IronMQ Ruby Client

The full API documentation is here and this client tries to stick to the API as much as possible so if you see an option in the API docs, you can use it in the methods below.

Getting Started

1. Install the gem:

gem install iron_mq

2. Setup your Iron.io credentials

3. Create an IronMQ client object:

ironmq = IronMQ::Client.new

Or pass in credentials if you don't want to use an iron.json file or set ENV variables:

ironmq = IronMQ::Client.new(:token => "MY_TOKEN", :project_id => "MY_PROJECT_ID")

You can also change the host if you want to use a different cloud or region, for example, to use Rackspace DFW:

ironmq = IronMQ::Client.new(:host => "mq-rackspace-dfw.iron.io", :token => "MY_TOKEN", :project_id => "MY_PROJECT_ID")

The default host is AWS us-east-1 zone (mq-aws-us-east-1.iron.io). See all available hosts/clouds/regions.

The Basics

Get Queues List

list_queues = ironmq.queues # => [#<IronMQ::Queue:...>, ...]

--

Get a Queue Object

You can have as many queues as you want, each with their own unique set of messages.

queue = ironmq.queue("my_queue")

Now you can use it.

--

Post a Message on a Queue

Messages are placed on the queue in a FIFO arrangement. If a queue does not exist, it will be created upon the first posting of a message.

queue.post("hello world!")

--

Retrieve Queue Information

queue.info # => {"id"=>"5127bf043264140e863e2283", "name"=>"my_queue", ...}
queue.id   # => "5127bf043264140e863e2283"

--

Get a Message off a Queue

msg = queue.get
msg.body # => "hello world!"

When you pop/get a message from the queue, it is no longer on the queue but it still exists within the system. You have to explicitly delete the message or else it will go back onto the queue after the timeout. The default timeout is 60 seconds. Minimal timeout is 30 seconds.

--

Delete a Message from a Queue

msg.delete
# or
queue.delete(msg.id)

Be sure to delete a message from the queue when you're done with it.

--

Client

IronMQ::Client is based on IronCore::Client and provides easy access to the queues.

ironmq = IronMQ::Client.new(:token => "MY_TOKEN", :project_id => "MY_PROJECT_ID")

List Queues

all_queues = ironmq.queues.list # => [#<IronMQ::Queue:...>, ...]
# or
all_queues = ironmq.queues.all  # => [#<IronMQ::Queue:...>, ...]

Optional parameters:

• page: The 0-based page to view. The default is 0.
• per_page: The number of queues to return per page. The default is 30, the maximum is 100.
• raw: Set it to true to obtain data in raw format. The default is false.

queues = ironmq.queues.all(:page => 1, :per_page => 10)

--

Get Queue by Name

queue = ironmq.queue "my_queue" # => #<IronMQ::Queue:...>

Note: if queue with desired name does not exist it returns fake queue. Queue will be created automatically on post of first message or queue configuration update.

--

Queues

Retrieve Queue Information

info = queue.info # => {"id"=>"5127bf043264140e863e2283", "name"=>"my_queue", ...}

Shortcuts for queue.info[key]:

id = queue.id # => "5127bf043264140e863e2283"

size = queue.size # => 7
name = queue.name # => "my_queue"
overall_messages = queue.total_messages # => 13
subscribers = queue.subscribers # => [{"url" => "http://..."}, ...]

push_type = queue.push_type # => "multicast"
# Does queue Push Queue? Alias for `queue.push_type.nil?`
is_push_queue = queue.push_queue? # => true

Warning: to be sure configuration information is up-to-date client library call IronMQ API each time you request for any parameter except queue.name. In this case you may prefer to use queue.info to have Hash with all available info parameters.

--

Delete a Message Queue

response = queue.delete_queue # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>

--

Post Messages to a Queue

Single message:

response = queue.post("something helpful") # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>
# or
response = queue.post("with parameteres", :timeout => 300) # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>

message_id = response.id # => "5847899158098068288"
status_message = response.msg # => "Messages put on queue."
http_code = response.code # => 200

Multiple messages:

# [{:body => VALUE}, ...] format is required
messages = [{:body => "first"}, {:body => "second"}]

response = queue.post(messages) # => {"ids" => ["5847899158098068288", ...], "msg" => "Messages put on queue."}
# or
response = queue.post(messages, :timeout => 300) # => {"ids" => ["5847899158098068288", ...], "msg" => "Messages put on queue."}

Optional parameters:

• timeout: After timeout (in seconds), item will be placed back onto queue. You must delete the message from the queue to ensure it does not go back onto the queue. Default is 60 seconds. Minimum is 30 seconds. Maximum is 86,400 seconds (24 hours).

• delay: The item will not be available on the queue until this many seconds have passed. Default is 0 seconds. Maximum is 604,800 seconds (7 days).

• expires_in: How long in seconds to keep the item on the queue before it is deleted. Default is 604,800 seconds (7 days). Maximum is 2,592,000 seconds (30 days).

