::ident_lookup method, to be used with mod_perl scripts under Apache. =back What these functions return depends on the context: =over 4 =item scalar context In scalar context, these functions return the remote username on success, or undef on error. "Error" is rather broad, it might mean: some network error occurred, function arguments are invalid, the remote site is not responding (in time) or is not running an ident daemon, or the remote site ident daemon says there's no user connected with that particular connection. More precisely, the functions return whatever the remote daemon specified as the ID that belongs to that particular connection. This is often the username, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. Some sites, out of privacy and/or security measures, return an opaque ID that is unique for each user, but is not identical to the username. See I for more information. =item array context In array context, these functions return: C<($username, $opsys, $error)>. The I<$username> is the remote username or ID, as returned in the scalar context, or undef on error. The I<$opsys> is the remote operating system as reported by the remote ident daemon, or undef on a network error, or B<"ERROR"> when the remote ident daemon reported an error. This could also contain the character set of the returned username. See RFC1413. The I<$error> is the error message, either the error reported by the remote ident daemon (in which case I<$opsys> is B<"ERROR">), or the internal message from the B module, which includes the system errno C<$!> whenever possible. A likely candidate is B<"Connection refused"> when the remote site isn't running an ident daemon, or B<"Connection timed out"> when the remote site isn't answering our connection request. When I<$username> has a value, I<$error> is always undef, and vice versa. =back =head2 EXAMPLE The following code is a complete example, implementing a server that waits for a connection on a port, tells you who you are and what time it is, and closes the connection again. The majority of the code will look very familiar if you just read L. Excersize this server by telnetting to it, preferably from a machine that has a suitable ident daemon installed. #!/usr/bin/perl -w use Net::Ident; # uncomment the below line if you want lots of debugging info # $Net::Ident::DEBUG = 2; use Socket; use strict; sub logmsg { print "$0 $$: @_ at ", scalar localtime, "\n" } my $port = shift || 2345; my $proto = getprotobyname('tcp'); socket(Server, PF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, $proto) or die "socket: $!"; setsockopt(Server, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, pack("l", 1)) or die "setsockopt: $!"; bind(Server, sockaddr_in($port, INADDR_ANY)) or die "bind: $!"; listen(Server,SOMAXCONN) or die "listen: $!"; logmsg "server started on port $port"; my $paddr; for ( ; $paddr = accept(Client,Server); close Client) { my($port,$iaddr) = sockaddr_in($paddr); my $name = gethostbyaddr($iaddr,AF_INET) || inet_ntoa($iaddr); logmsg "connection from $name [" . inet_ntoa($iaddr) . "] at port $port"; my $username = Client->ident_lookup(30) || "~unknown"; logmsg "User at $name:$port is $username"; print Client "Hello there, $username\@$name, it's now ", scalar localtime, "\n"; } =head2 Asynchronous Interface The asynchronous interface is meant for those who know the ins and outs of the C call (the 4-argument version of C, but I didn't need saying that, did I?). This interface is completely object oriented. The following methods are available: =over 4 =item C This constructs a new Net::Ident object, and initiates the connection to the remote ident daemon. The parameters are the same as described above for the B subroutine. This method returns immediately, the supplied I<$timeout> is only stored in the object and used in future methods. If you want to implement your own timeout, that's fine. Simply throw away the object when you don't want it anymore. The constructor will always succeed. When it detects an error, however, it returns an object that "has already failed" internally. In this case, all methods will return C except for the C method, wich will return the error message. The timeout is I implemented using C. In fact you can use C completely independant of this library, they do not interfere. =item C Alternative constructor, that takes two packed sockaddr structures. Otherwise behaves identical to the C constructor above. =item C This object method queries the remote rfc931 deamon, and blocks until the connection to the ident daemon is writable, if necessary (but you are supposed to make sure it is, of course). Returns true on success (or rather it returns the I<$obj> itself), or undef on error. =item C [C<$blocking>] This object method returns whether