Mongers all, I've written and been using for some time an app that makes heavy use of Net::Telnet from CPAN. A recurring problem with Telnet.pm is its timeout setting: Only one is provided, a total elapsed time timeout rather than an inactivity period timeout, whereas the latter is what is really needed. No matter how long I set it sooner or later there's a slow link and large file that times out. In addition the long settings are a problem when short transactions are disrupted and the long timeout prolongs the cancellation excessively.
I have been extremely reluctant to modify this module and supply it with my app. It's so much better to have people be able to get it directly from CPAN, but I've finally reached the point where something has got to be done. Lacking a better plan I'm just going to modify it to restart the timeout with every byte received from the remote end, which should turn it into the inactivity timer I need. If the throughtput penalty can be kept small it will be a lot better than the current situation. My questions are: 1. Is there a better scheme? 2. Has this already been done by someone? 3. Advice on Telnet.pm internals? 4. Any other thoughts, comments, caveats? Thanks all, Jim James Eshelman, Principal, Nova Software, Inc. www.nova-sw.com
