Simple HTTP support

[Graham Fawcett]

Hi folks,

On Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:42:33 +0100, Jonas Drewsen wrote:

> On 25/02/11 20.31, Andrei Alexandrescu wrote:
>> On 2/25/11 1:16 PM, Johannes Pfau wrote:
>>> Andrei Alexandrescu wrote:
>>>> On 2/25/11 8:48 AM, Jonas Drewsen wrote:
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> My first post here so I don't know if this is the right place.
>>>>>
>>>>> I like how phobos is coming along but really miss a HTTP client and
>>>>> I think it should be a part of the standard library.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is anyone working on this currently?
>>>>>
>>>>> Any thoughts/heads-up if I decide to go ahead an implement it myself
>>>>> e.g. regarding ranges and other stuff?
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it at all possible to get such thing accepted in phobos if
>>>>> someone implemented it (and the quality is good enough)?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> Jonas
>>>>
>>>> Here's what I think would be great to do:
>>>>
>>>> 1. A declarations module for libcurl. We'd put that in etc. You
>>>> wouldn't even need to go through the review process, the need and the
>>>> benefits are obvious. Nobody has had a chance to do that yet.
>>>
>>> I remember there was some discussion about that some time ago. Graham
>>> Fawcett has a declarations module here:
>>> https://github.com/gmfawcett/d-play-libcurl/blob/master/fawcett/curl.d
>>> . It's not complete (only wraps the simple curl api), but it's a
>>> start. I think he was even willing to contribute it to phobos, but I'm
>>> not sure.
>>
>> Graham?
> 
> I've contacted him via github and asked it he is willing contribute it
> to phobos. It probably needs to be finished and polished but I think it
> is a good start.

Yes, Jonas contacted me, and I'm very happy to contribute it. I've just 
added a Boost 1.0 license, and Jonas is going to take it from there.

Sorry for missing this, I haven't had much time for the D list lately. :P

Best,
Graham



> 
>>> I've been working on a webclient like api now and then, but I haven't
>>> got the time right now to continue it and the code currently is a
>>> mess. The biggest problem I faced is curls 'push interface', you
>>> receive all data in a callback. Webclients in other languages offer a
>>> 'pull' / stream like api and i couldn't find a good way to support
>>> that with curl.
>>
>> You can do both with curl IIRC, it's a bit more work - you need is do
>> the work in a separate hidden thread and use synchronization or message
>> passing with client's thread.
> 
> It would also be nice with a async support using futures/deferreds. In
> most cases I think it is easier to debug single threaded async IO than
> using threads.
> 
> /Jonas