--

Get Messages from a Queue

message = queue.get # => #<IronMQ::Message:...>

# or N messages
messages = queue.get(:n => 7) # => [#<IronMQ::Message:...>, ...]

# or message by ID
message = queue.get "5127bf043264140e863e2283" # => #<IronMQ::Message:...>

Optional parameters:

• n: The maximum number of messages to get. Default is 1. Maximum is 100.

• timeout: After timeout (in seconds), item will be placed back onto queue. You must delete the message from the queue to ensure it does not go back onto the queue. If not set, value from POST is used. Default is 60 seconds. Minimum is 30 seconds. Maximum is 86,400 seconds (24 hours).

When n parameter is specified and greater than 1 method returns Array of Messages. Otherwise, Message object would be returned.

--

Touch a Message on a Queue

Touching a reserved message extends its timeout by the duration specified when the message was created, which is 60 seconds by default.

message = queue.get # => #<IronMQ::Message:...>

message.touch # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>

--

Release Message

message = queue.get # => #<IronMQ::Message:...>

response = message.release # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>
# or
response = message.release(:delay => 42) # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>

Optional parameters:

• delay: The item will not be available on the queue until this many seconds have passed. Default is 0 seconds. Maximum is 604,800 seconds (7 days).

--

Delete a Message from a Queue

message = queue.get # => #<IronMQ::Queue:...>

message.delete # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>

--

Peek Messages from a Queue

Peeking at a queue returns the next messages on the queue, but it does not reserve them.

message = queue.peek # => #<IronMQ::Message:...>
# or multiple messages
messages = queue.peek(:n => 13) # => [#<IronMQ::Message:...>, ...]

Optional parameters:

• n: The maximum number of messages to peek. Default is 1. Maximum is 100.

--

Poll for Messages

queue.poll { |msg| puts msg.body }

Polling will automatically delete the message at the end of the block.

--

Clear a Queue

queue.clear # => #<IronMQ::ResponseBase:...>

--

Push Queues

IronMQ push queues allow you to setup a queue that will push to an endpoint, rather than having to poll the endpoint. Here's the announcement for an overview.

Update a Message Queue

queue_info = queue.update(options) # => {"id"=>"5127bf043264140e863e2283", "name"=>"my_queue", ...}

The following parameters are all related to Push Queues:

• subscribers: An array of subscriber hashes containing a “url” field. This set of subscribers will replace the existing subscribers. To add or remove subscribers, see the add subscribers endpoint or the remove subscribers endpoint. See below for example json.
• push_type: Either multicast to push to all subscribers or unicast to push to one and only one subscriber. Default is multicast.
• retries: How many times to retry on failure. Default is 3. Maximum is 100.
• retries_delay: Delay between each retry in seconds. Default is 60.

--

Set Subscribers on a Queue

Subscribers can be any HTTP endpoint. push_type is one of:

• multicast: will push to all endpoints/subscribers
• unicast: will push to one and only one endpoint/subscriber

ptype = :multicast
subscribers = [
  {:url => "http://rest-test.iron.io/code/200?store=key1"},
  {:url => "http://rest-test.iron.io/code/200?store=key2"}
]

queue.update(:subscribers => subscribers, :push_type => ptype)

--

Add/Remove Subscribers on a Queue

queue.add_subscriber({:url => "http://nowhere.com"})

queue.add_subscribers([
  {:url => 'http://first.endpoint.xx/process'},
  {:url => 'http://second.endpoint.xx/process'}
])


queue.remove_subscriber({url: "http://nowhere.com"})

queue.remove_subscribers([
  {:url => 'http://first.endpoint.xx/process'},
  {:url => 'http://second.endpoint.xx/process'}
])

--

Post and instantiate

Sometimes you may want to post message to the Push Queue and instantiate Message instead getting it by ID returned in API response. To do this just set :instantiate to true.

message = queue.post('push me!', :instantiate => true) # => #<IronMQ::Message:...>

msgs = queue([{:body => 'push'}, {:body => 'me'}], :instantiate => true) # => [#<IronMQ::Message:...>, ...]

This creates fake Message objects. They contain only IDs.

--

Get Message Push Status

After pushing a message:

subscribers = queue.get(msg.id).subscribers # => [#<IronMQ::Subscriber:...>, ...]

subscribers.each { |ss| puts "#{ss.id}: #{(ss.code == 200) ? 'Success' : 'Fail'}" }

Returns an array of subscribers with status.

Note: getting a message by ID is only for usable for Push Queues. This creates fake IronMQ::Message instance on which you call for subscribers' push statuses.

--

Acknowledge / Delete Message Push Status

subscribers = queue.get(msg.id).subscribers # => [#<IronMQ::Subscriber:...>, ...]

subscribers.each do |ss|
  ss.delete
  # ss.acknowledge # This is `delete` alias
end

--

Revert Queue Back to Pull Queue

If you want to revert you queue just update push_type to 'pull'.

queue.update(:push_type => 'pull');

--

Further Links

• IronMQ Overview
• IronMQ REST/HTTP API
• Push Queues
• Other Client Libraries
• Live Chat, Support & Fun

---

© 2011 - 2013 Iron.io Inc. All Rights Reserved.