[erlang-patches] add application:start_all/1-2 (recursive OTP app starting)

[Fredrik]

On 06/20/2013 08:16 PM, Fred Hebert wrote:
> This adds two new functions to the application module that will
> recursively look for missing dependencies to start the entire dependency
> chain of a given application, and then the application itself, if
> possible.
>
> Its entire behavior is based on the currently existing 'start/1-2'
> functions, which will report dependencies that have not yet been started
> and other problems encountered. 'start_all/1-2' will use this
> information the way any programmer would manually do it to automate the
> process.
>
> This kind of functionality, while not OTP-ish (releases do this start
> sequence for the user), is still useful for testing purposes, quick
> demonstrations, and programmers who do not wish or know how to use OTP
> releases.
>
> The function returns 'ok' for all started or already started
> applications, and will return '{error, {AppName, Reason}}' on a failure
> to allow users to rapidly know why the function failed.
>
> I decided to call it start_all even though its semantics are somewhat
> similar to ensure_start in how it ignores already_started applications,
> but am open to changing the name if the OTP team prefers
> 'ensure_all/1-2' as functions for this module.
>
> Documentation has been added, and so were tests, looking for a few
> simple case: simple app, app with a dependency, and apps with a
> 3rd-level dependency not booting, all locally.
>
> Note that no specific check is made for direct or indirect circular
> dependencies between applications, and these will make the function go
> in an infinite loop.
>
> git fetch git://github.com/ferd/otp.git start-all
>
> https://github.com/ferd/otp/compare/erlang:maint...start-all
> https://github.com/ferd/otp/compare/erlang:maint...start-all.patch
>
> Regards,
> Fred Hebert.
> _______________________________________________
> erlang-patches mailing list
> erlang-patches@REDACTED
> http://erlang.org/mailman/listinfo/erlang-patches
Hello Fred,
I've fetched your patch and assigned it to be reviewed.
Thanks,

-- 

BR Fredrik Gustafsson
Erlang OTP Team