the data received from the remote daemon is complete (true or false). Returns undef on error. Reads any data from the connection. If I<$blocking> is true, it blocks and waits until all data is received (it never returns false when blocking is true, only true or undef). If I<$blocking> is not true, it doesn't block at all (unless... see below). If you didn't call C yet, this method calls it for you, which means it I block, regardless of the value of I<$blocking>, depending on whether the connection to the ident is writable. Obviously, you are supposed to call this routine whenever you see that the connection to the ident daemon is readable, and act appropriately when this returns true. Note that once B returns true, there are no longer checks on timeout (because the networking part of the lookup is over anyway). This means that even C can return true way after the timeout has expired, provided it returned true at least once before the timeout expired. This is to be construed as a feature. =item C This object method parses the return from the remote ident daemon, and blocks until the query is complete, if necessary (it effectively calls C for you if you didn't do it yourself). Returns the parsed username on success, or undef on error. In an array context, the return values are the same as described for the B subroutine. =item C This object method returns the internal FileHandle used for the connection to the remote ident daemon. Invaluable if you want it to dance in your select() ring. Returns undef when an error has occurred. =item C This object method returns the error message in case there was an error. undef when there was no error. =back An asynchronous example implementing the above server in a multi-threaded way via select, is left as an excersize for the interested reader. =head1 DISCLAIMER I make NO WARRANTY or representation, either express or implied, with respect to this software, its quality, accuracy, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. This software is provided "AS IS", and you, its user, assume the entire risk as to its quality and accuracy. =head1 AUTHOR Jan-Pieter Cornet, =head1 COPYRIGHT Copyright (c) 1995, 1997, 1999 Jan-Pieter Cornet. All rights reserved. You can distribute and use this program under the same terms as Perl itself. =head1 REVISION HISTORY =over 4 =item V1.20 August 2, 1999. Finally implemented the long-asked-for lookupFromInAddr method. Other changes: =over 1 =item * No longer imports ident_lookup into package FileHandle by default, unless you explicitly ask for it (or unless you installed it that way during compile time for compatibility reasons). =item * Allow adding an ident_lookup method to the Apache::Connection class, as a convenience for mod_perl script writers. =item * Rewritten tests, included test for the Apache::Connection method by actually launching apache and performing ident lookups from within mod_perl. =item * Moved selection of FileHandle/IO::Handle class out of the Makefile.PL. PAUSE/CPAN didn't really like modules that weren't present in the distribution, and it didn't allow you to upgrade your perl version underneath. =back =item V1.11 Jan 15th, 1997. Several bugfixes, and some slight interface changes: =over 1 =item * constructor now called C instead of C, constructor now always succeeds, if something has gone wrong in the constructor, all methods return undef (like C), except for C, which returns the error message. =item * The recommended exported function is now C instead of C =item * Fixed a bug: now chooses O_NDELAY or O_NONBLOCK from %Config, instead of hardcoding O_NDELAY (argh) =item * Adding a method to FileHandle would break in perl5.004, it should get added in IO::Handle. Added intelligence in Makefile.PL to detect that and choose the appropriate package. =item * Miscellaneous pod fixes. =item * Test script now actually tests multiple different things. =back =item V1.10 Jan 11th, 1997. Complete rewrite for perl5. Requires perl5.002 or up. =item V1.02 Jan 20th, 1995. Quite a big bugfix: "connection refused" to the ident port would kill the perl process with a SIGPIPE if the connect didn't immediately signal it (ie. almost always on remote machines). Also recognises the perl5 package separator :: now on fully qualified descriptors. This is still perl4-compatible, a perl5- only version would require a rewrite to make it neater. Fixed the constants normally found in .ph files (but you shouldn't use those anyway). [this release wasn't called B, of course, it was called B] =item V1.01 Around November 1994. Removed a spurious B complaint. First public release. Has been tested against B and B. =item V1.00 Dunno, somewhere 1994. First neat collection of dusty routines put in a package. =back =head1 SEE ALSO L RFC1413, RFC931 =cut